Iron Distances?

[Cardog]

60* - 80
56* - 98
50* - 115
PW - 126
9 iron - 137
8 iron - 149
7 iron - 163
6 iron - 174
5 iron - 185
4 iron - 198
3 hybrid - 210-215
3 wood - 245 off the tee 225 off the deck
Driver - 275

Those are my averages, add about about 5 yards for my max distance (irons only).

Everybody say that distance isn't everything is right. I drive the ball with my 3 wood most of the time especially inside of 370yds (par 4). Its far easier to hit my sand wedge from 95-100yds out than doing a pitch from 65 yds. If I'm 260yds out on a par5, there is no reason to take my 3 wood and "hope for the best" when I will have a better chance of getter in trouble than taking my 7 iron and laying up for a nice and easy 95yd shot which you know you won't screw up.

[Andy_79]

9-iron - 145 yards.
7-iron - 165 yards
5-iron - 185 yards.

etc.

Bear in mind though that I would be hitting the ball a good bit further in the States. I hit the ball pretty much bang at the flag the vast majority of the time, too. It's not how, it's hot many remember, folks.......

[APowell1990]

If you can consistently "blast one downt the pipe", then all power to you hitting that wedge into the green.

However, the 90%+ of golfers out there that don't hit 14 of 15 fairways each and every round could use a shorter, more accurate drive rather that trying to hit hero shots from the trees.

If they can, get on the Tour, cuz Tiger does it every weekend.

I may be hitting a 7 iron to the green, but unless you're sinking your wedge on the approach, you better make your putt because we're gonna score the same after I drain my putt. Putting is still single handedly the most important aspect of your game - hands down. Distance has something to do with it, but it means absolutely nothing if you can't putt.

See: Fred Couples and his putting woes
Tiger when he doesn't win.
Phil when he doesn't win.
Sergio.
Bubba Watson....5 wedges on the final 7 holes on Saturday. Didn't win.
Vijay Singh as of late.
Ernie, who just kills it....but when he doesn't putt, he misses cuts.

The list goes on and on. Even the best players in the world suffer from poor putting. And, I'm betting that every single one of them would prefer to be 300down the pipe instead of 320 in the rough.

I don't really see how you can say that can't be true.


I will take a page out of my boy Vijay's book. I would rather hit my wedge from the rough than hit a mid-iron from the fairway. Okay I am sure you will get it up and down with your 7 Iron the majority of the time. I will take my wedge against your 7 anyday of the week. (no offense)You need to have a good putter, but most good players can 2 putt. Most can make putts inside 5 feet. Putting is the most important, but not by a huge margin. Depends on what kind of lie they have from 320 yards I guess and what their iron distance looks like from both spots.

[Rockford35]

Take into account that you're also quoting one of the top ten players in the world, not 90% of duffers out there like I mentioned.

I only pointed out the list of pros that suffer from poor putting to prove my point. As far as I can see, you've just proven it further. Sure, if you can hit the ball 325 everytime, you're going to be playing shorter irons to the green. But Vijay doesn't say that he's sinking putts, even hitting a wedge into the green.

Closer to the hole with a wedge? Probably. Making the putts? Obviously not, or he'd be #1 in the world, hands down.

The 90% of guys out there that want that 300 yard cannon in their arsenal are approaching the game wrong. If you want to score better (which, incidently, is the purpose of golf as a game), you have to make putts.

I'd take a hot putter and 270 off the tee than 300 in the rough/trees/water/sand any day.

R35

[APowell1990]

You are proving my point that when you see a guy blast it 290 yards, you think he is sparatic and has nothing else in his game. I still bet Vijay is a better putter than you and me.

[Rockford35]

I' m not denying that Vijay can put. That's why he's on tour and won 10 million bucks one year.

But, what you seem to be eluding to is that you can bomb it, and putt.

See you on the tour.

If I don't, you can't putt and all you have is a 300 yard drive. Outstanding.

Congrats. You've achieved what 90% of golfers seem to strive for, constantly salivate over the commercials of huge drives and distance, failing to realize that the biggest and most important part of this game is your putting, second only to using your brain, which you seem to not be able to do here.

Go out and hit 300 yarders all day. I'll take my 285 average and my decent putting carrying me to a 5 handicap. I can crank it over 300 on every drive if I wanted to, no problem. Am I good enough for the tour? No way. Because my putting is sub-par. But by your logic, because I can hit drives that exceed 300yards and if I can hit a 7 iron 170, I'm tour worthy.

I just don't see that works, sorry.

R35

[Youngun5]

well said rock, i won't get hot and heavy into this. but let me say that i've been to both ends of the line. i had everything set up for distance and all i strived for was more and more distance. then something happened, i wisened up. i was giving up too many strokes to errant drives. now i've changed my setup and swing for accuracy and consistancy. and my scores have dropped like mad. funnier yet how when i swing slow to help accuracy , the ball goes further. i'm not saying i hit the fairway every time, i'm getting there though, distance isn't everything, a good sound short game is, i remember the days i'd be within 30 yards of the green on the longest par 5's, but couldn't get up and down to save my life. now its surpremely better b/c i can do both with some consistency. i honestly prefer taking a wedge from the rough over a mid iron from the fairway, but when doing so brings higher scores into play, then its time to stop. putting is soooo everything, but i like to think, that if my driver is off, then everything is thrown off a tad, but i'm excellent at greenside pitching/chipping so that steps up and i'm so close i don't need to putt as well.

they seem short, but i like to club up and use a slower swing, my main thing is accuracy though
GW: 110
PW: 130
9: 140
8: 150
7: 160
6: 170
5: 180
4: 190
5w: 210
3w: 235
D: 265

[EnglishGolfer]

SW - 70
PW - 100
9 - 125
8 - 140
7 - 152
6 - 162
5 - 175
4 - 185
3 - 195
3W - 245
D - 280

I know there are some big gaps in there which I somehow need to fill

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Andy_79

9-iron - 145 yards.
7-iron - 165 yards
5-iron - 185 yards.

etc.

Bear in mind though that I would be hitting the ball a good bit further in the States. I hit the ball pretty much bang at the flag the vast majority of the time, too. It's not how, it's hot many remember, folks.......

I can't help but be curious about this. Is it our air or the good food.

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I can't help but be curious about this. Is it our air or the good food.

I think there's more hot air in the States Dave ..and warm air makes the ball go further ... btw any pics of IG's odyssey to the Lone Star ??

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Dave Ireland

I think there's more hot air in the States Dave ..and warm air makes the ball go further ... btw any pics of IG's odyssey to the Lone Star ??

Your boy Irish has them so we're gonna have to wait till he gets back.

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by DaveE

Your boy Irish has them so we're gonna have to wait till he gets back.

I've disowned him Dave, as a loser he's strictly Northern Irish, didn't particularly like him to start with, having suffered twice at his hands .. golfwise you understand ...

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Dave Ireland

I've disowned him Dave, as a loser he's strictly Northern Irish, didn't particularly like him to start with, having suffered twice at his hands .. golfwise you understand ...

I was thinking about a smartass remark but remembered that he had control over which pics get posted. With that in mind, whadda ya mean Dave, Irish is a great guy.

[Don]

HOw far you hit the ball with your irons can be misleading to say the least. First of all, not all irons have the same loft, and you can't compare your distance to mind or anyone elses, unless you know the loft you both sets of irons. This became quite clear to me just last week. I've got new irons and have been fighting to get my distances up to what they were with my older set. After I checked the lofts of the new irons, I now know what the problem is. The new irons have 3 degrees more loft then my old set, so it's only natural that I don't hit the ball as far now. Quite confusing at first, couldn't understand why I was always coming up short on approach shots.
Distances with old irons;
60* LW= 90 yards
56* SW= 105
51* GW= 120
PW= 135
9 iorn= 150
8 iron= 165
7 iron= 180
6 iron= 195
5 iron= 205
4 iron= 215
New irons, still working on exact yardages, but almost one club shorter. Ball flight is much higher, due in part to the higher loft, and in part to the softer flex shafts. Went from X stiff to R flex. More accurate with the R flex, and I'm hoping the higher ball flight will improve the way the ball sticks on the greens when the weather warms up and the greens get softer in the spring.

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I was thinking about a smartass remark but remembered that he had control over which pics get posted. With that in mind, whadda ya mean Dave, Irish is a great guy.

LOL..... spoken like a true diplomat Dave ... tho I would hasten to add there's a touch of double standards (as with all political life) .. when we think of some of your finer photoshop moments !!