300+ Yard Drives - Bulls**t!!

[warbirdlover]

I read all these driver reviews and all these claims of hitting 300 plus yard drives. I don't believe it. I would say a real good drive for the typical amateur is about 250. That's where I fall in and if I hit one 280 it's great. I've hit two drives over 300 yards in my life (326 and 305) and haven't a clue what I did. I suspect it landed on a rock that was just at the right angle to send it another 30 yards in the air and it rolled another 20. There's probably a couple guys in these forums that can crank them out like that (Rock?) but for the most part I think it's wishful thinking. What's your view on this?

[SiberianDVM]

I played last weekend with 2 guys I met on the teebox. Both were about 6' tall, in their late 40s, early 50s, with a decent sized gut. Both had 8.5* FT-3s, and on an average swing, they outdrove me by 20 yards. On 1 shortish par 4 hole, the better of the 2 said "Are they clear of the green yet?", then ripped a high draw over the trees, landed 10 yards short of the green.

They are out there, it's just not everyone.

[Adam Pettman]

I am small and weak and have only been playing for 9 months and I hit about 275 pretty straight. So I think there must be amateurs that consistently hit 300yrds.

[DaveE]

With modern equipment and balls alot of young guys are hitting the ball a long way. They may not know where it's going but 300 yd drives are not that uncommon anymore.

Playing in a scramble last year I was standing on the green on a 350 yd. par 4 and watched 3 guys in a row drop drives with 50 yds. of the green. All carry.

[ezra76]

Yardages always get overstated. My swing speed has been measured at 116 mph. I have had drives roll out close to 300 but if I were to get a GPS I'll bet my average, catching it on the sweetspot and in the fairway, is 260-270. I was hitting the inside of center every time at the Callaway demo and the launch moniter was still reading 260's.

[warbirdlover]

Well, I'm 59 years old, 6' 1" and 250 lbs. (not fat) and have taken Karate for years to stay in shape. I've spent lot's of hours on the "analyzer" and it takes a big swing to get 110 mph. I'm around 90-100 mph with an easy swing. All the big hitters I've played with that hit them that far are in the woods or two fairways over. What have they gained? Now they've got an extra 150 yards on their second shot. I've yet to play with anyone that can consistently hit it like that straight down the middle. I'm not counting the 300 yard hits that aren't in the fairway.

[MAHALLEDAY]

There are lots of guys out there that can smash it out to 300 yards. I do it fairly often. I think the real thing is guys brag about bombing drives but fail to mention that is 300 yards ob not 300 in the fairway.

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by MAHALLEDAY

There are lots of guys out there that can smash it out to 300 yards. I do it fairly often. I think the real thing is guys brag about bombing drives but fail to mention that is 300 yards ob not 300 in the fairway.

Absolutly Everyone can hit a drive 300yrds into the trees.

[Rockford35]

I'm 5'10" and 185lbs. I can hit it 300+ at will, just not straight every single time. I've driven a 325 yard par 4 on a local course plenty of times. I've hit balls 360+ with a wind and good roll. And I am not a long hitter in comparison.

But, as mentioned, i'd take 285 carry and some roll over 300+ in the bush.

It's all relative. Distance is a gawd-send, but it can also be a tool of El Diablo.

R35

[NBGolfer]

Well I am a amateur, been playing golf on and off for about 10 years. Played as a junior then gave it up for Hockey. I just got back into golf as a full time member this year and I drive it over 300 yards. I have driven (landed on) 2 par 4's on my home course of 305 and 300 with my 3 wood! But I play alot of times against my dad and I out drive him by 100 yards and his cap is a little better then mine, so there you go :-S
But the last 2 quotes are so true... 300 yards doesn't do you much good on the trees.
This is an interesting situation. Some pros that wack the driver say they would rather be 310 in the long stuff then 270 in the short.
Myself I would rather take 30 yards off and be in the short stuff which is what I do quite often now that I am working to lower my cap.

[Youngun5]

most times people want to uphold their macho persona and just straight up add 20 yards to their average. or maybe hit one that far and from now on thats their average.

i had four drives over 300 and in the fairway yesterday, one 350 downwind, but yes, the rest were off in the jungle so i'm not really sure if i fall into your category or not. i'm not saying i average 300 b/c i look at the tour and only a select few average over 300, and those guys just murder the ball. i could never keep up with those guys and although i'll try my hardest, still probably won't ever.

i'll take my 285 average and try to beat you some other way. but for my age, i'd say that's pretty damn good

[Highdraw34]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

I am small and weak and have only been playing for 9 months and I hit about 275 pretty straight. So I think there must be amateurs that consistently hit 300yrds.

I'm calling BS right there. I bet if took a yardage book and didn't judge by your drive on a downhill hole that you don't consistantly hit 275. I may be wrong and if so good for you but I also thought that I hit 280-300 consistantly. I usually outdrive everyone I play with and when I do the due dilligence and check the yard markers versus the length of the hole I usually hit about 265-270. I am not small and I am not weak and I have been playing for about ten years. I'm playing to about a 10 this year so I am not a below average golfer. Just because you hit it well and it goes straight does not mean it went as far as you think. Also, don't judge by what you do at the Range. Those yardages are almost always wrong and offcenter.

[Highdraw34]

Double post, sorry.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

Well, I'm 59 years old, 6' 1" and 250 lbs. (not fat) and have taken Karate for years to stay in shape. I've spent lot's of hours on the "analyzer" and it takes a big swing to get 110 mph. I'm around 90-100 mph with an easy swing. All the big hitters I've played with that hit them that far are in the woods or two fairways over. What have they gained? Now they've got an extra 150 yards on their second shot. I've yet to play with anyone that can consistently hit it like that straight down the middle. I'm not counting the 300 yard hits that aren't in the fairway.

116 is topped out. I just wanted to put that out there so some guys would get a dose of reality. I'm 30, also 6'1" but at 165lbs. I have been a professional mover for 12yrs. so needless to say I have good strength. Flexibility has always been above average also. I can put my fists to the floor standing straight-legged. My point... all these things help to increase my swing speed, and if 116 produces 270 then some guys should get a GPS or an XXFlex because 300yds. takes about a 126. I driven the green on a 315 multiple times, is this distance correct, I highly doubt it.

[Highdraw34]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

Absolutly Everyone can hit a drive 300yrds into the trees.

Here is the thing. Most people don't know how to judge the distance of a drive, or any shot for that matter. You say that anyone can hit a 300 hard drive into the trees. You ever line up and smash one that felt great but curves hard into the trees? You think you ripped that one so it was a 300 yard drive right? Wrong. It was probably much shorter than a 3/4 shot hit straight. A high amount of spin on the ball in either direction will absolutely kill your distance. Take Phil's shot on Sunday at 18. He launched that ball right? Well it was a 240 yard drive. I know Phil Mickleson has a higher swing speed than 99.9% of everyone who plays golf. It is just a fact. No one should measure the distance of their drives. If you even start to think about distance before Fairways hit then you aren't going to get better. The only stat that people who truly want to get better at golf should think about when it comes to drives is average distance on Fairways hit. Work on improving that and the possibilities are endless.