Standard Golf club distance measurement

[sion126]

Would be nice if golf club manufacturers would publish average distances you should hit various golf clubs. I find that the thing that prevents me from buying equipment is that very data.

Right now my golf bag is experiencing a rather unusual dilemma. I have so many clubs in my bag and out of it that I can hit in he same range distance wise.

This means a search for something based on average distances would be a useful yardstick. All I get is "well different people can hit different clubs different distances" (gee... ya don't say!!). Yes, but what should the average joe hit the damn thing?

recently my 4,5,6 irons started grouping far too close to be of any differentiator so I took my 5 and 6 out the bag (210 yards on all of them)

Then my darn woods started playing the same games with me, so I bought two hybrids and threw my 3 wood to the back of the garage.

I also threw my driver in the same pile as I could not hit it over 215 and I could hit a 1 Iron Hybrid 250 time after time and select where it would land.

In fact recently that 1 Iron has been my tee driver and follow up club on par 5 holes, short chip with a 60 degree wedge and I see par with my nice new Dana putter.

180 yard par 3 shots have become a nightmare, too short for my 8 iron and I hit 7,6,5,4 from 200 to 220. So I got me a 15 wood and its too short. So then I got an 11 wood and that went well till last week, where suddenly I hit the bugger 190 every time. (slower swing as well)

So now I am looking at my clubs and wondering why I have so many that go the same distance. In fact all I really need is 1 iron Hybrid, 5 wood, 7 wood, 8 iron, 9 iron, PW, SW, LW, putter....been thinking of adding a 64 degree wedge and a 54 degree wedge, but 5 wedges in the bag will look mighty strange?? My short game is real good. I can use the various wedges with clinical precision....and my favorite irons are the 9 and the 4. Precision tools that go where I need them to.

Be eager to hear from folks with the same malady....as I am heading to complete swap of irons and woods with hybrids (1-7)....:killersmiley:

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

That is basically why you would demo clubs in relation to filling distance gaps. People play clubs different ways. So we both may hit my 5i 170 yards, but I may hit my 4i hybrid 180 yards playing it like a FW and you may hit it 220 playing it like a delofted iron. What is the proper way???? What is the proper way if I am 180 yards in the fairway and you are 220 yards in the woods???

Make the manufacturers do the same and they would likely deloft my 23* hybrid to 6* on an Iron Byron and say it will go 320 yards just for the sake of saying it is the longest club on the market. Who doesn't want the longest club on the market? Must be the proper way to hit the club if it went 320 yards.

Simply put, that's not going to happen in a manner that will not best sell clubs for the manufacturer, or in a way that would benefit the consumer. To assume they would agree to some standardized method is not going to happen.

Each given club will react differently to how it is used. One persons garbage is another's treasure simply because it better suits how they hit the club.

Personally, I would be more interested in seeing which is the most reliable for a said distance. That is why one person calls a particular hybrid Gold and another similar person may call it a "hook machine". They both hit the club differently to suit their swing.

 

[sion126]

:deadhorse:

The way I play golf with my metal legs I would need a store to loan me a club for 6 weeks to make those decisions. Going to smack one for an hour does nothing for me....I have several clubs that hit great at the store, but back at the range....I even have a few that are great on the range but do not work on grass unless the lie is perfect. All my fault no doubt....but it is useful to measure what you should be getting distance wise against what you are actually getting....

Recently I discovered that different grips for different clubs make a massive difference...for me the bigger and softer the better. I think it is these grips that are providing the massive gains of some of my irons. Hitting a 6 iron 190-200 yards is quite impressive for me.....I get a radical kick out of that till I need to hit something 170 yards....oh well I have decided to go with 7 and 8 irons for the job and a 60 degree wedge chip either way......

 

[rubber314chicken]

with everyones swings different the distance will always vary. I hit a 7 from 150. My friend with very similar clubs will hit a 6. Are his clubs less distancey than mine? I really doubt it!

 

[mont86]

How about a swingless driver?

 

[usa1950]

Rocl Hard Range balls with half the dimples worn down to the size of a, well, smaller than they should be don't help the equation at all.

I never use range sessions for distance, only for ball striking, and direction.

My distances come from the course only.

As for "average joe" distances, I don't think you will find any reliable sources. My irons have been in the bag for a long time, and the lofts of those clubs are probably considered "weak" when compared to newer clubs.

Also, I think you need to consider distances for different skill levels. Something simple (other than handicap's which many people do not have). 70's shooters hit a 5 iron X distance. 80's players Y distance, and 90's players Z distances. Something like that.

Lastly, you should not hit the 4, 5 and 6 the same difference if you are striking the ball well. Too much difference in loft.

 

[Dannykos]

sorry - am I the only one calling BS on those yardages - i mean.... 190yd+8 iron - but can't hit a driver more than 215...?

whatever.

 

[usa1950]

sorry - am I the only one calling BS on those yardages - i mean.... 190yd+8 iron - but can't hit a driver more than 215...?

whatever.

I know Ryan Babel hits most of his clubs the exact same distances, and he even tops them into the ground just a bit. They then fly all the way into the net!!!!

YNWA

 

[FATC1TY]

I was keeping my mouth shut on the distances. Just brings a smile to my face and some enjoyment in reading things on the 'net.

 

[ClairefromClare]

sorry - am I the only one calling BS on those yardages - i mean.... 190yd+8 iron - but can't hit a driver more than 215...?

whatever.

It's that internet adjustment again.

 

[Augster]

I believe the distances for sure.

All he is doing is REALLY delofting his clubs. Delofting your irons is the "correct" way to hit the irons. You strike the ball first, then the ground, with your hands leading the clubhead through impact.

The "problem" he is having is that he is varying his delofting per iron. If you kept a "constant deloft" upon contact, your irons would have a semi-equal spacing. Since your 4, 5, and 6 all go the same distance, and assuming they have different lofts (you may want to get that checked), you are simply delofting the 6 more than you are delofting the 4. Shorter clubs are easier to deloft.

This also explains why he hits his driver so badly. You do not want to deloft the driver. A negative Angle of Attack with a driver is counter-productive.

The longest drivers in the world use low loft with a very positive angle of attack.

If you are unwilling to change your swing, at least your driver swing, you will definitely need to get a driver with more loft to make up for your delofted, negative AofA swing.

It is GREAT that you are hitting down on the ball and with your hands forward at impact. That is correct. Just try not to do it "as much" with your lower lofted irons and you'll start seeing some equal yardage spacing.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

This to me does just sound like a deloft issue. I do know people that hit a 5i about 240, unfortunately that is the longest club in their bag because they have delofted it to the lowest loft they can hit without losing distance, or likely to about 10*. So every club under a 5i is going to either go the same distance or shorter.

Basically if they try and hit their 10* driver, it is set up like a 1-3* driver and it does not go as far as the 5i.

Makes perfect sense to me, while I do not deloft my clubs, this is the reason I just went from a 10* to 12* driver, to possibly gain distance and consistency. If the OP swing speed is not enough to support anything over what his 7i is delofted to, what would lead anyone to believe the 6i,5i or 4i would go any further?

If I had gone the other direction and said I needed a 6* driver for my 90 whatever MPH Swing Speed so I could hit it further, what do you think the response would have been?

 

[limpalong]

Standard Putter Distance Measurement

Yes, I would prefer seeing manufacturers publish distances a "regular Joe" can hit a putter! I once punched out from under trees with my old Ping 'My Echo' and rolled the ball on the green some 155 yards away. I would surmise, my Scotty... being 1/2" shorter and carbon steel vs. bronze... would have a different distance potential. I have a buddy who putts anything under 100 yards. Should I try to talk him into buying my old Ping since I know it will 'crush' the ball 150????:emot-ange

"Standard" distances make about as much sense as teaching pros assuming all swings should look alike. When it comes to playing this game of golf... it's not how far, it's how many!!!

One of the regulars in our group carries 8 clubs. He will shoot between 85 and 92 on a consistent basis. He knows those 8 clubs like old friends and knows how he can adjust his swing/lofting to accomplish what he needs to do. He could care less about how far the 'regular Joe' hits an 8 iron. He doesn't even carry one!!

My old Pings are a tab bit weaker lofts than more modern irons. Plus, my body is old and tired and worn out. The original poster said his 8 iron is too long for a 190 yard par 3???? No... the iron isn't too long. The poster, simply, has not learned infinite control of iron distances. If I hit an 8 iron over 190, it would be difficult to have enough clubs in the bag to hit something 110 or 120 or 85. My goodness... at those distances... he'd need an 80 degree wedge for anything under 100 yards!!

My son-in-law, consistently, hits 2 less irons than I do from the same distance. Part of that is his, yet, unbroken body. Some is his more modern lofts. Yet, we will "fight it out" round after round after round between 78 and 82. One time he'll get me by a stroke or two. Next time out, I'll get him. Again, it ain't how far... it's how many!!

To the poster, I would recommend the following. Play at least 9 holes... preferably 18 holes... with an 8 iron and a putter. (No... I don't mean working on the range with varying distances!) Take your 8 iron and putter and play... on the course... an entire round. I would venture to say it would be an excellent learning experience. If, in fact, you can hit your 8 iron reasonbly straight for 190 yards, there is no Par 5 that you should not be able to birdie. 3 190 yard shots would put you at 570 yards... as long as some of the longest most of us play. That still leaves you 2 putts for par. Practicing, on the course, with varying your distances will allow you to develop a feel for the club and what can be accomplished when one is not hitting all out for distance.

Nope... I would rather manufacturers NOT publish 'standard distance measurements'! If they did, I would surely give up this game since the medical bills from my attempting to push an 8 iron 190 yards would certain cause the dislodging of vertebrae and displacement of rectal tissue!!

 

[packerfan1]

club distances

Try this:

Golf Club Distance Calculator

If you can tell it the distance you hit a 5 iron on average, it will calculate the rest of your club distances. I do have to say that it is pretty accurate for me, anyhow.

 

[warbirdlover]

That distance calculator is right on except for driver distance. I use a different swing (slightly) with my driver and I've been carrying my ball about what it gives for driver distance. If that refers to carry distance it's dead nuts on.