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The 400 yd Drive ? What is Happening ?

Sandy

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
907
0
I had a couple of rounds last year when I think I struggled to hit my drives 400 yards if you added the combined yardage of them all together...

Thankfully I realised very early on that being honest with yourself about your yardage was a key to good course management. I decided to accept my average drive was around 220, but could drop below 200 on a bad day, and it made a big difference. Playing a round with my brother-in-law and his mate, and hearing their big drive boasting before we set off, it was real fun to watch them hit every one of their drives across water straight into the lakes and rivers crossing the fairways - and even better to hear their excuses when the course markers showed you just needed 210 yards to carry them!
 

MCDavis

The Plaid Duffer
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 19, 2006
13,633
5,195
Sanford, NC
Country
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My average is 220-240, long ones for me are 270-290. Still haven't legitimately hit 300 (bouncing off the cart path doesn't count...no offense) that I can remember or when I could find the ball (think trees).

All you guys talking averages over 290, longs of 350 and over...bite me!! :D ;)

Frankly, I'll still take 250 down the middle any day over 300 in the trees!!!

And, I've got lots of experience with 300 in the trees. :(

Why is it that when it's headed right into the woods, it's still lifting as it goes out of sight?? :confused:
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I'll join the pissing contest. Over a year and half ago when I weighed more I hit the longer of my drives. I drove the green at 315yds. twice, that hole is flat out but the ball ran on to the green. I also drove the green on a 293 several times, that hole the tee box is higher than the green but less than 10 feet. I ran it on a bunch of times but carried it on once.

Now I'd honestly say I can carry my best drives 270, what it does after that depends on the terrain and trajectory. Now my shorter drives, hit offcenter are as low as 210-220 when they are offline into the rough. When I hit the fairway though I'd say I go between 260-270 overall distance pretty regularly.

What gets me is how I know my swingspeed and ballspeed yet there are these "superdrives" coming from much slower swingers. I was measured on a bunch of swings (over 20) with an avg. between 111-113mph. Ball speed just under 170 and avg. carry distance of 262.5 yds. with a mid-low trajectory. I play either an S or X flex depending on the shaft.
 

demon

Hybrids are for girls
Oct 29, 2006
1,221
1
I'll join the pissing contest. Over a year and half ago when I weighed more I hit the longer of my drives. I drove the green at 315yds. twice, that hole is flat out but the ball ran on to the green. I also drove the green on a 293 several times, that hole the tee box is higher than the green but less than 10 feet. I ran it on a bunch of times but carried it on once.

Now I'd honestly say I can carry my best drives 270, what it does after that depends on the terrain and trajectory. Now my shorter drives, hit offcenter are as low as 210-220 when they are offline into the rough. When I hit the fairway though I'd say I go between 260-270 overall distance pretty regularly.

What gets me is how I know my swingspeed and ballspeed yet there are these "superdrives" coming from much slower swingers. I was measured on a bunch of swings (over 20) with an avg. between 111-113mph. Ball speed just under 170 and avg. carry distance of 262.5 yds. with a mid-low trajectory. I play either an S or X flex depending on the shaft.

I probably average 270 carry with a flat lie and no wind. When I lay into it I get about 285 carry but usually there is no need for it. Plus I am only going to see this distance if everything goes well and of course that doesnt always happen.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I probably average 270 carry with a flat lie and no wind. When I lay into it I get about 285 carry but usually there is no need for it. Plus I am only going to see this distance if everything goes well and of course that doesnt always happen.

My point exactly. Your good average carry is about my long. I can play either the Rombax in the S for a higher flight, more carry distance or the Speeder in the X, which gives me a lower flight but tighter dispersion. If a guy is playing an R flex and hitting it over 275 I don't want to hear it. Get an X and he'll be in the fairway at 280 all the time. Another consideration is shaft weight. No way anyone is controlling a 112 mph. swing with a 60g shaft.
 

LyleG

gear head
Aug 10, 2006
6,388
28
Country
Canada Canada
EZ, and Demon.

Those numbers are more than believable. New eqipment, new balls, and good technique allow for good swing to carry 270-285 for strong players. Ez is a mover, and I know from the movers who moved me, that movers are strong SOB's. Demon is +hdcp, thus 285 off the tee fits his skill level.
My problem comes from a 12 HDCP saying he hits it 330 easy, and has hit some 400. This is laughable. It takes a swing speed of 135 mph to carry a tee shot 330 with perfect contact. To hit it 400 even with 50 yards of roll you would need a swing speed of 142ish. Anyone I have ever seen with these speeds are far better than 12 hdcp's, and make a living doing this because they are 1 in a million. Yet, I meet 30 a week on the internet. Go figure.
 

Dave Ireland

I'm sizzlin tonite
Aug 31, 2004
1,388
0
That just about describes my driving game. 250-260 yards is the norm unless I am really hitting it poor. 280 yards is an amazing shot. I may have hit one or two out to 300 yards in my lifetime but that would have to have been downhill on firm fairways. I used to play with a guy that hit 280 yards down the center on a consistant basis, and I have never played with or caddied for anyone who was longer than he was or as consistant as he was. Maybe the odd cartpath assist or two would give someone a really long one, but no one could top this guy down the fairway.

I am sure they are out there, but I have never seen anyone top 300 consistantly on the course. 400 yard + drives at Kapalua seems to be normal for the Pro's, but the highest average driving distance for the week was 277.3 yards.

Couldn't agree more ualtim ... 270 - 290 seems to get the pros home most of the time, so as a yardstick and with their top of the range gear 250 - 270 for us would be more than a reasonable expectation. I still smile in the clubhouse after a round when guys are telling of the drive & p/w they hit to a par 5 ... but only on closer questioning you find they came up short 3 putted and stuck a six on the card :D
 

Big_Bang

They call me Tater Salad
Dec 27, 2006
51
0
Big Bang

If you want anyone to be believe you, post a swing video. Then we can see the power house swing and judge for ourselves if it is capable or not.

Yeah right, like I have the computer know how to do that!! HAHA! I've tried before to catch it on camera, but all I see is my backswing, and then the ending of my downswing.(ball is already gone) Maybe if I get a $2000 camera, but naw photography isn't my thing. I've only done it twice..once was the one I told about above, which now that I think back, there is a possibility it caught the cart path, would've been a damn lucky shot though...the second was at Evergreen. I was 75 ft elevated, and had a breeze behind me. I honestly don't care if you believe me, I know I hit it, and to me, that's all that matters. Keep swinging, and I guarantee you, that oneday you will hit a shot, that defies gravity. Everyone does.
 

Coach

Krusher
Jul 19, 2006
171
0
Now it's my turn.
I am a 6.7 GHIN index. Per launch monitor during my driver fitting on 9/06, my driver SS is between 99 and 103. through this fitting, purchased Callaway FT-3, draw bias, 10*, upshafted to UST Proforce V2 stiff, 46", 65g, Torque-Low, Kick point-Mid.
My carry is normally 240-250 plus 20 - 25 more in roll on flat conditions. When the swing is working, I am consistently in the 270 - 285 range.
I have had a few 'bombs' (Titleist 983K grafalloy stock shaft prior to FT-3)which ended up 300+, most notably my career drive this past season of 332, with the FT-3, however from a slightly elevated tee box about 20' above the fairway. I put nothing extra on that swing, just caught in the dead, dead center of the face and you could see the ball rocket away. ( I am getting chills-lol). I have played with many singles and zeros and none of them have ever claimed to hit it 400. Gotta be a fluke. When they hit it 300+ and straight, they know it as a rare occurence. In getting back to the lead post on this thread, for me, balance is the thing. When I hit 'em good, my balance is perfect -- not falling out over my toes, not lunging toward the target, not falling off the ball. Only the feeling of finishing the swing in the perfect balance, letting the club head lead me around.
Oh what a feeling!!:cool:
 

Big_Bang

They call me Tater Salad
Dec 27, 2006
51
0
EZ, and Demon.

Those numbers are more than believable. New eqipment, new balls, and good technique allow for good swing to carry 270-285 for strong players. Ez is a mover, and I know from the movers who moved me, that movers are strong SOB's. Demon is +hdcp, thus 285 off the tee fits his skill level.
My problem comes from a 12 HDCP saying he hits it 330 easy, and has hit some 400. This is laughable. It takes a swing speed of 135 mph to carry a tee shot 330 with perfect contact. To hit it 400 even with 50 yards of roll you would need a swing speed of 142ish. Anyone I have ever seen with these speeds are far better than 12 hdcp's, and make a living doing this because they are 1 in a million. Yet, I meet 30 a week on the internet. Go figure.

Are you talking to me? If you are, I ain't no 12 HDCPer! My handicap is, at most, a 5 or 6. I've never actually calculated it...Those people you speak of are capable of doing it consistantly, to the point it's ridiculous. I never claimed to be able to do it consistently.
 

SiberianDVM

I love Hooters
Moderator
Jul 25, 2005
8,783
1,539
Augusta, GA
Country
United States United States
I'll be the first to admit that I have never hit a ball on a flat more than 260 yards. My good shots are more like 240.

That said, I saw with my own 2 eyes a 17 year old kid bombing one drive after another over the 300 yard marker at my range. Into the woods gone. Where deer go to die. With a brand new FT-3 that daddy bought for him 5 minutes before. His old driver had the face dented in.

He has a good swing, his dad brags to anyone and everyone that the kid is turning pro next year. He certainly has the length for it. Whether or not he can putt????
 

LyleG

gear head
Aug 10, 2006
6,388
28
Country
Canada Canada
I tried numerous times to capture a "long drive", but none were all that special, just noormal distance. Hmmmm, looks like we'll get to the bottom of this one another day.

Hmmm, did this camera break?

Post a swing, even a normal one, so we can see it. Because like you said, we'll get to the bottom of this one day ;)
 

demon

Hybrids are for girls
Oct 29, 2006
1,221
1
I hit 340 - 360 off of Fort Ord Bayonet course on hole number 2 (i think) but the tee box is so elevated and the fairway is on such a steep slope that just about everyone drives it at least 290 off the tee. Too bad its never dry on that course or people would see 400 yard drives, but the 2nd shot is a killer since the hole is over 600 yards and flattens out at about 400 yards from the tee box. I wish I had a pic of this hole, it is crazy.

edit, it is 629 from the tips and it is hole number 4
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
Funny story I remember from about 2years ago. My dad and I ended up playing the last 6 or 7 holes with 2 other guys. I don't know what this guy's deal was (I'd be willing to bet that cooler was on empty though) but he said "Oh yeah, I put it out there 300 all the time". So I wasn't hitting my driver very well on the first few par 4's. We get to the 402 yd. dead straight 17th. and he finally catches one he is pleased with. "Oh yeah, I got that one" he says. I said "Watch this" quietly to my dad under my breath. I pulled out a 3iron and out drove him by 10yds.
icon10.gif


I'll never forget that perplexed look on his face as we get to the balls and I walk by his. lol.
 

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