Par4QC Breed tried to say, last night, that the avg. amateur golfer's drive was 252, (senior's 230). Complete frickin stupidity. Means the avg. SS would be around 100 mph!!

During the same telecast there was an ad for the "Speed Stik" which stated the average swing speed of an amateur is 81mph while the average tour pro is 109 mph. There's no way the "average" golfer is hitting the ball 250 yards. According to this chart, the average golfer has a SS of around 93 mph...but that is for golfers carrying handicaps. http://members.swingmangolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/handicap-s-average-driver-club-speed.jpg

81 might be a bit low, but it's a lot closer to that than 100. According to PGA stats, the average tour pro is around 113. The highest average on the PGA tour is 124. I realize they're using different equipment, but swing speeds of 150 by the LD guys is bonkers.

That chart also tells me my handicap should be A LOT lower than it is. 🙂

    I tend to play with "average" golfers when I get paired up with people and nobody, and I mean nobody hits it 250.Not even one time.
    I played "bogey golfer" type tournaments this year, hdcps from 3-30. and only one guy I played with hit it over 250.
    He hit one 270 and that was a one time thing. The biggest hitters were around 240. And these are avid average golfers as they're playing in tournaments and paying more to do so.


      garyt1957

      Depending on which golfer you hang out with.
      In our area, the low handicap golfers like to hang out with their peer.

      Once in awhile I got to paired up with a few younger golfers and often times they were long off every club.
      Just this week, I got paired with several youngster in their early 30's and they were playing army golf in the front nine but straighten their drives in the back to average over 250 for sure some close to 280 with temperature below 60° F and a soggy fairway ( also just aerified ).
      A few year back I paired with a guy consistently hitting close to 300 and a few close to 320. He used to play college golf.

      But for the most part, yes, often when I got paired up with other golfers, the 250-260 range would be long off the tee in general. A majority of the faces I run into often drive the tee shots around 220-230.

          Release

          That's the real version of golf right there. I can count on one hand the number of golfers I have played with that were as long or longer than me off the tee, but i lost count long ago of the guys that think they hit it 300 yards. Truth be told, I have played with probably 5-10 guys that are in the 280 range on a fairly consistent basis, 2 that are near 300 on good shots and 1, yes 1 guy that hit the ball farther than I do off the tee, playing regular golf.

          The guy was built like a brick outhouse and crushed everything long, he's the first and only guy I have seen hit one particular par 5 (dog leg at about 320 out on a 538 yard hole, massive trees protecting the corner and ponds all the way up the right) hit the green in two... with back to back hybrids 😂. Putting that in real perspective, I have hit that green in 2, 2 times ever, driver, 3 wood/hybrid... you can't cut the corner and the landing area usually funnels you to the rough, with a down hill lie. I've played the hole 100+ times, it's a 3 shot hole for any mortal. I have learned to play conservative off the tee, play out to the "2nd" corner of the dog leg ( the area where you can actually see a round the trees) and play in from there.

          Anyway, the whole point I was trying to get at here, the average guy hits it 220-235 off the tee, the longer hitter gets to 250 and most everyone else thinks too highly of their ability. Weirfan slaps the ball out there in the 280-300 range when he's feeling it and he can get both feet fully off the ground on follow through.. he's been probably the longest, not the tallest, I have played with in a long time. There is no way the average guy swings at 100 mph... these freaks at 150 are crazy. The very best I ever got was in the mid 130's with ld equipment. It would be like comparing the highscool football star to the best in the NFL, I can't imagine adding that much speed, good gawd.

              DC300

              Darrin, you should. you are still young enough.

              That day we played in Rochester you hit several drives over 350, the most impressive was the 360 yard uphill par 4 that you flew the green on....not to mention carrying a bunch onto the roof of that garage well past the end of the fairway on the range which ended at 300.

                  Weirfan

                  I have promised myself I will be in shape this coming season. Working on the habit of getting to the gym 5 days a week again. When we played in Rochester I was in pretty good condition, then I tried out a new shape.. round.. and that didn't work out well for me. I'm getting back to better shape and it's starting to show on the course, I leaned into one last round to try to get to a par 4 and flew it middle of the green, ~325 carry.. bounced off and left me a mell of a hess, but a par non the less. Hopefully, I can get back to the strength level I was at three years ago and get more of that pop back in the game. I'm sure I can compete at regional levels now, but there is no chance with the real hitters.

                      DC300

                      There are monsters out there on the golf course.
                      I concur with the type of golfer whom hit it super long off the tee. One time maybe 29-30 years ago, I was a walk on with two other singles at a suburbia golf course. One golfer is an older guy ( back then about 50'ish ) and the other in his 30's wear eye glasses and looked like a body builder.

                      This guy will lay up on a dogleg hole using a 4 iron while the third guy and I were using drivers, still shorter than the 4 iron this other guy hit. The older golfer immediate ask a bunch of questions like did the guy play there often, did he belong to the man's club......... I knew he wanted to hook up with this long hitter to play club tournaments.

                      I can say I had encountered more than a few whom could hit over 300 on a regular base, after the practice rounds at the qualifying for the Public links and local events. They are out there, but I had never witness anyone hit it over 400, ever.

                      TWLD brought out the beasts from all corners of the world.

                        the ball and equipment are so good these days that even an old guy ( 55 next month) like me can hit 300 yard drives once in a while. Had one of 312 Wednesday using an M1, My first day in Phoenix with JackZ and Customgolfcenter, I had 3 maybe 4 that were 300 plus including one close to 330 ( Ping G25). my best on the year, hit one almost 360 on a 540 par 5 at my home course this summer with a mild tail wind and some dry and firm fairways ( Cobra pro)

                          Weirfan

                          damn, you guys are good.
                          I'm too old to chase the distance. I'll just weep with my 250 and practice my 3 wood off the deck more often.
                          Can't hit my 2 iron after the injury, I'll pick up some hybrids.

                              Hell, if I could drive 250 I'd probably be famous!

                              Outside of my grandson(Jake) and stepson, along with my oldest son....3 who can go 270-320 every day, I seldom play with anyone that is really long.

                              Did I mention those 3 can seldom, if ever, beat me scorewise? There's more than 1 money shot in 18 holes!! ; )
                              I do love watching the LD fellas hit them long sumbiches though.

                              Art Sellinger had NOTHING to do with that Championship...It was all Golf Channel...they made all decisions.

                              Art was called to do some announcing chores...that is it.

                                Bangoman

                                I am outdated in that part of golf. I'd pay more attention to it, after this year's exciting program.

                                  Release

                                  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure lots of people, esp the young guys can hit it long. I'm just talking average Joes. Heck, I averaged around 250 when in my late 30's when I started playing. But if I go to any course in Mi including the higher end courses, I have a 99% chance of not being paired up with someone hitting it 250 or more. At least that's been my experience lately.

                                    DC300

                                    I would love to play a round with you, although it would be very humbling. I'd love to see that kind of distance up close.

                                        garyt1957

                                        Right now in my current health condition , I probably average 230 ish. Summer is over the pitch mark in the fairway usually will be ahead of the golf ball.
                                        250 and above for me only happens in a warmer drier condition. Can't buy back the years .

                                          garyt1957

                                          It's just a longer walk to the ball, hopefully one not involving trees. It can be a great advantage, but when it goes wrong, it's really wrong. An extra 30-75 yards in the wrong direction makes things reallllllly interesting, but when it's harnessed in the right way, it's Fun! I like scrambles haha.