How Do You Determine Distance For Your Clubs?

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By Carl T

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  • 15 Replies
  1. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Do you use a driving range, cow pasture, golf course on a slow day or what to determine how far you hit a ball with a given club ? I have found that range balls do not fly as far as the balls I use (Pro Vx). Open fields are hard to find that are mowed low to where you can see your ball pattern. A slow day on a golf course is usally not a good time to find out your average distance as the weather conditions must be pretty bad for it to be slow enough to hit 10 balls and get an average distance (rain, snow,freezing temps, high winds, etc.). In the past I would find an open field that was mowed low and hit 10 balls with each club and throw out the flyers and get an average distance for that club. That field is now home to buildings and business.Just looking for some ideas.
  2. David L

    David L
    fort collins, CO

    I just go to the driving range. I don't notice much of a difference between the Pro V1's and the range balls when it comes to distance. It seems to only be about 5 yards with my irons. I notice the difference around the green. I shot a 76 on Sunday and I had a couple irons shots where the distance was a little off, but I think it was just because I was a little rusty. I keep my distances from the prior year and then change it a little if I need to. My distances have not changed much though. When I got my new clubs (AP2's) I noticed about a club differnce, but that went away after practicing for a couple months. When the course is not busy and I'm not playing very well, I will hit a couple balls into the green just to check my distance and try different shots. I usually have to wait on the group(s) in front of me so I will do some quick practice shots. I did not do this during my last round because I was playing so good. I didn't want to mess with what I had going. I will not turn in my scorcards for my handicap until the course is in better shape. Keep in mind that if the balls at the range are kept outside all night they will most likely be a little cold and not fly as far. Wish I had a better suggestion, but this is what I do and it seems to work out well for me.
  3. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    Only about 5 yards different? Wow. At my last fitting for a 910Fd, the range balls were measured at 230 yards. The fitter suggested that would be more like 260 with real balls, and he was correct. This is at a range that replaces their balls every year, and all the balls are the same. My courses range has all different kinds, and some are so old they are practically bald. It's impossible to judge distance at the range there.

    I can get relative distances from some ranges, but the only thing I found to work is documenting distances out on the course. I use Golfshot on my iPhone to help with that.

  4. eagle3

    eagle3
    Fairfax, IA

    What I have found that works for me is to go to a range and hit a medium size bucket and then take out some of the used balls that I keep for just this purpose and hit those. Gives me a good idea of the distance I get with the balls I use. I play the the following: ProV1, Prov1x and NXT Tour. Use all depending on weather conditions as I winter in south Texas and use ProV1s and xs here and ProV1x and NXT Tour at home  up north.

  5. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    One of the ranges I go to mixes real golf balls in the ball machine. I would almost venture to say about a 10 yard distance diff between a good range ball and a Titleist ball. I would say with the driver about 20 yards. I also am fortunate to have a public park near my house that does not have a "no golf practice" sign. I go there at the crack of dawn with my irons and hit to a mound with a sidewalk that is shaped like a green. I also sometimes go there around noon on a Sunday (when it is pretty empty). This is closer to golf course conditions vs the range (plus you throw in a bit of walking). Also what helps with dialing distance in is alternating golf rounds between a par 72 course and a couple exec courses in the County. Plus we have the luxury of being able to play all year round in San Diego. I play every other week and sometimes 3 times per month. I have been playing faithfully on my non-working Fridays at the crack of dawn. My working Friday is driving range or 9 holes at an exec course near my work (in the latter case I leave work a little later since it is an 8 hour day; Mon-Thur are 9 hour days).
  6. David L

    David L
    fort collins, CO

    Dave, I only notice about 5 yards with my irons. When hitting my fairway wood or driver there is at least a 10 yeard difference. I do not hit my driver much on the range. When I do I usually use balls I find on the course. All the range balls at my course are fairly new and are the same brand. If there are ones that are beaten up or old I will hit them first when I warm up, hit them last when I practice chipping, or leave them for someone else. My rangefinder has helped me out quite a bit out on the range. It's hard to judge the distnaces unless you're right next to the marker. David
  7. Quintin H

    Quintin H
    Morehead, KY

    I just add 5y to the current long ball hitter on the board, currently I'm about 175 for PW.

  8. Quintin H

    Quintin H
    Morehead, KY

    hehe

    I hit one down the middle on hole #1, I pull the club that I used for that distance yesterday and swing away......usually I'm short, so then I adjust my thinking. As the round progresses I gain distance and adjust accordingly, sometimes I finish hitting the ball longer than yesterday, sometimes the same as yesterday, and sometimes not as far as yesterday......but now I have a reference to start tomorrow.

    This game would be so easy if I hit the ball an exact distance every swing, day in and day out, be pretty boring too.

  9. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    I take a pretty educated guess on my distance. I know what I hit under normal conditions (i.e. 65-80* f with sunshine) and what I hit when it is rather frigid outside. I tend to hit irons more conservatively when I start out and distance gradually increases. My wedges vary maybe 5 yards regardless of time of day. My normal golf setup is 13 clubs (driver, 7W, 5H, 6-PW, Vokey 50-54-58-62 and putter). I toss the 34H in to fill the bag. At the onset of a game I might use the 34H instead of the 6 or 7 iron (particularly on the par 3s) and I switch later on.
  10. James B

    James B
    San Antonio, TX

    My SkyCaddie has a yardage feature that lets you check the distance of a shot. Every now and then I use it to see what distance I am getting on my clubs.
  11. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    James B said:

    My SkyCaddie has a yardage feature that lets you check the distance of a shot. Every now and then I use it to see what distance I am getting on my clubs.
    I like this idea. I have used this feature for my driver but never thought about using it for my other clubs.
  12. Pete D

    Pete D
    Plaistow, NH / Ft. Myers, FL

    Unless you're very new to the game, or very inconsistent, you should have a good idea how far each iron goes in "normal" conditions, probably starting at the 150-yard marker and stepping in or out from there. I've been playing nearly 40 years and have almost always hit a 7-iron from 150. There was probably a period where it was an 8, but that seems so long ago. Strangely, technology has evolved over the last 10-15 years (balls and irons) to make up for my loss of strength and flexibility, to the point where I still hit 7-iron from 150. Could I hit my 7-iron farther? Surely, but then I probably wouldn't be as accurate hitting 12-14 greens a round, and I probably wouldn't be a 2-3 hcp. Now if you consider what some of the "other" club manufacturers are doing, i.e. RocketBallz, they're just reducing the lofts of the irons. Why would I want my 7-iron to go 175 yards? What am I gonna hit from 90 yards??? Can't wait 'til Spring...
  13. Tom S.

    Tom S.
    Pasco Wa

    A very educated comment Pete. Thats how I look at things as well!!

  14. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Pete D said:

    Unless you're very new to the game, or very inconsistent, you should have a good idea how far each iron goes in "normal" conditions, probably starting at the 150-yard marker and stepping in or out from there. I've been playing nearly 40 years and have almost always hit a 7-iron from 150. There was probably a period where it was an 8, but that seems so long ago. Strangely, technology has evolved over the last 10-15 years (balls and irons) to make up for my loss of strength and flexibility, to the point where I still hit 7-iron from 150. Could I hit my 7-iron farther? Surely, but then I probably wouldn't be as accurate hitting 12-14 greens a round, and I probably wouldn't be a 2-3 hcp. Now if you consider what some of the "other" club manufacturers are doing, i.e. RocketBallz, they're just reducing the lofts of the irons. Why would I want my 7-iron to go 175 yards? What am I gonna hit from 90 yards??? Can't wait 'til Spring...
    With all the de-lofting of the irons, they want you to buy more wedges. My 9 iron is 45*. Even the spec on an Eye 2 5 iron is 28.5*. I find an old school 5 iron much easier to hit vs the new ones. If you think about it, the lie angle and loft of an Eye 2 Blue Dot 5 iron is the same as that of a modern 6H. I love my new Vokey wedges but don't intend on rushing out and buying the latest newfangled woods and irons. I found out my good ole 2007 Burner 7 wood outdoes one of those fancy Flight Control Technology 2 hybrids. I'm of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school. I started playing golf in the days of persimmons/laminated woods (I have Louisville 5W, 10W and 34H persimmons that I break out every now and then; they still make real woods).
  15. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Pete D said:

    Unless you're very new to the game, or very inconsistent, you should have a good idea how far each iron goes in "normal" conditions, probably starting at the 150-yard marker and stepping in or out from there. I've been playing nearly 40 years and have almost always hit a 7-iron from 150. There was probably a period where it was an 8, but that seems so long ago. Strangely, technology has evolved over the last 10-15 years (balls and irons) to make up for my loss of strength and flexibility, to the point where I still hit 7-iron from 150. Could I hit my 7-iron farther? Surely, but then I probably wouldn't be as accurate hitting 12-14 greens a round, and I probably wouldn't be a 2-3 hcp. Now if you consider what some of the "other" club manufacturers are doing, i.e. RocketBallz, they're just reducing the lofts of the irons. Why would I want my 7-iron to go 175 yards? What am I gonna hit from 90 yards??? Can't wait 'til Spring...
    I have been playing golf since I was a kid. I will be 65 soon. I bought a new set of irons and the lofts are stronger than my last set. Back in the 'ol days' I would go out to a low mowed field with a shag bag and hit 10 balls with each club, throw out any fliers and mark off the yardage to the center of the group. The days of finding such a place to do that today is hard to find thus my question. Also as you know with age comes less flexability a loss of yardage with each club. I like to know within a couple of yards what each club's range is in my bag. I knew what the range of the old set was, just trying to dial in the newer stronger lofted irons.
  16. David Browning

    David Browning
    Ohio

    Carl T said:

    Do you use a driving range, cow pasture, golf course on a slow day or what to determine how far you hit a ball with a given club ? I have found that range balls do not fly as far as the balls I use (Pro Vx). Open fields are hard to find that are mowed low to where you can see your ball pattern. A slow day on a golf course is usally not a good time to find out your average distance as the weather conditions must be pretty bad for it to be slow enough to hit 10 balls and get an average distance (rain, snow,freezing temps, high winds, etc.). In the past I would find an open field that was mowed low and hit 10 balls with each club and throw out the flyers and get an average distance for that club. That field is now home to buildings and business.Just looking for some ideas.

     

    Lucky for me, I'm surrounded by a few fields. When I'm home, I'll take my clubs out, some Pro V's, and my range pickers, for distances under 25 yards...my Pugs. 

     

    I'll hit balls with each club and just use a measuring wheel, then start walking off my distances. When I get to, say, where I hit my 7 iron, I'll look back to where I started...this helps me get a good mental image of the distances.

     

    At my home course, I'll pretty much do the same thing and make my own yardage book. 

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