I've got a tee time at Kiva Dunes this coming Tuesday at 8:00am, one on Thursday at Cotton Creek at 7:04am, and one at Lost Keys at 7:36am Friday morning.  These courses are in Gulf Shores, AL.  See you there!

UTG

hahaha... I hear ya.  Obviously there are some "bogus posters" here in the site.  You just have to read them and determine by gut feel if they are saying the truth or not.  Sometimes it is easy to tell if they are just seeking attention.  Just be careful with what you type.  That's why it is a good thing that an administrator has to approve our entries before it is posted.

Good luck searching for that "110-275 golfer" (that's what I would call them).  Happy golfing.

Carlo

If I ever managed to swing my driver at 110 MPH, I'd surely not hit the ball in the middle of the club face, and someone would have to help me get up off the ground!

As a lifetime single-digit handicapper (35 years of single-digit golf), I do hit the odd drive 275, but I give up some distance for finding the fairway consistently.

Good luck in your quest!

Pete

HA  Good post. I work at Valderra in St George UT stop by and I will play a quick 9 with you also.

Who only carries their driver 275?  That's my 5 iron.   :-)

I see where you're coming from.  Especially here on TT it's simply unhelpful to bogus post like that.  I make it known that I'm 95-97 and upwards of 255-260.  My longest drive ever is 280 and I'm a 10 handicap.  I want to help people like me so I can certainly understand your position.

I just finished playing...  Come watch...

I agree completely. At the course you'll never see these guys. However, come check out a Junior Am sometime. Some kids absolutely tattoo the ball. =)

But why do these people with 110+ mph swing speeds and 290+ distance barely play bogey golf and yet someone like me (whose swing speed is 82-85 and may reach 90; drives around 230-240 with an occasional 270) shoot 85 for 18 holes (and that is toying around with the golf game, like bringing persimmon woods occasionally or playing with 10 clubs and shooting 3 over par for 13 holes on an exec course).   I carry 13* draw driver with senior flex (shortened from 45 3/4" to 44 1/2" maybe effectively r flex), 5W, 4-5-7H, 7-PW 4 vokeys and putter (the so-called "old geezer" setup).  

What good is a 300 yard drive if your short game is the pits (personal experience 20+ years ago).  If you slow your swing speed down, you might find more fairways and get more pars and birdies and fewer double/triple bogeys. 

LOL Love it.  I always give it a chuckle when I ready about the guy who's pumping his 9 iron 185 asking about what ball to use.  I'll be the first to admit I'm not a long hitter.  Never have been, but would love to.  I've hit some great drives in my life, but they're not the norm.  Most of my drives end up around the 240-250 mark.  I have been paired up with some guys who hit it tour long, but usually by the end of the round I end up giving them putting advise.

It takes all kinds.

I have a high speed swing and hit the ball above average long.  I'm currently a 3 handicap and have no problems with short game and putting.  But I also do not brag about length or scores.  I had all of my clubs fitted and work on my game alot.  I occasionally get a lesson when needed. This game is my passion and I keep myself fit enough to play like I do. 

There are plenty of us players all around that bomb the ball and have "tour" length.  Why the call out as to where these "longhitters" are?  Just enjoy the site.

Tim

My remarks were more along the rhetorical line of thought, but my sentiment still remains.  I'm a 3.1 index who's fairly long but not tour long.  All I'm saying is in all the places I've been playing I've not seen anything like what I often see posted in the message boards, save for some of the USGA Junior events.

If someone wants to be insulted by remarks or take them personally, that's out of my control (Somerset Maugham once said that the statements people react most strongly to contain the greatest amount of truth), but I meant no offense.

And, at the end of the day, it IS a valid question.

No it is not a valid question. All you have to do is play with a few top high school or college golfers and most of them will be hitting the ball that long.

You play with a handful of golfers and probably the same ones all the time. Do you ever play in tournaments? because I guarantee a lot of the low handicaps and scratch golfers are hitting it well beyond 275.

Nothing wrong with bombing it a mile as long as you have the low or no handicap to back it up and control your direction. 

There's no reason someone with near tour distance should be playing bogey golf, though.  They either don't control their long distance or their short games are the absolute pits.  For these individuals, they need to slow down to control the direction or they need to spend more time on the practice greens and less on the driving range.  The other reason they play bogey golf is they try to impress their golfing buddies by using an 8 iron from 150 yards and, more often than not, ending up 10-15 yards short.  The reason some old geezer that hits a 5H 150 yards plays single digit is he goes with what will work and get the fewest strokes.

Those of us that are average to slightly long hitters (I would say hitting a 7 iron 150 yards is "average" or driving 230) HAVE to have a good short game or accuracy.

If I was using today's irons in 1976, I also would be hitting 185 yard 7 irons (considering I hit one 165 yd back then).

They are out there--much like the 3.1 handicappers. Percentage-wise fewer of them so you are going to run across them less frequently.  

"Fit enough to play like I do"...yeah, preach on Timmy.  Have you been secretly hitting the P90X???  HA, HA.  

Okay, I do have to give Tim his props. He does hit the long ball and plays pretty darn well.  We played once at Medinah and he was bombing it past my little 260-270 yard drives.  And he had a hole in one.  

"Fit enough to play like I do"...yeah, preach on Timmy.  Have you been secretly hitting the P90X???  HA, HA.  

Okay, I do have to give Tim his props. He does hit the long ball and plays pretty darn well.  We played once at Medinah and he was bombing it past my little 260-270 yard drives.  And he had a hole in one.  

[/quote]

My dad played Medinah back in the Sixties (right around the corner from what used to be Adventureland).

I'm not sure about others who can hit the ball long but on 14 drivable holes in a round you may only see me pull driver 4-6 times. I hit the ball 290-310 on average off the tee with driver but rarely use it, I mostly use 3 wood or 3 iron and try to play to 150-180 yards where I am still hitting a mid-iron into greens. Even on a 550 yard par 5 is often a 3 wood and long iron because of how the holes are meant to play so you won't see me on the course trying to bomb driver very often. Perhaps that is just how I play golf, a bit conservative.

I look at a 450 yard par 4 as a 3 wood and 7 iron. I have found that is my best odds of shooting par or better.

Yeah, I was one of those who could pump a golf ball close to 300 yards 25+ years ago and hit '67 vintage 5 irons 180-190 yards (by today's lofts that would be a 7 iron).   But why did I shoot 94 for 18 holes?  (besides not playing often).   My short game was mediocre at best (putting was horrible) , couldn't hit out of a bunker and the highest club I could hit off the grass was a 4 iron (could crush everything else off the tee).

Nowadays, I shoot 85 and drive much shorter (and make it known I use a senior flex driver).  I hit an AP1 7 iron about 145-150.   Difference is my short game is much better (and putting is reasonable) - still working on  my middle game.  I still manage to get on the dance floor before some of these king kongs.

LOL!

GENTLEMEN! THE MAN ASKS A VALID QUESTION. I LIVE IN VEGAS AND PLAYALL OVER THE VEGAS VALLEY  UTAH  MESQUITE AND SO CAL. SO I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF GOLF SWINGS (MOSTLY TOURISTS) THEIR ARE 3 TYPES OF GOLFERS , 90 PERCENT SWING  WELL BELOW 100 MPH  ,5 PERCENT SWING OVER 1OO MPH AND KNOW WHERE THERE BALL IS GOING , AND THEN YOU HAVE THE GUY SWINGING OUT OF HIS SHOES AND DOESNT HAVE A CLUE WHERE HIS BALL IS GOING . I PERSONALLY AVG BET 97-102 MPH WITH A CARRY OF 240-255 YDS ,BUT HERE IN THE DESERT YOU CAN UP TO 50+ YARDS OF ROLL SO I CAN HONESTLLY SAY I HAVE MY FAIR SHARE OF 300YD DRIVES ,BUT NO WAY IM SWINGING OVER 110 MY BACK COULD NOT TAKE IT ,AND I WOULD GUESS THATS TRUE OF MOST OF US . ITS TRUE THEIR ARE GUYS WHO DO HAVE PLUS 110 SWINGS , MOST PLAY HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GOLF ,MY SON PLAYED 4 YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL,(114MPH), BUT HE LIKE MOST OF THE KIDS HE PLAYED AGAINST WERE 2,3or maybe4 sport  ATHLETES . IM JUST SAYING THAT I AINT MANY 30 AND 40 SOMETHINGS WITH 110MPH GOLF SWINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY HIT THE FAIRWAYS!

Here are some interesting statistics, folks:  http://averagegolfer1.blogspot.com/2008/06/average-golfer-statistics.html

Even back when I was young, I heard that the average golf score for amateur men is 102 for 18 holes.   The average weekend golfer does not maintain a handicap. 

At one time I had a swing over 100 mph but, quite frankly, I was swinging out my shoes.   I also got back problems from doing that.  Since I shortened my backswing and slowed down my swing speed in 2009, I have been playing a lot better golf (I broke 90 that year and have remained that way ever since).   I also find the fairway much more often off the tee box. 

Good post. Been a while since I found a topic interesting enough to make a reply. Believe it or not I'm sure there are people on the course with you who hit the ball that far. I'm sure you will have to look for somebody who appears to be in better shape than most you see out on the course. I'm starting to think that golf courses need to have respirators and emergency 911 booths in order to accomodate some of these people....thats here nor there. In general, I doubt you will find the unathletic or frail looking golfer hitting the ball with those carry and yardage numbers you speak of. In my travels, typically somebody with gifted genetics who looks like they care about their overall health and golf game will get to those numbers as well. I will not give my numbers just to pump my own tires here but I do have a swing speed that high.

This 123ish MPH guy Is in the military living in japan. ask again during the Sept Oct time frame when the Titleist rep comes back my way from Guam and i will video a swing with a titleist shot monitor  and try to post the video for you. 

Cheers greens and fairways.

drive for show, putt for dough

Wow, talk about the law of unintended consequences!!!  When I started this thread, I was asking what I thought was (and still believe to be) a valid question, albeit one with tongue-in-cheek.  This thread seems to have taken on a life of its own, and has elicited some ostensibly visceral responses from some who seem to think I have no right asking such a question.

This will be my last statement and then I'll let the thread die a natural death:  despite what those who claim to have the skill sets I was inquiring about may think, in the places I've played I've not seen evidence to substantiate the glut of posts all over the place from people claiming to have these tour-level speeds.  Are there some out there?  Of course there are!  But if one is to believe the posts I seem to read every other day, on top of the talk I hear in golf shops from shoppers, one would think those numbers were exponentially larger.  And again, some responses appear to have been written as though I struck a nerve by making such a statement, but I wasn't referring to anyone in particular and meant no offense either way, it was simply an innocuous remark.

Just saying . . .

You Know DOC i have to apologize for my earlier post. while i was honest and i would be happy to send you a video to prove my worth i did not take you post personnel nor do i hope you take mine personnel. I was only trying to demonstrate integrity and give evidence to my claim. i have posted a few times in response to people with swing speed questions. And while i personally share your feelings about i seem to have meet more people on this site that clam to have that club head speed than i actually play with. I just try not to get to wrapped up in the postings i usually question the 16 17 year old that occasionally come on and claims to be a long bomber but i don't do it publicly. I have no problem still posting the video if you want proof to my creditability and i wouldn't take offense if you wanted to see it because i offered it to you. But i do get your point it was kind of rhetorical. anyways man it has been interesting reading this thread hahahahah

Cheers, Greens and fairways to all.

This is an interesting post.  

As far as the 16 and 17 year olds bombing drives.....   even back in the 1970s we had quite a few that could hit the ball close to 300 yards (self included and I hit 325 with a slight tailwind using a laminated 3 wood on one caddy day), ESPECIALLY guys on the wrestling, golf and football teams and those that worked in the caddyshack at ST C.  Whether or not we could hit decent off the fairway was another story (I generally shot 92-94 but my short game was horrible).   I was on the wrestling team also.  My best friend could mash a driver 300 yards but he hit his irons a bit slower (about 170 for a 5 iron).  Even when I was 20 I could hit old school 7 irons 165 yards.

Gotta remember that a teenager probably generates more torque due to being more flexible (minimal hip turn on the backswing).   They could do a 90 degree shoulder turn and not even move the hips 45 degrees. 

There was a 12 year old boy in one of Hank Haney's shows that was driving 270+.   Some of the 8 year olds in the "National Drive, Pitch and Putt" competition could drive 200 yards.  Also on "School Of Golf, Hilton Head Island" quite a few of the high school kids played near par; my fave was the chubby blonde Soph girl (rather nerdy) that really tried hard and broke 90 at the end of the series. 

What mainly gets me is those who post swing speeds of 110 mph and distances near 300 yards that barely play bogey golf.  They get slaughtered by us old geezers that barely drive 230-240, use senior flex and carry a bag with nothing higher than a 7 iron (and sometimes carry a 9 wood or 11 wood).  What also gets me is some 30 yo that claims he is too young to use a 7 wood.  One who "swallows his ego" by stating he will use a 12* driver.  

As far as the golf course, one thing that gets me is somebody will pull an 8 iron out at a 150 yard par 3 and either land 20 yards short or way off trying to swing out his shoes to make the green.

Oh Lou i think your getting too wrapped up in the blogs. Yes I'm a 31 year old that says im too young to use a 7wood. and the old guy that whoopn me around the course dosen't carry a 7 wood either he has a 4hy. I'm sure in your time you've seen alot. i got whooped at a tournament last year by an 11 year old girl. she shot 73-72. the next lowest score was a 0 handicap that shot 82 both days. i shot 91 86. we had alot of crazy weather but it didn't affect the little girls playing. long story short you dont have to counter everyones statements. and if i remember write didn't you take lessons from a noteable guy in the past and probably had a few coaches along the way. there are far to many golfers that come to blogs looking for free advice rather than paying a pga pro to teach them the right thing. most low handie cappers have had advice from a swing coach at one time or another.

cheers, greens and fairways to all

John:

Nope... never paid for a golf lesson in my life but I have had some advice from golf pros and low handicappers; other than that, I have been largely self-taught.   You probably may have used the services of the free clinics the military offers (I was in the Navy  just like yourself; Yoko is the key).  I used the services of www.allexperts.com (Eddie Kilthau and John Brott) and watched the videos at Revolution Golf.   I did have a lesson from my caddie master that helped me gain 20 yards back in 1972-3 time frame.   My dad has given me some tips along the way (he was actually good enough to go pro in the 1950s but went in the Navy instead; he has maintained an 8 handicap even at age 78).   I've gotten free advice on bunkers from a couple elderly gentlemen that WORK (and these are tips that are even documented on the Internet).  All the things I mention about clubfitting was because I have been tinkering with golf clubs since 2006 and constructed a set of irons that I played with between 2009-2011 (also had some assistance from a local fitter).  

Can't really say how 16 and 17 year olds hit a golf ball these days. 

Have to remember there were some of us in the caddy shack that could out drive most of the men at the country club (may not have been the greatest on fairway shots).  Those that I played golf with were pretty much jocks (even our star QB was almost a scratch golfer).  A lot of guys played golf and caddied at the Country Club in my hometown back in 1972 - 1975  (St Charles IL); we were about 40 miles or so from Indian Hill (where the author of "Caddyshack" was a looper).  Golf was actually pretty cheap in 1972-1975 because greens fees at the park district were $3 and I think a summer golf pass was $30.  Even golf clubs could be had pretty cheaply (I paid $70 for my first golf set).

Two of my classmates (Rich Flores and Don Timm) are teaching pros these days.

Even back then, Bob Toski (PGA pro who weighed 125 lb) could hit a golf ball 325 yards.