How far should you be hitting your golf clubs? What is the average iron distance for mid-handicap golfers? These are some of the most frequently asked questions among golf newbies. And the answer is: well, it depends. The factors that will influence your distances include the balls and cubs you’re using, the conditions you play in, your age and gender, your swing speed, and many more.
The average distance for each golf club tends to vary widely from one golfer to the next. For example, one golfer’s 5-iron distance may be another golfer’s 3-iron distance, and so on. Essentially, there is no wrong average iron distance, there’s only your distance. In fact, golf beginners and high-handicap players can improve much faster if they know their distances and forget about the expected distance for each club.
In this article, you’ll learn about average iron and driver distances and find out what you can do to improve your own. Read on.
How far does the average golfer drive the ball?
According to the USGA and R&A insights report, the average distance for amateur male golfers was around 216 yards in 2019. Lower handicap players, however, precisely those with 21+ handicaps, showed an average driving distance of 177. For women, the average distance was 148 overall, while high-handicappers (29+) averaged only 120 yards.
Compare this with pro distances that go anywhere from 280 to 320 yards, and you’ll realize one thing: there’s no point in comparing your distances to those of the world’s best golfers. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to improve, of course. It only means that you should keep your expectations in check and focus on your own game improvement without comparing yourself to others.
What is a good drive distance?
There is no single driver distance that would be considered good for all golfers. A good distance for your skill level and equipment may differ widely from other players since there are so many factors that come into play. But if you’re insistent on getting a clear answer, recreational male golfers tend to average somewhere between 195 and 205 yards.
Is 200 yards a good drive?
The short answer to this question is yes, 200 yards is a good driver distance for an average recreational player. Still, if you can’t hit 200 yards each time, that doesn’t mean that you don’t match up. In fact, many recreational golfers are able to score a 200 yard shot, but can’t do so routinely, and that’s perfectly fine. And it’s also always a good idea to keep in mind that many golfers use slightly oversized drivers to achieve greater distances.
After all, distance is surely not the only measure of a good game, and beginners should focus more on learning how to strike the ball accurately and consistently. Still, it is perfectly normal for amateur players to be eager to improve their distances and watch their ball fly far into the air. And the good news is that amateur recreational golfers have shown the biggest improvement over the last 20 years in terms of distances.
Why can't I hit my driver over 200 yards?
While learning to hit the ball consistently well is generally more important than hitting it far, watching other players hit it over 200 yards with apparent ease surely isn’t fun. If you’re determined to improve your driver distances, try the following tips:
- Change the ball: not all golf balls are made equal. Each ball has three main elements: the compression, the layers, and the cover. Ball manufacturers make a wide range of combinations of these elements, some of which are particularly designed for better distances. For example, balls with lower compression tend to be best for distance.
- Mind your grip: Grip is one of the most important factors in swinging well and hitting the ball solidly. So, if you want to improve your distances, make sure that your grips aren’t worn out as this can greatly lower your clubhead speed. This holds true for your golf shoe grip as well.
- Tee your ball higher: Hitting the ball at an upward angle can help you achieve greater distance, as it will increase the launch angle and reduce your backspin. Instead of pushing the tee peg far into the ground, make sure to tee the ball up high to get those extra yards.
- Choose your club carefully: A ball landing on the fairway tends to roll thrice as far as a ball landing in the rough. This may translate to as much as 18 yards of lost roll. This is why you should consider using the straightest club you have to hit off the tee in order to maximize your distance. It often happens that hitting a 5-iron down the middle of the fairway goes further than hitting a driver straight into the rough.
- Turn your shoulders and hips: The power of your swing comes primarily from your hips and shoulders. We recommend turning your shoulders 90 degrees or a bit more and leading with your hips on the downswing. This will generate greater clubhead speed and better distance by using your twisting momentum.
What distance should I be hitting my irons?
Golfers will usually take out their irons for shots that are less than 200 yards away from the green. Golf irons are numbered 1 through 9, with the loft of the club increasing with its number. The closer the player is to the green, the higher the iron they will use, since each iron tends to hit the ball ten yards less as you go from lower to higher numbers with the same swing.
For example, if you hit a 5-iron correctly, you’ll be able to send the ball 170 yards, whereas a 6-iron hit should send the ball only 160 yards. This happens because higher numbered irons hit the ball higher due to the increased loft, which decreases the distance. In general, professionals can hit a 3-iron nearly 230 yards, while the average iron distance for beginners and high-handicap players would generally be 30 yards less for men, and 60 yards less for women. Still, the most important thing for amateur players is to determine how far they can hit their average irons, as this will enable them to accurately pick the right iron for every occasion.
How far should you hit a 7 iron?
The 7-iron is one of the most frequently used clubs for many golfers, so it’s understandable that they’d like to know the average distance of this club. Golf players ranging from complete beginners to professionals tend to average at about 120 yards for men and 80 for women. However, the average iron distance will differ depending on your skill level and other factors, as high-handicap, mid-handicap, and low-handicap players will tend to vary greatly in the way they hit their 7-irons.
Improve your average iron distance with BombTech Golf
Whether you’re looking for a way to boost your distances or want to explore the best pitching wedges on the market, BombTech is the obvious choice. Our golf club offer includes everything from top-quality irons to incredible 72-degree lob wedges and much more.
At BombTech Golf, we sell only the best quality clubs and offer a fantastic 60-day guarantee, which is why we have a return rate that is less than 5%. On top of that, we also use a fully encrypted payment system that keeps your information perfectly safe during purchase. Check out our offer today and if you don’t like our clubs, just send them back!
