Golfers can hit their golf clubs at different distances, depending on their ability to play and how fast they swing. You should have an idea of where your best golf shots need to be. You may feel as though you can only hit your seven iron 120 yards.
Look at the table below to see an example of average distances for golf clubs.
Average Golf Club Distances
Here’s some info about average driving distances for golfers. These numbers can vary as a result of age, swing speed, or environment. It helps to have an idea of the typical distances that golfers are hitting the ball.
| Club | Men's Avg | Men's Above Avg | Women's Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 230 Yards | 260 Yards | 200 Yards |
| 3-Wood | 210 Yards | 225 Yards | 175 Yards |
| 5-Wood | 195 Yards | 210 Yards | 165 Yards |
| 3-Iron | 180 Yards | 200 Yards | 160 Yards |
| 4-Iron | 170 Yards | 190 Yards | 150 Yards |
| 5-Iron | 160 Yards | 180 Yards | 140 Yards |
| 6-Iron | 150 Yards | 170 Yards | 130 Yards |
| 7-Iron | 140 Yards | 160 Yards | 120 Yards |
| 8-Iron | 130 Yards | 150 Yards | 110 Yards |
| 9-Iron | 120 Yards | 140 Yards | 100 Yards |
| Pitching Wedge | 110 Yards | 130 Yards | 90 Yards |
| Approach Wedge | 100 Yards | 120 Yards | 80 Yards |
| Sand Wedge | 90 Yards | 110 Yards | 70 Yards |
| Lob Wedge | 70 Yards | 100 Yards | 60 Yards |
The distance between the golf clubs should not be over ten or twelve yards, as you can see in the chart.
If there are large gaps of 25-30 yards in your shots between clubs, you might need to inspect the lofts on them. You may need to adjust the loft gap.
The best way to determine your distances
It is important to know the distances that you have hit your shot. Many players are trying to determine the distance to a pin, but don’t know how far they can hit each club.
The best way to find out the distance you can hit your clubs at the range is by using your rangefinder. Instead of hitting your golf balls everywhere, choose a target and find out the distance. Then, decide what clubs to use to hit the target.
A shot tracking app or GPS device is another great option to determine your distance. It will track your distances over time and create a guide.
A golfer who says they have hit their 7-Iron about 150 yards. It could be between 148 and 153 yards. You won’t get exactly 150 every time. Once you have that 150 number, the rest of your golf clubs can be based on it.
An 8-Iron should be able to travel approximately ten times yards more than a 7-Iron. The 6-Iron travels about 10 yards less than the 7-Iron. You can learn the distance of most of your clubs once you’ve got one down.
Distance factors
Golf is a game where distance can be affected by many things. The following are components golfers should understand who are looking to increase their distance.
Loft
Club loft will greatly impact how far a player can hit a ball. You can hit your driver farther than a 5-Iron. The reason for this is that your 5-Iron has much greater loft. The more loft a club has, the less distance you will be able to hit the ball.
Swing Speed
Another factor that determines golf club distances is how quickly you swing the club. The ball travels further the faster you swing the club.
To improve your golf swing speed, you can do practice drills and exercises. You can also swing quicker if you use lighter clubs.
Club Length
As a rule of thumb, if the club has a longer shaft you can hit the ball further with it. This is one of the reasons why your driver hits so much further than your irons.
One thing to keep in mind though is that the shorter a club is the better the control.
Quality of Contact
For some reason, this factor is the one that everyone forgets. Directional control and distance are determined by how close your shot is to the center of the clubface. If you consistently are making shots outside the center of the clubface you will find that you will lose considerable distance.
Today’s modern clubs have gotten a lot more forgiving but they still perform best when hit from the middle of the clubface.
Players with lower handicaps who play with clubs that are less forgiving than others will immediately notice when the clubface center has been missed. They will lose distance because the ball won’t travel as high and may also have some sidespin.
It takes practice and lots of time on the range to hit the ball correctly. You also really need good fundamentals. Your average distance will increase dramatically if you are able to make better contact.
Golf Club DIstance Guide
If you are looking to buy a golf club that is better than one you already have or just want to fill a hole, it’s important to evaluate the range of the clubs you already own.
Knowing what a 200 yard club from the fairway is can help you better choose it. You might need a 3 Wood, or a 5 Wood, depending on your ability.
These are helpful tips to help you put together the best set of golf clubs.
Driver
Your driver is the longest golf club in terms of distance. Driver’s length and loft are longer than other clubs. Because of its limited loft and longer length, golfers have difficulty learning to hit drivers well.
Lofts for drivers typically range from 9-12 degrees. Drivers with a lower loft are more beneficial for golfers who have faster swing speeds. Golfers with slower swing speeds benefit from the higher loft.
Anybody who can hit the ball over 200 yards has an advantage.
Fairway woods
Your fairway woods may have a different loft than the driver, however, you may still hit the ball as hard and as far as the driver. Sometimes, a 3 wood has a loft that is just slightly different from the driver.
The average wood 3 is approximately 15 degrees. You can get a 3 wood that hits a little further by choosing one that is 13-14 degrees. You will find one with more flexibility with a 16 degree loft.
If you are looking for a 5 or 7 wood, ensure that the lofts are enough different from your fairway woods so that they are at least a couple degrees from each other. A 16-degree 3 wood is almost the same as an 18-degree 5 wood. It will be so insignificant that the distance difference will not be noticeable.
Hybrids
A hybrid can make it difficult to figure out your distances. The majority of hybrids are designed to replace irons, typically the 2 iron, 3 Iron, 4 Iron, or 5 Iron.
A hybrid is usually easier than an iron to hit, and they travel much further. Many people notice the distances they cover with their 5 hybrid is about the same as what they do with a 4 iron.
Although this trait is to be expected, it should not be overlooked when building a set. It is okay if you have both a 5-iron and a 5-hybrid.
Irons
A majority of golfers have a variety of irons, from a 4-iron to a gap wedge or pitching wedge. Golfers now prefer hybrids because they are able to hit their 4-iron for as much distance as a hybrid. Many will carry up to their 5 iron, which is the longest iron they have.
Irons are the most crucial clubs when it comes down to distances. You will be hitting a pin if you use an 8-iron from the middle of the fairway.
Your chances of hitting the target are slim if you can’t accurately measure your distances. Start with your short irons when learning the distances of your clubs.
Wedges
You can have both a blade or a cavity-back style with your wedges. Blade wedges may not travel as far as the cavity back style wedges, but tend to be better when it comes to accuracy and feel.
There will be significant discrepancies in distances if a wedge hits the wrong spot on the clubface or is hit from a hard lie.
For shorter shots near the green, many people use the sand or lob wedges. They save the long distance shots for other wedges.
Putters
The only club with no distance calculations is the putter. Putters can handle long or short putts across the green.
Conclusion
An excellent way to lower your scores is by knowing the distances of your clubs.
Once you get a feel for how far you can hit a golf ball, you’ll be in a better position to be able to make shorter putts and have lower scores.
