# driving distance



## ser182 (Jul 31, 2007)

I just started playing and was wondering what a new golfers driving distance is. I was hitting with a square driver 10 degree loft between 150 to 250(very few) with a slice every few hits. I was wondering what I should be gunning for just starting off. Also where should I tee my ball at. I was teeing my ball right in between my feet. Should it be closer to my front foot? I am right handed. Thanks Square Golf Driver by Pinemeadow


----------



## Topflite_d2 (May 7, 2007)

Hello to answer your questions, you should more or less aim for being consistent, 150-250 yards isn't bad if you've just started. I would aim at around 200 to 220 maybe, that is a pretty good distance for me, since I hit around 200, 220 somewhere in there. As for teeing the ball, you should tee up the ball to the center of your stance or slightly to the front of center until you get the feel for that, then you can play the ball off your front foot. Just my opinion, good luck on your game, and welcome to the forums.


----------



## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

The larger drivers (460 cc) should be played off the front heel, to insure you are hitting it on the up swing
I'm 54 years old, 5'6" 175, and I carry the ball 220 with my driver. The roll depends on the course conditions.
Which driver I hit is in my signature 10 degree loft


----------



## Foster4 (May 2, 2007)

Ball should be off the Inside or around your left heel...LEADING FOOT....
i'm 19 6'1 150lbs...and i drive it on avg 290


----------



## ser182 (Jul 31, 2007)

I am 5'4" and 150 pounds. Now with me being new to the game should I have tried a higher loft? I seen some around 14 degrees. Also how high should I be hitting off the tee? One other thing, on my back swing I can not keep my left arm straight. I always bend my arm. What can I do to correct this? Thanks for the help guys.


----------



## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

As your muscles develop, you'll be able to hit further, and you'll be able to keep your arm straight. What this is mainly about is flexibility.

If I try to swing left handed, it's very hard to me to keep my right arm straight on the way back. Strengthen and stretch your rotator cuff muscles to help with this.

You also might think about getting a 12deg drive or using a 3wood to tee off with as your swing speed is not going to be fast enough for a 10deg just yet.


----------



## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

If you listen to Cody you'll be pretty well on the path to a healthy game. About that left arm, you could try a thing called a Swing Glove, its a special golf glove with a built in brace to keep you from bending the left arm, that or you could try taping a plain old ruler between the back of your left hand and your elbow, use velcro to tape it in place and that way it can be easily removed. Just a suggestion.


----------



## indiginit (Jun 13, 2007)

don't buy any gimicks for golf, in my opinion.

don't forget, you can hit it 300 yards, 150 one way, 150 the other.

if you are hitting the ball 250 sometimes you are well ahead of the distance curve at this stage of your career, and your best bet is to slow things down somewhat, but don't lose your drive for the ... drive.

i stretch out with two long irons in my hands, use the weight resistance one handed, with both hands to stretch the wrists.

edit: yeah, cbwheeler really knows his/her stuff (met a female cody once, no offense). a search with 'cbwheeler' in the site engine can no wrong to anyones game.

and $0.98's your change


----------



## Chipmunkslayer (Jun 17, 2007)

I'm in the same boat you are, TC. I just started playing this summer as well. For some reason though, my driver has been my best club in the bag since day 1. I'm presently routinely firing off drives in the 315-340 range. Though I would be lying if I said I still didn't have moments where my body position got all out of whack and the club ended up digging into the ground 8 inches before the tee.

As to position, I have the ball just about dead center from the toe of my left foot. I could literally kick the ball off the tee from my address position. I use one of those big ole HiBore XL 10.5 deals. Now apparently I get a little extra distance because the club doesn't conform to USGA standards due to a slight weighting issue that makes it longer than it should be (Cleveland did a recall on this particular club where I guess they get inside it and readjust one of the weights in there, I just haven't sent mine in to be tweaked to USGA specs yet), but I'm told I only get a few yards as a result of it.


----------



## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

What you really should be conserned with is the game from 100 yards in, otherwise known as the short game. That's where the scoring takes place. What your distance is off the tee, is really quite irrelevent to the equation. Your distance is already fine. 200 yards will get out there far enough (usually) to put your ball in godd position to score. If you want more distance, then fine. Work on your tempo, your timing, strengthen the hip abductors, the rotator cuffs, the abs, and maybe get a few lessons.

Distance comes with experience, and some things you can do to improve your game, is to slow down, take it one shot at a time, and put your ball in position to get it on the green. Before making a shot, check your fundamentals. Especially the grip. SO many people get this wrong, and it is so imprtant to good ball striking. Of course, the other factors are very important too.


----------



## lfc1394 (Jul 31, 2007)

When I first started playing the game, I could hit long booming drives, anywhere between 290-330 yards. The problem was, more often than not, they would go 160 yards straight and 140 yards right. About 1 in 10 would go straight. Once I started to have lessons and I began improving and honing my swing, my distance reduced dramatically, but the accuracy improved. Now I hit the driver around 270 max, but, 90% of the time it's straight, guess how much better my scores are!

As 300yards said, if you want to really get good at this game you need to practice from 100 yards and in.


----------



## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

Yeah, I can tell you..my 300 yards drives, are NOT what makes me a 1 handicap. It's my short game, always has been.


----------



## Watch this (Aug 7, 2007)

300Yards said:


> Yeah, I can tell you..my 300 yards drives, are NOT what makes me a 1 handicap. It's my short game, always has been.




Quoted for truth! I get alot of people making assumptions about my game, truth is, I have an accurate, but VERY modest drive. On the green is where I choose to eat my lunch.


----------



## Richy Young (Oct 15, 2006)

lol gotta agree with everyone who has posted 

i used to really lay into it now im crafting at much slower controlled swing and it will carry 250 and roll the rest which im fine with the main thing though is its straighter and less chance of leaving the tee out of control

concentrate on your 3 and 4 irons if you ask me and each week spend an hour chiping and putting

the 3 iron grafts you the correct swing and the chipping and putting practice keeps your scores decent till your swing kicks in and your scores start to really drop

200 yard straight iron shot off the fairway thats what you want to be able to pull out of the bag every time you need it

i always have 2 or 3 drives a round with the driver just becuase i dont believe in completely not using a club just becuase im not great with it (some people leave clubs at home if they cant use them) but it should be the club least practiced with but then my course only has a few 400 yard holes, if i get a good 3 iron shot it will carry 250 which brings most greens in sight without even picking up a wood 

drive for show, putt for dough


----------



## lefecious (Jul 11, 2007)

Richy Young said:


> i always have 2 or 3 drives a round with the driver just becuase i dont believe in completely not using a club just becuase im not great with it (some people leave clubs at home if they cant use them) but it should be the club least practiced with but then my course only has a few 400 yard holes, if i get a good 3 iron shot it will carry 250 which brings most greens in sight without even picking up a wood
> 
> drive for show, putt for dough


I'm one of those guys that leaves the driver at home and uses a 3 wood to tee off no matter how long the hole is. I'm still very much a rookie though. My philosophy is that I'm going to get good with the 3 wood, then I'll start practicing my driver. If I take the driver with me, I'm too tempted to use it, and if I use it, I usually end up having to yell "FORE!"


----------



## Richy Young (Oct 15, 2006)

your right bud im the same if i pull out the driver i know im gunna shout fore but my mate who started the same time as me is even further behind with his driver training becuase he wont bring it with him, all you have to do is tell your self one hole where you will pull it out and just the one that way saving the rest of your game, but still getting a bit of practice 

on the plus side it gives you some interesting recovery practise from the next fairway over some trees hehe my flop shots getting awesome because of my driver


----------



## tkessel (Dec 28, 2006)

lefecious said:


> I'm one of those guys that leaves the driver at home and uses a 3 wood to tee off no matter how long the hole is. I'm still very much a rookie though. My philosophy is that I'm going to get good with the 3 wood, then I'll start practicing my driver. If I take the driver with me, I'm too tempted to use it, and if I use it, I usually end up having to yell "FORE!"


After my 3rd lesson (in the past year) I finally got to where I can get a bit of consistency in the way I use the various clubs. Two weeks ago I got to where I can use my 3 wood at the practice tee/range, and still make good contact, have some control over where the ball is going to go, and still get back to my other clubs and use them OK. I now am willing to take my 3 wood to the golf course, and even use it 4 times a round of 18.

Maybe I'll try the driver - next year! Right now, even with the 18 deg hybrid I've been using as the "long club," I'm starting to find myself on the fairway, further from the tee than I've ever been before (maybe 170 yards). My 3 wood seems to be about 180-190 at the range.

Though improving my tee shots has been important, improving the pitching, chipping and putting has been more significant in improving my scoring, and helping me enjoy the game.


----------

