When it comes to golfing, you might think without watching the professionals on TV that it is not that challenging and that you could hit a ball with the same degree of precision and distance as pros. When playing golf, however, you might realize just how wrong you are. How far can a professional golfer hit a ball anyways?
In the last PGA tour, the average drive of all of the players golfing came out to 295.3 yards (270.02 meters), a little under 2.5 football fields in length. This average has seen significant growth since the PGA started touring, and many individual golfers are able to hit far further.
How is it that these golfers are able to hit the ball so far? Why has it changed significantly over the last decade? Read on to learn more about these questions and other topics related to the average PGA drive.
A PGA Golfer’s Drive
When golfing, there are a number of different types of strokes you can take to try to get the ball into the hole. While the most well-known strokes in golf are the drive and the putt, there are several major types of shots you can take in golf. To do this, the golfer uses a different technique and type of club in order to make the ball do what the golfer wants on different types of surfaces.
When it comes to the drive, the goal is to move the ball as close to the hole as you can without overshooting and going too far beyond it. In most cases, golfers use the drive from the tee (the starting point) to try to get the ball toward the hole. However, the drive can also be used from other locations if the ball is too far away from the hole for a golfer to use a different type of stroke.
Normally, when hitting a drive, a golfer will use a special type of club called a driver. The driver, sometimes categorized within the “Woods” family, is the golf club with the largest head and the longest shaft. This club allows the golfer to hit the ball as fast and as quick as they can to propel it forward. Drivers used to be made of wooden heads, but are now often made of some hard metal.
By making the head of the club very big and the shaft very long, golf club makers essentially create a lever, a type of simple machine. By elongating the shaft, the golf club has more force at the head of the club. With a shorter shaft, golfers would not have as much force when hitting the ball.
Golfers With the Longest Golf Drives
While the average for last season among all PGA golfers was a drive of 295.3 yards (270.02 meters), this year, the average is already up to about 296.6 yards (271.21 meters) with a large variation in distances among golfers.
Currently, the shortest average drive in all of PGA is held by Brendon Todd, who swings an average drive of 274.1 yards (250.63 meters).
The longest drive is held by Cameron Champ, who swings an average drive of 320 yards (292.6 meters). There are 84 golfers who currently swing an average drive of at least 300 yards (274.32 meters).
How does this compare with other, non-professional golfers?
Currently, only about 4% of amateur golfers can drive above 300 yards (274.32 meters). Here are some more percentages:
- 11% can swing a drive of 275-299 yards (251.46-273.40 meters).
- 16% can swing 250-274 yards (228.6-250.54 meters).
- 24% can swing 225-249 yards (205.74-227.68 meters).
- 32% can swing between 200-224 yards (182.88-204.82 meters).
- 13% swing less than 200 yards (182.88 meters).
This puts the average drive distance of amateur golfers at about 200-250 yards (182.88-228.6 meters). That’s about 20 yards (18.28 meters) shorter than the lowest driving distance golfer in all of PGA.
Accounting for Differences in Driving Lengths
So why are people’s drives so different?
The reason for this is often a combination of form and strength. You do not need to be that strong to hit a golf ball very far, but it certainly can help. Charlie Woods, the 13-year-old son of golf legend Tiger Woods, can already hit the ball over 200 yards (182.88 meters). As he grows and gets stronger, this distance will only grow larger.
The other reason for fluctuation in people’s drive distance is their hitting form. People who swing with their whole body rather than just their arms will have more force. Additionally, people who hit the ball with the center of the club’s head will have more power behind the ball. These seemingly small adjustments can have a major effect on the small golf ball and can account for the differences in people’s driving distances.
Lengthening Your Golf Drive
As mentioned earlier, very small adjustments can make a huge impact when hitting a golf ball. If you don’t hit the ball correctly, not only is it not going to be able to go a very far distance, but it’s also going to be very inaccurate in where it lands. Here are some tips on how to improve your golf drive distance:
Shorten Your Golf Shaft
If your shaft is longer, you’ll be able to move the head of the club faster and hit the ball harder. However, this doesn’t mean anything if you are not hitting the ball with the right part of the head.
Many golfers, both amateur and PGA, have trouble hitting the ball with the right part of the club’s head. With a shorter shaft, you’re sacrificing some speed. However, you’ll be far more accurate with where you are hitting the ball.
Swing With the Right Angle
Many people think that when they swing their golf club, they should hit the ball straight on. This is actually not true when driving. When driving, you should hit the golf ball at a slightly upward angle so that it’s able to get some air on it. Adding just a little bit of lift can make your ball soar much further.
Final Thoughts
When driving in golf, it can often be hard to make your ball go exactly where you want it. Even in the PGA, people are still trying to improve their golf drive. If you’re not able to hit your ball the average of 296 yards (270.66 meters), don’t be concerned. Most amateur golfers can’t swing that far! Work on improving your form with your golf drive, and you will be able to hit the ball much further.