Tiger Woods Club Distances ! Are you a Tiger ?

[BigLeftyinAZ]

I can take his distance numbers and match him. I can't match him in scoring though. I think at 75% my distances are about on par with his though.

Yea, yea, yea..Tiger doesnt hit 7 iron 200 on a regular basics.You hit it far,young man 

[Wheeler_WackG2]

Okay, so you're in a pro-am playing with Tiger. Par 3--195-ish to the hole, island green, iffy wind, you've never played the hole. Tiger has the honor because he birdied the last hole and you had a "good" double.

Woods' ball lands a few yards short of the pin and stops just past it. You happen to see which iron he hit when he held his finish.

So, you reach into your bag and pull out:

1) Same iron, "I'm as long as Tiger because his irons are 2 degrees weaker than mine",

2) One club longer, he's Tiger Woods & 90% of his peers can't match his distances with the same club,

3) Two clubs longer--trying to be optomistically realistic,

4) Three clubs longer--"sounds about right to me",

5) One less club---"...his irons are weak lofted and the Swing-O-Lator at Jiffy's Golf Hut sez I swing my Big Dog 125 MPH",

6) Doesn't matter---"whatever I pull I'll chunk it into the water as nervous as I am..."

added 7) Four clubs longer---

added Five clubs longer---

Depending on the wind I would most likely play a 4 iron in ideal conditions.

[Sickspin]

Tiger's numbers are very conservative...we all know he is longer than what he indicated.  I think I am in the neighbourhood with him off the tee or anyone else on tour...although if I actually played with him I would be so nervous and jacked up that I would probably whiff or hit a vicious duck hook.  As far as irons go I am nowhere near as long as he is...I don't know how everyone hits their irons so far (Mopars...I know you can, I just don't know how you do it).  My driver is easily 50 yds longer than my 3 wood, I just don't swing the same with driver as I do with other clubs. 

195? I am hitting a good 6 or easy 5 iron...maybe knock a 5 down a bit and pretend Tiger is not even there.

Lots of people call BS on guys claiming they are Tiger-long on the net but in reality if you imagine the sample size of these forums...there are going to be a few.  How many are there on here...4 maybe 5? Several are much longer. Out of how many members?  Even if 0.5% of the people on here swing at 120+ there are going to be a few.  Even a few beyond that...there are atleast 4 or 5 on here if not more that hit 135+ (idrive400yds, Neil etc).  When Pinnacle did their distance challenge in most every place they went there were always a few bombers coming out of the woodwork and beating or rivalling the Pinnacle guys.

Just for fun I will (like everyone else who plays there) try Tiger's 6 iron shot out of the bunker to win the Canadian Open when I play Glen Abbey this summer.  I am sure it will be humbling.  However I have duplicated crazy driver shots by Vijay and Daly before at the course (Grandview) where they played the skins game.

[Lefty402]

I know I'm being cocky, and Tiger is insanely better than me at golf, but I always laugh when one of the announcers starts going on and on about how amazing it is that Tiger just hit 7 iron 190.  In normal conditions I hit PW about 180.  I might be kinda crappy at golf, but it's cool to say I hit 2 or 3 clubs less than Tiger, even if he would beat me by 30 strokes.

[idiotbox]

I know I'm being cocky, and Tiger is insanely better than me at golf, but I always laugh when one of the announcers starts going on and on about how amazing it is that Tiger just hit 7 iron 190.  In normal conditions I hit PW about 180.  I might be kinda crappy at golf, but it's cool to say I hit 2 or 3 clubs less than Tiger, even if he would beat me by 30 strokes.

I played golf with a former Georgia Tech football player and he flew a green that was 196 and he hit PW off the deck. I almost vomited when he showed me the club. He blew 3 iron past my driver. When he hit driver, he punctured and assaulted the sky.

[SC Golfer]

I played golf with a former Georgia Tech football player and he flew a green that was 196 and he hit PW off the deck. I almost vomited when he showed me the club. He blew 3 iron past my driver. When he hit driver, he punctured and assaulted the sky.

Yeah but could he putt?   

[Sickspin]

The putting is what matters and Tiger is unmatched in that category under pressure.

[BigDaddy13440]

I played golf with a former Georgia Tech football player and he flew a green that was 196 and he hit PW off the deck. I almost vomited when he showed me the club. He blew 3 iron past my driver. When he hit driver, he punctured and assaulted the sky.

Do a search for Brooks Baldwin, he's a regular competitor on the LDA tour stops. 300 yard par 4, he's hitting a 3 iron off the tee, and hoping he doesn't roll through the green......

Also, Brian Pavlet played a round with Art Sellinger (owner of the LDA) a couple years ago and they showed clips during one of the ReMax airings - Pavlet had 240 to the pin, and nuked a 7-iron....

[DaveTheDuffer]

Do a search for Brooks Baldwin, he's a regular competitor on the LDA tour stops. 300 yard par 4, he's hitting a 3 iron off the tee, and hoping he doesn't roll through the green......

Also, Brian Pavlet played a round with Art Sellinger (owner of the LDA) a couple years ago and they showed clips during one of the ReMax airings - Pavlet had 240 to the pin, and nuked a 7-iron....

I saw Pavlet at a golf show last winter.  Not as impressive as Zuback, but really good.  I wonder about these guys angle of attack.  They just have to be de-lofting the irons quite a bit.

[ASK3L]

Do a search for Brooks Baldwin, he's a regular competitor on the LDA tour stops. 300 yard par 4, he's hitting a 3 iron off the tee, and hoping he doesn't roll through the green......

Also, Brian Pavlet played a round with Art Sellinger (owner of the LDA) a couple years ago and they showed clips during one of the ReMax airings - Pavlet had 240 to the pin, and nuked a 7-iron....

Exactly, they are praying they hold the green, not consistently hitting them close with whatever club is required and holing the putt. Long hitting is one thing and scoring another. I play with a guy who regularly hits 9i at a green 200 away, in 20 years i've yet to see him hit a green though 

[Sickspin]

You really have a hate on for long hitters ASK3L...kind of annoying.  Many if not most of the guys who compete in Longdrive are good players...Mobley, Zuback, Dobbyn to name a few can all play.  You can't hit it that far not be a good ball striker.  I doubt these guys are worrying about holding the green with thier 250yd  7 iron...trajectory alone would do it.

[ASK3L]

You really have a hate on for long hitters ASK3L...kind of annoying.  Many if not most of the guys who compete in Longdrive are good players...Mobley, Zuback, Dobbyn to name a few can all play.  You can't hit it that far not be a good ball striker.  I doubt these guys are worrying about holding the green with thier 250yd  7 iron...trajectory alone would do it.

OH give me a break, Big daddy said someone was asking for thier 3 iron to hold the green from 300 yds. I don't have a problem with longhitters i was just saying it is a different game to scoring. The original Thread was about Tiger and my take is he uses his power to hit weaker  lofted clubs close to the pin to give a better score. Longdriving is about optomising the flight of a long shaft and low loft to gain distance. Correct me if i'm wrong (i know i'm not right all the time)

[Sickspin]

OH give me a break, Big daddy said someone was asking for thier 3 iron to hold the green from 300 yds. I don't have a problem with longhitters i was just saying it is a different game to scoring. The original Thread was about Tiger and my take is he uses his power to hit weaker  lofted clubs close to the pin to give a better score. Longdriving is about optomising the flight of a long shaft and low loft to gain distance. Correct me if i'm wrong (i know i'm not right all the time)

These guys still play golf...their 3 iron is the same as your 3 iron it just goes exponentially farther due to thier clubhead speed...they still try to score, the ball just goes farther even when they swing at 80% like Tiger.  They don't just go out to long drive on the course.  A guy who hit a 300yd 3 iron has just as good of chance of holding the green as someone who hits theirs 180...probably better since thier trajectory will be higher.  My driver frequently holds the green due to the trajectory.

[ASK3L]

These guys still play golf...their 3 iron is the same as your 3 iron it just goes exponentially farther due to thier clubhead speed...they still try to score, the ball just goes farther even when they swing at 80% like Tiger.  They don't just go out to long drive on the course.  A guy who hit a 300yd 3 iron has just as good of chance of holding the green as someone who hits theirs 180...probably better since thier trajectory will be higher.  My driver frequently holds the green due to the trajectory.

I said i'm not knocking LD and you ram it down my throat. You make it sound so easy for them, can you run some of thier names and PGA money list positions past me as there is nothing holding them back.

Again, i'm not downing LD but if you big them up so mutch i'm happy to see your stats.

[ND fan]

Driver:    285 yards (of carry)
3 Wd:     265 yards (of carry)
2 Iron:    n/a
3 Iron:    220 yards
4 Iron:    210 yards
5 Iron:    195 yards
6 Iron:    185 yards
7 Iron:    170 yards
8 Iron:    160 yards
9 Iron:    145 yards
Pitching Wedge:    125 yards
Sand Wedge:    105 yards
Lob Wedge (60°):    n/a

This is about right but I guess i should go out and make sure about some of the gaps I notice I have 15 yards on some clubs that's a bit concerning.

[BigDaddy13440]

I said i'm not knocking LD and you ram it down my throat. You make it sound so easy for them, can you run some of thier names and PGA money list positions past me as there is nothing holding them back.

Again, i'm not downing LD but if you big them up so mutch i'm happy to see your stats.

A & S - enough of the bickering, there's no need - we're all here to learn something, and to contribute something!

FWIW, Zuback and Pavlet are both around a +2 handicap, and Fister would be a +1 if they chose to pursue the actual game of GOLF as it were intended. David Mobley was a fixture on the Nationwide Tour, and can score low - like a 64 or 65 on any given day. But, they don't make their money by playing GOLF, but by being the longest hitters on the planet. Since they CAN score decently enough, and many posess a decent shortgame (something Dobbyn has developed on the Harmon Tour), these guys are often perceived as one-trick-pony's, something they most definitely are NOT!
While these guys will never come close to Tiger's numbers (then again, who actually can???), they will most certainly scorch 99.9% of the everyday golfers who dare to challenge them to a round. 470 yard par 4? You hit driver, 5 wood to 25 feet, and hopefully lag close enough for a par - these guys are hiting driver / wedge. and hopefully putting that wedge to within 10-12 feet.

[Sickspin]

I said i'm not knocking LD and you ram it down my throat. You make it sound so easy for them, can you run some of thier names and PGA money list positions past me as there is nothing holding them back.

Again, i'm not downing LD but if you big them up so mutch i'm happy to see your stats.

We are not talking PGA tour...we were talking about being able to hold a green with a 3 iron or 9 iron in your example.  Point is that some of these guys can play and their talent extends beyond simply hitting it long.

Enough out of me...I am supposed to doing research not debating.

[ND fan]

There are a couple LD guys that can play.  A good percentage of them are 5 handicaps or higher.  In their defense LD and golf are almost different sports.  I know a guy who can, at will, throw down 100 free throws in a row, but any good high school kid would make him look silly in a one on one contest.  I played with Scott Smith (LD guy) last year and while I was truly impressed with his ability to hit an occasional 400 yd bomb and a 240 yard 5 iron on two occasions.  I think I would own him giving him 2 per side.  I never before had much respect for the circus that is Long Drive but after playing with Scott I realized that this is what they do, I respect that, they are that long.  The massive length, while advantageous does not make a you a good golfer.  The guys that can do both are truly amazing they are also rather rare.  Tiger on a distance scale is long but as compared to the top 20 LD Guys he's not even close, but hey that's not what he does.

[Avatar]

I'll take his scores...

[Richard Nixon]

I think it's good for people on the internet to see numbers like this. I have absolutely pured some drives that have gone about 275, and that's pretty damned good for me. I know everybody on the internet hits it 350, but maybe this kind of thing will calm that sort of nonsense down.

[Dr.Green]

There are a couple LD guys that can play.  A good percentage of them are 5 handicaps or higher.  In their defense LD and golf are almost different sports.  I know a guy who can, at will, throw down 100 free throws in a row, but any good high school kid would make him look silly in a one on one contest.  I played with Scott Smith (LD guy) last year and while I was truly impressed with his ability to hit an occasional 400 yd bomb and a 240 yard 5 iron on two occasions.  I think I would own him giving him 2 per side.  I never before had much respect for the circus that is Long Drive but after playing with Scott I realized that this is what they do, I respect that, they are that long.  The massive length, while advantageous does not make a you a good golfer.  The guys that can do both are truly amazing they are also rather rare.  Tiger on a distance scale is long but as compared to the top 20 LD Guys he's not even close, but hey that's not what he does.

Great post! 

[NewJerichoMan]

FWIW, Zuback and Pavlet are both around a +2 handicap, and Fister would be a +1 if they chose to pursue the actual game of GOLF as it were intended.

Not disputing anything else of what you said but Pavlet by his own admission is more of a 5 handicap than any sort of a plus.  It makes sense too since he probably doesn't have a "home course" given those guys travel so much throughout the year.  I remember reading a quote about how he plays many new courses per year.  His playing partners would give him advice like "Hit it over that tree and gully 320+ yards out" and then he would hit it ten yards left of that and hear "Oh, that's dead."  Talk about your penalty strokes!!  It's gotta be tough to be able to carry it 320 yards plus (without help!) and play so many new courses per year.   

Later,
David

[bjg718]

Driver:    285 yards (of carry)  - 275ish 
3 Wd:     265 yards (of carry) - 260ish
2 Iron:    245 yards - HA you must be joking
3 Iron:    230 yards - 220 and change (when perfectly struck - usually don't carry)
4 Iron:    220 yards - 210 (when perfectly struck - usually don't carry)
5 Iron:    208 yards - 198
6 Iron:    190 yards - 185
7 Iron:    172 yards - 172
8 Iron:    158 yards - 159
9 Iron:    142 yards - 146
Pitching Wedge:    128 yards - 133
Sand Wedge:    106 yards - 110 and change (55*)
Lob Wedge (60°):    92 yards - don't remember the last time I took a full swing (60*)

My numbers are all carry and they are a rough estimate based on 13yard gaps or what I would hit on the course given a certain yardage.  His irons are based off of a 50* PW if I'm not mistaken.  Mine are based off of a 47*...therefore he's basically a club longer than I am.  And I'm sure these yardages aren't representative of his full-out swings.

[Yug]

While a bunch of people on here are posting their somewhat-similar ranges to Tiger (which I think is them on their out of control swinging way too hard, catch-it pure 1 in 5 shots) ... We just saw Tiger hit the Tourney winning shot at Bridgestone with an 8-iron. He carried it 181 and pulled it back to the hole with touch.

So while these distances posted are actually Tigers natural, relaxed swing. He can physically hit it much further. I doubt he stresses as much as some of these people even on his 181 8-iron.

[Yug]

The point of golf isn't to whale-away at the ball. Think of a putting stroke expanded. Its all about the tempo of your down-swing. A pro golfer can hit just about any iron at any distance on an approach. They have a putting stroke. They can 3/4 swing, they can slow down their tempo on a full swing. They have developed great control over an iron to any distance they want. They've developed this ability, because they don't whale away, ever. Thus, any comparison to a player who isn't a scratch golfer is moot. One's whacking, one's essentially putting.

The point is to make pure contact and have great feel. The difference in irons is based on how you want the ball to travel after it hits the green surface, not how far you can hit it.

If you're hitting your PW 190, your just whipping the shit out of it, and essentially not developing any feel for the game.  I'm sure you've heard this before, a swing should never be more than 80% of what you feel is full strength. However, for many people its even less than that. Many have an unnatural, violent swing, which is really 120% of how they should be swinging to get a natural release in the first place. Bottom line is you're swinging too hard.

Secondly, when Tiger hits an 8-iron approach 181, like he did at Bridgestone, the thing barely even bouncved, and pulled backwards 7 feet to 6-inches, with incredible touch on it. Thats why announcers are amazed, not at the distance. Tiger plays no roll on any of his irons. Even his 2-iron from 240 sticks the green.