Trying to figure out where you measure up distance-wise is something every golfer has done before.
It’s only natural to want to ensure you’re up to par with everyone else and can give you some goals to work towards.
Below, you will find the average distances for every club.
However, don’t worry too much if you find yourself in the short-hitter column. After all, hitting the ball far means nothing if it’s nowhere near the target!
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Average Driver Distances
| Short Hitter | Average Hitter | Long Hitter | |
| Male | 200 Yards | 230 Yards | 260+ Yards |
| Female | 150 Yards | 180 Yards | 200+ Yards |
| PGA Pro | 280 Yards | 300 Yards | 320+ Yards |
| LPGA Pro | 240 Yards | 260 Yards | 280+ Yards |
Average Wood Distances
(The figures below are the averages overall; long/short hitters will often hit more or less than the stated distances.)
| 3 Wood | 5 Wood | 7 Wood | |
| Male | 200 Yards | 190 Yards | 180 Yards |
| Female | 150 yards | 135 Yards | 120 Yards |
| PGA Pro | 270 Yards | 255 Yards | 240 yards |
| LPGA Pro | 210 Yards | 195 Yards | 180 Yards |
Average Iron Distances
(The figures below are the averages overall; long/short hitters will often hit more or less than the stated distances.)
| 2 Iron | 3 Iron | 4 Iron | 5 Iron | 6 Iron | 7 Iron | 8 Iron | 9 Iron | |
| Male | 190 Yards | 180 Yards | 170 yards | 160 Yards | 150 Yards | 140 Yards | 130 Yards | 120 Yards |
| Female | 140 Yards | 130 Yards | 120 Yards | 110 Yards | 100 Yards | 90 Yards | 80 Yards | 70 Yards |
| PGA Pro | 240 yards | 230 yards | 220 Yards | 210 Yards | 200 Yards | 190 Yards | 180 Yards | 165 Yards |
| LPGA Pro | 195 Yards | 185 Yards | 175 Yards | 165 Yards | 155 Yards | 145 Yards | 135 Yards | 125 Yards |
Average Wedge Distances
(The figures below are the averages overall; long/short hitters will often hit more or less than the stated distances.)
| Pitching Wedge | Gap Wedge | Sand Wedge | Lob Wedge | |
| Male | 100 Yards | 90 Yards | 80 Yards | 70 Yards |
| Female | 60 Yards | 50 Yards | 45 Yards | 35 Yards |
| PGA Pro | 155 Yards | 145 Yards | 135 Yards | 125 Yards |
| LPGA Pro | 115 Yards | 105 Yards | 95 Yards | 85 Yards |
Everything That Affects The Average Distance:
Swing Speed
The top of the list, as the most important factor when you’re trying to gain extra distance, is swing or club speed.
The faster the club head travels as it gets to impact, the further the ball will travel. Well, saying that, if you don’t strike it well and hit a big slice or hook, the distance isn’t guaranteed.
Below are the average swing speeds of golfers:
- Male Golfers – 93.4 MPH
- Female Golfers – 65 MPH
- LGPA Golfers – 94 MPH
- PGA Golfers – 115 MPH
From the above, you can see a huge difference in swing speeds between the pros and the rest of us.
Speed is key; for example, if a golf ball was hit at each of the above speeds by some ball-whacking robot, the slower swing speeds will never outdrive the fastest.
However, most people are not robots and will mishit the golf ball, so could someone with a slower swing outdrive their buddy with a faster one if they make better contact with the ball?
Purity Of Your Strike
It’s possible for a golfer with a slightly slower swing speed to outdrive a golfer with a higher swing speed if they make better contact.
Roughly, depending on your swing or ball speed, catching golf balls off the driver’s heel can lose you 15+ yards of distance, while towards the toe of the club, you only lose roughly 5 yards.
These estimates will increase or decrease depending on how slow or fast you swing.
But if you catch it in the sweet spot (center of the clubface), you will get better ball speeds and more distance overall.
So, although speed is crucial to get more distance, making solid contact with the ball is a close second.
Your Clubs
The clubs you’re using can affect how far you hit the ball, and below are four ways your set of golf clubs can make you hit it longer or shorter.
Different Clubhead Models
New clubs flood the market yearly for drivers, irons, putters, and wedges to get the lot.
But when it comes to drivers and irons, you will find that the club manufacturers never offer just one version of the clubs.
They always offer multiple options tailored to the main three categories of golfers.
We’ll use last year’s new Paradym drivers as an example. They offered three models:
- Padradym X Driver – Suited for golfers looking for maximum forgiveness at the cost of distance.
- Paradym Driver – Suited for most golfers who want forgiveness and more distance than the X.
- Paradym Triple Diamond Driver – Suitable for better golfers who consistently strike the ball with the center of the clubface, looking for maximum distance.
So, if you made solid contact with the Paradym X and the Paradym Triple Diamond, the diamond model would produce more distance for you overall.
It just comes down to whether you need the extra distance or more forgiveness in a game improvement iron. If you’re not hitting fairways, getting a max distance model is not the right choice.
You should always prioritize accuracy over increased golf club distance.
The same applies to irons. They usually make 3 or 4 options available to cater for as many golfers as possible.
Check out the clubs you’re currently hitting online and see which model you have; if you’re striking them well and consistently, then it could be time to try out a max distance model.
Or check out our reviews below if you need help deciding which clubs would suit you best:
Best Drivers For The Average Golfer
Best Irons For The Average Golfer
Shafts
Let’s be honest; we’ve all bought a club without checking out what shaft comes with it. If it looks badass, that’s all that matters, right?
That’s wrong. I bought a Wilson driver when I was younger because it had green flames all over the shaft.
I mean, I couldn’t hit a drive with that thing if my life depended on it. Later on, when I went to get fitted, I was told I had no right trying to use that shaft because it wasn’t stiff enough.
I got a new driver with a stiffer flex, and I was instantly hitting more fairways.
Using a shaft that is not stiff enough or too stiff can hurt your ability to get the ball moving. Faster players need stiffer shafts, and slower players need the opposite.
If in doubt, I always recommend getting fitted or checkout this post here.
Loft
Without getting overly technical, the less loft a club has, the further it should go.
That’s why your 4 iron travels further than your lob wedge.
It’s also why golfers competing in long-drive competitions often use drivers with 3 – 4.5 degrees of loft, which is crazy.
However, you only get the extra distance using these clubs if you have the swing speed to get the ball into the air.
People with slow swing speeds will find they can hit further drives using a driver with more loft.
Age
Using the same clubs for years is definitely cost-effective, but you’re leaving plenty of extra yards on the table.
As your driver, irons, or wedges wear down over time, they don’t perform as well as they did in their prime.
The amount of time you should give your clubs depends on how often you play golf.
Playing once a week, you could hold onto most of your clubs for around 4-5 years or more.
Obviously, your irons will last longer than the driver, but you get the idea. The more you play, the quicker they will wear down and lose distance.
Weather Conditions
When you’re playing golf in the winter, you might notice the golf ball isn’t going as far.
It’s not because your swing has gotten worse. It’s that the ball travels further in hotter temperatures.
Roughly for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you can gain or lose 2 yards of distance.
So when the temperature drops, does the distance, and as it increases, the distance does too.
Meaning where your local golf course is located can affect your average golf club distance.
Physicality
When talking about physicality in golf, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be walking around jacked.
I think it has more to do with your natural build, mobility, and explosive strength.
Plenty of golfers hit the ball a mile with hardly any meat on their bones, but they have an unrestricted swing and solid technique.
Meanwhile, I know plenty of gym bros who can’t hit the golf ball very far at all because they are too stiff.
Naturally, a taller, slender golfer can hit the ball further than a shorter, stockier golfer if both swings are identical.
This is because the taller player will make the club head travel a longer distance overall, allowing it to pick up more speed, resulting in longer golf club distances.
Hitting the gym will definitely help, but only if you can maintain good flexibility/mobility.
Check out some of our other posts below:
Hitting Irons Off The Tee (Quick Fix)
Is Steel Or Graphite Best For Irons?
How Much To Reshaft Irons: Cheapest, Average & Most Expensive
What Are Hybrid Clubs? Hybrids Vs Long Irons
What Hybrids Replace Your Long Irons?