What’s The Average Distance Golfers Drive? [Stats]

• The average driving distance for golfers of all ages is 219 yards (click here to learn about the average distance per golf club)
• Golfers aged 30 and under hit the ball longest on average (238 yards), with a decline of around 10 yards every ten years
• Swing speeds usually decrease as you age, leading to the shorter distances
• For men, the average driving distance is 216 yards, while for women the average driving distance is about 148 yards (Source)

Golfer's Age Range	Golfer's Average Driver Distance
20-30	238 yards
30-40	231 yards
40-50	220 yards
50-60	211 yards
60+	196 yards
All Golfers	219 yards

*Source

I’m not a scratch golfer by any means.

I hover around the 14 handicap mark, give or take, depending on how well I’m playing on a given day. When I decided it was time to upgrade my driver, I knew I wanted to get something that would help shave some strokes off my game.

I started doing some research online, looking at all of the different drivers on the market and trying to figure out which one would be best for me. There were so many options to choose from and it was kind of overwhelming.

I read all sorts of articles and reviews, but eventually I decided to just go with what the experts were saying and get a driver that was designed for average golfers. After all, that’s where I fell on the spectrum.

I went with a 9 degree driver with a regular flex shaft and after a few rounds with it, I could definitely tell a difference. My drives were going further and straighter than before.

So, what’s the average driving distance for an average golfer? According to the experts, it’s around 250 yards. And that’s pretty much where I fall as well. Which means that even if I’m not quite at scratch level, I’m still able to hit the ball pretty damn far.

It’s the nature of human beings to create and watch things as they function. This isn’t different from watching your golf ball soaring into the approximated distance. For that reason, comparing the distance you can hit a driver is something you can enjoy with amateur golfers.

Thanks to the advanced technology in modern golf, you can confidently tell where your driving distance lies compared to your colleagues. Furthermore, every golfer wants to hit their driver further, even though a few factors usually influence the drive‘s distance. Therefore, even if you raise your swing, you’re likely not to boost your distance.

On that note, this comprehensive article will enlighten you about the driving averages and what might affect the distance your golf ball travels.

What is The Average Drive Golf Distance by Age?

219 is the average driving distance that cuts across the entire age of golfers. However, golfers under 30 usually hit the ball the furthest by 238 yards. On the other hand, this distance is likely to decline by approximately 10 yards after every ten years because the more you age, the more your swinging speed is likely to decrease.

Average Distance Based on The Handicap

After talking about the average drive golf distance by age, let’s now go deeper based on the handicap. Handicap refers to the average scores for 18 holes. A scratch golfer will ensure he shoots around par on average. But a 10-handicap golfer can shoot 82 or even worse on 72-par golf.

Bear in mind that the average driving distance for a golfer with a 5 handicap and below is 250 yards, which is quite good for an individual who isn’t qualified or a professional. Furthermore, if you hit your ball to the average distance, you aren’t far from the scratch golfer’s average distance.

On the other hand, an average distance for a golfer incorporating a handicap ranging from 5 to 10 is 231 yards. This is almost nearing the average distance for the entire golfers, and it makes you feel better. Thus, being a golfer within this range shouldn’t worry you.

In addition, a golfer featuring a handicap that ranges from 10 to 19 has an average driving distance of 215 yards. This again falls below the average golf distance for the entire ages. However, with this, you can still place decent scores.

A golfer featuring a handicap between 19 to 28 has an average driving distance of 195 yards. This is less impressive because your shots probably have many curves. Similarly, if you’re a golfer with a handicap that is beyond 28 with an average driving distance of 177 yards, there’s no doubt that you need to pull your game up. Fortunately, individuals who fall between this range are mostly beginners.

How to Boost Your Distance?

As a golfer, you must look forward to adding distance to your shots. This is where your focus should be, mostly if your hits are fair and your ball is always in play to enable you to concentrate on the distance well. Therefore, for you to improve your distance, there’re several aspects you need to consider. However, it all commences with exercising appropriately at a given range.

Below are several things you can do to add distance to your shots:

• Keep your shot straighter.
• Keep your lead arm straight, and your right elbow tucked on the backswing and the downswing first part. You will probably emerge at the top with the elbows flaring out and slice your golf ball.
• Use the correct golf ball for your swing, and you’ll experience better scores.

How I Improved My Average Drive

When I first started playing golf, I was really terrible at it. My drives were always short and inaccurate, and I had no idea how to fix the problem. After spending some time reading about different techniques online, I decided to try out a few of the tips that I learned.

The first thing that I worked on was increasing my backswing speed. This helped me to lengthen my swing and accumulate more speed on the downswing. I also stayed back longer during the downswing, which helped me to launch the ball higher and with less spin. I noticed that my drives were getting longer and more accurate almost immediately.

One of the other techniques that I worked on was proper shoulder tilt at address. This helped me to get the correct swing path into my driver, and as a result, I started hitting the ball much straighter. My drives were now consistently reaching the fairway, and I was even starting to hit a few of them over 300 yards.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the results that I was seeing. My drives were now longer and more accurate than ever before, and I was finally starting to enjoy playing golf. If you are struggling with your driver distance, I highly recommend trying out some of these techniques. You may be surprised at how much they can help.

Conclusion

Based on this detailed article, you’re now familiarized with the average driving distance for golfers. In a nutshell, if you’re looking forward to being a better golfer. It would be better if you learned to hit the ball further consistently.

Therefore, any time you work on things that boost your driving distance, consider that time worth it. With the guide above, there’s no doubt you’ll improve your driving distance.