Golf Club Distances
Also known as: how far to hit each club, how far should I hit my 7 iron, how far should I hit my driver, club distance chart, golf club distance chart, average club distances, yardage chart, how far each club goes
There is no single right distance for each club, since it depends mostly on your swing speed and how solidly you strike the ball. In USGA Best Tees research, the average male golfer hit a 7-iron about 138 yards and the average female golfer about 100 yards. Measure your own carry with each club and plan from those numbers, not from a chart.
How far a club goes depends on clubhead speed, where the ball meets the face, and the launch and spin that strike produces. Loft matters too. Modern game-improvement irons often have stronger lofts than older or players' irons. A 7-iron from one set can go as far as a 6-iron from another. Wind, temperature, altitude and firm or soft ground all change the total as well. Distance charts online often show tour numbers or best-ever shots. Treat any chart as a rough estimate, never as a target.
To learn your own numbers, warm up first, then hit a set of shots with each club on a launch monitor or to a range with accurate targets. Ten shots per club is a common sample. Leave out obvious mishits and use the typical carry, the middle of the group, not your longest shot. Write down carry and total distance separately. Carry is the number you need for clearing bunkers and water, and total matters off the tee. On the course, a GPS device or rangefinder lets you check shots hit from flat lies in calm weather. Range balls often fly shorter than your own ball, so confirm the numbers on the course.
Use the results to plan approach shots to the front, middle and back of the green. Gaps between neighboring clubs usually shrink at slower swing speeds. If two long irons travel the same distance, a hybrid may fill that spot better. Recheck your numbers each season, and after any equipment change. Your 7-iron carry is also a useful guide for choosing which tees to play.
Tips by skill level
Start with just three clubs: a wedge, a 7-iron and your longest club. Learn their typical carry first, then fill in the clubs between them.
Track carry dispersion as well as the average. Knowing your front-to-back spread with each club tells you how much of the green you can safely use.
Example
A golfer assumes his 7-iron goes 160 yards because a chart says so. After ten launch-monitor shots, his typical carry is 142 yards. He starts taking one more club on approaches and finds the front of far more greens.
Why it matters
Knowing your real carry with each club is the base of every club choice on the course. Many short approach misses come from guessing distances that are too long.
Common mistakes
- Using your longest-ever shot with a club as its normal distance
- Copying a distance chart built from tour players or faster swing speeds
- Mixing up carry and total distance when a hazard must be cleared
- Never rechecking numbers after new clubs, a new ball or a change in swing speed
Frequently asked questions
How far should I hit my 7-iron?
It depends on your swing speed and strike, so there is no correct number. As a benchmark, USGA Best Tees research put the average male golfer's 7-iron at about 138 yards and the average female golfer's at about 100 yards. Measure your own typical carry and use that.
How far should I hit each golf club?
Each club's distance comes from your own speed and contact, not a chart. Hit about ten solid shots per club on a launch monitor or to known targets, drop the mishits and record the typical carry. Expect the gaps between clubs to be smaller if your swing speed is slower.
Why do I hit my irons shorter than the distance charts?
Most charts show tour players or best shots, and many assume faster swing speeds and stronger lofts. Off-center contact also costs distance. Your own measured carry is the number that matters.
Sources
Related terms
- Carry DistanceCarry distance is how far the ball travels through the air before it first lands. It is different from total distance, which includes roll.
- Total DistanceTotal distance is how far the ball travels from impact until it stops. It is carry distance through the air plus roll after landing.
- Yardage GapsYardage gaps are the distance differences between consecutive clubs in your bag. Even gaps between clubs leave fewer distances that no club covers.
- Club SelectionClub selection is picking the right club for each shot from real carry distance, lie, wind, elevation, and hazard placement. It is one of the biggest scoring decisions.
- Launch MonitorA launch monitor uses radar or camera sensors to measure ball and clubhead data at impact. It quantifies a shot instead of relying on how it looked.
- Loft GappingLoft gapping checks that neighboring clubs, especially wedges, are spaced in even loft and yardage steps, with no big distance gaps or overlaps.
Related guides & benchmarks
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