Total Distance
Also known as: full distance, carry plus roll
Total distance is how far the ball travels from the moment it is struck until it stops — carry distance through the air plus roll after landing.
Total distance and carry distance diverge most on shots with high spin (which check quickly) versus low spin (which run out). In firm conditions, the roll component can be large — especially for shots with low launch and low spin. For club selection on most approach shots, carry distance is the number to use because you need to clear hazards and land within the green. For course management from the tee, total distance tells you where the ball will end up and whether you can reach a specific fairway target zone.
Example
A 7-iron that carries 145 yards and rolls to 155 on a firm fairway has 145 yards of carry and 155 yards of total distance — the carry number is what matters for a forced-carry approach.
Related terms
- Carry DistanceCarry distance is how far the ball travels through the air before it first lands — distinct from total distance, which includes roll.
- Spin RateSpin rate is how fast the ball spins after impact, in revolutions per minute. It controls how the ball climbs, holds the air, and stops on landing.
- Club SelectionClub selection is choosing the right club for each shot based on real carry distance, lie, wind, elevation, and hazard placement — one of the highest-impact decisions in scoring.
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