How far do the average golfer hit their driver? These data tell us

Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you play smarter and better golf.

Driving distance can be a touchy subject in some corners of the golf world. Some argue that the distance has gotten out of control and guardrails should be implemented to slow the trend. Others say that this concern is much ado about nothing and that longer drives actually are good for the game.

No matter where you sit on this spectrum, one thing is certain: hitting the ball longer makes the game LOT easier. You get the idea: when you hit fewer clubs on the green, the number of birdies you make is sure to increase, and with more birdies on the card, your scores will be lower.

So professionals and amateurs alike are looking for ways to increase their driving distance. But how successful have they been in this pursuit? owing to Arcos’ the last one Annual driving distance reportwe can see exactly how far recreational players are hitting their drives – and how that number has changed over the years.

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How far golfers hit the driver

Arcco’s shot tracking system has collected over a billion data points from a variety of players of all skill levels. This is not only useful on a micro level to help the amateur player improve, but it can also tell us a lot about the game in a macro sense. One such insight comes from their annual driving distance report.

According to this year’s report, the average male golfer — at all handicaps — drives the ball 224.1 yards, which is actually 0.6 yards less than a year ago. For women, that number is 175.7 yards, which is 0.5 yards less than a year ago. This is the second year in a row that the driving distance has SITTING in the recreational game, although during the eight years Arccos has been tracking this data, the number has remained relatively unchanged.

While it is true that professional players get taller and taller every year, the same cannot be said for the recreational game. This is good news for you because it represents an opportunity. thus get into the gym or start training quickly: If you do this, you will surely win over your playing competitors.