How far players *actually* hit their drives, according to the data

Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.

Driving distance is a hot topic in golf. Whether it’s discussing the impact distance has on professional play or learning how amateurs can pack more distance, hitting bombs off the tee is a constant talking point.

During the 2024 campaign, Cameron Champ was the longest hitter on the PGA Tour, averaging just over 323 yards per putt. Rory McIlroy was just behind at 320 yards as Kevin Dougherty, Ben An and Alejandro Tosti rounded out the top five. The tournament average was 301 yards, marking the first time in history that the average driving distance has topped 300 yards.

If you hope to make a living playing golf, you’re going to have to hit the ball hard. The bad news is that the average driving distance in the recreational game is nowhere to be found CLOSED with that of those on the PGA Tour. So how far do average players go really hit the ball? Statistics tracking company Arccos recently released their Driver Distances Report and it broke it all down.

How far do golfers hit?

Arcco’s shot tracking system has over a billion data points from players of all skill levels in the recreational game. This data is used to gather insights that help weekend warriors lower their scores, but can also tell us a lot about the state of the game in general. For example, how far the average golfer hits the ball.

In their recently released Driver Distance Report (which you can read here), Arccos reports that the average male golfer — at all handicaps — drove the ball 225 yards in 2023. For women golfers, the average was 178.1 yards.

This may seem a little shorter than you expect, but for the most part recreational players greatly overestimate their distance from the tip. In reality, their discs fly LOT shorter than they think.

Arccos also broke down average driving distance data based on age and handicap. As you might expect, the younger golfers are and the lower their handicap, the further they tend to hit it.

For example, among players in their 20s with a handicap or lower, the average driving distance is 271 yards. But as age increases in the same age range, the average driving distance decreases. At scratch or better among players in their 40s, the average driving distance drops to 259 yards.

You can view a full breakdown of driving distance by age and disability in the charts below.

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Arccos Driver Tracker

$9.98

Arccos Driver Performance Tracker is the first driver-only golf performance tracker and the newest addition to the Arccos Golf platform. Allowing you to play and compete like never before, Arccos Driver automatically records each drive, capturing distance and location without any interruption to your game. With every drive automatically logged, the proprietary Arccos Tour Analytics platform provides in-depth statistics and analytics on your driving performance. With Arccos Driver, golfers can capture and share their best drives with friends and the Arccos community while competing against playing partners and friends around the world. Fight for position on the worldwide leaderboard while playing Crowns, the virtual driver-only game of the Arccos Platform. Arccos Driver works without problems. Simply attach the sensor to the handle end of your driving club and pair it just once with your smartphone using the free Arccos Driver app. Then, play as you normally would and watch as the Arccos Driver does all the work. No

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