138 replies to this topic

[FSUGolfdog]

My son is 13, currently a 10 handicap.  His average at the Bridgestone ball fitting in August was 232 yard carry, swing speed was 104, ball speed 141.

Here's a link to his swing, hope the link works.  Comments are welcome.

[Sling]

My son just had his handicap reviewed, his index is now 0.1, he turned 13 in December, he hits a five wood about 250 and a pitching wedge about 150, if he does take a driver he'll hit it about 290. All this depends on conditions, our home course is at altitude.

But of course distance and handicap don't actually matter all that much, I'm trying to teach my son that, trying to get him to hit a 9 iron on a 150 shot and recommending he use the 5 wood or hybrid off he tee as often as not. Handicap relates very much to your home course and a run of good scores can dramatically lower it.

Edited by Sling, 04 February 2013 - 10:39 AM.

[KILLEDBYASHANKEDWEDGE]

FSUGolfdog, on 29 January 2013 - 05:21 PM, said:

My son is 13, currently a 10 handicap.  His average at the Bridgestone ball fitting in August was 232 yard carry, swing speed was 104, ball speed 141.

Here's a link to his swing, hope the link works.  Comments are welcome.

Nice looking swing, know you are proud!

[castellar]

FSUGolfdog, on 29 January 2013 - 05:21 PM, said:

My son is 13, currently a 10 handicap.  His average at the Bridgestone ball fitting in August was 232 yard carry, swing speed was 104, ball speed 141.

Here's a link to his swing, hope the link works.  Comments are welcome.

He's got a great swing. Very smooth! 232 carry is great for 13 but for his swing speed he is leaving a lot of distance out there.  104 mph under better launch conditions (not perfect) can be carrying between about 225 to about 257.  Just something to think about for the next driver fitting!

[FSUGolfdog]

castellar, on 04 February 2013 - 05:11 PM, said:

FSUGolfdog, on 29 January 2013 - 05:21 PM, said:

My son is 13, currently a 10 handicap.  His average at the Bridgestone ball fitting in August was 232 yard carry, swing speed was 104, ball speed 141.

Here's a link to his swing, hope the link works.  Comments are welcome.

He's got a great swing. Very smooth! 232 carry is great for 13 but for his swing speed he is leaving a lot of distance out there.  104 mph under better launch conditions (not perfect) can be carrying between about 225 to about 257.  Just something to think about for the next driver fitting!

His launch agle was pretty low, if I remember it was below 10*.  I'm taking him next month for his birthday for a driver fitting.  He's pumped.

And thank for the compliments, I will pass them along to him.

[col902]

I'm 14 (15 in a month) and have a 0.2 handicap. I average 280-290 with my driver, and I have gotten my ball speed up to 166 on some of my best drives. Here are some videos of my swing, critique is welcome as always.

http://www.uschedule...2275_100310.mp4

http://www.uschedule...2276_101338.mp4

[Hrocks]

As a parent of a kid who started swinging a USKG training club and putter at age 3-1/2, I can believe some of the GHIN index numbers that some of you juniors are posting out there.  If you're posting legitimate scores (That assumes NO GIMMES, NO MULLIGANS) they are impressive.  My boy turned 12 last summer and has been consistantly one of the shortest drivers in his age group since he started on the USKG tour 8 years ago.  He learned the game from the hole back to the tee, and consequently his favorite club is his sand wedge, followed closely by the putter and most recently, driver.  (hits it straight)

Bobby Jones once said, "there's golf, then there's tournament golf".  Believe me, being a parent/caddie it's a much more intense game than mine, hanging with the guys playing for $5 or a beer.  There are a few boys in the 11-12 year old groups that are low single digit handicaps at 5,600+ yards under tournament conditions. (My guy's GHIN index is 10.1)  Most of these kids have played under tournament conditions since they were 5 years old.  Made my knees wobble when I first heard them announce the little kid's name and city on the first tee, but they get used to it and they play their game.  So, if you're "rounding up" your driver distances, or "rounding down" your scores, or taking gimmes or mullies, think twice before entering a tournament.  Your real handicap will be exposed.  In any case, keep playing and practicing, and HAVE FUN playing golf!

[Sling]

Hrocks,

I understand your skepticism but there are kids out there who hit the ball a long way and have very low handicaps but yes there are caveats. My son does have an index of 0.1, it's on the official website together with his last 20 rounds used to calculate it all conducted under USGA rules, he plays at a course rated at 73.5 which is 7,000 yards long and a par 71, if he shoots level par the relevant number used to calculate his index for that round is +2.1 and in his last few rounds he has managed level par three times. But yes it is practice and he knows the course like the back of his hand.

Although not absolutely the longest 13 year old I've seen, I've seen two others hit it further, he does get it out past 300 yards which explains why he shoots low on his home course, there are few par 4s anywhere where he is taking more than a 7 iron in. But  it isn't the be all and end all. In the last tournament he was in he shot 72, even par, for his last round which was 8 shots better than anyone else on the day, but the round before he had 85, an attack of the three putts mostly, and the first round he had a 79 with 9 penalty shots (4 out of bounds). If he played against your son he might wel be a hundred yards or more past him on every drive but at the moment your son might well score lower than him on any given round on a strange course.

It all evens out in the next couple of years or so anyways. The top juniors will all be scratch or better by the age of 15 and will all be bombing it given many of the course are 7300 plus in the AJGA.

[Hrocks]

Sling, on 27 February 2013 - 12:08 PM, said:

Hrocks,

I understand your skepticism but there are kids out there who hit the ball a long way and have very low handicaps but yes there are caveats. My son does have an index of 0.1, it's on the official website together with his last 20 rounds used to calculate it all conducted under USGA rules, he plays at a course rated at 73.5 which is 7,000 yards long and a par 71, if he shoots level par the relevant number used to calculate his index for that round is +2.1 and in his last few rounds he has managed level par three times. But yes it is practice and he knows the course like the back of his hand.

Although not absolutely the longest 13 year old I've seen, I've seen two others hit it further, he does get it out past 300 yards which explains why he shoots low on his home course, there are few par 4s anywhere where he is taking more than a 7 iron in. But  it isn't the be all and end all. In the last tournament he was in he shot 72, even par, for his last round which was 8 shots better than anyone else on the day, but the round before he had 85, an attack of the three putts mostly, and the first round he had a 79 with 9 penalty shots (4 out of bounds). If he played against your son he might wel be a hundred yards or more past him on every drive but at the moment your son might well score lower than him on any given round on a strange course.

It all evens out in the next couple of years or so anyways. The top juniors will all be scratch or better by the age of 15 and will all be bombing it given many of the course are 7300 plus in the AJGA.

Hey Sling,

My intent was not to broadbrush all the kids that proffered near scratch hdcps as fiction.  My point was that throughout this string, some of the "handicaps" were listed as "about, between", etc. and if they are really posting legitimate scores, the index is pretty cut and dry.  Indeed there are already a couple of kids that were single digit hdcps in my boys 11yr old group @ 5,000 yards last summer.  Believe me, you don't have to tell me that these kids will be blowing in way past me in a couple of years.  All these kids that had good fundamentals instilled at a young age by pro instructors will naturally continue to get longer as their arms and legs get longer.All the best to your guy.  Sounds like he's on a great path.

[Rodabodem]

I know this is a few days old, but I was scratch when I was 14. I don't find any of these kids numbers to be out of the ordinary for talented players.

[dpb5031]

The course and slope rating (difficulty of the course) can have a huge impact on HC.  This is especially true with junior girls.  My daughter (just turned 14) is a 5.1 index with mostly tournament rounds in her HC history.  The GHIN system throws out your ten worst scores, so even as a 5.1 index her scoring average is only 82.4.  Her low tournament score is 74 and she drives it in the 230-240 range in normal conditions.

Most of the junior tours she plays on now set up the courses at around 6000 yards (typical men's regular tees).  For women, the course and slope ratings get really high when they move the tees back.  Last year she played in a sectional qualifier for the US Girl's Junior and the set-up was brutally difficult.  I don't remember the exact numbers, but they told us for posting purposes that the course rating was something like 77/155.  The medalist that day shot 79 and the next closest score was 86.

[BirdiesnoBogeys]

FSUGolfdog, on 29 January 2013 - 05:21 PM, said:

My son is 13, currently a 10 handicap.  His average at the Bridgestone ball fitting in August was 232 yard carry, swing speed was 104, ball speed 141.

Here's a link to his swing, hope the link works.  Comments are welcome.

Thats a really solid swing awesome tempo

[Nvgolf16]

15 years old. 12 index. Average drive around 225

[Luke Donald318]

Tiger woods first played golf when he was two, and when he was 13 his handicap was scratch. there is no way you have a handicap of 3.7 when you have been playing for ten months. unless you are going to wipe everybody out, and when every pga tournament you go to. chances you aren't better then tiger woods.

[PlayinThru]

A club pro friend of mine made it to stroke play of the US Am the summer before his freshman year in college (DI), 25 years ago or so.  He's competed against (and beaten) some very recognizable names as a junior, in college, and in the odd PGA Tour tournament, and has won a couple of state opens.  His clubhead speed has never been above 103, and he's never carried a driver past 250.   The dude will totally eat your lunch!

His advice to me:  KNOW (not guess) how far you can (and will) hit each of your clubs both carry and total.  Calculate how far the shot is playing, and pull the correct club (EVERY time).  The percentages of shooting a good round are heavily in your favor.  Compared to poker, it's like calling with pot odds.

Also, as a junior, he told me he'd play in the afternoon by himself playing "worst ball".  It's the total opposite of "scramble" or "captain's choice", where a player hits two balls and must play from the least desirable location.

[GoAromando]

Many golfers of ALL ages lie to others and themselves about their distances.  Lying about distances only hurts themselves.  1st you need to hit the ball towards the target, then land it at the correct distance.  Whether you hit the ball 220 yds and claim 260 yds or you hit it 260 yds and claim 300+ yrds, it's only your game the suffers.

Now, just because you can't hit the ball 300+ without fibbing, it doesn't mean others can't.

Lexi Thompson's average Drive was 286.5 yrds at the Kraft Nabisco Championship when she was in 8th grade, 2nd to Michelle Wie that year.

We check my daughter's yardages before every tournament.  I stress the importance of KNOWING your ACTUAL yardages.  She's 11 yrs old and her drives average 195 carry with 210 yrd total distance.  When she gets one good (240) she'll want to know the yardage & I reminder her she can't expect it until she can average it.

Last weekend another girl was Bragging that she was now hitting the ball 240.  My daughter question me, why she didn't gain as much over the winter...I laughed and said I'll believe it when I see it.  That day they have a driveable par 4 (220 yrds to the front).  My daughter planned to hit a high fade (light helping breeze) with hopes it would stay on the green, it did.  I stayed back to watch the Bragger in the group behind her try the same thing...she found the bunker 30 yrds short of the green.

KNOW Your DISTANCE.

Regards,

Michael A.

[jdhallissey]

This is the thing. I have always laughed at this. I hope Juniors realize that the tour average in the AIR meaning CARRY is 275. So this thread has now told me that 95 percent of you hit it farther then a tour pro in the air? I think not. I would love to setup every guy/junior/gal on this forum on a tee box with a forced carry of 265 yards. You get 5 balls to clear it. It would be awesome to see how many actually get over it. I bet you half don't even come close and only 10-15 guys clear it. So I am glad you guys keep the torch going.

[GoAromando]

jdhallissey, on 04 June 2013 - 03:40 PM, said:

This is the thing. I have always laughed at this. I hope Juniors realize that the tour average in the AIR meaning CARRY is 275. So this thread has now told me that 95 percent of you hit it farther then a tour pro in the air? I think not. I would love to setup every guy/junior/gal on this forum on a tee box with a forced carry of 265 yards. You get 5 balls to clear it. It would be awesome to see how many actually get over it. I bet you half don't even come close and only 10-15 guys clear it. So I am glad you guys keep the torch going.

FYI - When the Tours (Men or Women) select holes for Average Yards they normally pick 2 straight holes (they would expect most to hit driver) in different directions.  This gives a true average.

[jdhallissey]

I understand that. I have played mini tour golf. Don't get me wrong there are some guys who flat out bomb it. (woodland,bradley, Watson). I can tell you that 90 percent of tour guys for a FACT do not hit driver in the air longer then 275 to 280 in the air. People don't realize how far that is. Kids in these forums are trying to tell me that they are 135 -150 pounds swinging at or above 115 mph? When the tour average swing speed is 110-112. Interesting.