One of the first questions every golfer asks is, How far should I be hitting my clubs? This article will give you clear, easy-to-understand yardage charts that serve as a great starting point, but more importantly, we’ll walk through why your personal yardages are what truly matter and how you can figure them out, shot by shot.
Pinpointing an exact yardage for any club is tricky because every golfer is different. Your swing speed, strike quality, fitness level, and even the clubs you play all have a massive impact on how far the ball goes. However, having a general baseline is incredibly helpful. Below are two charts showing typical amateur yardages - not for PGA Tour pros, but for regular golfers like us. Think of these as a reference point, not a rulebook.
Remember, these are just averages. A golfer who hits their 7-iron 160 yards isn’t necessarily "better" than one who hits it 135. The real goal is consistency. Knowing that your 7-iron flies 135 yards every single time is far more valuable than hitting it 160 once and 120 the next.
So, why is your playing partner’s 8-iron his 150-yard club while yours is your 6-iron? It comes down to a few core factors. Understanding these will help you stop comparing and start owning your game.
This is the most significant factor. All else being equal, a faster swing imparts more energy into the ball, making it go farther. This is why you see tour pros with swing speeds over 115 mph hitting their driver over 300 yards. Most amateur male golfers hover around 85-95 mph, while amateur female golfers are often in the 65-75 mph range.
Don’t get too caught up trying to swing out of your shoes to gain speed. A smooth, rhythmic swing that allows you to make solid contact is far more effective. The goal of the golf swing is a rotational action that moves around the body, primarily powered by your torso. If you can focus on a good, balanced turn and unwind through the ball, your natural speed will be more than enough to play great golf.
Where you hit the ball on the clubface is just as important as how fast you swing. Hitting the center of the face transfers the maximum amount of energy. A well-struck shot will feel effortless and produce a powerful, penetrating ball flight.
If you catch the ball on the toe or heel (an off-center hit), the club twists at impact, a phenomenon called "gear effect." This twisting motion robs you of ball speed and, therefore, distance. You could have a 100 mph swing, but if you hit it far off the toe, it might travel the same distance as a 90 mph swing hit perfectly in the center. Modern clubs are very forgiving, but a center-strike is always the most efficient way to get the most out of every club in your bag.
This is information that surprises many golfers. The number printed on the bottom of your iron doesn't always tell the whole story. Thirty years ago, a 7-iron generally had about 34-35 degrees of loft. Today, many game-improvement 7-irons have lofts as low as 28-30 degrees! A lower loft reduces spin and launches the ball lower and farther, which is essentially putting the loft of an old 5-iron on a club labeled "7".
This is sometimes called “loft-jacking,” and it means you can’t directly compare your 7-iron to your friend’s if you play different models. This is another reason to focus on your own yardage gaps, not the number on the club.
Golf isn't played in a vacuum. Your yardages can change from day to day based on the environment:
Now for the fun part: figuring out your own numbers. This process will give you immense confidence on the course because you’ll know, not guess, which club to pull. The best way to do this is at a driving range with marked targets or, even better, at an indoor simulator or launch monitor facility.
Don't start charting numbers with your first swing. Go through your normal warm-up routine, starting with wedges and working your way up. Get your body loose and your swing feeling comfortable.
Pick a club you feel confident with, like a 7-iron. We’ll use this as our benchmark. Don't try to kill it, just make your normal, "stock" golf swing - the one you'd use on the course 8 out of 10 times.
Hit a batch of 10 to 15 balls with that club. Your goal is to find your consistent average. Toss out the obvious outliers: the one you thinned that shot like a rocket and the one you chunked that went 50 yards.
Look at the results of your solid hits. If you're on a launch monitor, this is easy - it will tell you your average carry. If you're at the range, estimate where most of your good shots are landing. For example, if most of your solid 7-irons landed around the 140-yard marker, then 140 is your stock 7-iron carry distance.
Once you have your 7-iron distance, work your way up and down through your set. Hit a batch of balls with your 6-iron, then your 8-iron, and so on. Note the average carry for each. You are looking for a consistent yardage gap between each club, which is typically 10-15 yards for most amateurs.
Write your yardages down! You can use the notes app on your phone, a piece of paper you keep in your bag, or a new yardage book. It should look something like this:
5-Iron: 160 yds
6-Iron: 150 yds
7-Iron: 140 yds
8-Iron: 130 yds
9-Iron: 120 yds
PW: 110 yds
GW: 95 yds
SW: 80 yds
Having this information readily available transforms your course management. Standing over a 128-yard shot into a green, you'll know with certainty that it's a perfect stock 8-iron. No more second-guessing.
Those yardage charts are a helpful guidepost, but the most powerful number in golf is the one you can rely on yourself. Going through the process of mapping your own club distances removes uncertainty and allows you to play with committed, confident swings.
Building that personal yardage chart is the first step, and once you have it, our approach at Caddie AI is to help you apply it intelligently on the course. I can provide real-time guidance by taking your specific numbers and factoring in the day's conditions, like if you have a slight headwind or an uphill shot. You can even take a photo of a tricky lie in the rough and get simple, clear advice on the best way to handle it, so you are always making the smartest play.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
