Knowing precisely how far you hit each golf club is the cornerstone of better scoring and playing with confidence. While there are plenty of charts online showing average distances, the number that truly matters is your own. This guide will give you a solid starting point with some general yardage numbers, but more importantly, it will teach you how to figure out your personal distances for every club in your bag.
Ever wonder why your buddy crushes his 7-iron 20 yards past yours, even though you both have similar clubs? The truth is, a golf club has no set yardage. The distance a ball travels is aresult of a combination of factors that are unique to you, your equipment, and even the day itself. Your swing is like your fingerprint - entirely your own.
Here are the main things that influence how far you hit the ball:
Because of all these variables, the most empowering thing you can do for your game is to stop guessing and start knowing your unique yardages.
Before you dial in your own numbers, it's helpful to have a frame of reference. The charts below show typical carry distances for amateur male and female golfers. Use these as a loose guide, a starting point on your journey to understanding your own game. Don't worry if your numbers are higher or lower, it's a completely personal thing.
These numbers represent a common range for male golfers who play regularly.
These distances are a general baseline for female players.
Again, these are just ballpark figures. Now, let's get to the fun part: finding out your actual numbers.
Building your personal yardage chart is one of the most effective ways to lower your scores. When you can stand over a shot and absolutely trust that you have the right club, you can make a free, confident swing. Here are two Gmethods to do it.
This is the classic approach. The goal is to find your average carry distance for each club - that’s the distance the ball flies in the air before it hits the ground. Carry is the number that matters for approach shots, as you need to know how far you must fly the ball to clear a bunker or water hazard.
Coach's Tip: One session is a great start, but try to do this a few times over a couple of weeks to confirm your numbers. Your swing can feel different from day to day.
While the range is great for establishing a baseline, on-course data is the gold standard. You're using the ball you actually play with, on real grass, with the subtle pressures of a real round. This is where your true yardages reveal themselves.
Many GPS watches and mobile apps have shot-tracking features. When you get to your ball, you can mark the shot. The app then uses GPS to calculate the exact distance you hit it. After 5-10 rounds of doing this diligently, a very accurate picture of your yardages will emerge. You'll not only see your stock yardages but also your common misses, which is incredibly valuable information.
Once you have your personal yardage chart, you can check your "gapping." This refers to the distance difference between each of your clubs in sequential order. Ideally, you want a consistent gap of about 10-15 yards between each of your irons (e.g., your 7-iron flies 150, your 8-iron flies 140, your 9-iron flies 130).
Sometimes you’ll find a huge gap (like 25 yards) between two clubs, leaving you with an awkward "in-between" distance. Or you might find two clubs that go nearly the same distance, meaning one is redundant. Knowing this allows you to adjust your set, maybe by having a club's loft adjusted by a clubfitter or adding a hybrid to fill a gap at the longer end of your bag.
Knowing your "stock" number for a full swing is fantastic, but golf rarely gives you a perfect number. What if you're 135 yards out, but your full 9-iron goes 140 and your full pitching wedge goes 125? This is where learning to hit "knockdown" or three-quarter shots comes in.
A simple way to take 5-10 yards off any iron shot is to:
By learning this shot, you essentially create a second, shorter yardage for every club, effectively filling those tricky gaps and giving you much better control over your distances and ball flight, especially in the wind.
Stop guessing and start knowing. Taking the time to build your personal yardage chart is a direct investment in your game that will pay off with more confidence, better club selection, and ultimately, lower scores. Embrace the process of learning your game on a deeper level.
Once you have those numbers dialled in, the next step is executing the right shot under pressure. That’s why I'm so excited about tools like Caddie AI. When you're standing over a shot, stuck between clubs, our app acts as your personal caddie, analyzing the situation and giving you a smart, instant recommendation. It removes the doubt so you can commit to your swing and play with more freedom and confidence.
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