Did i really put 70 yards onto my drive?

["Richard"]

Last year I was hitting it about 220-230 on the sim on a straight hit and that is about what I was getting outside as well so I just assumed it was accurate. Since then I haven't really been hitting drivers on the sim... and when I did it was never at full speed, more just to see if I can get my swing steeper and hit it in the sweet spot but was still slicing. So, before I started working out but after I had taken lessons, my friend and I went to GT we decided to have a driving contest. I was very happy after hitting them around 250-260. I was coming more at the ball from inside, and a steeper swing path, I used to cast the club a lot. So based on that I gained about 30 yards from a steeper path, less of an outside in path.... but the swing only went up a a few mph. Likely? not likely?

Since then I have been working out for 3 months. Ive gained a lot of muscle and lost a lot of fat. I've lost a total of about 20 lbs to get down to 180lbs. I've also been reading about how to get more distance. These are the things I found out. Get more of a shoulder turn, steeper swing path, teeing the ball up higher and hitting up and through the ball, wider stance, ball farther up in my stance not unhinging the wrists until the last possible second and and more hip turn. I went back again to find out about custom fitting so I decided to hit some balls on the SIM. I was swinging at about 105mph to 110 mph with a 9.5 stiff shaft r7 425. I was hitting it about 270 to 280. The guy helping me told me I was making one huge mistake that was causing me to lose a ton of distance. When I teed the ball up I would put the club onto the ground and see if the centre of the ball lined up with the center of my club. He told me that if I do that I will hit it off the heal every time. He told me to lift the club into the air a little so the centre of the club is lined with the center of the ball, then put the club on the ground and notice how the toe, and not the centre of the club, lines up with the centre of the ball. After doing this, my next 3 drivers were over 300 yards. Over 15 drivers I was averaging between 290-300 if you take my 3 shanks out. My highest was 336 on a 105mph-110mph swing with a 9.5* driver. At the end he said, you aren’t getting enough hip turn... If you get more hip turn (point your belt buckle opposite the target) you can get more speed and more distance. This guy was no where near my size and looked as if he was swinging much slower with the arms than I was but his speed was much faster, distance was greater as well. He told me that I should be able to hit it farther than him. I’m kind of excited about the results from yesterday but wanted to know, how accurate are they? How accurate are these machines. I found it a bit odd that I was barely slicing but because I'm not casting anymore and the swing scope is almost dead straight.. that would explain it if its accuarte but I did feel like I was doing less outside in and maybe even a very slight inside out. Causing my dropping my shoulder first, uncoiling and keeping my right arm tucked into my side....



PS my swing scope was almost perfect and so was the contact with the sweet spot. The spin rate was in the high 2000's



PPS I'm a bit sceptical and i was there... ahaha

[davevandyk]

They could be accurate, but let me just throw in my 2cents. I went on the sim yesterday and was hitting my 3wood 295+ average! Let's just say that last year i averaged hitting my driver about 270-280, so i would take it with a grain of salt until you can hit outdoors. That being said, i am going to the launch monitor and perhaps when i get fit perfectly, i can gain some extra yards as well.

["Richard"]

yeah, I've heard stories like that. I'm looking forward to getting out there. I've def. put on a ton of yardage since I started working out and make the changes to my swing. I guess I will have to get outside and see how much exactly I've put on. But how much simpler would the game be when an extra 70yards off the tee! I have a good feeling about this coming season. I hope to get another 20 lessons in before my golf trip on may

[Nat Williams]

The sims @ GT have a power booster on them...They range from 0-4.

I was there today and my friend who works there was telling me that it is normally set to 2 (which will add yards) but that ppl mess with it and move it up to 4. (He said that on #4 I could hit it 360...so it does help )

Also, if you are putting it lower into the screen it will read more yardage.

I'm sure you have added some distance, maybe even alot of distance, but just keep those factors in mind aswell so that you aren't frustrated on the course if it isn't going as far as it was in GT.

["Richard"]

For sure, i wasn't expecting it to be that accurate and and a bit skeptical. I know I've added a lot to my swing speed so the yardage has to be up there. I hope with the added speed, more consitant contact with the sweet spot, some lessons, a shaft fit for my swing and maybe custom fitting as well I will put on a ton of yours.. thats the plan. I still have 2 more months to get my yardage up My friends are going to be sooo surprised when they play with my this year. I should be atleast 50 yards farther up than them since they were already a bit shorter than me

[Nat Williams]

For sure...you should have a lot more yards on that driver now ... and considering you were hitting 220-230, there's no reason for you not to be able to get it up to 70 yards longer w/ a solid swing

[whatsup]

Definetly possible to add significant yardage to your drive by correcting a few problems here and there, especially if you were around 230. 70 yards seems a bit drastic of a change though, it sounds as if the power boost was on but I would not take away from the fact you lost 20lbs (congrats btw), which allows you to make better movements. As for the added muscle (taking into account that your gains can be significant in the first couple of months if you have never lifted before), without performance enhancing drugs, the average human can only put on about 5-7lbs per year in actual muscle and that is total dedication. Add the fact that while losing weight, it is hard to build muscle at the same time (due to the fact you are depriving your body of the proper calories which muscle needs to grow).

To sum up, you most likely added some good yardage but the gains you see are due to the correct swing plane, weight loss, power boost and added muscle, in that order. Looks like the answer to your question is only 2 months away.

["Richard"]

I used to lift alot before and then I got all fat I'm gussing my rapid weight loss and my rapid muscle gain might have something to do with muscle memory. It might have to do with the fact that I'm taking protien, glutimine, flax seed, multivitamins and termal rip (increases matobolism). I'm starting to doubt it was a gain of 70 yards, I went to GT in toronto today and was hitting it about 290 max, average over 20 drivers was 260 after we deleted the top two and toe worst two

Tthats a bit more realistic, I'm still happy with that but think I can maybe get some more yardage still

thanks for the congrats on the weight loss

[Andru]

300 on a sim is about 240 in real life.

Sorry to rain on the parade. Ppl don't hit the ball as far as they think they do. Besides the only number that matters is carry distance.

[Big Johnny69]

Carry is an important number, but total yds is important as well. Be good to know you can carry a bunker but come up short of a pond for instance. But I agree with the sim yardages being off. I'm actually the opposite. My drives tend to be longer on the course than in the sim. I hit a pretty high ball, so I assume that is why.

[Andru]

Carry is an important number, but total yds is important as well. Be good to know you can carry a bunker but come up short of a pond for instance. But I agree with the sim yardages being off. I'm actually the opposite. My drives tend to be longer on the course than in the sim. I hit a pretty high ball, so I assume that is why.

The only problem is the roll distance is a result of the conditions and that varies from day to day , course to course hole to hole.

[Big Johnny69]

True, but in general I like having an idea of what my total yardage is, and can then factor in wind, uphill/downhill etc.

[Nat Williams]

Although it hasn't been mentioned yet, you should be happy with your backspin rate. (Just thought of that since we are talking about total distance vs. carry)