Golf Club Distance Charts By Age, Gender And Skill Level

Congratulations on finding the most complete golf distance chart article on the internet.

Do you know how far your clubs travel? How do you compare to others? Its always good to understand that age, gender and skillset are the biggest differentiators. 

I did so much research on this article to bring you the most up to date information to help you quickly skim the tables and charts about golf distances. The charts are showing us golf club yardages and I go into more detail around age, gender and ability.  

Let's get you up to speed on golf club distance so you can learn where you an improve and where you might be ahead of the pack!

Golf Club Distance Charts: Key Factors

My golf distance charts show the the key elements that influence how far you can hit each golf club: 

  1. Swing speed
  2. Ball speed
  3. Smash factor
  4. Quality and optimization of equipment

Swing speed

Swing speed is the most important factor in determining the distance of the ball. Ball speed and smash factor both depend on swing speed. 

While the swing speed is important, it is not the only element. The quality of strike and correct technique is a big differentiating factor. A pro golfer swinging at the same speed as an amateur gets wildly different distance numbers. 

Average swing speed by age chart

Age
Men
Women
10-16 years old
93 mph
83 mph
17-25 years old
113 mph
93 mph
26-40 years old
108 mph
90 mph
41-50 years old
103 mph
88 mph
51-60 years old
98 mph
73 mph
60+ years old
90 mph
70 mph


What is Smash Factor?

Smash Factor is ball speed divided by club speed. The number calculated gives a ratio to show how much energy is moved from the club head to the golf ball at impact. Low Swing factor numbers mean less energy is transferred, while higher Smash factor numbers means a more efficient movement of energy from the face to the golf ball.

The goal for excellent ball striking with the driver is a factor of 1.5.

For example: ball speed 150 mph with a swing speed of 100 mph, your Smash Factor  is 1.5.

Other smaller contributory factors also have an effect on distance:

The ball speed 

Ball speed will be affected by the type of golf ball you use as well as your quality of strike. A strike out the center of the club face, with the correct technique will go much further than the same golfer hitting the toe or toward the heel. You can measure ball speed on launch monitors like the Mevo Plus or camera operated simulators like the SkyTrak.

Equipment affects distance

The pros on tour have optimized equipment to their specific technique and skill level as well as body shape. The same swing speed in a PGA Tour pro will send the ball much further than an amateur golfer of higher handicap but similar swing speed.

The reason is of course, technique, but if you were to use the same technique, the pro would still win, because every aspect of their golf club has been designed around THEM. That is why a fitting can help to optimize your strengths for more distance.

Skill level affects distance

There are young, sporty beginner and even mid handicap golfers who might read this article or that you may know who think they are capable of smashing a driver as far as a pro or scratch golfer. The myth is that they CAN but if it is not staying in play or being used to an advantage, then it does not count. 

Key to the chart: Skill levels in golf. I created these categories from the article on how the handicap works and article I wrote. 

Beginner Golfer: New to the game - first 6-12 months.

Average Golfer: 15-24 handicap.

Good Golfer: 6-14 handicap.

Excellent Golfer: Below 6 handicap.

Here are the in-depth golf club distance charts curated by male, female and senior golfers.


Golf Club Distance Charts: Average For Male Golfers By Skill Level

The numbers are estimates and you can see in the beginner section that 2 iron to 4 iron is not a very impressive number. I would suggest that even a 2 iron and 3 iron in the Average column is ambitious. These are very difficult clubs to hit and often go very low distance due to technique and swing speed issues. Most beginner and high handicappers should avoid these clubs for a long time.

From 'Good Golfer' onward, the 2 iron down to 5 iron should improve as confidence and technique improves, thus bringing on more swing speed. 

golf distance chart by skill levels

Club

Beginner

Average

Good

Excellent

Driver

180 yds

220 yds

250 yds

280 yds

3 Wood

170 yds

210 yds

225 yds

235 yds

5 Wood

150 yds

195 yds

205 yds

220 yds

Hybrid

145 yds

180 yds

190 yds

210 yds

2 Iron

100 yds

180 yds

190 yds

215 yds

3 Iron

100 yds

170 yds

180 yds

205 yds

4 Iron

100 yds

160 yds

170 yds

195 yds

5 Iron

120 yds

155 yds

165 yds

185 yds

6 Iron

120 yds

145 yds

160 yds

175 yds

7 Iron

110 yds

140 yds

150 yds

165 yds

8 Iron

100 yds

130 yds

140 yds

155 yds

9 Iron

90 yds

115 yds

125 yds

145 yds

Pitching Wedge

80 yds

100 yds

110 yds

135 yds

Gap Wedge

60 yds

90 yds

100 yds

125 yds

Sand Wedge

55 yds

80 yds

95 yds

115 yds

Lob Wedge

40 yds

60 yds

80 yds

105 yds


Golf Club Distance Charts: Average For Lady Golfers By Skill Level

On average, ladies will hit it shorter than men. The advanced category may be a shorter distance than the advanced category in the mens. But when comparing similar distance in the good to average category in the men, the accuracy of the ladies is much higher than the men. 

golf distance charts ladies by skill


Club

Beginner

Average

Good

Excellent

Driver

150 yds

175 yds

200 yds

230 yds

3 Wood

125 yds

150 yds

180 yds

210 yds

5 Wood

110 yds

140 yds

175 yds

200 yds

Hybrid

105 yds

135 yds

170 yds

195 yds

2 Iron

105 yds

135 yds

170 yds

190 yds

3 Iron

100 yds

125 yds

160 yds

185 yds

4 Iron

90 yds

120 yds

150 yds

180 yds

5 Iron

80 yds

110 yds

140 yds

170 yds

6 Iron

70 yds

100 yds

130 yds

160 yds

7 Iron

65 yds

90 yds

120 yds

150 yds

8 Iron

60 yds

80 yds

110 yds

140 yds

9 Iron

55 yds

70 yds

95 yds

130 yds

Pitching Wedge

50 yds

60 yds

80 yds

115 yds

Gap Wedge

45 yds

55 yds

70 yds

95 yds

Sand Wedge

40 yds

50 yds

60 yds

85 yds

Lob Wedge

35 yds

45 yds

50 yds

70 yds


Golf Club Distance Charts: Average For Seniors and Pro Golfer Comparison

golf club distance chart for senior golfers

Club

Senior Average Distance

Senior PGA Tour Champions

Driver

196 yds

279 yds

3-wood

173 yds

240 yds

5-wood

164 yds

227 yds

Hybrid

160 yds

222 yds

2 Iron

156 yds

217 yds

3 Iron

151 yds

209 yds

4 Iron

145 yds

200 yds

5 Iron

138 yds

191 yds

6 Iron

130 yds

180 yds

7 Iron

123 yds

169 yds

8 Iron

114 yds

157 yds

9 Iron

105 yds

146 yds

Pitching Wedge

97 yds

136 yds

Gap Wedge

89 yds

122 yds

Sand Wedge

82 yds

108 yds

Lob Wedge

74 yds

97 yds


Golf Club Distance Chart by Swing Speed

As an amateur golfer, you can gain access to rented Trackman bays where you can hit all your clubs and actually get a print out, or soft file of your swing speed and many other data points. You can even use a Voice Caddie SC300 to do it privately at the range. 

Swing speed does determine the golf club distances and we'll take a look in the charts below.

NOTE: The swing speed use at the top of each column is driver swing speed. We use this as a general gauge to estimate the distance of each club thereafter. 

150 mph is the top range and only long drive competitors will be swinging toward this range. The average swing speed on the PGA Tour (the best golfers in the world) is around 114 mph. 

golf club distance by swing speed

Club

60 mph

70 mph

80 mph

90 mph

100 mph

110 mph

120 mph

130 mph

140 mph

150 mph

Driver (Total)

155

181

206

232

258

284

310

335

361

385

Driver (Carry)

146

170

195

219

243

268

292

316

340

365

3 Wood

130

150

175

195

215

238

259

283

303

318

5 Wood

125

145

165

185

205

225

245

265

285

305

Hybrid

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

260

280

300

2 Iron

118

135

155

176

194

213

233

252

271

292

3 Iron

115

130

150

172

188

207

226

245

265

284

4 Iron

110

126

145

165

180

190

208

226

245

264

5 Iron

105

120

138

155

170

185

198

215

228

247

6 Iron

100

115

130

145

165

175

185

195

208

219

7 Iron

95

105

120

135

155

165

175

185

195

210

8 Iron

85

100

115

130

145

155

165

175

190

202

9 Iron

80

90

105

120

130

145

160

175

186

197

Pitching Wedge

73

85

100

110

120

135

145

156

167

179

Ball Speed To Club Head Speed Chart for Driver

The driver club head speed is often used as the benchmark for swing speed and the higher the ball speed, generally the better the strike at that club head speed.

Ball Speed To Club Head Speed Chart for Driver

Ball Speed (mph)

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

190

200

Club Head Speed (mph)

77

84

91

98

104

111

118

125

132

138

Driver Carry

181

198

214

231

247

263

280

296

313

329

Driver Swing Speed Chart by Golf Skill Level

Confidence and skill make a big difference when hitting the driver efficiently and out the sweet spot. 

Skill Level

Driver Distance

Swing Speed

Beginner

190 yards

80 mph

Average

220 yards

94 mph

Good

240 yards

100 mph

Excellent

265 yards

110 mph

PGA Tour Average

275 yards

114 mph

Women’s Average

180 yards

77 mph

LPGA Tour Average

218 yards

94 mph

Golf Club Distance Charts Other Important Factors

Loft

Every club has a different loft and more loft goes less distance, while less loft goes longer distance in combination with longer golf shafts.

Driver usually goes furthest while the lob wedge around 60 degrees goes the shortest.

Clubs

Average Lofts 2022

Average Lofts 1990

Driver

8° – 13°

9° – 14°

3 Wood

13° – 15°

15° – 17°

5 Wood

20° – 23°

21° – 24°

2 Iron

18° – 20°

20° – 22°

3 Iron

21° – 24°

23° – 25°

4 iron

25° – 28°

28° – 30°

5 iron

28° – 31°

31° – 33°

6 iron

32° – 35°

35° – 37°

7 iron

36° – 38°

39° – 41°

8 iron

40° – 43°

43° – 47°

9 iron

45° – 48°

48° – 50°

Pitching Wedge

47° – 50°

51° – 54°


The golf clubs of today go a lot further since the manufacturers started creating cavity back golf clubs in combination with lower lofts for the same clubs. 

Every club is between 2 and 5 degrees lower in loft in current day, which automatically increases distance by up to 15 yards per iron. Driver lofts cannot get much lower as people will not be able to hit them. In order to hit a driver with a loft below 9 degrees, your swing speed needs to be incredibly fast. 

The club heads are bigger for all golf clubs in modern times with much larger sweet spots. With the addition of lighter shafts in both the irons and the woods, the ball speeds and swing speeds are higher as well. 


Golf Club Distance Charts of PGA Tour Golfers

Club

Average
Distance
Range (yards)

Bryson De Chambeau

Dustin
Johnson

Rory McIlroy

Tiger
Woods

Jack
Nicklaus

LPGA Tour Averages

Driver

275

325

312

360

297

250

255

3 Wood

243

295

282

325

265

235

230

5 Wood

230

275

267

300

245

220

215

3 Iron

212

227

210

197

4 Iron

203

255

236

272

215

195

186

5 Iron

194

235

225

256

200

180

175

6 Iron

183

220

212

235

186

167

164

7 Iron

172

205

200

222

170

155

153

8 Iron

160

190

186

200

157

145

142

9 Iron

148

175

172

188

148

130

130

Pitching Wedge

136

160

158

169

136

120

118

Why are modern golfers longer than prior generations?

Physical fitness

Most pros are in the gym every day currently while in prior generations like Palmer and Nicklaus, the guys were regular people who even used to enjoy a smoke and a drink on the course. 

Bryson Dechambeau is an example of someone who has beefed up in order to hit it further and it makes a big difference. Tiger Woods was one of the first modern day pros to begin working in the gym. His huge transformation to a big, strong guy inspired a whole new generation of golfer. 

Lofts of pro clubs

Lofts have changed how far the ball goes. Tiger Woods is only behind the modern guys in this chart because he uses 3-4 degrees more loft on every single club. He cares about precision and less about distance because he has plenty of power

Golf Ball

The golf ball when Tiger Woods first hit the tour and even more so when Nicklaus was in his prime, was much shorter than today's Pro V1 and equivalents. The balata golf ball is significantly shorter than the current urethane covered solid core golf balls they use today on the Tour. 

What Do These Golf Club Distance Charts Mean?

You can compare how you shape up against the average golfer, the senior golfer, the pro golfer and the advanced golfer. 

The key though is to understand YOUR own game and your distances so you can more effectively plan your game and piece together a good golf score. When you fully understand and accept your distances that you hit the golf ball, you will score better.

For the pros and the advanced players, the distance they hit each club is not a matter of ego. It's a matter of 'which club gets the job done?' and they use that.

You can too, whichever distance you hit it. Just be totally honest with yourself and leave the ego behind.

Last Updated on May 16, 2023 by Matt