pga tour average yardages

How Far Do Pro Golfers Hit Each Club? A 2022 Guide

Written by Graeme Hay | Last Updated: 21/05/2024

When you watch the PGA Tour or any major championship on TV it is hard not to notice how far pro golfers hit the ball.

Their drives seem to always go miles and I don’t know about you but I’m always checking myself to think whether I indeed heard the commentator correctly that they are actually hitting that high an iron for that 200+ yard approach shot.

So just to confirm what we are indeed up against we took a detailed look at just how far the top pros are hitting their clubs.

On average pros drive the ball a total of 296.6 yards (yds) according to official PGA Shotlink data. They hit a 3-wood an average carry distance of 249 yds, a 5-wood 235 yds and 3-hybrids 230 yds. 3-irons average 217 yds, 4-irons 208 yds, 5-irons 199 yds, 6-irons 188 yds, 7-irons 177 yds, 8-irons 164 yds and 9-irons 153 yds.

These high-level numbers of course don’t always tell the whole story as the pros like us are faced with an infinite variety of golf shots which don’t always mean they are hitting each club as far as they possibly can for every shot.

But if you take the averages over a season you are going to get more than a good idea of how far the pros are hitting each club.

What is fascinating also though as you dig more into the figures is the distance control options the best players in the world have with almost every club in their bag!

How Far Do Pros Hit Their Driver and Woods?

When it comes to talking about distance in golf the easiest and most obvious place to start is of course always with the longest club in the golf bag – the driver.

And as it is highly unlikely even the best pros in the world never want to hit their driver as far as they can so it is clearly the club we are going to get the best idea of the maximum distance they hit the ball.

So how far do pros drive?

PGA Tour players hit their driver a ‘total’ of 296.6 yards on average with a ‘carry’ distance of 284.3 yards according to official 2022 Shotlink data. The longest player hits it 320 yards on average and the longest recorded drive in 2022 is 460 yards. On the LPGA Tour the top pros hit their driver an average of 257.7 yards.

When it comes to how far the pros hit a 3 wood and the other longer clubs in the bag including their hybrids the distance analysis gets a bit more complicated because clearly the pros are starting to use these clubs for a wider variety type of shots than they do for their driver.

The pros, like the rest of us, will be hitting a driver as far as they can 99% of the time but when it comes to their 3-wood, 5-wood and hybrids they can be using those clubs off the tee and for approach shots and will not always be aiming for their maximum yardage with those clubs.

The best distance comparison we have for those clubs is therefore the ‘carry distance’. In other words the distance from where they hit the ball to the point of impact on the ground.

On average PGA Tour pros hit a 3-wood a ‘carry’ distance of 249 yards. By comparison a 5-wood carries 235 yards and hit a 3 hybrid, which measures from 19º to 21º, an average carry distance of 230 yards. On the LPGA Tour the top women pros carry a 3-wood 195 yards, a 5-wood 185 yards and a 7-wood 174 yards on average.

For those of you interested in how these averages compare to individual pros we have listed in the table below the average ‘stock’ carry yardages for a selection of the top pros when it comes to how far they hit their driver.

In the following table the list shows how far a selection of PGA and LPGA Tour pros hit their 3-wood, 5-wood and hybrid clubs.

[Note – If you are interested in what drivers and fairway woods the top 100 PGA Tour players are using check out the in-depth analysis we have done here .]

How Far Do Pros Hit Their Irons? Remember to Take Stock

Looking at how far pros hit their irons is a much easier task these days due to all the tracking technology that exists however it still does not make it an exact science.

And that is for the simple reason that pros will hit all manner of a variety of different shots with their irons, especially for their approach shots, and as such, they will hit the same iron a variety of different distances.

A look at Brooks Koepka’s yardage book below gives us a great insight into this and highlights how many types of shots pros can play with their irons.

For example for a 170 yard shot into the green a quick glance at his iron yardages shows he could decide to play either a three-quarter 8-iron or try to hit a 9-iron as far as he can – his ‘max’ distance for that club.

When you account for factors such as wind, elevation, ground conditions and also the context in which the shot is being played Koepka, like all the pros, has a number of options for each iron shot which makes the question of how far he hits each iron a bit more complex than at first you may think.

However the pros have what is called a ‘stock’ yardage for their irons, which equates essentially to the average distance they will hit a full shot with each iron swinging normally.

When we compare these ‘stock yardages’ for irons between the pros we get a consistent view of yardage which we can accurately compare across the players.

On average PGA pros hit a 3-iron a ‘carry’ distance – the distance from strike to point of ground impact – of 217 yards. They hit 4-irons 208 yards and 5-irons 199 yards on average. For 6-irons the average is 188 yards, for 7-irons it is 177 yards and 8-irons, 9-irons and pitching wedges go 164, 153 and 141 yards respectively.

Different pros however clearly hit their irons different distances but in the table below we have listed the ‘stock yardages’ of some of the top pros, including Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau, to let you see how they compare against the average.

And when it comes to how far Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest iron player of all time, hits his irons?

Tiger hits his 3-iron a ‘carry’ distance of 240 yards on average while his 4-iron goes 225 yards and 5-iron 210 yards. When it comes to his mid-irons he hits his 6-iron and 7-iron 195 and 180 yards. As for his short irons his 8-iron yardage is 165, he hits his 9-iron 150 yards and his pitching wedge 135 yards on average.

How Far Do Pros Hit Their Wedges

When it comes to looking at how far the pros hit their wedges the stock yardage they hit each club is again obviously only one of the multiple yardages they can hit the most versatile clubs in any player’s golf bag.

As we can again see from Brooks Koepka’s yardage book above he has 5 different yardages listed for each of his specialist wedges which highlights just how much distance control the best golfers in the world can exert with their wedges.

Another added complication when it comes to comparing the distances that the pros hit their wedges is the differing lofts each of them often carries for seemingly the same club.

For example while one pro’s ‘gap wedge’ may be 50º another may choose 53 or even 54º for that same ‘gap wedge’ club and with such a difference in lofts it becomes very difficult to compare with any meaning how far the pros hit the same-named wedge.

Assuming however the pros are hitting ‘standard’ lofted pitching, gap, sand and lob wedges we found the following stock distances for how far the pros hit them .

As a whole PGA pros hit their pitching wedge an average carry distance of 141 yards. They hit 52º gap wedges a stock carry distance of between 126 and 135 yards and carry 56º sand wedges an average distance of 119 to 124 yards. Standard 60º lob wedges meanwhile carry 95 to 105 yards on average.

While these yardages will give you a general guide as to how far pros hit their wedges it is important to remember how particular all the pros are about these clubs especially.

It is vital for them to know exactly how far they hit their wedges with a variety of different types of shots because feel is so important from those short distances, especially at the top level of the game, where a yard or two can make the difference between winning or losing a tournament.

That is why you will find some pros’ wedges measured up to 0.5º or even 0.25º when listed and it is also likely that some of the actual strengths of the wedge lofts they use may in reality be stronger (i.e. a lower loft) or a touch weaker (i.e. a higher loft) than the actual degree loft number shown on their club.

To help however answer the question as well as we can the table below shows the varying distances some of the top pros, including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, are hitting their wedges, together with the degrees of loft their clubs are listed at.

Before you go …

While it is great to find out how far the top players are hitting the ball it is even better to know the reasons why they achieve the huge distances they get.

Is it simply down to the fact that they have access to the latest and best equipment or is it something else?

Read our next article to discover the real reasons the pros hit the ball as far as they do, and how you can potentially add 20 to 30 yards to your drives!

How Do Pros Hit the Ball So Far?

Other top articles related to this topic:

• How Far Should You Hit a Driver? FULL GUIDE By Age, Handicap etc.
• How Far Does a 3 Wood vs 5 Wood Go? Tee and Approach Shots!
• How Far Should I Hit My Hybrids? 2 vs 3 vs 4 Hybrid Distances
• Hybrids vs. Fairway Woods – FULL Distance and Comparison Guide
• How Far Should I Hit My Irons? By Handicap, Age & Swingspeed
• How Far Should You Hit Your Wedges? Be Sure to Fill the Gaps!
• Why Don’t Your Drives Go Far? Slow and Steady Loses the Race
• How Far Should Your Driver Swingspeed Go? 60 to 120 mph Guide
• Average Driver Swingspeeds? COMPLETE GUIDE by Age, Handicap etc.
• Ideal Spin Rate and Launch Angle for Driver? That’s Personal!
• How Far Should Your Ball Speed Go? 100mph All the Way to 210mph!
• The PGA Tour’s Rising Driver Ball Speeds Mean One Thing – $$
• What Should Your Driver Attack Angle Be? Try Not to Be Negative
• How Much Does Driver Loft Affect Distance? Loft is Dynamic Too!
• 10 Ways to Get More Distance off The Tee With & Without Speed!
• What Determines Driver Distance? Skill Triumphs Over All!
• Are Driving Range Distances Accurate? Golf Balls are a Problem
• Do All Golf Balls Go the Same Distance? Physics First
• What Affects Golf Ball Distance? Beware ALL the Uncontrollables!
• Do Certain Golf Balls Go Further? Brand and Cost Considerations
• Do Distance Balls Go Further? Marketing Matters

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Trackman Tour Averages

At Trackman, we're dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date data to enhance your golfing experience. That's why we're excited to announce the release of our new Tour Averages, reflecting the latest insights from leading professional golf tours.

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Our team has been hard at work collecting data from a wide range of pro players, utilizing Trackman technology to capture every swing and shot with precision.

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Discover the latest numbers for both PGA and LPGA Tours, now presented in a redesigned format for easy reference. To see how the game has progressed over time, check out this link to see what’s changed compared to the last Tour Averages.

What's Changed Since Last Time

Since Trackman last revealed the Tour Averages, certain areas of the game have changed. When driving, for instance, players are now hitting further, with greater ball speed and less spin rate. See how your figures compare to the pros.

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The updated Tour Averages data is available for download here in various formats (incl. in meters or yards), whether you're a coaching professional or simply want them handy on your phone when you're on the range.

Key Insights:

Male data is captured across 40+ different events and 200+ different players.

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Averages are based on data from competition as well as on the range.

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Golf Club Distances w/ Chart | Averages for Am & Pro Players

Last Updated on July 25, 2021

Distance is critical in golf. As golfers, we're always striving for more distance off the tee and consistent yardage gaps between the rest of our clubs.

In this guide, we'll break down how far amateur golfers of various skill levels and swing speeds hit each of their clubs to give you an idea of how you stack up. We've also included PGA and LPGA carry distance averages to see how you compare with the pros.

After that, we'll cover what factors affect your golf club distances and explain how to find out how far you hit each club.

Golf Club Distances Table

The table below shows how far golfers of various skill levels and swing speeds hit each club. 

We've included PGA and LPGA carry distance averages of professional golfers that TrackMan gathered . 

For amateur male golfers, we've split them into groups of "short," "mid," and "long" hitters. All distances refer to carry distance (distance until the ball first hits the ground) rather than total distance (carry and roll).

While TrackMan gathered extremely accurate data for LPGA and PGA carry distance averages, good data for amateurs is harder to come by. 

There's a massive gap in skill-level and swing speeds among amateur golfers. Golfers of various handicaps also achieve their handicaps in a variety of ways. A 5-handicap golfer could be a super fast swinger in their athletic prime or a senior golfer who has lost distance over the years.

For our amateur short, mid, and long hitting male amateur distances, we relied on the limited available large sample data and what we've seen personally from loads of amateur golfers.

Because these yardages are for golfers of all ages, junior, middle-aged, and especially senior golfers may find themselves with distances closer to the "Short Hitting Male Amateurs" column. Most young adult to middle-aged male golfers should carry the ball to at least the "Mid-Length Male Amateurs" distances, while faster swingers of these ages can reach the distances in the "Long Male Amateurs" column.

Lastly, aside from LPGA professionals, we didn't include other female golfers in our distance table. There's even less data available for amateur female golfers than for male amateurs. We've also found a more considerable disparity in how far female recreational players hit the ball. Basically, we weren't confident we could provide any accurate/valuable information for female amateurs' distances.

What Affects Distance in Golf

There are a lot of factors that influence your golf club distances.

Club speed is the most significant factor in determining distance .

To illustrate this, look at the correlation of club head speed vs carry distance for PGA Tour players in the scatter plot below:

Assuming all other things are equal, more swing speed means more energy that can be transferred from the club to the golf ball, resulting in higher ball speed. Higher ball speed means the ball will travel a further distance.

Factors like impact location on the club face, club path, spin rate, and launch angle also play a large part in how far a ball travels.

Impact Location Golf Iron and Driver Sweet Spot

An impact out of the "sweet spot" of your irons or woods will lead to a higher smash factor than strikes that are too low, too high, off the toe, or off the heel.

Smash factor is a calculation of how well you converted club speed into ball speed (Smash Factor = Ball Speed / Club Speed).

In particular, strikes out of the heel and low strikes can kill distance with the driver.

If you struggle to consistently hit the ball with or near the sweet spot of your club face, you'll have issues with the consistency of your yardages.

Spin Rate and Club Path

Spin rate plays a large role in how far you'll hit the ball and the shapes of your shots.

A lot of golfers put too much spin on the ball with their driver either because of too much club loft, poor strikes (bad impact location), or poor club face control (the direction the club face is aimed relative to your swing path).

If you feel you're hitting the ball well but should be getting a few more yards, work with a club-fitter to see if your driver has too much loft. The ideal spin rate depends on your club speed , but too much spin will cost you yards.

Slices and hooks are caused by the club face being aimed too open ( slice ) or too closed ( hook ) relative to the club path. This can lead to both too much spin and the ball's spin axis being too strongly left-to-right or right-to-left.

If your club face is open (aimed right) relative to your club path, this can both cause too much spin and will cause the ball to spin too left-to-right on its spin axis . You'll lose a lot of yards from a slice as the ball travels left-to-right rather than straight.

Launch Angle

For each club, there is an optimal amount of spin and an optimal launch angle. Launch angle is the angle of a golf ball's initial ascent relative to the ground.

Launching the ball too high or too low will cost you distance.

While launch angle problems could be due to your swing, they can also be caused by playing the wrong clubs for your swing. If you feel like you're hitting the ball too high or too low, work with a club-fitter to dial in your clubs.

Factors Out of Your Control

There are also factors out of your control that can affect distance, like temperature and altitude.

Every 10 degrees that the temperature rises can easily lead to a couple of yards of additional ball flight with a driver.

If you drive the ball 240 yards at sea level, you will carry it around 255 yards in Denver's mile high altitude.

How to Find Your Distances

If you're looking to better understand how far you hit each club, we'd recommend purchasing a launch monitor or finding a range with a launch monitor.

To get accurate distances, you'll also want to make sure that you're hitting the same golf balls you normally play on the course.

Many golf ranges have cheap, inconsistent, or even balls purposefully made not to fly as far as normal golf balls.

Your typical range ball can easily cost you 10+ yards with the driver, while a limited flight range ball can lose you 30+ yards of distance with driver compared to a premium golf ball.

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Game Changers

How driving distance has changed over the past 40 years on the pga tour.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his shot from the tenth tee during the second round of the 2022 PGA Championship at the Southern Hills on May 20, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)

We Can Learn from Rory's Admission; Make Sure The Changes You’re Making Fit Your Golf Game

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Adding Distance Off the Tee Like Cameron Champ Will Help Your Golf Game

Year - average distance (yards) | leader - leader's average.

• 2023 - 297.2 | Leader: Rory McIlroy - 326.6
• 2022 - 299.8 | Leader: Cameron Champ - 321.4
• 2021 - 295.3 | Leader: Bryson DeChambeau - 320.8
• 2020 - 296.4 | Leader: Bryson DeChambeau - 322.1
• 2019 - 293.9 | Leader: Cameron Champ - 317.9
• 2018 - 295.29 | Leader: Trey Mullinax - 318
• 2017 - 292.79 | Leader: Rory McIlroy - 316.7
• 2016 - 291.06 | Leader: J.B. Holmes - 314.5
• 2015 - 290.21 | Leader: Dustin Johnson - 317.7
• 2014 - 289.85 | Leader: Bubba Watson - 314.3
• 2013 - 288.00 | Leader: Luke List - 306.3
• 2012 - 290.07 | Leader: Bubba Watson - 315.5
• 2011- 291.14 | Leader: J.B. Holmes - 318.4
• 2010 - 287.49 | Leader: Robert Garrigus - 315.5
• 2009 - 288.07 | Leader: Robert Garrigus - 312
• 2008 - 287.74 | Leader: Bubba Watson - 315.1
• 2007 - 289.08 | Leader: Bubba Watson - 315.2
• 2006 - 289.35 | Leader: Bubba Watson - 319.6
• 2005 - 288.88 | Leader: Scott Hend- 318.9
• 2004 - 287.32 | Leader: Hank Kuehne - 314.4
• 2003 - 286.30 | Leader: Hank Kuehne - 321.4
• 2002 - 279.84 | Leader: John Daly - 306.8
• 2001 - 279.35 | Leader: John Daly - 306.7
• 2000 - 273.18| Leader: John Daly - 301.4
• 1999 - 272.45 | Leader: John Daly - 305.6
• 1998 - 270.63 | Leader: John Daly - 299.4
• 1997 - 267.67 | Leader: John Daly - 302
• 1996 - 266.49 | Leader: John Daly - 288.8
• 1995 - 263.55 | Leader: John Daly - 289
• 1994 - 261.84 | Leader: Davis Love III - 283.8
• 1993 - 260.36 | Leader: John Daly - 288.9
• 1992 - 260.52 | Leader: John Daly - 283.4
• 1991 - 261.44 | Leader: John Daly - 288.9
• 1990 - 262.75 | Leader: Tom Purtzer - 279.6
• 1989 - 261.81 | Leader: Ed Humenik - 280.9
• 1988 - 263.50 | Leader: Steve Thomas - 284.6
• 1987 - 262.50 | Leader: John McComish - 283.9
• 1986 - 261.58 | Leader: Davis Love III - 285.7
• 1985 - 260.18 | Leader: Andy Bean - 278.2
• 1984 - 259.61 | Leader: Bill Glasson - 276.5
• 1983 - 258.65 | Leader: John McComish - 277.4
• 1982 - 256.89 | Leader: Bill Calfee - 275.3
• 1981 - 259.66 | Leader: Dan Pohl - 280.1
• 1980 - 256.89 | Leader: Dan Pohl - 274.3

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What Is the Average Distance With Each Golf Club?

This golf club distance chart can help your game

• DESCRIPTION Golfer pulling driver out of club bag
• SOURCE woraput/E+
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The average distance golfers hit each club varies widely. A PGA Tour player hits a 7-iron between 172-215 yards. Meanwhile, a short-hitting amateur male golfer averages 120 yards with the same club.

Average Golf Club Distance Chart

Here's how far mid-handicap male golfers can expect to hit each club. Of course, specific distances for each individual player will vary based on several factors, which we'll detail shortly. 

According to the USGA, golf’s governing body in the United States, the average male amateur golfer hits driver 217 yards , as recently as 2019. That same year, the PGA Tour average driving distance was 293.9 yards. Men, women, seniors, juniors, professionals, amateurs and beginners all hit their clubs different distances. The following golf club distance charts break down the average distances of golfers at many different levels of the game.

Key Factors to Achieve Distance

The total distance achieved by a golf club is based on several factors, including swing speed, the club’s loft, the carry distance achieved (Note: The carry distance is the yardage from the point of impact to the point of landing.), and even the weather.

Swing Speed

The faster your swing speed, the greater the distance. According to TrackMan , the average PGA Tour player has a driver club speed of 113 MPH, resulting in a 275 yard carry. Meanwhile, LPGA Tour players average 94 MPH with driver, and carry the ball 218 yards. 

Since we know that amateur male golfers hit driver an average of 217 yards, we can infer that average male golfers and LPGA Tour players have similar swing speeds, making the LPGA Tour average distances with each club a good benchmark for average amateur male golfers.

Each club face has a unique loft. For example, a driver is designed for distance and usually has only 8-13 degrees of loft. In comparison, a pitching wedge is designed to get airborne, with 41-46 degrees of loft .

How to Accurately Measure How Far You Hit Your Clubs

According to thegolfmentor.com , distances achieved by short, mid and long hitters can vary by as much as 50% depending on the club and the gender (see actual average distance ranges below). Men tend to have faster swing speeds and hit the ball farther. However, many women are long hitters, with some LPGA pros hitting the ball as far, or farther, than men.

Distance can be greatly affected by the weather conditions. Hitting a ball into a strong wind will greatly influence distance, and a dry golf course will give you more roll, and therefore more distance, than a soggy course.

Average Distances for Men

Average distances for senior tour players.

The 10 Best Drivers for Senior Golfers in 2023 for Huge Distance

Average Distances for PGA Tour Players

Average distances for women.

The 9 Best Drivers for Women of 2023

Average Distances for LPGA Tour Players

Tip: chart your distances for all your clubs.

Keep track of your average golf stats and scores with GolfLink's personalized game tracker. Sign up for free and create yours now!

Go to the driving range and hit ten golf balls with each club. Keep track of the ten distances you achieve with each club. Repeat the charting monthly, or more frequently if you are actively working on your swing.

The distance achieved by a specific golf club will vary from player to player and from day to day based on the conditions. Tour distance information was compiled from stats on pgatour.com, lpga.com, TrackMan.com and golfwrx.com.

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Drive Distance

GOLF CLUB DISTANCES: PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros vs Men and Women

How much further do PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros hit the ball compared to us amateur golfers? The average distances might surprise you. 

Ever wondered how much further a PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pro hits the ball compared to male and female amateur golfer? Well you will want to check out the latest shot data below, which higlights the average distance for each club in the bag. 

The following average distances for men and women and PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros have been calcuated by The Golf Mentor , and they measured in yards.

AVERAGE DISTANCES FOR MEN

The three different yardages provided for each club below are based on the averages for short hitters, mid hitters and longer hitters.

DRIVER:  200, 230, 260  3-WOOD: 180, 215, 235 5-WOOD: 170, 195, 210 3-IRON: 160, 180, 200 4-IRON: 150, 170, 180 5-IRON: 140, 160, 170 6-IRON: 130, 150, 160 7-IRON: 120, 140, 150 8-IRON: 110, 130, 140 9-IRON: 95, 115, 130 PW: 80, 105, 120

AVERAGE DISTANCES FOR PGA TOUR PLAYERS

DRIVER:  289-323 3-WOOD: 243-304 5-WOOD: 230-288 3-IRON: 212-265 4-IRON: 203-254 5-IRON: 194-243 6-IRON: 183-229 7-IRON: 172-215 8-IRON: 160-200 9-IRON: 148-185 PW: 80, 105, 120

AVERAGE DISTANCES FOR WOMEN

DRIVER:  150, 175, 200 3-WOOD:  125, 150, 180 5-WOOD: 115, 135, 170 3-IRON: 100, 125, 160 4-IRON: 90, 120, 150 5-IRON: 80, 110, 140 6-IRON: 70, 100, 130 7-IRON: 65, 90, 120 8-IRON: 60, 80, 110 9-IRON: 55, 70, 95 PW: 50, 60, 80

AVERAGE DISTANCES FOR LPGA TOUR PLAYERS

DRIVER:  246-258 3-WOOD:  195-217  5-WOOD: 185-205 3-IRON: 180-192 4-IRON: 170-181 5-IRON: 161-173 6-IRON: 152-163 7-IRON: 141-154 8-IRON: 130-143 9-IRON: 119-132 PW: 107-121

How far do you hit the golf ball with each of your clubs? Are you above or below the averages highlighted above? Share your thoughts and comments over on our social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - or come and visit our GolfMagic YouTube Channel. 

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Average Golf Club Distances: Amateurs vs PGA Players

The number one key to breaking 100 and golfing better is knowing the average golf club distances you can hit each of your clubs. In this guide, I’ll give a breakdown of average club distances for men and women, amateurs and PGA tour players.

I’ll also touch on other topics like:

• How does swing speed effect golf club distances ?
• How much does the golf ball impact distance?
• How can you increase your distances for each golf club today?

 Let’s start by going over the average golf club distances for each club first.

Pitching Wedge

Gap/approach wedge, average male golf club distances, average female golfer club distances, pga & lpga tour club distances, go to the driving range, use a golf gps app, use a launch monitor at home, practice makes perfect, swing speed, club head speed, smash factor, club sweet spot, wind and weather conditions, consistency, improve your swing technique, strengthen your golf muscles, upgrade your equipment, practice, practice, practice, video guides, conclusion/summary, average golf club distances by club type.

The average driving distance for an amateur is 220 yards off the tee . If you can hit further than that regularly and keep your ball in the fairway more often then not, congratulations!

A detailed breakdown on driver distance by golfer type and gender is as follows:

• Average Male: 235 yards
• Average Female: 180 yards
• PGA Golfer: 298 yards
• LPGA Golfer: 247 yards
• Average Range for Men: 200-270 yards
• Average Range for Women: 150-210 yards

The wide average range for both men and women is due to a number of factors, such as:

• Driver Swing Speed
• Driver Technology
• Golf Ball Speed
• Smash Factor / Quality of Strike
• Experience Level

I’ll break all of that down below. But first, I’ll show you the average distances for all of the other golf clubs in your bag.

The 3 wood is the second-longest club in your bag. It can be used off of the tee, fairway, or a propped up lie in the rough. Because of that, the overall average distance you can hit your 3-wood may range.

Golf’s averages are:

• Average Male: 215 yards
• Average Female: 155 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 278 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 230 yards
• Average Range for Men: 180-240 yards
• Average Range for Women: 125-185 yards

The 5 wood has more loft compared to the 3 wood, which makes it easier to hit up into the air but lowers the distance you can get. Average distances for a 5 wood are:

• Average Male: 200 yards
• Average Female: 140 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 255 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 205 yards
• Average Range for Men: 160-225 yards
• Average Range for Women: 110-175 yards

A lot of golf club sets include a 3 hybrid club instead of a 3 iron because it is much easier to hit. The club head on a hybrid is similar to a wood, promoting longer distance and less spin.

Average distances for a 3 hybrid are:

• Average Maler: 190 yards
• Average Female: 130 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 235 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 195 yards
• Average Range for Men: 160-220 yards
• Average Range for Women: 100-170 yards

A 3 iron is used in similar situations as a hybrid, but you will not be able to hit it as far. Instead, you will see a slightly lower ball speed and more spin. A golf ball hit by a 3 iron will not roll as far after it lands.

Average distances for a 3 iron are:

• Average Male: 185 yards
• Average Female: 125 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 230 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 190 yards
• Average Range for Men: 150-210 yards
• Average Range for Women: 100-160 yards

A 4 iron, like a 3 iron, can be tricky to hit because of its low loft and longer shaft length. However, it’s a key medium-to-long distance iron to hit your approach shots with. It’s a common club to use if you need to punch out of the trees or keep your ball flight low and it has a loft of 24 degrees.

The average golf distances for a 4 iron are:

• Average Male: 175 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 225 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 185 yards
• Average Range for Men: 150-200 yards
• Average Range for Women: 90-160 yards

A 5 iron is a very good club that can be hit by pros and beginners alike. It’s often the lowest lofted iron in a beginner set of club.

The average distances for a 5 irons are:

• Average Male: 165 yards
• Average Female: 115 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 215 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 175 yards
• Average Range for Men: 140-180 yards
• Average Range for Women: 80-140 yards

A 6 iron is when ball spin and stopping power become more important than distance. It has a loft of 31 degrees.

The average distances for a 6 iron are:

• Average Male: 155 yards
• Average Female: 105 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 205 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 165 yards
• Average Range for Men: 130-170 yards
• Average Range for Women: 70-130 yards

For most people, a 7 iron is the club where you add enough spin to the golf ball to erase your natural slice or fade. It has a loft of 34 degrees and it’s average distances are:

• Average Male: 145 yards
• Average Female: 95 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 195 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 155 yards
• Average Range for Men: 120-160 yards
• Average Range for Women: 60-120 yards

An 8 iron has about 37 degrees of loft. It is mostly used as a medium-to-short approach club that allows you to get the ball close to the green.

Average distances for an 8 iron are:

• Average Male: 135 yards
• Average Female: 85 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 185 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 145 yards
• Average Range for Men: 110-150 yards
• Average Range for Women: 55-110 yards

A 9 iron is a versatile club that you can use from further away to stick the ball close to the green. It is also a popular chipping club for “bump-and-run” style shots around the green. The 9 iron has a standard loft of 42 degrees.

The average distance for a 9 iron is:

• Average Male: 120 yards
• Average Female: 70 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 170 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 130 yards
• Average Range for Men: 100-140 yards
• Average Range for Women: 50-100 yards

A pitching wedge is used mainly to hit pitches and chip shots around the green. For amateur golfers, the pitching wedge is the highest lofted club that can be hit reliably from all distances. The rest of the wedges in this guide as used as more niche shots at certain distances only.

The average distances for a full swing pitching wedge are:

• Average Male: 110 yards
• Average Female: 65 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 155 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 115 yards
• Average Range for Men: 80-130 yards
• Average Range for Women: 50-85 yards

A gap or approach wedge has more loft than a pitching wedge and is used for high shots with low bounce. The name comes because it is a “gap” club between the pitching wedge and the sand wedge.

The average distances for a full swing gap wedge are:

• Average Male: 90 yards
• Average Female: 55 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 135 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 105 yards
• Average Range for Men: 70-115 yards
• Average Range for Women: 40-80 yards

A sand wedge is used to help you get out of any bunkers you find yourself in. It has about 56 degrees of loft, which is quite a bit. A lot of beginner golfers cannot hit a good sand wedge because the amount of error is so low.

The average distances of a full swing sand wedge is:

• Average Male: 80 yards
• Average Female: 50 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 125 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 100 yards
• Average Range for Men: 60-110 yards
• Average Range for Women: 40-75 yards

A lob wedge is the highest lofted club in a golf bag at 60 degrees. This lob wedge is used to get a huge amount of height but low distance. When hit properly, a lob wedge will produce lots of backspin.

• Average Male: 70 yards
• Average Female: 40 yards
• Average PGA Golfer: 105 yards
• Average LPGA Golfer: 80 yards
• Average Range for Men: 50-90 yards
• Average Range for Women: 35-60 yards

Average Golf Distance Charts

If you want a quick reference guide, the chart below shows how far the average golfer hits the ball for each club.

Using this chart, you can see how your distance for each club matches up against the average golfer.

How Do You Know Your Average Golf Club Distances?

Knowing how far you can hit each golf club is key to both breaking 100 and becoming a scratch golfer. Without knowing how far you hit each club, you are more likely to sail a ball over the green or leave it short for your next shot. 

Here are some tips for figuring out your average golf club distances:

Driving ranges are the perfect spot to work on your swing and make everything more consistent. Ranges will have markers for major distance, allowing you to hit dozens of balls and really determine accurate distances for each club.

You don’t hit some irons in your bag that regularly, so the range is the perfect spot to figure out iron distances. 

 A golf GPS allows you to see the distance to every green and hazard on the golf course while you are playing your round. The good ones also have AutoShot detection, which track your distances on every shot. You can review your stats after the round is done and review average club distances too.

Click here to read about the Garmin Approach watches , which have AutoShot built into them. You can also read about the best golf GPS watches here.

A golf launch monitor tracks metrics about your swing, including:

• Overall distance
• Attack angle

It is the number one way to understand how you hit each golf club while at home. Pick up a launch monitor, such as the affordable FlightScope Mevo , and a golf hitting net , and you will be able to create your own golf club distance charts.

The ultimate way to know your average club distances is to practice. New golfers don’t hit consistent enough to truly understand how far they can hit each club. Working on your skill level first will allow you to get more accurate results.

PGA tour players know their distances because they practice day in and day out.

Click here to check out golf practice tools.

Factors That Impact Golf Club Distance

There are a lot of different components to your swing that affect the average distance you can hit each of your clubs. 

Your average swing speed will have a huge impact on how far the ball travels off of your club head. A slower swing speed won’t be able to hit as far as a faster one. The average PGA player can swing about 115 miles per hours, while the average for a casual golfer is only 90 miles per hour. This is a big reason for the difference in average distance at different skill levels.

How fast your club head is travelling at impact with the golf ball determines how far the ball travels. This is correlated to swing speed, but can also be affected by other factors such as:

• Club technology
• Angle of impact
• Wind conditions

Just like swing speed, average golfers have a tough time generating distance with a slow club head speed.

Smash Factor is the ratio between the speed of the ball when it is hit verses your swing speed. If you make direct contact with the golf ball (club head is exactly perpendicular to the ball), you will have a high smash factor and this has a huge impact on distance. If you your club is not direct to the ball, you will introduce side spin to it and you will hook or slice the ball.

It doesn’t matter how fast or hard you are swinging your club if you are not making contact with the club’s sweet spot. A normal iron will have a sweet spot on the bottom-center of the club, which is the ideal spot to make contact. Golf drivers have a bit higher sweet spot because you hit the ball off of a tee.

Making contact with the sweet spot will generate faster ball speed and that satisfying “pop” sound when you make contact.

Distance can be greatly impacted by the conditions on the course. Hitting into the wind will shorten the distance you can get. A side wind will add spin to your golf ball and steer it off path. You will increase your distance if you have a strong wind behind you. A humid day will shorten your shots because of the added air density.

Because of this, the average golf club distances you get are only a guideline. You need to take into account the conditions of the day in order to know the true distance for each shot.

Above everything else, consistency is key. You won’t be able to reliably know your exact distance unless you know that your swing is identical every time.

How Can You Increase Your Golf Club Distance?

If you want to hit the golf ball further, there are a number of things you can do.

Improving your swing technique is perhaps the most effective way to increase your golf club distance. Try these things to practice a more powerful and efficient swing:

• Maintain proper posture : Stand tall with your knees slightly bent and your weight evenly distributed between your feet.
• Grip the club correctly : Hold the club with a firm but relaxed grip, allowing your wrists to hinge during the swing.
• Rotate your body : Focus on rotating your hips, torso, and shoulders in sync, which will generate power and speed in your swing.
• Stay balanced: Keep your weight centered and avoid swaying during the swing.

Click here to read more tips on how to play golf better.

Increasing your strength, particularly in the muscles used during a golf swing, can have a significant impact on your club distance. Incorporate these exercises into your fitness routine:

• Core exercises : Planks, Russian twists, and medicine ball rotations.
• Lower body exercises : Squats, lunges, and deadlifts.
• Upper body exercises : Push-ups, pull-ups, and seated rows.

The right equipment can make a noticeable difference in your golf club distance. Consider upgrading to:

• Custom-fit clubs : Clubs tailored to your body measurements and swing can help you make better contact with the ball.
• Low-compression golf balls : These balls can provide more distance, especially for golfers with slower swing speeds.
• High-quality golf shoes : Shoes with proper support and traction can help you maintain balance and generate more power in your swing.

As with any skill, practice is essential to increasing your golf club distance. Spend time at the driving range working on your swing technique, and consider taking lessons from a golf professional to fine-tune your skills.

With dedication and persistence, you’ll start to see improvements in your distance and overall game.

Want to learn more? Here are some helpful videos on golf club distances that you can watch:

Above, I went over the average golf club distances for each gender and golfer type. This is a guideline to help you determine and compare your own results to. In order to pinpoint how far you can hit each wood, iron, and wedge, you need to practice a lot and work on your swing.

Going to the driving range or buying your own launch monitor is the best way to start to understand your own hitting. If you have any other method that has worked well for you in the past, comment down below and let us know today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Ball Distances (FAQs)

What are the average golf club distances for male amateur golfers.

For male amateur golfers, the average golf club distances tend to vary based on the club used. For example, a driver can reach between 200-230 yards, a 3-wood about 180-210 yards, a 5-iron usually covers 140-160 yards, and a 9-iron approximately 100-120 yards. Remember, these distances can significantly fluctuate depending on factors such as technique, physical strength, and weather conditions.

What is the average golf club distance for a PGA professional male golfer?

PGA professional male golfers tend to achieve significantly longer distances due to their advanced skill level and physical conditioning. Typically, a driver for a PGA pro can reach distances of 280-320 yards, a 3-wood about 240-270 yards, a 5-iron roughly 200-220 yards, and a 9-iron around 150-170 yards. Keep in mind, though, that these distances can vary based on the individual player’s style and environmental factors.

Does golf club type impact the average hitting distance?

Yes, the type of golf club has a substantial impact on the average hitting distance. Each club is designed with a specific purpose and trajectory in mind. Longer clubs like drivers and woods are designed to hit the ball further, while shorter clubs like irons and wedges provide more control and are used for shorter distances. The loft, or angle of the clubface, also plays a crucial role in determining the distance a ball can travel.

How can I increase my average golf club distances?

Improving your average golf club distances requires a blend of factors including improved swing mechanics, increased physical fitness, and often, upgraded equipment. Golf technology is continually evolving, so using up-to-date clubs can also give you an edge.

Does weather affect golf club distances?

Yes, weather plays a significant role in golf club distances. In warmer conditions, the ball can travel further as the air is less dense. Wind direction can also drastically affect your shot distance and trajectory. Understanding these variables and adjusting your game accordingly is a crucial aspect of golf strategy.

Ryan William

With over 25 years hands-on experience in the golfing world, Ryan is not just an avid golfer but a topical authority. His journey has had him delve deep into the nuances of the sport, from mastering the swing to understanding new golf technology. As an entrepreneur, Ryan is at the forefront of the latest golf trends, reviewing all new clubs, accessories, and training aids. His insights and expertise are backed by a prolific writing career, with over 1000 articles published across various platforms. Ryan's commitment is clear: to guide and inform the golf community with unparalleled knowledge and passion.

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How Far PGA Tour Players Carry Their Drives

What's the average carry of a PGA Tour player's drive, and how might that change in the future?

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The driving distance debate is one that stubbornly refuses to go away… although that’s something governing bodies the USGA and The R&A are probably hoping will change within a few years.

That’s because they have confirmed golf ball rollback plans that will see driving distances reduced at every level of the game, starting in 2028 in the professional game and from 2030 elsewhere. But how far do PGA Tour players currently carry their drives, and how will the changes affect the numbers?

Carry distance is an important stat to know, but why? Well, it’s one thing to know how far your drives have travelled after the ball has come to a stop, but if you’re weighing up potential problems ahead from the tee box, such as water, bunkers or rough, carry distance is the priority.

According to figures released by Trackman, which also show how far PGA Tour players hit every club in the bag , players on the circuit carry their drives an average 275 yards. 

That's over nine yards more than in 2007, when the PGA Tour began keeping carry distance records. Back then, the average carry distance was 265.7 yards. As with driving distances on the PGA Tour , that has increased over the years, but it won't stay on that trajectory indefinitely, because of the changes coming in 2028. 

That will see the game’s longest hitters lose between 13 and 15 yards of their total driving distance. However, the average elite male player will not be as affected and can expect a reduction of between nine and 11 yards. Naturally, this will have an effect on carry distance, too. 

Of course, the very longest hitters and average elite players are all part of the overall Trackman average, but it’s probably safe to assume that the average carry distance after the rollback will be around 10 yards shorter, or approximately 265 yards - in other words, somewhere close to the 2007 level.

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But what about the biggest hitter? After all, the further a player drives the ball, the more distance he will lose after the rollback. According to the PGA Tour website, Rory McIlroy , a key figure who supports the change , is at the top of the list for the 2022/23 season with an average driving distance of 326.3 yards.

Rory McIlroy supports the golf ball rollback plan

Let’s say that average comes down by the top figure given by the governing bodies once the change comes in – 15 yards. That will reduce his average driving distance to 311.3 yards, or a 4.5% hit.

McIlroy’s average carry distance for the same season is 307.4 yards and 4.5% of that is 13.8 yards. That means his carry distance could come down to around 293.6 yards after the rollback.

How Far PGA Tour Players Carry Their Driver

• Club speed (mph): 113
• Attack angle (deg): -1.3
• Ball speed (mph): 167
• Smash factor: 1.48
• Launch angle (deg): 10.9
• Spin rate (rpm): 2686
• Max height (yards): 32
• Land angle (deg): 38
• Carry (yards): 275

Numbers: Trackman

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

Defending champion Viktor Hovland plays alongside PGA Champion Xander Schauffele in the opening two rounds

By Mike Hall Published 5 June 24

Seven-time PGA Tour winner John Huston set the Muirfield Village course record in 1996

By Elliott Heath Published 5 June 24

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The Memorial presented by Workday

Muirfield Village Golf Club

You won't believe how much farther PGA Tour Champions players are hitting the ball now than in their primes

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Dustin Johnson's prodigious playoff drive at last week's Northern Trust was the latest reminder that today's PGA Tour pros hit the ball a lot farther than their predecessors. The combination of better technology in golf clubs and golf balls, and a more fit golfer in Johnson, allowed him to take a line off the tee on the 18th hole at Glen Oaks Club that even the game's longest hitters 20 years ago couldn't have imagined.

It's not just today's players, however, who are hitting it farther. Yesterday's players—the guys playing the PGA Tour Champions—are hitting it farther than ever, too. And we don't just mean farther than previous generations of senior tour players, but farther than they ever hit it in their primes.

To find out how much farther, we went down the list of driving-distance leaders on the PGA Tour Champions this season and then looked up what some of those bigger-name players averaged off the tee during the PGA Tour season in which they turned 30. (We picked 30 because it's a nice, round number, but it also happens to be the average age of Johnson and Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour's two longest hitters this year.) The results were eye-popping, even for the 60-year-olds on the 50-and-older circuit.

Let's start at the top with John Daly, who at 51, leads the PGA Tour Champions with an average of 299 yards off the tee. At age 30 in 1996 Daly only averaged 288.8 yards, which was part of eight consecutive seasons in which he led the PGA Tour in driving distance. To be fair, Daly had seasons with much higher figures, topped by a 314.3 average in 2003. Daly has always been freakishly long, so he's not the best guy to look at. Let's move on.

Kenny Perry ranks fourth on the PGA Tour Champions in 2017 at 295 yards per poke. In 1990, he had a driving-distance average of just 270.8 yards. That's not bad considering Tom Purtzer led the PGA Tour that season at 279.6 yards (for comparison, Rory McIlroy's 316.4 yards leads this season) but that equates to nearly a 9-percent increase in driving distance from the time Perry was 30 to his current average as a 57-year-old.

The increase is even bigger for Fred Couples, if we use his driving-distance average (a whopping 300.4 yards) from 2015, the last time he played enough rounds on the PGA Tour Champions to have official stats. In 1990, two years before Freddie won the Masters and ascended to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he averaged a measly 272.6 yards on his tee shots. Of the players we looked at, Couples' 10.2-percent increase led the way. (It should be noted that the Callaway Big Bertha was launched in 1991 , ushering in a new era where driver heads grew to the size of small microwaves, giving a boost to driving distance stats.)

What about the senior tour's dominant force, Bernhard Langer? At 60, the German checks in at 25th in distance at 280.4 yards. But that's up 7.72 percent from his 260.3 average in 1987, two years removed from the first of his two Masters titles. That's right, Langer is significantly longer now than he was 30 years ago . We know the guy is a physical marvel, but no matter how much time he spends in the gym, those numbers are crazy.

Anyway, these examples go on and on, so we decided to make a list ordered from biggest distance increase (by percentage) to smallest:

Earlier this year, the USGA asserted there's only a "slow creep" when it comes to distance increases across all tours in the past 13 years. But if this trend continues, it makes you wonder just how far someone like Dustin Johnson will be able to hit it when he's on the senior tour.

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Don’t Roll the Dice Trying to Predict the Winner of the ShopRite LPGA Classic

Arpichaya yubol out in front after a 61 at the shoprite lpga classic presented by acer.

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Attention shoppers! If you’re looking to buy a winning weekend wager, then take a moment and read through this preview for the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.

The LPGA’s annual trip to Galloway, N.J., still represents one of the longest-standing traditions on the Tour: a 54-hole shootout. And quite frankly, it couldn’t come at a better time. One extra day of rest for those who competed in the U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally is a very welcome opportunity for recovery.

The Seaview Resort is the tournament’s host and features two classic courses. Designed during the golden age of golf architecture, the William Flynn Pines Course extends inland, while the Donald Ross Bay Course runs from the hotel’s front porch out to the shore.

Ross’s design is a par-71 that runs along the shoreline and has a scorecard that measures 6,197 yards, but the shortest course on Tour doesn’t always reflect easy scoring. Fortunately, after a very difficult week in Pennsylvania, the weather will give them a break. The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 80s and moderate winds under 15mph. There is a chance of rain, but conditions should be wonderful for scoring.

This is a three-day shoot-out with an average winning score over the past decade of 14 under. Fire 5-under per day and you’ll most likely be holding that trophy on Sunday. The scoring will start fast on Friday so look at favoring Yan Liu (+9000), Brooke Henderson (+1600) and the favorite Atthaya Thitikul (+800) when it comes to making birdies in bunches.

The best way to score is on the par 5s, and the set of three at this venue only average 490 yards in length. One year ago, 2023 winner Ashleigh Buhai was 7-under on the par 5s alone. In 2022, Brooke Henderson played the three of them at 4-under in the final round to ultimately take home the victory. When looking at the best par-5 players in the field, 79th U.S. Women’s Open winner Yuka Saso (+1800) was ranked the highest on tour. But any mental fatigue that might be lingering after that historic victory steers us clear of her at Seaview. However, Jenny Shin (+3500), Jin Hee Im (+2200) and Ayaka Furue (+1200) can no doubt score on the par 5s as well.

We successfully predicted the last two winners of the ShopRite LPGA Classic before the event began, and Henderson and Buhai brought a nice return on investment. The top consideration in selecting them was approach play. The greens aren’t super small here at 6,000 square feet on average, but when you are always attacking with a wedge in hand, proximity counts. The best iron players hit it close and convert. Albane Valenzuela (+4500) is the best approach player in the field statistically and is coming off a sixth and a fourth in her last two ShopRite LPGA Classic starts.

Others to consider in this three-day proximity contest are Jin Young Ko (+1400), Megan Khang (+4000) and Hannah Green (+1100). Many of these names occupy the top of the betting board because they are really good. Winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic takes great iron play and an opportunistic putter. Each of these players has a great chance as the blend of proximity and putting at this length, both the course and number of holes played, only happens once per season.

Enjoy the shoot-out at the Shore. Take a moment to soak in all the scoring we didn’t see last week. Will we pick three in a row? Based upon familiarity with the course in the Garden State, there is no doubt our card will contend.

Keith Stewart is an award-winning PGA Professional. He covers the LPGA and PGA TOUR for Golf Digest, Sports Grid, The Sporting News, LPGA, and PGA TOUR. If you are looking to raise your golf acumen and love inside information about the game, check out his weekly newsletter called  Read The Line .

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Power Rankings: the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday

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For as powerful as Jack Nicklaus presented as a golfer, he wouldn’t have become a living legend and arguably the greatest of all time without an equal measure of touch. Many things can be measured but only he knows how it’s felt. That balance contributed to his career as a course architect, and it is within the spirit of an artist for why a masterpiece truly never is complete.

Muirfield Village Golf Club is in its fourth year following a renovation that left little updated, but – shocker! – there’s yet another significant change to a not-so-significant hole of the stern Nicklaus design that rises into focus for the 49th edition of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.

Details of it and more information concerning the seventh Signature Event of the season are below.

The Memorial is the last of the three legacy invitationals of the season. Like The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard previously contested, there will be a 36-hole cut of low 50 plus ties and all golfers within 10 strokes of the lead. The field is 73 deep as of midday Monday. The Travelers Championship that concludes the series of Signature Events on June 20-23 will not have a cut.

Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, is positioned to serve as a proper primer for next week’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. The course will punish the unprepared. As the stock par 72 has matured in its latest iteration, scoring has risen steadily with averages it hadn’t logged in a decade. It eclipsed 73 in each of the last two years, the higher of which 73.522 a year ago. That’s due in part to the fact that it was the stingiest course in all of 2022-23 in yielding greens in regulation at just 9.39 on average per round.

The quartet of par 3s also was the toughest set among all courses with a scoring average of 3.21, while the par-3 16th hole has been in a class of its own. In 2017, 2020 and 2023, it was the hardest of all par 3s on the PGA TOUR in each of those seasons. Last year’s average was 3.36. However, if any entrant had the audacity to look forward to its challenge this year, he will be greeted with an entirely new angle.

The tee is 30 yards to the right of its old perch. That has shifted the perspective of the water hazard from front to primarily left of the target that now looks deeper even though it hasn’t changed. A front bunker was replaced with short grass and the hole was reduced by two yards to its new maximum of 218 yards. It’s the only major modification to Muirfield Village that now tips at 7,569 yards.

Bentgrass greens average 5,000 square feet and will approach if not eclipse 13 feet using a Stimpmeter. Primary rough is four inches as usual, so the course tests similarly. Muscle plays off the tee, irons must be sharp on approach, pars don’t suck.

Cooperative conditions are forecast throughout the tournament. That doesn’t mean that a sprinkle can be ruled out entirely but a delay is unexpected as daytime temperatures scale into the 70s. The primary challenge will be in the form of wind. The constant will be its prevailing push from westerly directions. (Wednesday’s Golfbet Insider will include an updated review of the weather.)

The survivor, er, champion of the Memorial will bank 700 FedExCup points and $4 million. He’ll also secure an exemption into THE PLAYERS Championship through 2027 through which his PGA TOUR membership exemption will extend (or longer depending on his current status).

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

MONDAY : Power Rankings

TUESDAY *: Sleepers

WEDNESDAY : Golfbet Insider

SUNDAY : Points and Payouts; Medical Extensions; Qualifiers; Reshuffle

* - Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf, which also publishes on Tuesday.

Rob Bolton is a Golfbet columnist for the PGA TOUR. The Chicagoland native has been playing fantasy golf since 1994, so he was just waiting for the Internet to catch up with him. Follow Rob Bolton on Twitter .