What’s your height and what’s your swing speed?

[MK7Golf21]

On 3/8/2025 at 9:26 PM, Pnwpingi210 said:

The data suggest that an average male golfer that learns how to swing the club is capable of that speed. 
 

We keep discounting its self selecting but that really a weak position.  We are talking about average golfers.  We aren’t talking about taking 30 yr old random dude that never swung a golf club and saying hit 110mph!

 

 

 

 

 

20 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Yup.  That’s about the average, on-course swing for all players that played a tour event over the course of the season.

 

https://www.pgatour.com/stats/detail/02401

 

with that in mind, is distance over-rated then since the PGA tour average is the same driver speed the average male is capable of that learns how to swing a club?

[Pnwpingi210]

1 minute ago, Nels55 said:

The only way you could prove that average 20 to 40 year old males can swing 115 miles per hour would be to take a large sample size and somehow motivate them to train hard for some period of time and measure the results.

 

My point is and has been that not everyone could do it.

The data you’ve been provided shows that the average speeds by age and percentile is a large date set and includes average, or what most are capable of.  
 

we do agree that not every single person on the planet can swing a golf club at the speeds in the data set.  That’s pretty much the common sense with anything and frankly tiresome point.  We are talking about averages, not outliers.
 

 

[Pnwpingi210]

Just now, MK7Golf21 said:

 

 

with that in mind, is distance over-rated then since the PGA tour average is the same driver speed the average male is capable of that learns how to swing a club?

No. 
 

The tour folks have an elite ability to control the club and ball at those speeds. The average amateur person doesn’t have that ability.  It’s what separates them in distance.

 

the anecdotal examples is the amateur the pummels a driver in play 340 and then precedes to hit their next 2-3 balls on at an average distance of 180.  That amateur will tell you they hit it 300 off the tee, when in reality they are hitting it an average of 220 yards off the tee.

[MK7Golf21]

7 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

No. 
 

The tour folks have an elite ability to control the club and ball at those speeds. The average amateur person doesn’t have that ability.  It’s what separates them in distance.

 

the anecdotal examples is the amateur the pummels a driver in play 340 and then precedes to hit their next 2-3 balls on at an average distance of 180.  That amateur will tell you they hit it 300 off the tee, when in reality they are hitting it an average of 220 yards off the tee.

 

definitely an interesting subject. I'd have to see more data on average golfers speed but I know what I have seen in real life. I'd agree control is big part of actually playing good.

[Pnwpingi210]

2 minutes ago, MK7Golf21 said:

 

definitely an interesting subject. I'd have to see more data on average golfers speed but I know what I have seen in real life. I'd agree control is big part of actually playing good.

Yup.  I play with a lot of random and see a lot of randoms in the sim.  It’s pretty rare to see someone swing driver in the sim less than 105 under the age of 45 ish, and still see quite a few around 110 -+ 5mph.  The problem is most dont have an efficient strikes so ball speeds are low and spin is high.

[GoGoErky]

26 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

The data you’ve been provided shows that the average speeds by age and percentile is a large date set and includes average, or what most are capable of.  
 

we do agree that not every single person on the planet can swing a golf club at the speeds in the data set.  That’s pretty much the common sense with anything and frankly tiresome point.  We are talking about averages, not outliers.
 

 

Been down this road with him on fitness and lifting. Presented data and still got pushback.

 

its sop

[MK7Golf21]

28 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

Yup.  I play with a lot of random and see a lot of randoms in the sim.  It’s pretty rare to see someone swing driver in the sim less than 105 under the age of 45 ish, and still see quite a few around 110 -+ 5mph.  The problem is most dont have an efficient strikes so ball speeds are low and spin is high.

yea and the pga tour data says that if you are going to hit it with control and speed the average of the very elite 1% is 115 mph. These guys will try to find a way to maximize each, huge amounts of $ on the line. 

Edited March 10 by MK7Golf21

[Nels55]

On 3/8/2025 at 5:07 PM, Pnwpingi210 said:

You’re appealing to extremes by using outliers to make your point.

 

There is zero evidence to prove that a healthy male between the age of 20 to let’s say 40 couldn’t achieve 115mph peak club head speed.  Zero.   And we are talking gen pop, not extreme outliers (highly trained athletes, people with clinical, physical limitations)
 

If you have something other than anecdotes I’d love to see it.

edit I will add we are talking about moving an object is around 320 grams in total, and roughly 45 inch’s in length over a large arc, using our entire body.  This doesn’t require some freak strength or muscle fiber type stuff.  

 

 

@Pnwpingi210 This is the post that I originally responded to.  It seems that you are now saying that the selection of average people would have an average peak speed of 115mph?  This is a lot different from saying that any healthy male would achieve 115mph max clubhead speed if trained properly.    

[Pnwpingi210]

15 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

@Pnwpingi210 This is the post that I originally responded to.  It seems that you are now saying that the selection of average people would have an average peak speed of 115mph?  This is a lot different from saying that any healthy male would achieve 115mph max clubhead speed if trained properly.    

I stand by that.  You haven’t shown me any evidence nor will you.  You keep referencing some strawman (maybe tinman) outlier that can’t achieve.   Not every person on the planet between the ages of 20-40 is healthy.  Those individuals likely won’t be able to swing the club 110-115mph as show in the tpi data due to some preexisting condition(s) that prevent that.

 

I provided data supporting my position.

 

lets revisit when you have some more concrete? 

Edited March 10 by Pnwpingi210

[EddieEdwards]

5'6"

I swing mid 90's on the course

I feel I can get up to 110 while hitting a ball

I can get it up to 130 with no ball

 

[Pnwpingi210]

On 3/13/2025 at 9:21 PM, EddieEdwards said:

5'6"

I swing mid 90's on the course

I feel I can get up to 110 while hitting a ball

I can get it up to 130 with no ball

 

Eddie my man.  If you are being serious you are leaving some serious yards in the table.  Like 100 yards

[vegasandre]

On 3/13/2025 at 9:21 PM, EddieEdwards said:

5'6"

I swing mid 90's on the course

I feel I can get up to 110 while hitting a ball

I can get it up to 130 with no ball

 

Typically, even when speed training..  your clubhead speed will be 3-5 higher when hitting a ball vs hitting air..

but.. this whole thread is fascinating. 
The concepts and pre-conceptions of some (mostly based on their own personal experience) seem to install a "limiting belief " on the boundaries of:
- average possible swing speed
- possibility of attaining higher swing speeds
- age-speed limiter.
-and does higher swing speed translate into better scores..?



I have a topic that I am going to start in the general golf forum here (somewhat pertaining to this topic) that may be interesting and fun. 

Have a great weekend. 

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

3 hours ago, vegasandre said:

Typically, even when speed training..  your clubhead speed will be 3-5 higher when hitting a ball vs hitting air..

but.. this whole thread is fascinating. 
The concepts and pre-conceptions of some (mostly based on their own personal experience) seem to install a "limiting belief " on the boundaries of:
- average possible swing speed
- possibility of attaining higher swing speeds
- age-speed limiter.
-and does higher swing speed translate into better scores..?



I have a topic that I am going to start in the general golf forum here (somewhat pertaining to this topic) that may be interesting and fun. 

Have a great weekend. 

Clubhead speed being higher when hitting a ball is surprising to me. I don’t have any data to prove it, but I personally FEEL like I can swing much faster when not hitting a ball.

[Pnwpingi210]

4 hours ago, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

Clubhead speed being higher when hitting a ball is surprising to me. I don’t have any data to prove it, but I personally FEEL like I can swing much faster when not hitting a ball.

I think you right, sort of.

 

Based on this thread I asked an instructor friend about this.  His opinion was those that swing significantly harder when speed training without a ball end up swing much flatter, like a baseball swing almost.  Said unless the ball was teed up 18-24 inches they couldn’t hit it since that’s where their club path ended up taking them on the “ fast swings without the ball”.   They cant replicate that speed when swinging the club like a golf swing.

 

anecdotally there was a guy doing that exact thing about 3 bat down from us as we were talking.  No idea of that players delta between with ball and without🤷

Edited March 16 by Pnwpingi210

[Nels55]

LOL my swing has always been faster with no ball in the way.  Definitely never was flat either.  I assumed that most people would be the same but apparently not.

[Pnwpingi210]

1 minute ago, Nels55 said:

LOL my swing has always been faster with no ball in the way.  Definitely never was flat either.  I assumed that most people would be the same but apparently not.

My comment was more directed the people seeing 10+ mph difference between ball and no ball.  They have something going on

[Photon_]

6'. 40yo. With driver, around 90-95, can't hit the ball though. With a speedstick, max I ever got was like 107.

[Nels55]

Every time I see this thread title I think of:

Sorry!

[BombinJim]

8 hours ago, vegasandre said:

Typically, even when speed training..  your clubhead speed will be 3-5 higher when hitting a ball vs hitting air..

Interesting! I have hit 135 training with my driver. Would love to be able to hit a ball at 138

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

4 hours ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

I think you right, sort of.

 

Based on this thread I asked an instructor friend about this.  His opinion was those that swing significantly harder when speed training without a ball end up swing much flatter, like a baseball swing almost.  Said unless the ball was teed up 18-24 inches they couldn’t hit it since that’s there their club path ended up taking them on the “ fast swings without the ball”.   They can replicate that speed when swinging the club like a golf swing.

 

anecdotally their was a guy doing that exact thing about 3 bat down from us as we were talking.  No idea of that players delta between with ball and without🤷

That’s probably the situation with me then. I’ve watched a slo mo video when speed training without a ball, and the club face is wide open at impact. So im definitely not making a proper golf swing.

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

On 3/8/2025 at 9:37 AM, Obee said:

This is so ignorant.
 

You can get a self selected sample of some 60 year-old men to swing 110. Stop with this nonsense.

Lord, I hope I'm one...

 

51, 6'0", heavy-set, and 112 or so.  Given my 1.5-2" (depending on shaft) shorter 3-wood is about 108-109, I feel I've some inefficiencies to purge with the driver.  (As I've complained about here before at length)

 

Get me to 115-116 or so, and center-toe face contact (I have that part OK, but only for 108-109 or so), and I'm good.  The 3-wood just scoots so well, no matter what shaft I stick in the damn thing; I want a driver that does the same thing.  But I could care less whether I can hit it off the ground.  So it should be easier to find, right?  ROFL...

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

33 minutes ago, BombinJim said:

Interesting! I have hit 135 training with my driver. Would love to be able to hit a ball at 138

Username fits...  

 

(Go you!)

[JJFWebster]

I think 115 would be a tall order for most 20 - 40 y/o males even with coaching. I'd say 110 is more realisticly achievable. 

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

On 3/2/2025 at 9:18 AM, Lloyd_Christmas29 said:

I’m 5’8” and my average driver speed was 107 on trackman yesterday, highest was 110. I’ve definitely lost some speed from a few years ago. My peak was 5 years ago where I was like 110 average with a max of 115. I was also a lot stronger in the gym at this time so that probably explains the loss in speed. I also think there is a mental block when I have a ball in front of me. With dry swings i think I can crank it up another 10 mph higher. 
 

Curious if there’s anyone in my height range that can move it 120+ mph. If so, any tips for gaining speed? 

 

On a Quad.

Me 5’10”, SS 99, average carry 240

My son 5’11”, SS 132, average carry 300

My daughter, 5’5”, SS 90, average carry 216

My wife, 5’ SS 78, average carry 170

These are only launch monitor readings after warming up.

 

On the course, it’s likely lower? Pretty certain that we don’t swing as fast playing on the course.

 

My son and I are roughly your height, and my son swings very fast. I don’t remember what he did? He wasn’t always fast.

Edited March 16 by Lincoln_Arcadia

[weems]

On 3/16/2025 at 12:27 AM, Lincoln_Arcadia said:

 

On a Quad.

Me 5’10”, SS 99, average carry 240

My son 5’11”, SS 132, average carry 300

My daughter, 5’5”, SS 90, average carry 216

My wife, 5’ SS 78, average carry 170

These are only launch monitor readings after warming up.

 

On the course, it’s likely lower? Pretty certain that we don’t swing as fast playing on the course.

 

My son and I are roughly your height, and my son swings very fast. I don’t remember what he did? He wasn’t always fast.

My swing speed on the range and in the sim is 2-3mph faster typically than when I am playing an actual round.  I hover anywhere from 113-115 on course unless I get too flat or really try to go after one.

 

Additionally, your son is MOVING the club!  Get that boys efficiency numbers up and hes a driver wedge in to anything on my home course!

[Glock917]

Low key fastest club speed for not a big guy is Jaime Sadlowski. If he was in his prime long drive days now with all the tech we have now he be an anomaly for sure. Idk know how tall he is but he cant be taller than 5'9" or 5'10" and weighed like 170 in his prime and he couldnt bench that much or have super strength really like others mentioned. 

 

 

 

 

[RolandofGilead]

On 3/10/2025 at 12:24 PM, Pnwpingi210 said:

The data you’ve been provided shows that the average speeds by age and percentile is a large date set and includes average, or what most are capable of.  

If you are talking about the 26 males between age 17-29 and the 95 males between age 30-50 from a single golf instruction group in North Carolina then I would disagree that it is a large data set and certainly not representative of golfers at large. That’s three hours of tee times at a single golf course. Furthermore, 115 mph would be above the 90th percentile for the 30-50 year old demographic.  

Edited March 18 by RolandofGilead

[Pnwpingi210]

12 minutes ago, RolandofGilead said:

If you are talking about the 26 males between age 17-29 and the 95 males between age 30-50 from a single golf instruction group in North Carolina then I would disagree that it is a large data set and certainly not representative of golfers at large. That’s three hours of tee times at a single golf course. Furthermore, 115 mph would be above the 90th percentile for the 30-50 year old demographic.  

It’s not the largest data set however it’s larger and more credible than the “you can’t do it cause I can’t/couldnt  or haven’t seen it” detractors.

 

I'm also not claiming every golfer can achieve 115mph , I’m saying 110 +/- 5 mph is reasonably achieve for a healthy male between the ages of 20-40.  This data set supports that position 

 

  Let’s not twist my words to suit and position against it

 

I’d also welcome any data set of 100 plus people that supports the position against.   

Edited March 18 by Pnwpingi210

[RolandofGilead]

10 minutes ago, Pnwpingi210 said:

I'm also not claiming every golfer can achieve 115mph , I’m saying 110 +/- 5 mph is reasonably achieve for a healthy male between the ages of 20-40.  This data set supports that position 

I disagree that the data here supports your claim. The age ranges are different and your speed target is a moving target. Your claim is not supported nor proven false by any data, it’s just your belief.

Edited March 18 by RolandofGilead

[Pnwpingi210]

8 minutes ago, RolandofGilead said:

I disagree that the data here supports your claim. The age ranges are different and your speed target is a moving target. Your claim is not supported nor proven false by any data, it’s just your belief.

The ages ranges I stated fall within the ages ranges captured in the data set.  
 

The swing speed range is also captured within the parameters of the data set.

 

the data set and subsequent analysis wasn’t designed, captured, and performed to support my statement so it’s not 1:1.  However we can draw inferences from the data set the aligns with what I said.

 

I do appreciate your attempt 🙂

Edited March 18 by Pnwpingi210