Is 250 Yards A Good Drive? (Explained)
Driving distance is very often used as an indicator of the skill level of a golfer.
Those that can hit a long drive are often considered more advanced players.
Although we know this is not the case, the 250-yard drive is seen as a rite of passage in the game of golf.
If you can hit the ball 250, it seems like you should be a great player.
However, some golfers can hit the ball 300 yards and still not break 100.
There are some things to consider about driving distance and how it impacts your overall performance and scoring on the course.
Let’s take a deeper look into whether or not a 250-yard drive is a good drive and if it is enough to play great golf.
Is 250 Yards A Good Drive?
Yes, a 250-yard drive is a good drive.
Although a PGA Professional may struggle if this is their total distance, it is plenty for the average golfer.
In fact, most average golfers strive to get to this 250-yard range, and some may never make it.
Some important things need to be in place to help golfers get to the 250-yard drive.
Many players try quite hard to get here and end up more in the 220 range.
When you can start pushing the ball 250 or 260 yards, the iron shots you have into the green are considerably easier and make the game much more approachable.
However, hitting a 250-yard drive may not be possible for some people.
It ends up coming down to science and mathematics; it’s not all luck of the draw.
How Hard Is It To Drive 250 Yards?
For some golfers, 250 yards feels easy.
They have something that other players don’t have, and this will have a big impact on the distance that they can get.
That something is club head speed.
Club head speed will directly translate into ball speed and have a tremendous influence on the total distance that a golf ball can fly.
Here are a few other things that can impact a golfer’s ability to hit a 250-yard drive and why they should be considered when you look at which golf ball to play.
1. Hitting The Center Of The Clubface
If you want to hit a 250-yard drive, you must make contact with the center of the clubface.
This will ensure that the ball travels as far as possible as it uses all of the great technology in the club head.
Essentially, if you hit the center of the sweet spot, the ball will rocket off the clubface at a much higher speed.
If you hit the toe of the club or the heel, the ball will not have nearly as much speed.
Golf club manufacturers aim to make a face forgiving and have enough room for you to slightly miss but still get great results.
However, they also expect that if you want the absolute best performance, you will hit the center of the clubface.
You will see a significant difference in the distance you can drive when hitting the center of the clubface as compared to the toe or the heel of the club.
Hitting the center of the clubface is hard, and it takes dedication to the game and a commitment to work on technique.
If your swing is off in any way, chances are you will miss the center of the face.
Overall hitting the center is your best way to start getting closer to that 250-yard number, but it is not the only factor that impacts your total distance.
2. Squared Clubface
A clubface needs to be square when you make contact with the golf ball.
The total distance is significantly impacted if the face is open or closed.
If you are a player that tends to slice the golf ball, it is considerably harder to hit the ball 250 yards or more.
The idea here is that when your clubface gets to the ball if it is open like it typically is for a slice, you won’t get the same spin or roll on your golf shot, and it will come up short of that 250-yard mark.
Squaring off the clubface ensures that the total distance is higher and that the ball rolls more towards the target instead of away from it.
Achieving this is similar to learning to hit the center of the clubface.
Players need to pay close attention to the swing plane, as well as the release in their golf swing if they are going to get the full distance possible.
So many golfers control the club head instead of letting the golf swing naturally turn the ball over at impact, but when you control it in this way, the results are typically not all that impressive.
It takes time to learn to get distance, and squaring the clubface should be something that you are continually working on improving.
Consistency here is likely more important than anything else.
3. High Swing Speed
A high swing speed player can get much more distance than a low swing speed player.
Many golfers think that high swing speed is a natural gift that golfers either have or don’t have.
However, this is not the case.
You can learn to increase your swing speed and get stronger.
The higher your swing speed, the more physically able you are to swing the golf club and the better chances you have of the ball flying considerably further.
High swing speed players are typically in good physical shape, and they also find ways to make their golf swing more efficient.
Developing high swing speed is not about taking a big swing but more about taking an efficient swing.
If you look at golfers on the PGA Tour, they don’t all look like they are trying to kill the ball with each swing, but they have very high swing speeds.
These players know how to be efficient in their golf swing and produce incredible results because of it.
If you want a higher swing speed, be sure to add a golf fitness regime to your practice routine.
This will help ensure you have the necessary physical skills to get the distance you need.
4. Balance
Balance is essential in golf, and if you don’t have it, hitting the golf ball far can be difficult.
You must have balance to ensure you don’t lose any of your speed and stability as you go through the swing to the impact position.
If you are not correctly balanced, you can expect to see a loss in distance.
Even golfers with high swing speeds who struggle to maintain balance will notice a decrease in the distance they can hit the ball.
Balance can be improved by working out and spending time on a physical routine, as well as stretching and working on coordination.
Make sure that you also have a great pair of golf shoes to help develop a stable base of support.
5. Acceleration And Confidence
Golfers that slow down through impact because they are afraid of where the ball may go are going to struggle to hit the ball 250 yards.
You should always be accelerating a golf club through any shot you hit.
When you slow down, the golf ball will not travel as far, and it can also lose some of its ball flight and direction.
Many golfers find this to be true on shots like sand shots.
If you are in a bunker and you slow down your club because you are afraid of impact, the results are typically a shot that stays in the bunker.
If, however, you can accelerate through the shot, the ball comes out.
Keep this same thing in mind the next time you are standing on a tee box.
Slowing down as you get closer to the ball is never going to help you, especially when it comes to getting more distance.
You’ve put in the work on the range; you know what it takes to hit a great shot, simply trust it and swing through the ball.
6. Golf Ball And Equipment Selection
The golf ball and equipment you are using can make or break your chances of hitting the ball 250 yards.
If you are a great player, choose equipment that rewards you for your higher swing speeds.
Higher handicap players should look for clubs that first have enough forgiveness for them and, secondly, have the distance they are looking for.
A combination of distance and forgiveness is ideal when trying to hit the ball 250 yards.
Many golfers struggle with the ability to control shots, and a low spin driver can help.
Make sure that you are smart about the golf ball you choose as well.
Sometimes the difference between one golf ball and the next can result in ten to twenty yards of lost distance.
How Many Yards Is A Good Drive?
The number of yards it takes to be a good drive is directly related to how fast you swing the golf club.
If a golfer with a 110 mph swing speed hits a 200-yard drive, it’s not a good drive.
That player has a lot of swing speed and should be able to hit a shot that goes considerably further.
Many players don’t realize that golf comes down to a math and science equation.
There is a certain distance you will be able to hit the ball simply because of your swing speed.
Faster swing speeds that don’t hit the ball 250 yards are likely doing something wrong within their swing like not hitting in the center of the clubface or not hitting square.
Slower swing speeds that manage to hit a ball 220 or 230 yards likely have nearly perfect golf swings.
Although you can have a good drive at several different lengths, it’s important to try and get to this 250-yard zone when possible.
A drive that goes 250 yards is a good one for most players.
This drive gets you closer to the hole for your approach shot and makes it much easier to sink a birdie putt.
When trying to hit the green from 180 yards away, it’s hard to hit the ball within 10 feet.
However, when you can only have 100 yards to the green, the game changes considerably.
Can I Hit A 300 Yard Drive?
If you have enough swing speed and you hit the ball on the center of the clubface, you can learn to hit a 300-yard drive.
According to Trackman data and studies that have been conducted, golfers need to swing at 105 miles per hour or more to achieve 300-yard drives.
Of course, even those that can swing with these high speeds do not always get to the 300-yard mark with their drivers.
It takes equipment suited to help players hit this far, as well as a clubface that is square and struck on the center.
For those with high swing speeds, it’s a great idea to take lessons and see if you can learn the skills necessary to get to the 300-yard drive.
If you can eventually get the swing on track, this type of distance can be game-changing.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you can now see that although 250 yards is in general a good drive, how good depends on the player.
Professional golfers would not be where they are today if they were hitting 250; they need more distance to fully benefit from their high swing speed and dominate the course.
If you want to hit the ball 250 yards, chances are you will have to work on both the speed you swing the club and your ability to square up the clubface and hit in the center.
With a squared clubface, it is considerably easier to hit a straight shot than it is with something open or closed.
Take time to measure your swing speed and see what your distance potential is, and then from there, take your golf game to the next level.