How Far Should Average Golfers Hit Their Driver

Distance isn't everything in golf, but who wouldn't want to have the ability to hit the ball that little bit further? Driven by modern equipment technology, improved fitness, and the optimisation of swings for power, the men's professional game has become dominated by longer hitters, with the average driving distance on the PGA Tour now edging over 300 yards.

But how far should average golfers hit their driver?

There has been significant research undertaken on this topic and you might be surprised by the findings that have been uncovered.

How Far Do Amateur Golfers Hit Their Driver?

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

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Part of their combined Distance Insights Project Report, The R&A and USGA studied the distances reached by everyday amateur golfers for over two decades up to 2019, when the last year of the study found that the average driving distance of male amateurs was 216 yards, with the average for females being 147 yards.

Indeed, the handicap and age of the golfer massively change things, as the more skilled and younger the player, the farther they will generally hit the ball.

Shot Scope, a major name in the world of golf GPS technology, used its database of more than 200 million shots played around the globe to present distance findings of its own.

They revealed that the majority of golfers in their database average between 200 and 224 yards, with the next largest group being those between 225 and 249 yards. Ultimately, nearly 70% of amateur golfers they studied had an average driving distance that measured under 250 yards.

More recently, those minds behind the pioneering shot tracking software Arccos unveiled their 2025 Annual Driving Distance Report, drawing on more than four million rounds of golf played last year to state that the average male amateur distance was 224.7 yards. The average for female amateurs was 176.2 yards.

Do Younger Golfers Hit The Ball Farther Than Older Golfers?

Logic dictates that younger, more flexible and dynamic golfers would hit the ball greater distances, and the data has shown that to be the case.

According to the Arccos findings, those male golfers aged 15-19 were the longest off the tee, averaging 241.6 yards, while those over 70 years old were the shortest hitters at 190 yards on average. Women in their 20s averaged 201.1 yards, while those aged in their 60s averaged 160 yards.

The Shot Scope data showed that men aged between 20-29 averaged 243 yards, which gradually declined through each decade until falling to 212 yards for those in their 60s and 196 yards for golfers over the age of 70.

How Far Do Low Handicap Golfers Hit The Ball Compared to Higher Handicaps?

It would be fair to assume that better golfers hit the ball farther - and that is indeed correct. The R&A and USGA's data from 2019 found that those men with handicaps lower than six averaged 239.2 yards with their driver. That declined notably to 200 yards for male golfers with handicaps between 13 and 20.

Likewise, women with low handicaps (below six) were significantly longer than those with higher handicaps. The low handicap group averaged 196.7 yards while those with handicaps between 13 and 20 averaged 155 yards.

Do You Hit The Golf Ball Far Enough?

There are numerous ways to score well and play consistently good golf - distance isn't essential - but there is no question that hitting the ball a reasonable yardage can make things a lot easier. 

Consider your own age and handicap category to see how you compare to the findings that have been disclosed above to see where you stand alongside golfers of a similar level.

If you're a man who drives the ball around 250 yards or a woman who is close to the 200 mark on average, then the chances are that you are doing pretty well!

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