Most golfers have a general idea as to how far they hit each of their golf clubs. However, this can vary based on ability level, the equipment being used, and even the conditions on the golf course that day.
Let’s look at these golf iron distances to help you learn how far you should hit your irons in 2022. We can tell you one thing for sure, golf iron distances have changed dramatically in the last few years.
The first question: How Far Out Should I Hit My Irons?
The average male golfer has 7 iron, anywhere from 130 to 140 yards. When you have this distance down, you can add and subtract ten yards on either side of the number to determine the total yardage for other golf irons in your bag.
Women golfers don’t hit the ball quite as far as men simply because their swing speeds are not quite as high. Women golfers tend to have an average of 7 iron shots, which is about 100 yards. The equipment you have, the ability you have to score and hit the ball in the center of the clubface, is going to impact significantly how far you hit your iron shots.
How do I figure out the distance?
There are a few methods golfers can use to figure out the distance of their shots. Any of these methods will provide accurate results; however, some require you to purchase a piece of golf technology that you may or may not be interested in purchasing.
Pace off Yardages
The classic way to figure out how far you are hitting the ball is to pace off the yardage. For instance, if you have 150 yards to the green, and you hit your 7 iron but come up short, you can see how far you came up short and the pace of that distance to get a number.
You should not need to pace off your entire shot; instead, use some landmarks on the golf course to help you do a little math and figure out the total numbers for your distances.
Use A Rangefinder
A golf rangefinder allows you to look into a scope and see how far away an object is. Some of the better rangefinders will let you pick a spot on the grass or on a green to aim it to get yardage.
If you do this after you hit an iron shot, you may get an excellent idea of how far you just hit the ball.
The more expensive rangefinders are a little more accurate and allow you to get a distance to something other than just the pin.
Golf Technology Devices
Golf technology devices like GPS units and launch monitors also allow players to get an idea of how far they just hit a shot. These golf technology devices range in price from around $100 to more than $500.
If you don’t want to invest in a piece of equipment like this, it is certainly not mandatory, and you can make do without it.
Subtraction!
If you are playing a 170-yard hole and you hit your 6 iron but come up 15 yards short, chances are you hit your 6 iron about 155 yards. If you use a little bit of math when playing golf, you can often get more accurate results and the stats that you need.
Average Golf Iron Distances
The average golf iron distances for men and women golfers have gone up in the last few years. As soon as companies started focusing on lowering the lofts of the golf clubs, the overall distance was considerably longer.
Players that are not hitting the ball as far as they once did may find that it is time to upgrade golf clubs and see where that distance performance is improving.
| Iron Type | Men’s Average (yards) | Women’s Average (yards) |
| 4 Iron | 160 | 130 |
| 5 Iron | 150 | 120 |
| 6 Iron | 140 | 110 |
| 7 Iron | 130 | 100 |
| 8 Iron | 120 | 90 |
| 9 Iron | 110 | 80 |
| PW | 100 | 70 |
| GW | 90 | 60 |
| SW | 70 | 50 |
| LW | 50 | 40 |
Factors Affecting the Distance When You Hit Your Irons
Although it would be great if every golf shot that you hit would travel the same distance every time, it is certainly not the case. On any given day, I can hit my 7 iron 150 yards, 148 yards, 155 yards, etc. However, there are a few key factors that will affect the distance you hit your irons. These should be taken into consideration when choosing which club to swing.
Loft On Club
The loft of the club is essentially what determines how far it will go. The higher the loft, the shorter the club will fly.
Essentially when you have a higher lofted club, the launch angle is high; it increases the distance the ball travels up but will not increase the distance the ball travels from you. That is why the 4 iron travels further than the 7 iron, simply because these clubs are built differently.
Loft on golf clubs has changed quite a bit in the last few years. What was once a pitching wedge loft is now the loft of a gap wedge. This means that golfers are hitting the ball considerably further than they ever have.
For some, this is a good thing; for others, it has created loft gaps in the bag that are difficult to make up.
Distance From Sweet Spot
Every golf club has a sweet spot in the center of the club. The sweet spot allows you to make contact with the center of the face and get the distance that you want and need. Modern clubs are made with a very large sweet spot.
However, it is still possible to miss the sweet spot and hit a poor shot. Golfers need to try and make a connection with the club as close to the center as possible if they want to benefit from more distance.
Swing Path
The swing path is the actual path that a golfer swings the club on. It usually takes a few yards off if you come from the outside across the ball. For players that come from the inside out, the distance of the shot is longer.
Getting your swing path and swing plane perfected will only help to increase the total distance that you can hit a golf ball.
Lie
The lie of the ball also impacts total distance. A perfectly clean lie in the center of the fairway is going to be considerably easier to hit clean than a golf shot that is stuck in three or four inches of rough.
A tough lie to get out of is also the sand. If your golf shot is in the sand trap, expect it will not go nearly as far as if it was on a perfectly grassy lie with the ball sitting up.
Weather/Golf Course Conditions
When it is windy, or the air is thick with humidity, you will not get nearly as much distance. Even the temperatures on the golf course that day will impact the overall distance the golf ball will fly.
This is frustrating for some players that are more accustomed to playing in dryer climates or even higher altitudes where the ball goes quite far.
Weather and golf course conditions are something that always needs to be considered, especially when talking about total distances.
How You Can Improve Your Distance
Now that you know how far you should be hitting your irons, it’s time to look at how you can improve your distance with your golf irons. There is almost always room for improvement with your golf club distances, but you must spend some time working on certain game areas before this happens.
Work On Physical Strength
The physical strength it takes to hit a golf ball may not seem like much. However, golfers in better physical condition can hit the ball a long way. Improving your distance on the golf course is something that can benefit greatly from time spent in the gym.
Working on arm, leg, and core strength will give you the best opportunity to increase total distances on the course. Think about a player like Bryson DeChambeau, he hits the ball incredibly far, but he gained most of this distance during the pandemic when he focused on working out.
This change in his game has made it easy for him to hit 300+ yard drives almost every time he goes out to play.
Go For A Club Fitting
Although a golf club fitting is an added expense that many golfers may not want to avoid adding to their budget this year, it can help make a big difference in creating more distance.
A golf club fitting will give you details about how far you hit the golf clubs in your bag and whether or not switching up any of that equipment could get you more yardage. Golf club fittings typically include some time for your to try out any of the newest golf clubs to the game.
The fitting can give you a chance to compare your current equipment to the newest and most high-tech equipment in the game and see if there are any opportunities for improvement.
Increase Golf Swing Efficiency
Another way to work on gaining more distance from your irons is to make your golf swing more efficient. Essentially many golfers will struggle with getting the golf swing to be simplified.
People have large arm and head movements that just aren’t necessary. They lean back when they hit and forget to transfer their weight to the lead foot. These things make the swing less efficient and will cause you to lose yards.
Golf swing efficiency is something you can learn from watching the pros and taking golf lessons. There are also drills that teach you to focus on using the larger muscles, making fewer movements, and encouraging a better pivot.
Stability and balance in your swing make it more efficient as well; each of these changes is worth considering if you want to get more distance from your irons.
FAQs
Here are a few of golfers’ most common questions about how far they should be hitting their irons. Remember that there is no perfect amount of distance to hit an iron shot; you will notice that it varies incredibly by the conditions and your abilities on the course.
Conclusion
At this point, you should have a better idea as to how far you should hit your irons. The irons make up such a large percentage of the golf bag that it is essential to know how far you hit each of these clubs. A golfer that is confident in their distances with their irons in their hands will be able to get their shots closer to the hole and have a lower total score for their round. Use distance measuring devices and golf technology to narrow down how far you hit each shot.
