The average male swing speed will range between 91 and 101 miles per hour with the driver, producing between 210-235 yards of distance with the driver. For comparison, the average swing speed on the PGA Tour is 113 miles per hour (275 yard carry) and 94 miles per hour (218 yard carry) on the LPGA Tour.
Swing speed matters in golf!
There is a direct correlation between a golfer’s swing speed and his or her handicap.
If your swing speed is not up to certain levels you are going to have difficulty reaching certain levels of handicap in the game of golf. Here are some examples:
- If you want to be a 10 handicap golfer, you should average around 95 miles per hour with the driver.
- If you want to be a 5 handicap golfer, you should average around 100 miles per hour with the driver.
- If you want to be a scratch golfer, you should average around 105 miles per hour with the driver.
We have all seen the importance of distance on the PGA Tour. The top money leaders are often in the 10% in total driving distance. The old saying, “drive for show, putt for dough” has been challenged in the past decade.
While the numbers above are averages, there is always the chance you can overcome certain levels with a superior short game, as short game remains a key to the success of any golfer and one of the quickest ways to lower your score in golf.
What is the average swing speed for golf?
Here is a chart that breaks down the averages based on your driver swing speed:
| Senior | Average | Low Handicap | Tour Pro | |
| Driver Swing Speed | 91 and Below | 91-101 | 102-112 | 113-123 |
| Driver Distance | 210 and Below | 210-235 | 235-275 | 275-300 |
| 3 Wood Distance | 200 | 220 | 230 | 243 |
| Hybrid Distance | 190 | 205 | 215 | 225 |
| 4 iron Distance | 170 | 185 | 195 | 203 |
| 5 iron Distance | 160 | 175 | 185 | 194 |
| 6 iron Distance | 150 | 163 | 173 | 183 |
| 7 iron Distance | 140 | 153 | 163 | 172 |
| 8 iron Distance | 130 | 143 | 153 | 160 |
| 9 iron Distance | 120 | 131 | 141 | 148 |
| pw Distance | 110 | 121 | 131 | 136 |
| sw Distance | 90 | 100 | 110 | 120 |
| lw Distance | 70 | 80 | 90 | 105 |
As you can see from the chart, the higher the swing speed, the better distance you will get. Distance is important because even on the PGA Tour, the proximity to the pin from 100 yards is only 18 feet on average.
If you take the average golfer and put them 175 yards away from a hole, the chances of hitting the green are significantly reduced.
However, take that same golfer and put them at 125 yards and they have a better chance of hitting the green.
Overall, it has become very clear that the closer the shot left into the green, the closer the proximity to the pin will be on average. This leads us to the improtantance of gain speed in the game of golf.
How to measure your swing speed!
Can a golfer increase their swing speed?
Yes, with the right overspeed training, technique and time the golfer can improve his or her overall swing speed. When the overspeed training continues, the speed can become more permanent.
Update: I increased my swing speed from 98mph to 108mph over a 3 year period of time. The extra 10 miles per hour helped me improve my birdies from round from 2.0 to 4.0 on average. The extra distance is a true game change and the great news is that just about every golfer has some potential speed somewhere inside!
Here is our number one recommendation on improving swing speed:
#1 Recommendation: OverSpeed Training
I spent many years wondering how I can increase my swing speed. When I was playing junior golf, we weren’t fortunate enough to have some of the training aids and knowledge that is now available. Smart people have studied the golf swing and have created training aids and protocols to help all golfers increase their distance!
At around the same time, the statistics from the PGA Tour have become more clear and the importance of speed is acknowledged by many to be a key to being the best on the PGA Tour.
Within the past several years, there have been several products hit the market to make speed gains possible. While many people for many years waited for the latest driver to come out to gain an additional 5-10 yards, you can now do this even with your current clubs.
Did you know that with the SuperSpeed Training System you can gain 5-8% increase in swing speed as early as the first training session? This would allow you to gain somewhere between 10 and 30 yards depending on your current swing speed.
SuperSpeed Golf – Use Discount Code Golfjourney365 for some savings!
The SuperSpeed Training System is based on three different swing speed sticks all weighing at different weights. There is a green club that is 10% lighter than the average driver, the blue club which is 5% lighter and the red club which is actually 5% heavier!
Following their prescribe protocols (see video below) the golfer completes the training every other day. The total time to complete most of their protocols is between 10-15 minutes. Most people can find the time to make this happen. The golfer will also need a swing radar to measure their progress.
How to increase ball speed in golf!
The science behind the SuperSpeed Training System is based on overspeed training. Overspeed training has been around for several decades now and has been used by olympic athletics in the sport of Track and Field.
The science behind this overspeed training is based on the premise that your brain will only allow your body to move as fast as it feels it can stop safely! So, you get to work and swing the clubs as fast as possible, retraining your brain to allow you to swing your driver faster.
For more permanent results, the golfer should continue these training protocols for several months. The initial 5-8% is great and can become more permanent with the right length of training. The golfer can expect to continue to break down barriers every several months at a 1-2% increase.
My own experience has been an increase of 7-10 miles per hour on average from between 98-101 all the way up to 106-109. My goal is to hit the PGA Tour average of 113 mph in the coming months. I will continue to train every other day and watch in amazement as I am hitting drivers longer now than ever before!
Phil Mickelson has been known to increase his swing speed in the past year or so and is close to 120 miles per hour in his swing speed. There are potential results for golfers of all ability levels and age!
Check the current price on SuperSpeed Golf System, here!
| Original Swing Speed | After 4-6 Weeks | New Carry Distance | Total Distance |
| 95 | 102 | 245 | 265 |
| 100 | 108 | 259 | 279 |
| 105 | 113 | 271 | 291 |
| 110 | 118 | 283 | 303 |
Average Golf Swing Speed by Age?
Generally speaking, as someone reaches their 40s and their 50s, typically the golfer will start to lose speed if he or she is not training for speed. This loss in swing speed can be prevented from using overspeed training and staying in decent shape.
The most recent example of a golfer that has gained distance and swing speed when he reached 50 is Phil Mickelson. He was able to win the 2021 PGA Championship by leading the tournament in total driving distance.
You will often find his SuperSpeed Swing Sticks with him during his warm ups and during the practice rounds. Many golfers used to just settle for the loss of distance as they aged, but now there is hope for the future for these aging golfers.
Related Post: How to hit a 5 iron 200 yards
Average Swing Speed for 7 iron?
The average swing speed for a 7 iron will be in the mid to low 80s. The PGA Tour golfer averages 90 miles per hour, while the LPGA average is 76 miles per hour. This leaves a range of carry distance between 172 on the PGA Tour and 141 on the LPGA Tour.
Once again, the golfer does not need to settle for their current carry distance and can benefit from the overspeed training with a system like SuperSpeed golf with every club in the bag.
The best example of this is Bryson Dechambeau who now hits a 7 iron around 215 yards, while just in 2017 his carry distance was around 174 with a 7 iron.
Tension free golf swing: how and why
Final Thoughts: Practice Faster to Swing Faster
Practice speed to swing with additional speed! In order to push the limits, you must train at fast speeds. In addition to the SuperSpeed protocols above, spend 15 minutes at least once a week hitting max speed drivers. The key is to swing fast, not hard. Make sure you are using a device to help measure your swing speed and try to reach new records high at least once every two weeks. Keep training and push your speed to new limits.
I will spend 15-30 minute sessions hitting drivers as fast as I can. I try to reach new speeds. I then back down and hit “game” like drivers and have found that my speed has increased over the past year from the SuperSpeed Training and these 15-30 minute practice sessions.
How to increase driver swing speed (3 options)
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.