If you want to play golf at a scratch level, you will want to carry your 5 wood 200 yards plus. If you are simply trying to reach the single digit handicap level, a carry distance of 180 yards is a quality distance. If you are only trying to break 100, simply hitting in the air and carrying it at least 140 yards gets you headed in the right direction.
The further you can hit a 5 wood the better! Most golfers now have a better understanding of the importance of swing speed and overall distance.
Golf is a fun game! It is even more fun when you are the longest hitter in your group.
However, while swing speed is important to reach the most elite levels of the game, a golfer can play really good golf (single digit handicap) if they can be around average to above average with their swing speed!
Did You Know?
https://blog.trackmangolf.com/trackman-average-tour-stats/
The average PGA Tour carry distance with a 5 wood is 230 yards with a swing speed of 103 miles per hour which produces a ball speed of 152.
The average LPGA Tour carry distance with a 5 wood is 185 yards with a swing speed of 88 miles per hour which produces a ball speed of 128.
Obviously, different games for different length courses. If you are an average hitting amateur golfer, chances are you have similar swing speeds to an LPGA Tour player. That is encouraging news as it shows you can play some really good golf with average swing speeds when compared to that of a PGA Tour player.
How Far Should You Hit A 5 Wood?
My Journey: The 5 wood was an important club to me a high school and college player. I have now replaced the 5 wood or 5 hybrid in my bag with a 2 driving iron. I find the precision with the 2 driving iron to be more beneficial. However, for a wide range of golfers, the 5 wood will play a vital role in advancing the ball on par 5s and on approach shots on long par 4s. The 5 wood is a great option for a high percentage of golfers!
Quick Recap:
- Scratch Level – Carry a 5 wood 200 yards plus.
- Single Digit Handicap – Carry a 5 wood 180 yards.
- Break 100 Level – Carry a 5 wood 130, but most important is to hit it solid each time.
Golf is a journey and one thing that can make the journey fun and enjoyable is the challenge to get better. Distance is important not only in total distance, but how well you can control your distances.
One of the fastest ways to improve is to increase your swing speed and overall distance. Distance dominates the game of golf now and it is a great strength to have.
- Related Post: How far should you hit a 3 wood?
- Related Post: How far should you hit a 5 iron?
- Related Post: How far should you hit a 7 iron?
Did you know that the average driver distance of a scratch golfer is 251 yards? To reach more about playing golf at the scratch level, check out this link: How to become a scratch golfer
Here is a quick reference chart for many of the common golf clubs found in a bag:
| 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 |
How long does it take to become a scratch golfer?
If you are someone looking to hit your 5 wood further, consider the different factors that influence distance with every club in the bag.
Factors That Influence Distance
- Clubhead Speed
- Ball Speed
- Spin Rate
- Launch Angle
Clubhead Speed
A golfer will use a 5 wood for a variety of shots. From the tee box it is a common club on longer par 3s or narrow par 4s and 5s. It also becomes a very important club for approach shots for a golfer that might lack distance off the tee.
Arguably, the single most important variable that impacts overall distance is clubhead speed. The more clubhead speed, the better chance of hitting the ball further. Even in a world where you have perfect spin rate and launch angle, without some quality swing speed behind your swing, you will struggle to get quality distance.
The good news is that there are training systems that allow you to gain new swing speed or recover lost swing speed through the proper overspeed training protocols. I would highly recommend SuperSpeed Golf.
Check current price on SuperSpeed Golf, here!
Even if the golfer optimizes their center face contact and has the ideal spin rate and launch angle for their swing speed, if the swing speed isn’t at a certain level the golf just won’t carry far enough.
Gone are the days of being stuck at your current swing speed or feeling like, “I am just not a long hitter!”
My own personal story around overspeed training saw my driver increase from around 101 miles per hour to a max of 117 miles per hour with an average of right in the 112 mile per hour range. My carry distance with the driver is now right around 270 with a 3 wood carry distance in the low 240s!
If you want extra distance with your 5 wood, start some speed training and then work on optimizing the next 3 areas!
Ball Speed
Ball speed is the measure at which the ball leaves the clubface. It is often used as a metric to measure overall distance as a golfer needs a high clubhead speed and center face contact to max out their ball speed.
The golfer that swings 117 miles per hour but constantly hits it on the toe or heel will struggle to maximize distance. While the golfer that swings at 114 miles per hour and hits the sweet speed will often out driver the 117 mile per hour golfer. The center of the clubface does matter when it comes to ball speed.
Amateur golfers can work on hitting the center of the face by getting feedback from impact tape or certain sprays that can be used to see where you are striking the ball. At the end of the day, the best practice is hitting plenty of golf balls and of course being aware of where you are striking the ball on the clubface.
Where should the golf ball hit the clubface?
Spin Rate
That variable is often overlooked by most amateur golfers, but it is becoming more commonly discussed by amateurs. We have all experienced the power of the spin rate with our driver and fairway woods. Have you ever hit the shot that seems to fly forever?
Chances are you had the right spin rate to maximize your swing speed and launch angle. Or have you ever hit the shot that seems to balloon and not travel as far as usual? This is more than likely a result of having too high of a spin rate, which robs the golfer of distance.
Do I need to carry fairway woods?
Launch Angle
For every swing speed and spin rate there is an optimum launch angle. Launch angle with the 5 wood becomes important based on whether you are trying to hold the green or hit a runner down the fairway. Being able to produce different launch angles is a sign of a quality golfer.
The golfer that inadvertently has different launch angles might struggle with distance control, especially on a windy day.
TIP: Seek Feedback Through A Launch Monitor
My number one recommendation for all four of these categories is to get a device like the Skytrak Launch Monitor, which can provide immediate feedback on every shot you hit during your practice sessions. This helps the golfer make adjustments in the swing or the equipment he or she is using.
I highly recommend the Skytrak Launch Monitor. There are two other quality options at a similar price point linked below.
Here are the top 3 Launch Monitor options to check out:
The data you can get after every shot includes the following:
- Ball and Club Speed
- Carry and Total Distance
- Spin Rate
- Spin Axis
- Launch Angle
In addition to this key information you will also see a shot tracer to help you control your clubface and swing path and develop a stock shot to finally play the consistent golf you seek!
What is the most important part of the golf swing?
How To Hit Your 5 Wood Further?
The number one tip is to swing faster. How do you accomplish this? Through training!
What is the best training option? SuperSpeed Golf! The three speed sticks that come with the purchase of the SuperSpeed System have a club that is 20% lighter, 10% lighter and 5% heavier. The protocols are simple to follow and take 15-30 minutes per training session and you train every other day.
Golfers can expect to see a 5-8% increase as early as the first session and the speed will become more permanent after about 30 days of training. Stick with the training for a continued increase in swing speed, which will come at about a 1-2 miles per hour increase every several months. The thought process or science behind this approach is known as overspeed training.
The idea is that you are training both your mind and your body to swing faster than you normally do. The mind and body start to adapt to this new speed as the mind builds confidence in doing this safely and the body trains to move faster.
The SuperSpeed System will help you experience additional speed through every club in the bag and you will soon find yourself hitting the ball further, hitting the ball closer and making more putts.
The analytics are pretty clear in golf! The further you hit your driver, the shorter approach shot you have left. The shorter approach shot, results in a closer proximity to the pin on average. With the final outcome being more made putts because you are putting putts closer to the hole. The make percentage on the PGA tour from 8 feet is significantly better than 15 feet. The bottom line is that you need shorter putts to make more putts and this starts on the tee by hitting your driver further!
Check current price on SuperSpeed Golf, here!
MAJOR KEY: Understanding How Far You Hit Each Club
I would highly recommend each golfer create a distance chart like the sample below:
| Club | Carry Distance (100%) | 90% | 80% |
| 2 Utility Iron | 210 | ||
| 4 iron | 190 | ||
| 5 iron | 181 | ||
| 6 iron | 171 | ||
| 7 iron | 163 | ||
| 8 iron | 153 | ||
| 9 iron | 143 | ||
| P Club | 130 | 123 | 115 |
| Pitching Wedge | 118 | 110 | 102 |
| SW Club | 105 | 97 | 91 |
| LW Club | 90 | 82 | 74 |
This might be the most important information you can use to help you play quality golf. I have heard so many stories and have seen it first hand where golfers completely over estimate how far they hit each iron.
I have seen one too many times the golfer that thinks they can carry their 3 wood or 5 wood over a hazard to reach a par 5, only to have the golf ball come up way short of the green. Too many golfers overestimate how far they hit every club in their bag, but especially their driver and fairway woods. Having accurate information might hurt the ego, but it can help you manage your game!
Complete Post: How Can I Improve My Distance Control?
How can you create your own chart?
BEST OPTION: I would highly recommend a launch monitor!
These portable devices can be used at the driving range, golf course or set up in your home net or golf simulator. These devices are game changers not only on being able to map your bag and know your distances, but they also provide quality feedback after on every shot and provide the following information:
- Carry Distance
- Spin Rate
- Launch Angle
- Spin Axis
- Total Distance
- Ball Speed
This information will help you map your bag, decide on which clubs are best for your game, develop a stock shot and much more. I love using my SkyTrak 365 days a year in my golf simulator setup.
The process for mapping your bag can looking something like this:
- Hit 5 shots with each club in your bag.
- Log the carry distance and total distance for each shot.
- Eliminate any outlier numbers (poor hits or low spin rates).
- Take the average and create a map of your bag.
If you visit any PGA Tour event you will see plenty of golfers utilizing their launch monitors. While most can’t afford a Trackman, there are some very affordable options in the 500-2000 dollar range. I own the SkyTrak and think the world of it.
Here are the top 3 options to check out:
Final Thoughts: Have Fun!
Whether you are trying to score better through improving the short game or gaining extra distance, make sure you have fun on your journey! The exciting news that golfers can gain distance is a game changer for many. We have seen some of the golfers as they reach 50 actually dive into speed training and improve their driver distance!
Wish you hit the ball further? Here are two great resources:
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About four 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.