Last Updated: Dec 6, 2022
Simply answer 1 question to get an estimated swing speed, ball speed, and a golf club distance chart.
You can fully optimize launch angle, spin rate, ball type, efficiency etc, but your ball will only go as far as club head speed at which you hit the ball. Let’s get a good estimate of your swing speed now!
Golf Club distance calculator & Swing Speed calculator
Simply enter the total distance you can get on the golf course with a good drive. The calculator assumes a relatively high level of efficiency and a good launch angle.
After you enter your distance, a chart will pop up with your approximate swing speed, ball speed, and club distances.
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Why is knowing your swing speed important?
Selecting the optimal golf ball for your swing speed (Check out our ball selector tool below)
Determining the correct shaft flex when you buy a new club.
If you don’t already know your average golf club distances, it can be used to estimate them.
- Baselining if you plan on working to increase your swing speed
Average golf swing speed
Male amateur golfers average driver club speed is somewhere between 80 – 90 MPH. With a 90 MPH swing speed, the ball should travel approximately 240 yards, at best.
PGA Tour Players generate swing speeds between 110 – 115 miles per hour and average nearly 300 yards. Amateur golfer averages are only around 210 yards. Many amateur golfers can hit it further, but again, this is an average.
7 Iron swing speed will vary from one golfer to another. A good rule of thumb is – 7 Iron swing speed will be 80% of your average driver club speed. This means that a player who swings their driver at 90 MPH will likely have a 7 Iron swing speed of 72 MPH.
How to determine your club head speed – 3 Methods
The simple methods to calculate your club head speed, the ones you’ll find at the top of google search results – Except for this one – Don’t always work well.
Method 1 – Simplest and Least Accurate
Divide your average driver distance by 2.3 (This does NOT work)
Sounds simple, only 1 step. Here is why it doesn’t work.
Example 1 – I hit my driver about 300 yards, sometimes more. 300/2.3 = 130mph swing speed.
130!!! Whoa. Not happening. In multiple sessions in the simulator I have worked on getting my swing speed as high as possible. The absolute max I have been able to hit is 119mph. I felt like I was coming out of my shoes.
I normally hit between 109 – 111. Here is one with a 115 swing speed, practicing to get my swing speed up!
Example 2 – I have a friend who hits a lot on the sim. He hits the ball very consistently at about 230 yards. 230/2.3 = 100mph.
I have NEVER seen him hit faster than 92mph. He fluctuates between 89-92.
Oh, and I am pulling these numbers from a Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor, one of the higher-end and most accurate launch monitors on the market.
Method 2 – Slightly More Complex, but still not fully accurate
Subtract 5% from your total driver distance to account for roll – This is carry distance
Divide the distance by 1.75 – This result is your ball speed
Divide ball speed by 1.5 – This result is your driver swing speed
Example 1 – 300 yard drive. 300 – 5% = 285 carry distance. 285/1.75 = 162 ball speed. 162/1.5 = 108mph swing speed.
This is actually pretty close! I can hit 300 at 108mph swing speed, but I have to hit a very good shot. Optimized for spin and trajectory, efficiency needs to be around 1.45 or better.
Example 2 – 230 yard drive. 230 – 5% = 218.5 carry distance. 218.5/1.75 = 124.9 ball speed. 124.9/1.5 = 83mph swing speed.
This is a bit light. Again, the player I am pulling these numbers from hits 230 consistently and his swing speed fluctuates between 89-92mph.
This method seems to work at some swing speeds, but falls off a bit when you get to lower swing speeds.
Method 3 – Sliding Scale
Using data from my own launch monitor, and data viewed from several golf Pro’s hitting on a simulator, I have effectively found a factor to apply.
It is sort of a combination of method 2 above and my own formula. After baselining known swing speeds and distances, I was able to accurately fill in all of the “in-between” numbers. Outside of using a launch monitor yourself, you’ll only be able to obtain an approximate swing speed.
Variables are going to existing across all golfers. If you hit the ball with a decent level of efficiency, the swing speeds estimated for you should be very close to accurate. If however, you do not hit the ball with a high level of efficiency, you can likely add 2 – 3% to whatever your estimate.
Personally, when I hit the ball 300 yards, I am usually generating a 110 mile per hour swing speed. Validated on a launch monitor. The calculator estimates a 300 yard shot to be from a 107mph swing speed however. This is pretty close, and honestly, I’ve hit 300 yards at 107 before. Again, it’s just a matter of the level of efficiency.
How to hit the golf ball further
There are many ways to improve your carry distance without increasing swing speed. One way is to look at your launch angle. If you are hitting the ball too low, it will not carry as far as it’s potential.
A higher launch angle will take advantage of the ball speed much more and your carry distance will improve from it. One of the ways to get a better launch angle is to look at ball position in your stance.
Teeing it up higher will encourage you to hit up on the ball more, resulting in greater distance.
If you are already hitting the ball with a high level of efficiency, you options to hit it further are limited. They include increasing your club head speed, and equipment optimization.
Check out my Stack System Review or my top picks for the best swing speed trainers if you want to increase your swing speed.
Finding the right golf ball for your swing speed can certainly help. Generating more club speed in your golf swing can be done with some swing speed training.
You’ll also find that some swing tempo training can help!
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Final Thoughts
Whether you are trying to figure out how fast your swing speed is, or how far you hit each golf club, hopefully this swing speed chart helps, as well as your estimated club speed.
The golf ball can only go as far as your swing speed and ultimately the ball speed generated from it, will allow. Maximize your efficiency by hitting the ball in the center, this will maximize your carry distance without changing a thing.
Once you maximize efficiency, you can work on generating more swing speed.
If you are interested in finding a golf ball that fits your individual golf swing, check out our ball selector tool.
Thanks, and good luck on the golf course!