2026-10-09 · Birdia Blog

How Far Should Your 7-Iron and Driver Go?

The benchmark numbers: what TrackMan measures on tour

The averages published by TrackMan, radar-tracked in tournament play, are the most reliable starting point available (these are carry distances, not total roll):

• PGA Tour, driver: 113 mph clubhead speed (≈182 km/h), 167 mph ball speed, ~275 yards of carry (≈251 m).
• PGA Tour, 7-iron: 90 mph clubhead speed (≈145 km/h), 120 mph ball speed, ~172 yards of carry (≈157 m).
• LPGA, driver: 94 mph clubhead speed, ~218 yards of carry (≈199 m).
• LPGA, 7-iron: 76 mph clubhead speed, ~141 yards of carry (≈129 m).

Those same numbers give us two useful ratios for any golfer:

1. The 7-iron carries 63-65% of the driver's distance (172/275 on the PGA Tour; 141/218 on the LPGA).

2. Every mph of clubhead speed is worth roughly 2.3-2.4 yards of carry with solid contact (275/113 on the PGA Tour; 218/94 on the LPGA). Efficiency drops off a bit at lower speeds.

On tour, the gap between consecutive irons runs about 11-12 yards: 183 yards with the 6-iron, 172 with the 7-iron, and 160 with the 8-iron, per those same TrackMan averages.

Your number, by clubhead speed

Applying those TrackMan ratios (the tour and LPGA rows are measured; the rest are derived estimates):

Notice the table doesn't mention handicap at all. There are 20-handicappers who swing it at 105 mph and scratch players who swing it at 90 mph. Your handicap tells you how many strokes you take; your clubhead speed tells you how far the ball can fly.

Why handicap doesn't set the distance (but contact does)

What separates a high handicapper from a low one at the same clubhead speed is mostly strike efficiency — the smash factor (ball speed ÷ clubhead speed). Per TrackMan's data, tour pros average ~1.48 with the driver (167/113) and ~1.33 with the 7-iron (120/90). A toe hit, a heel hit, or a thin shot bleeds ball speed even when the swing was just as fast, which is why a high-handicap golfer usually falls short of their row in the table above.

And distance isn't what lowers your handicap most. Dave Pelz, in the Short Game Bible, puts roughly 60% of a round's shots inside 100 yards of the green. Forcing the driver to squeeze out another 10 yards usually costs more than it gains — better to know your real carry numbers and club yourself accordingly.

How to measure your real distance

To get clubhead speed, ball speed, and carry, you need a radar or launch monitor — a phone camera can't track the ball in flight with that kind of precision. Birdia, which analyzes your swing through the camera, focuses on what it can actually measure well — swing phases, tempo, positions — and helps you understand why your contact is costing you yards. For your carry number, take it from a launch monitor at the range, averaging at least 10 solid swings per club and throwing out the outliers.

Frequently asked questions

Is 130 yards with a 7-iron short?

No — if your driver speed sits around 85-90 mph, that's exactly what you'd expect. Using TrackMan's ratios, a 90 mph driver speed lines up with roughly 131-140 yards of 7-iron carry. It's only short if you're swinging noticeably faster than that; in that case the issue is contact, not power.

Should I measure carry or total distance?

Carry, always, especially for irons. It's the distance the ball travels before it lands, and the number you use when attacking a flag; total distance changes with turf, slope, and weather. Every TrackMan figure in this article is a carry number.

Can Birdia tell me how far I hit each club?

Not directly — distance and ball speed require a radar. What Birdia does through your phone's camera is analyze swing phases, tempo, and patterns that explain why you're losing yards, so you can pair that diagnosis with your actual carry numbers from a launch monitor. ## Fuentes - TrackMan — Ball Flight Laws and PGA/LPGA tour averages. - Dave Pelz — Short Game Bible.