As someone who’s been playing golf for over 15 years—and as a former Division I golfer—I can honestly say that one of my biggest breakthroughs came when I finally learned my carry distances.
For years, I relied on pure guesswork. I’d tell myself, “I think my 7-iron goes this far,” but in reality, I didn’t have a clue. That changed when my coach sat me down one day and asked me to go through my bag and tell them exactly how far each club carried. When I didn’t know, they showed me how to figure it out.
The first time I calculated my carry yardages, I used a rangefinder and eyeballed where the ball landed. And to be honest, I noticed an improvement almost immediately, but there was still a bit of guessing involved.
It wasn’t until a bit later in my golf career, when I had access to top-of-the-line tech and started using launch monitors, that everything changed. With these magical machines, I was able to dial in my distances down to the exact yard. And it took my game to the next level. I started hitting more greens in regulation and, more importantly, made smarter decisions on the course.
After college, I fell out of the habit. But recently, I made a promise to be more intentional with my practice. The first thing on my list? Recalibrating my carry distances.
Luckily, this time I had my Full Swing KIT Launch Monitor. With this fast, accurate device, I was able to track my distances quicker and with more precision than my DIY method from earlier. To get my average yardages, I followed the formula below:
How to calculate your average carry yardage
First, you’ll need to have a launch monitor—like the one below—or a rangefinder handy. Then, starting with your highest lofted wedge, hit about ten full-swing shots with each club in your bag. As you hit each shot, note how far each ball carried—either using feedback from your launch monitor or by tracking where the ball lands.
Next, toss out the outliers. I did this in the Full Swing app, but you can do it using your notes app on your phone or—for a really old-school approach—with a pen and paper. I usually eliminate the longest and shortest shots, along with any obvious mishits. From there, average out the rest to determine your carry numbers for that club.
Armed with these updated yardages, which can be saved right in your notes app or written into a yardage book, you’ll be able to make confident, informed decisions on the course.
For example, when I’m 137 yards out, now I know my 8-iron carries 135—so if it’s a front pin, I may have to club up. No more guessing or frustrating mistakes.
If you haven’t done this in a while, I highly recommend making it a part of your regular practice routine. I prefer to update my carry distances monthly in season and every couple of months in the offseason.
Remember, knowing your carry distances isn’t just about stats. It’s about building trust in your game, practicing with purpose and thinking like a pro.
