17/01/2026
Doing some speed training this evening. This was my best shot. Trying to swing as absolutely fast as I could. Happy to get to 118 club and 170 ball speed, but it took effort. But this post isn’t about me because any elite player can hit numbers beyond this routinely. To put this into perspective, I’m longer than most every recreational golfer I know including the ones that “think” they hit it 300 yards. Top PGA Tour players like Rory McIlroy and others average 185+ ball speed. That’s 15 mph faster and about 30 yards more carry. It’s those little details that put you in your place.
Lastly, note how the trajectory changes based on shot type. Fades higher than straight balls and straight balls slightly higher than draws. The fades carry farther on average, but the draws run out more. For me the ideal ball flight is about 100-115 ft. apex launching at about 12.5 degrees and landing at about a 36-38 degree descent angle. This helps me maximize my carry and run out at the end. The shot above apexed at 130 feet, so I maximized carry but notice the limited roll out due to the descent angle being 42 degrees. What makes someone like Rory even more special is his ability to hit high draws which maximizes everything (carry and run) for some epic bombs.