Golf tools
Club distance chart
Build a personal yardage chart for every club in your bag. Start from one club you know, replace the estimates with your own numbers, then check your gapping and print a pocket card.
Why you need your own yardage chart
Most golfers overestimate how far they hit the ball. They remember their best strike with each club rather than their typical one. As a result, the most common miss in club golf is short of the green. Knowing your real carry distance for every club is one of the quickest ways to lower your scores, because it turns a guess into a decision.
- Carry is how far the ball flies in the air. Use it whenever you need to clear something: water, a bunker or the front edge of a green.
- Total is carry plus roll. It is mainly useful off the tee, and it changes a lot with firm or soft ground.
Typical club distances
These are typical carry distances for golfers who carry their 7-iron 120, 140 and 160 yards. The estimates in the tool use the same ratios. Your numbers will differ, and that is the point of measuring them.
| Club | Slower swing | Average club golfer | Faster swing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 180 yd | 210 yd | 240 yd |
| 3 wood | 163 yd | 190 yd | 218 yd |
| 5 wood | 155 yd | 181 yd | 206 yd |
| 7 wood | 148 yd | 172 yd | 197 yd |
| 3 hybrid | 149 yd | 174 yd | 198 yd |
| 4 hybrid | 142 yd | 165 yd | 189 yd |
| 5 iron | 132 yd | 154 yd | 176 yd |
| 6 iron | 126 yd | 147 yd | 168 yd |
| 7 iron | 120 yd | 140 yd | 160 yd |
| 8 iron | 113 yd | 132 yd | 150 yd |
| 9 iron | 104 yd | 122 yd | 139 yd |
| Pitching wedge | 96 yd | 112 yd | 128 yd |
| Gap wedge | 86 yd | 101 yd | 115 yd |
| Sand wedge | 76 yd | 88 yd | 101 yd |
| Lob wedge | 65 yd | 76 yd | 86 yd |
How to measure your distances
- Use a launch monitor if you can. Many ranges, golf shops and simulators have one. Hit 8–10 balls with each club and use the average carry, ignoring your best and worst shots.
- On the course, use a rangefinder or GPS app to measure from where you hit to where the ball landed. Over a few rounds you build a reliable average.
- Use the ball you play. Range balls often fly shorter, and some are deliberately limited in distance.
- Update your chart every season, and whenever you change clubs or your swing.
Gapping: what the check looks for
Good gapping means a similar distance between each club and the next, typically 10–15 yards through the irons. The gapping check flags two problems:
- Overlaps: two clubs within about 5 yards of each other. One of them is probably wasting a place in your bag.
- Big gaps: 20 yards or more between neighbouring clubs (30 or more after the driver). These leave you with awkward in-between shots.
Big gaps at the top of the bag are often filled by a hybrid or a lofted fairway wood; read hybrid golf clubs explained. Big gaps at the bottom usually need another wedge; see our wedge guide to loft and bounce. Remember the rules allow a maximum of 14 clubs, including your putter.
Frequently asked questions
Should my chart use carry or total distance?
Plan approach shots with carry. Greens are protected by hazards at the front, and the ball's roll on a green is hard to predict. Total distance is useful for tee shots and for working out which hazards are in reach.
How do weather and altitude change my distances?
Cold air, wind and soft ground all cost distance, while heat, altitude and firm ground add it. As a rough guide, expect around 2 yards less carry for every 10°F (about 5°C) drop in temperature. Read playing golf in bad weather for more.
Why do my long irons go almost the same distance?
Long irons need speed to launch the ball high enough to carry further, so for many golfers the gap between the 4, 5 and 6-irons shrinks. This is why many club golfers replace long irons with hybrids.
Is my chart stored anywhere?
Only in your own browser, so it is there next time you visit on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
Read more: how to choose the right club for every shot, rangefinder vs GPS and the golf statistics worth tracking.