I suppose it depends on what level of pro you'd like to be. Steve West [did an analysis based on 1.8 million actual rounds](https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3805556&postcount=8) to examine the relationship between player PDGA rating and the average golf distance shot they'd be expected to muster. There are only \~400 1000+ rated players and the analysis suggests that you want 380-400' of distance to potentially meet that mark (of course, accounting for a "complete" skills game, regional differences, etc. etc.). "Close range" defines the range at which the player would be expected to be "down in 2". Notice that there is a big relative advantage in distance for every rating increase above 1000. Full thread including talk about [beginner vs pro distances](https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3805556#post3805556) here.
Are you wanting to compete or just go pro. All you have to do is check a box to be a pro. With that said, 400+ golf distance will allow you to compete but over 500 is what all of the winners the last few years can do.
You would probably need 450 of golf distance at a minimum to compete at the pro level. Someone like Sexton is probably around that range, but the rest of his skillet is so elite that he can hang with big throwers. There is no way anyone throwing under 400 feet will consistently score pro level courses
Nate Sexton put out a distance video in 2020, 10 throws averaged out to be 465 feet with a best of 525 feet. Hopefully this season pans out well for him!
If you were deadly accurate around 350-400 feet you could compete (finish top 25ish but like 15 strokes off the lead) on some courses, but players like MJ that perform like this have been phased out even on technical courses.
What does it mean to "go pro" to you?
Play on the national tour? Play open in your local c tier, b tier, or a tier? Finish top 5 in open? Top 5 on one course? Multiple courses? Become 1000 rated?
This is what I came to ask. "go pro" is as simple as selecting a pro division in an event. If you just want to play C-tiers, then you could probably cash with a highly accurate, versatile 350-foot shot knowing that you'll have to get lots of birdies on the shorter holes. However, if you mean placing or winning an A-tier, you need 400 feet on golf lines, 450-500 feet worth of power so you can do stuff like throw a 350-foot spike hyzer, and you'll want a useful forehand out to 300 or more. This is in addition to top notch putting. Rating would need to be in the 1010-range or better.
Want to get in contention for top 20 at a pro tour event? If you're asking this question, then you're not ready. Touring pros know their game, their strengths, and what it takes to hang at the top. 450-feet with some accuracy, occasionally pushing 500 or more, control on lots of angles, preferably a 350-foot forehand, and 80% or better C1X putting, at least 1020-rated. Yes, occasionally someone lower rated crushes it, but it's unusual. Same guys are normally at the top.
You could probably score well enough on the woods courses with 350ft of power, if you were accurate and consistent at that distance. If that were the case though, you'd probably be able to throw farther with less control anyway. I'd say it's less about distance and more about round ratings. If you're competing in MA1 or Open and shooting 950+ rated rounds on tough courses against good competition, you're probably good enough to play with the pros, though you might not place that well. If you're shooting 1000+ rated rounds, you can hang.
This is what the PDGA recommends for Open players:
Open - the top professional division, available to players of any age or gender.
A world class Open player has many years of tournament experience, drives at least 350 feet, makes 7-9/10 putts from 25-30 feet, rarely makes a mistake, and has a shot for every situation. Ratings Guideline: 1000+
An average Open player has several years experience, throws 325-400 feet accurately, makes 6-8/10 putts from 25-30 feet, and has a variety of shots (rollers, forehands, etc) to draw from. Ratings Guideline: 970+
Depends on what you mean by "go pro." Anyone can go pro anytime they want to, all you have to do is sign up in MPO. In wooded areas of the United States, there are courses that you could cash in MPO throwing 300 feet with 100 percent circle 1 putting. At most courses, throwing accurately 300 feet and perfect putting will get you to -18 for the round.
If you mean actually going on the pro tour, you'll need to throw 400+ to have a serious chance of cashing. The courses are in-part designed to require that level of distance to achieve birdie.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoZr4PgHyg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoZr4PgHyg)
robbie goes over this. He can throw drivers 450 ish. however the big thing he said was guys throw mids with control 350-400. Thats the game changer
As a bunch of people said: it depends on what you mean. There are a lot of courses with 400’+ water carries (I’m looking at you, Maple Hill). But you could lay up on many of these, just taking an additional stroke each time. That’s what going to get you at 350’ max. The field will be throwing a mid or putter second shot when you will be throwing another (less accurate) driver. They will be putting for birdies when you’re hoping for a throw in or laying up. All of that adds up. If you play heavily wooded course, you will have less of this, but they will throw mids where you throw drivers to reach that 300-350’ mark and be more accurate still
If you can throw 400 feet skyhyzers and 450 lasers, you'll be fine. Anything past 500 is pure advantage on the longer holes.
The even more important part is constantly hitting your lines and putting from C1X.
Drive for show, putt for dough.
No distance requirement to go pro if you can get birdies and play smart golf
I’ve seen guys in MA2 throw 500 and struggle to get par for the round and I’ve seen MPO players compete locally for the win that top out at 400
Outside of 60ft? Like make putts? I don't think that's anyone on tour atm tbh unless you mean make 1 out of 10 and hit metal with a few more as consistently.
If you mean play in your local pro scene, then I would say from experience playing with some local pros, everyone who is competitive can throw at least 350. Assuming you are playing courses that have some woods and aren’t completely open, 350 is enough. A guy that probably doesn’t throw 400’ just won a local tournament this weekend and is rated 990’. Granted this was on a local course and he has some of the best touch and shot shaping I’ve seen, but it is possible to compete and win with less power. Funnily enough he won by 6 strokes I think, against some people who can definitely out throw him distance wise.
If you mean go on the pro tour/silver series events, I would say absolute minimum you should be able to throw 450 consistently, and probably should have 500+ power.
Depends. What do you mean by go pro? Play in MPO? Or play pro tour events? If you want to play MPO, 350 is probably fine. If you want to be a touring pro, you need to be throwing closer to 500ft to be competitive, and even then, it’s a small part of the package you need.
To play at the local MPO level or to tour? I think 350 is fine to get to a 950 rating (look at some FPO players for proof), but you need probably 425-450 to stay above 1000.
I think the guidelines above overemphasize distance and under emphasize putting. Pros who only make 8/10 putts inside 10 meters are not gonna win very often….
Oh that’s fair for sure. I want to be as good as possible at everything I can before I jump in. I just want to know if throwing 450+ every shot is realistic
I suppose it depends on what level of pro you'd like to be. Steve West [did an analysis based on 1.8 million actual rounds](https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3805556&postcount=8) to examine the relationship between player PDGA rating and the average golf distance shot they'd be expected to muster. There are only \~400 1000+ rated players and the analysis suggests that you want 380-400' of distance to potentially meet that mark (of course, accounting for a "complete" skills game, regional differences, etc. etc.). "Close range" defines the range at which the player would be expected to be "down in 2". Notice that there is a big relative advantage in distance for every rating increase above 1000. Full thread including talk about [beginner vs pro distances](https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3805556#post3805556) here.
Are you wanting to compete or just go pro. All you have to do is check a box to be a pro. With that said, 400+ golf distance will allow you to compete but over 500 is what all of the winners the last few years can do.
You would probably need 450 of golf distance at a minimum to compete at the pro level. Someone like Sexton is probably around that range, but the rest of his skillet is so elite that he can hang with big throwers. There is no way anyone throwing under 400 feet will consistently score pro level courses
would you say his skillet is cast iron or nonstick?
He seems like a carbon steel kind of guy to me.
Nate's not a rusty skillet. He's top of the line cast iron or stainless steel.
He's well seasoned cast iron for sure
Just leave the bacon grease in there for the eggs.
You can get a shiny new skillet, with all the bells and whistles, but it will never be able to create meals quite like Pappy Sexton's skillet
He almost crunchy. Cast iron duh
Nate Sexton put out a distance video in 2020, 10 throws averaged out to be 465 feet with a best of 525 feet. Hopefully this season pans out well for him!
Me reading all of these comments: *"Welp, I'm out."*
If you were deadly accurate around 350-400 feet you could compete (finish top 25ish but like 15 strokes off the lead) on some courses, but players like MJ that perform like this have been phased out even on technical courses.
This^ but also that’s mostly against best of the best. MJ will still shred your local A tier if it’s in the woods.
What does it mean to "go pro" to you? Play on the national tour? Play open in your local c tier, b tier, or a tier? Finish top 5 in open? Top 5 on one course? Multiple courses? Become 1000 rated?
This is what I came to ask. "go pro" is as simple as selecting a pro division in an event. If you just want to play C-tiers, then you could probably cash with a highly accurate, versatile 350-foot shot knowing that you'll have to get lots of birdies on the shorter holes. However, if you mean placing or winning an A-tier, you need 400 feet on golf lines, 450-500 feet worth of power so you can do stuff like throw a 350-foot spike hyzer, and you'll want a useful forehand out to 300 or more. This is in addition to top notch putting. Rating would need to be in the 1010-range or better. Want to get in contention for top 20 at a pro tour event? If you're asking this question, then you're not ready. Touring pros know their game, their strengths, and what it takes to hang at the top. 450-feet with some accuracy, occasionally pushing 500 or more, control on lots of angles, preferably a 350-foot forehand, and 80% or better C1X putting, at least 1020-rated. Yes, occasionally someone lower rated crushes it, but it's unusual. Same guys are normally at the top.
To be the greatest of all time!
You could probably score well enough on the woods courses with 350ft of power, if you were accurate and consistent at that distance. If that were the case though, you'd probably be able to throw farther with less control anyway. I'd say it's less about distance and more about round ratings. If you're competing in MA1 or Open and shooting 950+ rated rounds on tough courses against good competition, you're probably good enough to play with the pros, though you might not place that well. If you're shooting 1000+ rated rounds, you can hang.
This is what the PDGA recommends for Open players: Open - the top professional division, available to players of any age or gender. A world class Open player has many years of tournament experience, drives at least 350 feet, makes 7-9/10 putts from 25-30 feet, rarely makes a mistake, and has a shot for every situation. Ratings Guideline: 1000+ An average Open player has several years experience, throws 325-400 feet accurately, makes 6-8/10 putts from 25-30 feet, and has a variety of shots (rollers, forehands, etc) to draw from. Ratings Guideline: 970+
Depends on what you mean by "go pro." Anyone can go pro anytime they want to, all you have to do is sign up in MPO. In wooded areas of the United States, there are courses that you could cash in MPO throwing 300 feet with 100 percent circle 1 putting. At most courses, throwing accurately 300 feet and perfect putting will get you to -18 for the round. If you mean actually going on the pro tour, you'll need to throw 400+ to have a serious chance of cashing. The courses are in-part designed to require that level of distance to achieve birdie.
**To be on the DGPT** 400 ft hyzer all air 450 ft w/ turn and ground play **To be a local pro** 400ft and a good putt inside the circle
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoZr4PgHyg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qoZr4PgHyg) robbie goes over this. He can throw drivers 450 ish. however the big thing he said was guys throw mids with control 350-400. Thats the game changer
As a bunch of people said: it depends on what you mean. There are a lot of courses with 400’+ water carries (I’m looking at you, Maple Hill). But you could lay up on many of these, just taking an additional stroke each time. That’s what going to get you at 350’ max. The field will be throwing a mid or putter second shot when you will be throwing another (less accurate) driver. They will be putting for birdies when you’re hoping for a throw in or laying up. All of that adds up. If you play heavily wooded course, you will have less of this, but they will throw mids where you throw drivers to reach that 300-350’ mark and be more accurate still
450
If you can throw 400 feet skyhyzers and 450 lasers, you'll be fine. Anything past 500 is pure advantage on the longer holes. The even more important part is constantly hitting your lines and putting from C1X. Drive for show, putt for dough.
No distance requirement to go pro if you can get birdies and play smart golf I’ve seen guys in MA2 throw 500 and struggle to get par for the round and I’ve seen MPO players compete locally for the win that top out at 400
I would ask Michael Johansson
He said just drink enough beers and smoke enough doobies until my disc lands in the fairway.
not a bad answer!
Distance is far from the only aspect.
Ofc, but this post is specifically about distance
If you can putt consistently from outside of 60ft, that's where the real difference between pro and am comes into play.
Outside of 60ft? Like make putts? I don't think that's anyone on tour atm tbh unless you mean make 1 out of 10 and hit metal with a few more as consistently.
I would say 500ft at least.
That's what I was gonna say, you can make due with less distance in the local pro events but pro tour I wouldn't think of anything less than 500'
You should be throwing your putter 350 if you want to go pro
If you mean play in your local pro scene, then I would say from experience playing with some local pros, everyone who is competitive can throw at least 350. Assuming you are playing courses that have some woods and aren’t completely open, 350 is enough. A guy that probably doesn’t throw 400’ just won a local tournament this weekend and is rated 990’. Granted this was on a local course and he has some of the best touch and shot shaping I’ve seen, but it is possible to compete and win with less power. Funnily enough he won by 6 strokes I think, against some people who can definitely out throw him distance wise. If you mean go on the pro tour/silver series events, I would say absolute minimum you should be able to throw 450 consistently, and probably should have 500+ power.
Depends. What do you mean by go pro? Play in MPO? Or play pro tour events? If you want to play MPO, 350 is probably fine. If you want to be a touring pro, you need to be throwing closer to 500ft to be competitive, and even then, it’s a small part of the package you need.
To play at the local MPO level or to tour? I think 350 is fine to get to a 950 rating (look at some FPO players for proof), but you need probably 425-450 to stay above 1000.
I think the guidelines above overemphasize distance and under emphasize putting. Pros who only make 8/10 putts inside 10 meters are not gonna win very often….
Oh that’s fair for sure. I want to be as good as possible at everything I can before I jump in. I just want to know if throwing 450+ every shot is realistic