Plan a golf club distance gapping session
Compare typical shots under similar conditions and keep carry separate from total distance. The useful gap is the repeatable one.
GolfDock editorial · Reviewed
Choose one measurement method
Write “carry” or “total” at the top of your session sheet. A launch monitor may report carry to the landing point, while GPS between your start and finish positions measures displacement to the finishing location. Mixing them can create a false gap between clubs. Keep units consistent as well: yards and metres should not appear in the same column without conversion.
Create a repeatable sample
Warm up first, then record a manageable set of normal full swings with each adjacent club. Ten shots per club is a practical starting plan, not a statistical guarantee. Alternate clubs if fatigue or wind is changing. Record obvious mishits and unusual conditions rather than silently deleting them; separate those shots when estimating a stock full-swing distance.
Use a worked comparison
Suppose comparable 8-iron distances are 137, 139, 140, 142 and 156 yards, while 7-iron distances are 148, 150, 152, 153 and 169. The medians are 140 and 152, a 12-yard gap. Check why the longest shots differ before treating them as normal. Five observations give a starting estimate, not proof that every shot will fit a 12-yard spacing.
Look for overlap as well as averages
Two clubs can have different typical distances but overlap heavily. That matters when choosing a club for a forced carry or a small target. Keep a simple low, typical and high range for comparable shots, and note the shot shape or strike issues you saw. Do not label a longer club “broken” because one session produced a small gap.
Turn the result into a next step
Review the recorded clubs and positions in your shot history before updating expectations in My Bag. If a gap looks suspicious, repeat that pair of clubs in similar conditions or work with a qualified coach or fitter. Avoid rebuilding every club distance from one unusually windy round. Save the session date and measurement method so your next comparison answers the same question.