How Far Can You Throw a Golf Ball?
My middle child loves the Guinness Book of World Records (and to be fair, so do I).
I mean, just today I learned that the world’s tallest living man is 8’2″. He also has the largest hands on a living person (they measure 11.22″ from his wrist to the top of his middle finger).
That’s crazy!
If these factoids appeal to you, then it’s no wonder you’re asking:
How Far Can You Throw a Golf Ball?
The average adult can throw a golf ball anywhere from 60-100 yards (180 to 300 feet or 54 to 91 meters). The maximum distance varies based on a person’s athleticism and throwing mechanics, but those are safe estimates.
A golf ball is carefully-crafted to defy gravity and maximize air time, so it will travel further than a baseball or tennis ball throw, even if you have limited throwing skills.
However, factors like ball trajectory and ball spin are limited when throwing by hand.
I ran a poll on Twitter to see how far people thought they could throw a ball. Here are the responses:
To maximize your distance, it might be smart to try some of the World’s Longest Golf Balls.
But, why would you throw a golf ball instead of hitting it?
That’s a good question.
Let me start by saying this: If you’re at the golf course, you’ll get the most distance by hitting the ball with a golf club. This is true even for the average golfer, assuming you can make good ball contact.
Here’s why this is true.
A golf ball is designed for a golf swing. When that projectile hits the sweet spot of the club face, it launches with an incredible initial speed and then lands with a generous ball roll. There’s no way to fully replicate this energy transfer with your throwing arm, so it makes sense to hit a golf ball instead of throwing it.
However, when the wheels come off during your golf round, you might be tempted to throw the ball toward the hole when your golf buddies aren’t looking.
[This would be considered cheating, by the way]
I’m not a PGA rules official or a defender of traditional golf…I’m just calling a spade a spade.
Whether it’s the famous “foot wedge” or the hefty “hand wedge” that you’re considering, both are against the rules of golf and less efficient than a decent hit on the ball.
Case in point:
- Drive from an average golfer = 200 yards
- Drive from PGA Tour Players = 298 yards
- Throw from an average human = 60 to 100 yards
And if the data isn’t convincing enough, some have actually tried playing full 18 hole rounds by throwing instead of hitting.
The lowest recorded score for a throwing a golf ball on an 18 hole / 6,000 yard course is an 82. Joe Flynn set this record back in 1975 and it still stands today.
In case you need some entertainment, these guys played a par 3 course using only throws for each shot.
What’s the world record for throwing a golf ball?
The world record for throwing a golf ball is 135 yards (124 meters or 394 feet). This impressive throw took place in Prästholmen, Sweden.
Stefan Uhr holds the world record for the longest throw of a golf ball, and his record was set in 1992. Other websites say otherwise, but this is the “Guinness-official” record.
I trust the experts.
If you’re looking to break Uhr’s throwing record, you have my full support. You’ll need to do some research on initial velocity, ball speed, proper angle and other important metrics to get the job done.
So how far can you throw a golf ball? The sky’s the limit (not really).
This record won’t be broken by accident, but with some carefully-crafted aerodynamic calculations, you can increase the odds of carving your name into the record books.
Be sure to thank us when you do.
Other Golf Ball World Records
As I was doing research for this post, I went down a lengthy rabbit trail of golf ball records (there’s even one I may try to break myself). I couldn’t help sharing some of these fun records with you.
What is the world’s largest golf ball collection?
Ted Hoz holds the world record for the largest golf ball collection. This collection consists of 74,849 golf balls, each with different logos.
[He must have a big garage…]
How far can you blow a golf ball?
Ashirvad Zaiantchick holds the world record for the farthest golf ball blow (20.85 feet or 6.35 meters).
[Give this a try next time your putter lets you down.]
How long can you control a golf ball on a club?
Iwan Rya Widjaja holds the world record for the longest time controlling a golf ball on a club. His time is 1 hour, 44 minutes, 32 seconds.
[My naps aren’t even this long!]
There are plenty of other random records just waiting to be broken. See the full list at the Guinness World Records website and start training for a record of your own.
