Wondering if you’re getting all the yards your swing speed deserves? The Swing-Speed Distance Benchmark lets you stack your carry numbers against PGA/LPGA tour averages and amateur percentiles. Enter your swing speed and carry for any of five common clubs, and the tool returns your expected tour-level carry, efficiency (yards per mph), and peer percentile.

Why Speed Efficiency Matters

Raw swing speed is only half the story. Players who convert speed into optimal launch angle, spin, and smash factor regularly carry the ball farther than peers swinging just as fast. Measuring yards per mph—often called ball-speed efficiency or simply efficiency—is the quickest way to see if your equipment and contact quality are leaving free yardage on the table.

What the Benchmark Shows

Output Field	Meaning	Formula / Source
PGA / LPGA Expected Carry	Tour-level average carry for the same swing speed and club.	`Carry_tour = m × speed + b`
Distance per mph	Your personal efficiency number. Higher = better energy transfer & launch conditions.	`Eff = carry ÷ speed`
Amateur Percentile Rank	Where your efficiency falls in a recreational golfer population.	Lookup vs. threshold table

Legend

m, b – slope & intercept derived from tour-tracking datasets.
speed – club-head speed (mph).
carry – carry distance (yards).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Select your club – Driver, 3-wood, 5-iron, 7-iron, or pitching wedge.
Enter swing speed – Use launch-monitor data or a reputable swing speed radar.
Enter carry distance – Average of at least five well-struck shots works best.
Read your results:
- Expected Carry tells you how far a tour player swings at the same speed.
- Distance per mph reveals efficiency.
- Percentile Rank shows how you stack up against fellow amateurs.
(Optional) Hit Reset to analyze another club.

Practical Example

Scenario
Club: Driver
Swing speed: 102 mph
Carry distance: 245 yds
Results
PGA expected: 2.60 × 102 − 2 = 263 yds
Efficiency: 245 ÷ 102 = 2.40 yds / mph
Percentile: 75th–90th
You’re already above average, but dialing in launch could squeeze out ~18 yds to reach tour norms.

Tips for Maximizing Efficiency

Optimize launch & spin – Use a launch monitor or fitting session to hit the 12–15° / 2200–2800 rpm “window” for driver.
Check contact location – Heel or toe strikes drop ball speed fast. Impact tape or foot spray helps.
Shaft & loft fit – The right combo can add 2–4 mph ball speed without swinging harder.
Train speed and smash – Overspeed work plus centered-contact drills yield compound gains.

Limitations

Tour model is a linear approximation; elite golfers optimize every parameter, so your mileage may vary.
Wind, temperature, elevation, and ball type affect carry; indoor launch data provides the purest comparison.
Percentile thresholds derive from North-American handicap surveys (5 K+ players). Different regions may skew shorter/longer.