The 5 iron is the longest iron I carry in my bag.
With my swing speed and ability to make solid contact, I max out at the 5 iron. However, I need this club to be consistent and high flying because it is important yardage in my golf game.
One question that many golfers have is whether or not they are hitting their 5 iron as far as they should be. It’s a tough club for some people because the loft is a bit lower and can make it harder to control.
If you are wondering how far most people hit a 5 iron and whether or not you are in range with the swings you are taking, here is everything you need to know!
How Long Should You Hit a 5 Iron?
The average male golfer will get about 150-160 yards out of their 5 iron. However, it’s important to remember that these distances are directly related to the quality of the strike and the swing speed of the golfer.
Of course, there are other factors for things like the wind or the golf ball being used.
Women golfers rarely keep a 5 iron in their set with the number of 5 hybrid options on the market for women players. For a female, a great 5 iron strike should go about 110 yards. Again many women players will also hit their 7 iron almost this far, which is why the 5 iron often comes out of the bag.
The length that you should hit your 5 iron will be determined by your ability as well as your swing speed.
How Far Do PGA Players Hit a 5 Iron?
Professional golfers can get more distance than average golfers because they have a high smash factor and go after the ball with quite a bit more speed. This is not to say that there are no average golfers with high swing speed; it’s just not as common.
PGA Tour Golfers
Most PGA Tour golfers get more than 200 yards out of their 5 iron. The average is typically between 190 and 210, and of course, some can probably hit it further than these numbers.
One of the things that I find most interesting about these numbers is that PGA tour players are using golf irons with many different lofts than an average golfer. Several years ago, golf manufacturers realized that if they lowered the center of gravity in a golf iron, they could also lower the loft, and players would get great distance.
With many PGA Tour golfers, they are playing with a blade style 5 iron that has two or three degrees more loft than your 5 iron, yet they are still able to hit the ball incredibly far. This certainly takes some talent.
LPGA Tour Golfers
LPGA Tour golfers don’t always have the same speeds as PGA tour golfers, but they can generate a tremendous amount of clubhead speed. Most LPGA Tour golfers will hit their 5 iron anywhere from 175 to 190 yards.
For LPGA Tour golfers, you can see that the distance gap between an amateur and a professional is even larger than it is for male golfers. This says quite a bit about the training and work that LPGA tour golfers put in to be able to get the distances they need in their golf club sets.
Can You Hit a 5 Iron 200 Yards?
Long hitters can easily hit a 5 iron 200 yards as long as they have all the right factors add up to produce these types of distance. Here are the things you will need in place to hit a 5 iron 200 yards…
The Right Golf Shaft
The golf shaft in your 5 iron has to be a match for your game. In addition to looking at shaft flex and shaft weight, you also must consider the impacts of a longer shaft length and how that can affect carry distance.
Many great players will tell you that the best way to get the right performance in your game is to find a golf shaft that matches your game.
Lots of Ball Speed
The ultimate way to increase the total distance of your golf shots is to increase your ball speed. Golf club distances are directly related to ball speeds. Any golf club distance chart will show you that the more swing speed you can get, the easier it is to get the distance.
Amateur golfers sometimes work on swing speed incorrectly and swing out of their shoes. Of course, your golf swing still needs to be in balance, and you must ensure that you are hitting the center of the clubface for the best total distance.
A Center Strike
Hitting the ball in the center of the clubface makes a big difference in the total distance that you get. Golfers that hit the ball on the heel or the toe can lose 10 yards or more of distance.
If you hit the golf ball with a center strike, chances are your launch angle, and spin rate will also be optimized.
The Right Loft on The Club
As we mentioned in the case of the PGA Tour player using a blade style iron, each five iron has a different loft and set makeup. Keep this in mind as the lower lofted 5 iron is going to travel a bit further and probably have some lower spin rates than the higher lofted golf irons.
All of these things will impact whether or not you are able to hit a 5 iron 200 yards.
Tips for Hitting Your 5 Iron Further
Here are some of the best tips for hitting your 5 iron further. Sometimes the issues impacting distance are equipment related. Other times, they are mechanics related.
It’s up to you to figure out which impacts you.
Ball Position
Keep the ball slightly forward of center. When you have the ball back in your stance, you may struggle with accuracy and not be able to apply the full energy that you have produced in your backswing.
With the 5 iron being slightly longer, this little bit of movement toward the front of your stance works out just fine.
Look For a Club with More Forgiveness
More and more golfers and amateurs are realizing that long irons are considerably more challenging to play with than short irons or wedges. This is because of the lower loft of the club as well as the total length of the club.
A golfer that wants to hit the 5 iron further should look for something with a bit more forgiveness. These clubs often have a slightly high trajectory, and a bit of leeway on those toe or heel hits that players sometimes struggle with.
More forgiveness makes it easier to keep those club head speed numbers high.
Get Your Weight Transferred Forward
One of the easiest ways to lose distance in your golf swing is to keep your weight on your back foot as you get to the impact position. Weight must transfer forward if you expect to get the full distance potential.
Golfers should work on making a transition from the top of the backswing down to impact so that they have some weight transferred to the left at impact. You can look at pictures of golf professionals and clearly see how they move this weight forward and improve their overall distance.
My Favorite 5 Iron
My favorite 5-iron has a mix of great feel and the ability to create tremendous distance while still controlling the ball.
More and more golfers are going with mixed sets of irons that fit the needs of their game. Think about adding this 5 iron to yours.
Callaway Apex DCB 5 Iron
My pick
Callaway Golf Apex DCB Iron
Delivers the look, feel and performance of a forged players club with the forgiveness of a deep cavity back. The deep cavity back and enhanced sole width are engineered for easy launch and solid turf interaction out of a variety of lies. The forged 1025 mild carbon steel body and patented urethane microspheres deliver exceptional sound and feel at impact, while the improved shaping helps enhance feel through the turf.
Buy on Amazon
The Callaway Apex DCB 5 iron is my favorite on the market right now. This club was released in 2021, and it brings some impressive feel and precision to the market for amateur golfers.
This is a forged golf club, and for the first time, the Callaway Apex line has a club for players that need that extra forgiveness in their golf game.
This is a deep cavity back, but it is a forged golf face. The club is made with a 1025 mild carbon steel body, and it includes urethane microspheres to help with sound and feel. The top down line is a little thick, and the wide sole is certainly confidence-inducing.
If you are looking for something that provides an easy launch and very consistent turf interaction, the Callaway Apex DCB is an excellent option to consider.
Pros
- The progressive design allows for a bit more width in the sole
- Very forgiving Apex, a new release for Callaway
- Deep cavity back style with easy launch
- Consistent turf interaction
- Several golf shaft options
Cons
- Top-down look is a bit thick
- Can be hard to work the ball and control ball flight for better players
Brittany Olizarowicz
Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.