Average Driving Distance by Age (and What Seniors Can Do About It)

By Alejandro · Updated October 4, 2026 · 8 sources · How we pick

Average drive by age

Arccos, about 20 million driver shots from 2022 (average Handicap Index 14.1), reported by GOLF.com.

Men and women

In Arccos's 2024 data (about 4 million rounds), men averaged 224.7 yards and women 176.2. Men's average fell from 240.4 yards in their 20s to 195.5 in their 70s, with more than 30 yards of that drop coming between the 50s and the 70s. Women's fell from 201 yards in their 20s to 158 in their 60s, about 21% less. Arccos also found older golfers are more accurate: men in their 70s hit 56.5% of fairways, against about 40% in their 20s.

Shorter, but not worse

Shot Scope compared golfers in their 30s and 60s and found about 30 yards less off the tee, but nearly identical handicaps. Accuracy, course management and short game make up for a lot.

What equipment can win back

• Loft: at 75 mph, a 12°–14° driver carried about 15 yards farther than 9° in Golf Digest's TrackMan test.
• Hybrids: carried 20+ yards farther than a 3-iron for slow and fast swingers alike in another Golf Digest test.
• Fitting: in a Plugged In Golf study of 25 golfers, all gained driving distance after a fitting, averaging over 16 yards.

See the best drivers for seniors or get starting specs from the club finder.

Staying in the game

The 2018 International Consensus Statement on Golf and Health found golf likely provides strength and balance benefits for older adults, with more benefit from walking than riding. Low back pain is the most common golf complaint; warming up and using a push cart rather than carrying are common prevention tips. This is general information, not medical advice.