Shot Scope recently released women-specific performance data, providing female golfers with benchmarks of their own. In the past, most distance studies were based on male golfers, which made it difficult for women to determine if their numbers were comparable.
This new data breaks down driver and fairway wood distances by handicap, plus fairway accuracy. Whether you’re a scratch golfer or just getting started, this gives you a clearer picture of how your game compares.
The averages provided are the performance averages with outliers removed.
Driver distances by handicap
Women’s driver distances show a clear gap between scratch golfers and higher handicaps. Scratch players average 252 yards off the tee, while 26-plus handicaps average 166 yards. The biggest drop-off comes once you move past single-digit handicaps.
| Handicap | Avg Driver Distance |
|---|---|
| Scratch or Better | 252 yds |
| 1–5 Handicap | 235 yds |
| 6–10 Handicap | 226 yds |
| 11–15 Handicap | 199 yds |
| 16–20 Handicap | 188 yds |
| 21–25 Handicap | 178 yds |
| 26+ Handicap | 166 yds |
3-wood distances by handicap
If you’re a golfer who doesn’t love to take the driver out on the tee, this 3-wood data could also be useful. Scratch players average 232 yards, while players with higher handicaps average 155.
| Handicap | Avg 3-Wood Distance |
|---|---|
| Scratch or Better | 232 yds |
| 1–5 Handicap | 224 yds |
| 6–10 Handicap | 212 yds |
| 11–15 Handicap | 183 yds |
| 16–20 Handicap | 173 yds |
| 21–25 Handicap | 166 yds |
| 26+ Handicap | 155 yds |
Fairway accuracy
While distance is important, it’s not the whole story. Accuracy numbers show that women golfers keep the ball in play more often than men. Across handicaps, women average between 54 to 60 percent of fairways hit. By comparison, men average closer to 47 to 49 percent.
This is a significant difference and an advantage that women have, even if their distance lags behind that of male golfers.
| Handicap | Fairways Hit % |
|---|---|
| Scratch or Better | 60% |
| 1–5 Handicap | 54% |
| 6–10 Handicap | 55% |
| 11–15 Handicap | 56% |
| 16–20 Handicap | 58% |
| 21–25 Handicap | 59% |
| 26+ Handicap | 56% |
What this means for your game
For women golfers, these distance numbers create a realistic picture of what’s “average” for each handicap level. If you’re a 15-handicap hitting your driver 200 yards, you’re right in line with the data. If you’re shorter than these averages, it doesn’t necessarily mean a swing rebuild is needed.
However, it may be a sign that your equipment could use an upgrade or your swing is not as efficient as it could be. Spend some time with a launch monitor and find what your average is. Where do you stand?
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