Shortfall: Latest Arccos distance study shows near-zero growth since 2018 for average golfers

As has been the case since it started releasing its annual distance reports in 2019, the latest data from Arccos suggests that if there is a distance “problem,” it has almost nothing to do with how far average golfers are hitting the ball. For the eighth straight year, the average driving distance for men has barely moved, according to the GPS stat-tracking system’s analysis of 2025 users’ tee shots. The 2025 data shows the average male golfer’s drive in 2025 was 224.

1 yards, almost a yard less than it was in 2023 and approximately 4 inches longer than it was in 2018, the first year of the company’s annual survey. According to the company, the analysis is based on a random sample of more than 37,000 golfers, each with a minimum of 100 driver tee shots taken during verified rounds. The sample includes almost 10,000,000 on-course driver tee shots hit on par 4s and par 5s.

Since 2018, the average man’s tee shot fluctuated between a low of 221. 7 yards in 2021 and a high of 225 yards in 2023. The average over the eight years of the Arccos survey is 223.

6 yards, and while the 2025 aveage is about a half-yard above the average, it’s exactly equal to the average in 2022. The average woman’s drive actually regressed across that timeframe. According to Arccos data, women lost 3.