How far should you hit a 5 iron? Average 5 iron distance

5-iron distance by handicap

Club	Scratch	5 hcp	10 hcp	15 hcp	20 hcp	28 hcp	36 hcp
4-hybrid	209	197	186	174	161	138	122
5-iron	199	188	177	166	154	131	117
6-iron	190	180	169	158	147	125	111

Typical total distance in yards, carry plus roll, on a still day at sea level. The same figures as the club distance chart.

England Golf's iGolf gives 160 to 180 yards for a typical male amateur's 5 iron.

What's a good 5-iron distance?

For a club golfer, anything in England Golf's 160 to 180-yard range is about average. A more useful test than distance is the gap. It should go clearly further than your 6 iron, by about 8 yards on our chart at a 15 handicap, and you should be able to get it airborne from the fairway, not just from a tee. If it fails either test, a hybrid may serve you better.

5-iron carry distance and swing speed

Foresight Sports' launch tables show what the 5 iron carries at two speeds:

A slower swinger (94 mph with the driver) swings the 5 iron at 82 mph and carries it 169 yards, launching at about 15°.
A faster swinger (112 mph with the driver) swings it at 94 mph and carries it 191 yards.

Trackman data puts the PGA Tour average at about 199 yards of carry, from 96 mph of club speed. Your driver speed is the easiest way to place yourself between these: put it in the swing speed calculator.

What loft is a 5 iron?

About 21.5° to 27°. PING's G730 5 iron is 21.5°. Titleist's run from 23° in the T350 to 27° in its 620 blades, with the T100 at 26°. The G730's 5 iron has about the loft of Titleist's T150 and T250 4 irons, both 22°. So when someone says their 5 iron goes 190, it's worth asking which 5 iron.

5 iron or 5 hybrid?

On our chart a 5 hybrid and a 5 iron of the same loft go the same distance: 166 yards at a 15 handicap. The difference is how they get there. As a rule of thumb:

The hybrid has a wider sole and a lower centre of gravity, so it launches higher, lands softer and is more forgiving from the rough.
The 5 iron flies lower and is easier to keep under the wind or a branch, which helps on a links.

Since they cover the same distance, you rarely need both. The woods and hybrids guide has the hybrid distances, and the 4 iron guide covers the club above.

When to use a 5 iron

Long par 3s and long approaches, around 160 to 180 yards for most club golfers.
Lay-ups on par 5s, where the aim is a set distance rather than the most distance.
Punch shots out from under trees, where a long iron's low flight keeps the ball under the branches.
A tee shot into the wind on a short par 4, kept low.

Women and beginners

England Golf's iGolf says women typically hit 15 to 25% shorter than men: about 125 to 141 yards against the 15-handicap column. Beginners hit it shorter still: our chart gives 117 yards at a 36 handicap, only 6 more than a 6 iron. See club distances for women and for beginners.

See every club for your handicap

Related guides

Sources

Golf Scout Pro's risk-aware caddie shows the odds of finding the green, the fairway or trouble with each club, so you can see whether the 5 iron is worth the risk. Get Golf Scout on the App Store, free for iPhone and Apple Watch.