Club Distance & Gapping Calculator
Enter your real carry distances and get a clean gapping chart — every club sorted by distance, the gap to the next club, and a flag wherever a gap is too big or two clubs overlap.
Your gapping chart
| Club | Carry (yd) | Gap to next (yd) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 230 | 20 | Large gap — a club may be missing here |
| 3-Wood | 210 | 15 | |
| 5-Wood | 195 | 15 | |
| 4-iron | 180 | 10 | |
| 5-iron | 170 | 10 | |
| 6-iron | 160 | 10 | |
| 7-iron | 150 | 10 | |
| 8-iron | 140 | 10 | |
| 9-iron | 130 | 15 | |
| Pitching Wedge | 115 | 15 | |
| Gap Wedge | 100 | 15 | |
| Sand Wedge | 85 | 15 | |
| Lob Wedge | 70 | — |
Why an even gapping ladder matters
A well-gapped set is what lets you commit to a full swing instead of steering an awkward in-between distance. When your clubs step down in even increments, every yardage on the course has a home: you pick the club, make your normal swing, and trust the number. When the gaps are uneven, you end up throttling one club back or forcing another, which is where mishits and doubt creep in.
The two things to watch for are a large gap, where the jump between two clubs is bigger than the rest of the ladder, and an overlap, where two clubs carry almost the same distance and one is redundant. Both usually live at the top or bottom of the bag — a driver-to-longest-fairway gap, or a stack of wedges that aren’t spaced by loft. Fixing them is often as simple as adjusting a loft or swapping in a gap wedge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is club gapping?
Gapping is the yardage difference between the distances you carry each club. The goal is an even ladder — roughly 10 to 15 yards between full-swing clubs for most amateurs — so that whatever number you have left, you own a club that covers it. This tool lines your clubs up longest to shortest and shows the gap between each pair.
Should I use carry distance or total distance?
Use carry — the distance the ball flies through the air before it lands. Total distance adds roll, which changes with the turf, slope, and how the ball comes down. Because you plan approach shots around where the ball first lands (especially over a bunker, water, or a false front), carry is the number that keeps your gapping honest.
What counts as a gap that's too big?
A gap much larger than your average — say, over about 17 yards when the rest sit near 12 — usually means a club is missing or two of your clubs are set up too close at the other end. The chart flags large gaps and overlaps so you can rebalance the set, often by adding a gap wedge or adjusting loft.
How do I find my carry distances?
The most reliable way is a launch monitor at a range or fitting, which reads carry directly. Failing that, hit a series of shots to a target on a still day, note where they first land, and take a middle value rather than your single best strike — gapping should reflect a normal swing, not your career shot.