Justin Thomas has admitted that he finds one thing that amateur golfers do genuinely infuriating to watch.
Thomas has provided plenty of golf tips throughout the years to help amateur golfers who are struggling with their games improve.
The 32-year-old’s father is one of the most respected PGA qualified professionals in the industry, and as a result, he has always had a good eye for helping out amateurs.
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Thomas is currently out of action and in recovery, having undergone back surgery towards the end of last year.
He’ll be hoping for a successful 2026 season, having struggled over the past few years.
However, despite having won only once since May 2022, Thomas is still one of the very best players in the game for amateur golfers to learn from.
The mistake Justin Thomas said can cost amateurs 10 shots per round
Thomas gets to see amateur golfers up close and personal pretty much every single week on the PGA Tour during the Pro-Ams.
And there is one common error he sees pretty much every single one of them make, time and time again.
Back in April 2025, Thomas made an appearance on a Titleist instructional video on YouTube.
He discussed the most common mistake that he sees amateur golfers make, and highlighted how infuriating it is for him to see them never hit enough club.
“That’s number one. I see it every week in pro-ams,“ the 32-year-old admitted.
“For some reason, amateurs never want to hit enough club. They’re holding onto the 9-iron they hit 150 back in 2003 and that’s how far they hit it.
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“If you’re between clubs, if the pins at the back, hit less club. If there’s trouble short, hit more club. Like that could be the easiest way for them to save five-ten shots a round.
“They should be thinking little things, like there’s trouble right I’ll hit it further left.
“It’s infuriating to me to watch amateurs in pro-ams not hit enough club. This game is hard enough already. Like, just hit more club, I dare you to hit it over the green.”
The good news is that the common mistake highlighted here is so simple to fix.
How far amateur golfers really hit their irons
The average male handicap worldwide is said to be around 14-17.
And one of the biggest problems that the average golfer faces is so easily fixable.
Here are the average distances that 15-handicap golfers hit every single iron, according to data collected from Shot Scope.
| Club | Avgerage Distance (yards) |
| 4-iron | 186 |
| 5-iron | 169 |
| 6-iron | 162 |
| 7-iron | 154 |
| 8-iron | 146 |
| 9-iron | 136 |
Now, it’s worth remembering that those distances are average yardages.
The best advice for amateurs who are struggling to score is to head to the closest driving range that has TrackMan technology on offer.
Learn your carry distances like the back of your hand, and that means take the average distance you hit the ball with each iron from at least 20 shots.
Many amateurs romanticize that one time when they hit their 7-iron 180 yards 10 years ago!
Justin Thomas says amateurs can save up to 10 shots per round simply by choosing the correct club when hitting their approach shots into greens.
Nailing down your distances has to be at least worth trying then, doesn’t it?
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