Could you play without a Driver?

[kid2]

Do you think that you could score better without your Driver?
And does not using a driver put pressure on your longer game?

Im just wondering how many of you people view this...Id be interested to know what your thoughts are.........
Obviously there's maybe a decent gap between your Driver and your Woods so how would you score hitting a club or 2 more than normal after your tee shot?



I'll start....Today i hit driver on 4 holes...All par 5's..
I hit 3 wood on all the par 4's and to be fair it wasnt long enough to get me in trouble which in turn had me managing the course pretty effectively....

I shot slightly better than my handicap and were it not for sanded greens and dodgy putting on my part it may have been better.

 

[duncan mackie]

many years ago I accidentally left all my my woods at home for Captains Day, our premier medal comp.

being left handed there was no chance to borrow anything and the course was pretty short and tight anyway.

largest club I carried was a 3 iron

I won.

However, for reasons associated with your post, I have never played another comp without a wood in the bag!

To complete the picture (different course) I used a driver on 13 tees today, and the one non par 3 I used a 3 wood on I wish I hadn't as I failed to clear the lake by 15 degrees or 10 yards (you get the picture).

Oh, and I won the comp...

 

[fade_away]

I could and probably should play without a driver more often. I carry a 17 degree hybrid that I hit well and it gets me in less trouble off the tee. I am not going to reach our par 5s in two and so should look for position/fairway. Trouble is that it is fun to hit a driver!!!

Maybe in medals I will drop the driver.

 

[fundy]

I usually carry one but dont always use it, there again Im pretty long with my 3 wood/hybrids so can tend to get away with it.

When we played the Duchess at Woburn earlier this year I think I hit no drivers, 1 3-wood, 2-hybrids and everything else was irons

 

[full_throttle]

80% of the time I don't carry a driver. Not so bad at my home course, but I struggled on the Hotchkin. For me it's all about confidence, and I feel more confident of hitting a decent 5 wood than driver

 

[Evesdad]

Yes and no!! Splinters from this fence!! I have in the past dropped the driver and played better and worse. T the moment driving is one of my stronger points so would not help me to be honest.

 

[gripitripit]

Could I play without a driver? Yes
Would I play without a driver...??? OH HELL NO....regardless how bad a day I am having with the big stick I use it every hole (bar par 3).
For me who only plays social games I just love hitting my driver and love it even more when it goes straight..!

 

[Alex1975]

My game is built on my driver and it is my favourite club. I can get in trouble with it but I can get in trouble with my 58* wedge too. You can not afford to be scared of any club.

 

[Oddsocks]

3w and 2h are my " for position " clubs, so yes I reckon I could play quite happy without the big stick!

 

[Shiny]

If I am playing a game with a card in my hand for handicap or comps the driver stays at home. If I am just having a knock I will use it and I will master it (one day).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I could get away without it on my home course but it would mean I would have little chance of getting home on a good few holes and so relying on playing them as par 5's and using my shot. I have a feeling that would put a lot of pressure not only on the 3 wood off the tee to make sure I was in optimum position but also in ensuring the second was good to put me in an ideal lay up area. Even harder in the current saturated conditions.

On some course like the FoA I would never have scored as well as I did without hitting driver. As it was I was doing as above and playing every 400+ yard par 4 in three as the risk/rewards werent greatly in my favour and the fact it was the Centenary final meant it was about fashioning a score. Similarly at Woburn recently a lot of the holes would have been tough without driver as the landing areas on some holes if you didn't take the shot on were minimal and so it was almost tougher not to go for it. Trying to hit these small targets from further back having not used a driver would have been very hard

 

[User 105]

I could probably play more consistently without a driver. But I don't think I could shoot my lowest rounds without it.

When I'm driving well I'm giving myself way more opportunities for Par and Birdy.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I'm almost as long and much straighter with my 3 hybrid than I am with my driver. I'm working on the big dog at the range but it isn't happening for me. It hasn't been working since I took up the game again 2 and a bit years ago.

For now it stays in the bag, untouched.

 

[garyinderry]

had 2 drivers in the bag for an away day at strabane today! it was my putting that let me down today!

 

[Imurg]

I have played without a driver - I won a stableford a couple of years back using a 4 wood off most tees.
The problem with our course is we have some quite long holes that play into the wind. Using a 3 or 4 wood off the tee creates more backspin, the ball will stall a bit and not go anywhere near as far as a decently struck driver would in the same conditions.
Take a 430 yard par 4 SI 6 - so I don't get a shot!
Into the wind I would expect to hit a driver 220 including roll(ish). Therefore I have a chance of getting on the green with a decent 4 wood into the wind - about 200+.
Using the 4 wood I'd need to hit 2 good shots and then hope for a good pitch'n'putt for my par.

I guess what I'm saying is this.
If I hit a decent driver I have a chance to go for most greens (even par 5's) in 2.
If I hit a decent 4 wood that number drops by 6 or 7 holes, making my chances of shooting a good round lower.

 

[garyinderry]

is there not less backspin with the 4 wood than the driver?

 

[DaveyG]

I only take the driver for a ride... I just cant control it! I dont know what it is as I have tried slowing and calming it down when the bertha comes out but it can go anywhere...

I hit my 3wood well and am happy with that... I am a biglad (6ft6) (not sure if that does make a difference but im told so) and I regularly outdrive the other lads who use drivers...

Its just a shame 3putt is my middle name!

 

[Imurg]

is there not less backspin with the 4 wood than the driver?

No.
Lower Centre of Gravity and more loft = more backspin..

 

[TheRead]

I don't carry a driver, i swapped it for a 3+ wood, it's a strong 3 wood with 13 degrees of loft, much more consistent off the tee and better scores as a result!

 

[louise_a]

I dont hit a driver very much further than a 5 iron, so I could do without it I expect.