garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
less sidespin though?
Could you play without a Driver?
- Thread starter kid2
- Start date
less sidespin though?
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Sidespin is only "tilted" backspin.
If each shot with each club was struck well, the 4 wood would lose more distance than the driver due to the extra backspin into the wind.
garyinderry
Ryder Cup Winner
intresting! i always hit a cut on the ball due to poor technique. i suffer alot when playing into the wind!
RGDave
Money List Winner
I might struggle! Then again, I can honestly say that today's score (79) would probably have been exactly the same with a 4 iron off some tees......most of my pars were scrambled, so as I'd missed the green, I could have hit 4 iron + 3 wood instead of driver + 9 iron, or whatever....
The woods are full of long hitters. I don't visit the woods.....
The woods are full of long hitters. I don't visit the woods.....
Whereditgo
Journeyman Pro
The driver has gone from being the easiest club in my bag to being the hardest, so for now it only comes out when there is a big wide open space to aim for, I am pretty consistant with my hybrid off the fairway so if I have a longer 2nd shot in it's not too much of an issue. Three out of 4 of our par 5's are not really reachable in 2 either and the one that is has OOB all down the left and trees all the way down the right so no real loss there. My scoring has improved since the tactical change too!
Concur with others that have posted that the driver is the most fun though.......so working hard to find a swing that is reliable and repeatable.
Concur with others that have posted that the driver is the most fun though.......so working hard to find a swing that is reliable and repeatable.
MashieNiblick
Tour Winner
I really like my driver and hit it pretty well. It is usually the most reliable club in my bag.
With 9 par 4's around the 400 mark or more and not being a long hitter I'd stuggle without the extra 20 or so yards it gives me off the tee.
With 9 par 4's around the 400 mark or more and not being a long hitter I'd stuggle without the extra 20 or so yards it gives me off the tee.
Been using my 3 wood for a coule of weeks whilst waiting for the new driver to arrive. On long par 4's, 440+, I've struggled to hit the green in 2. However, my FIR has gone from mid 50% up to close on 90%. Wednesday I missed 1 fairway out of 14.
But not pulling out the big dog takes a lot of fun out of it.
But not pulling out the big dog takes a lot of fun out of it.
StrangelyBrown
Tour Winner
One Planer
Global Moderator
^ This for me.
I shot my best ever score (Played to 8) without hitting my driver once. I carried it, but never played it.
Don70
Medal Winner
I dont use a driver at all, not consistent enough and hit my 3 wood just as far, my course is 6700 yds off the backs so not short by any means but consistemtly keeping the ball in play with the 3 wood has major benefits.
Foxholer
Blackballed
Why would you want to 'leave it out of your bag'?
On every tee, you have he same choice that you have on any other shot (bar putts) - which club to use. You should always consider that question according to the circumstances of the hole!
I'm more likely to decide not to use the Driver on Par 5s and long/dangerous Par 4s (I'm a 'short-hitter'). On several Par 5s I play, Driver brings hazards into play for far too little reward. I play 4R off tee for several (goos with 3W off deck) and 3W off tee for others.
On every tee, you have he same choice that you have on any other shot (bar putts) - which club to use. You should always consider that question according to the circumstances of the hole!
I'm more likely to decide not to use the Driver on Par 5s and long/dangerous Par 4s (I'm a 'short-hitter'). On several Par 5s I play, Driver brings hazards into play for far too little reward. I play 4R off tee for several (goos with 3W off deck) and 3W off tee for others.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
Yes, but generally only playing from the YELLOWS. Put yourself off the GROWN UP tees on any decent length track and you need driver.
Not carrying a driver because you can't hit it is WORSE than switching to a belly putter in my opinion
Not carrying a driver because you can't hit it is WORSE than switching to a belly putter in my opinion
Not sure i could around Nairn and play to my handicap as it plays long and I'm not a bad driver of the ball.
However a few years ago Tain was rock hard in May a and a driver was just too much club on a lot of the holes.
So had a few round with just 2 and 3 iron off the tee and i think i even won a medal without using the driver exept on two holes 13 and 14.
However a few years ago Tain was rock hard in May a and a driver was just too much club on a lot of the holes.
So had a few round with just 2 and 3 iron off the tee and i think i even won a medal without using the driver exept on two holes 13 and 14.
MadAdey
Money List Winner
I love my driver, I am fortunate enough to be pretty consistent and long with the "big dog". I could play with just my 16* rescue if needed no doubt. At my place I will hit driver on 7 of the 12 par 4's and on the 3 par 5's, so only use it 10 times of the 15 available anyway. I suppose it would be interesting to see what would happen if I did leave the driver at home. It may mean I have to hit maybe 5 irons to the longer par 4's rather short irons.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
you highlight the flip side to many posts - and there really are 2 sides to this.
if you don't hit a driver significantly further than a 3wood/hybrid/5 iron(!) then the question changes from could you play without a driver?' to 'why do you use a driver?'.
As Bobmac suggests (elsewhere) the mental process associated with taking the driver out of the bag is inherently related to the likely performance with it!
For you, as me, it is just another club, and goes further than the others (and it doesn't matter if thats 190 or 290 in absolute terms) It's also, for me, got a nice large face which is easy to allign and difficult to miss (the ball) with.
It's probably the most used club in the bag, other than the putter - but rarely gets range time because I can't be arsed to use a tee on the range at all!
bernix
Challenge Tour Pro
i use my driver on fewer and fewer occasions on my homecourse. there are 4 holes left (2 par 5s and 2 long par 4s) on which i always use the big stick but i think i can do without it just as well. i have to admit though that driving is propably the worst part of my game and i've got the impression that i don't lose many yards using my 3-wood. the distance achieved is much more consistent with it.
Don70
Medal Winner
Totally disagree, i cant hit my driver so why would i use it???? Therefore no point putting it in the bag until such point that i am more consistent with it. Surely keeping the ball in play on any course is vital?
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
I use my driver quite a bit. I also use my 4w on the shorter par 4s, as I don't want to be too close to the green. I prefer a full shot in.
If I use my 4w on the longer par 4s, then I mess it up, trying to hit it too hard. I'd rather hit my driver.
If I use my 4w on the longer par 4s, then I mess it up, trying to hit it too hard. I'd rather hit my driver.
GripandRip
Medal Winner
Being a high handicapper I decided not to use my driver for a couple of years and, whilst my consistency off the tee improved, I felt alot of pressure on my second shot and was struggling so I decided to bring it back. Now i'm hitting it quite well but i decide if I need to use it on each hole.
The process of thinking the shot through and making that decision on each tee seems to have resulted in improved consistency (compared to a while back) and, let's face it, who doesn't want to be able to bomb one out there when you need to.
The process of thinking the shot through and making that decision on each tee seems to have resulted in improved consistency (compared to a while back) and, let's face it, who doesn't want to be able to bomb one out there when you need to.
Mike_j_golf
Q-School Graduate
I am quite a good driver and actually find it harder to hit 3 wood or something else off the tee. I struggle to see how its not the easiest club to hit for most people. I even have started hitting a punched half shot with it when i have to take distance off. So for me i would never give it up.
Seems to me a lot of people on here are not using the correct loft or shaft in there drivers, can't see hor a 3 wood can be easier to hit that a big headed high lofted driver.
Mike
Seems to me a lot of people on here are not using the correct loft or shaft in there drivers, can't see hor a 3 wood can be easier to hit that a big headed high lofted driver.
Mike
