Course Management

[blindpete]

Played 3 rounds in the last week and been scoring well and shooting under my Handicap. I have put this down to a new grown up approach to my game...Course Management. I have found myself leaving the "Big Dog" in the bag and using my 3 wood or Hybrid off the Tee for the tighter or shorter holes. Who would have thought that playing your 2nd shot off the fairway was easier than out of the rough and behind an Oak tree??? Anyway, long may this continue, I'm really enjoying this game...for now!

 

[RGuk]

blindpete...you should start a new religion...I'll sign up.
I use my driver much less than my 3 wood and only treat myself to an unnecessary bosh on ONE hole at my course, where the fairway is wide. It's 340 and invariably I'm sitting right next to the 100 yd disk!

All the time (1994-6) I was coming down rapidly (h'cap), I used a Big Bertha 2 iron (19 degree).....sensible play resulted in more pars than big dog antics.

 

[brendy]

I guess the mood of this thread is regarding issues with the driver?
Go to the driving range and try out all manners of swings with the driver, sometimes the woods swing needs to a little different than the irons swing to get the best out of your game.
Love your driver and it will pay you back, hate it and you might as well sell it.

 

[blindpete]

I can see myself as the leader of a religious cult

I don't have a problem using the Driver, I know that I will invariably start it out left and fade it in. So, when the hole I'm playing may give me a poor 2nd shot I am thinking that 20-30 further back and on the fairway is a damn good result! I am recording my rounds/stats online at www.golfshake.com and am watching my FIR and GIR % creep up.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I have recently been only using my 5 wood and have been consistently knocking it out at about 210 yards and on the fairway. Definitely the way to go, 280 yards and in the rough does me no favours at all as I am useless out of the thick stuff but quite handy with my irons off the short grass.

 

[Glenfish]

My course is fairly open so most wild Drives aren't always lost balls which must make a big difference, as such I persist to learn to use the driver. However if it was woodland type then thats completely different, give me short and straight every time!

 

[blindpete]

It seems to me that it is common sense to do that so why the hell has it taken me so long to put it into practice???

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been playing with the big dog to compensate for a lack of distance caused by hip sliding instead of turning (got a lesson on Wednesday to work on that). When I do hit my 3 wood I do get a pretty good strike and distance but the holes I use the driver on are either par 5's, have long carry's off the tee or are par 4's over 400 yards.

What I have been doing though is when leaving myself 200+ yards (told you I was losing distance) is to hit a mid iron to leave a lay up of 80-100 yards and take a bogey net par.

 

[Ken_A]

I have been playing with a lad of 15 and he has really been helping me with the management - An example of this is our Par 5 SI2 3rd hole it goes up a big hill flattens out and steadily tightens, green is 7 yards infront OB sticks. On Friday I hit a great drive 230 yards (up hill) next I lifted out the 3 wood - Garry told me to leave it and go with the rescue as I would never get the green, then mid iron - he was right as I played 2 balls from here, rescue then 8 iron and putt for par. second ball with 3 wood went a bit wide in heavy rough and I took bogie.

I have another hole I really hate - 500 odd yards with OB the whole length on RHS, If I hit rescue,rescue,7 I normally get birdie or par, or other option is driver, 3 off tee, 3 wood, wedge/short iron and putt.

I know it makes sense but sometimes the testosterone gets the better of me.

 

[blindpete]

It isn't always the length of the hole that dictates if I use the "Big Dog". As I tend to start the ball out to the left with the driver I have to factor in the position of trees etc. If the left hand side is open I will be more likely to use it, if not it's safety first and 3 Wood or Hybrid.

 

[brendy]

Been playing with the big dog to compensate for a lack of distance caused by hip sliding instead of turning (got a lesson on Wednesday to work on that). When I do hit my 3 wood I do get a pretty good strike and distance but the holes I use the driver on are either par 5's, have long carry's off the tee or are par 4's over 400 yards.

What I have been doing though is when leaving myself 200+ yards (told you I was losing distance) is to hit a mid iron to leave a lay up of 80-100 yards and take a bogey net par.

Homer get a video up matey, Im sure there will be plenty of helpful folk who will try to give you some inspiration into getting the most out of your swing.

 

[theeaglehunter]

It seems to me that it is common sense to do that so why the hell has it taken me so long to put it into practice???

Because we all fail to admit that we can't hit our driver well, that was certainly my problem and until you actually have the will power to say know to getting out the big stick (there is always that part of me that wants to use it on the off chance that I nail one and it flies 280 down the middle) you will never see the benefit and therfore will not do it. I had to leave my driver at home to make sure I didn't get tempted to use it.

Having said this thoguh I am not the worst driver in the world, I just end up in the rough more than on the fairway so I see no point in using it when I am doing just as well in terms of scores for each hole when playing shorter with my 5 wood.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My driving isn't too bad overall (hitting 49% of fairways this season - my SS2 target being 44 so ahead of the game). I can't be out of position too much as GIR is 24% (not going to set the world alight but again ahead of my handicap target of 19%)

It is just the lack of distance that is my killer yet I am hitting the 3 wood around 210 and my driver is only going 220 (go figure). Still vaguely optimistic that my pro will sort me out Wednesday. He owes me anyway as I bought my Sky Caddie and a pair of footjoys from him recently (thats his holiday fund topped up!!)

 

[Basher]

Using my driver was a lottery! The ball could go anywhere. A friend told me (in the kindest way) that I was overswinging. Thinking about it I realised he was right, also I was losing control due to the overswing.

I practised a slower, lower backswing and also cut the swing shorter. The result was a far more accurate drive. I still slice a few but I've seen a vast improvement since I cut my swing down.

 

[viscount17]

this seems to be the mode at the moment. I had an impromptu 'lesson' from our previous captain last week and for some reason it finally sank in.
In my case it's not leaving the big dog in the bag as, sad to say, I don't really have an alternative but in reining it in a bit. wonder of wonders, no loss of distance but much more accurate. then when it does stray think about the shot and hit what the lie calls for not the distance.
also just because the card says par 4 it isn't for me. par for me might be a 5 or 6. been getting some half decent results on some of the holes (quite a few 'net birdies') though more work needed on others.

 

[John_Findlay]

Maybe I'm getting older and wiser at last but I've given up trying to outbash the big boys with the driver nowadays and I think that has filtered through my whole game.

Just bunt it up the fairway with a fade, stops it running into the rough so often. Has taken my fairways hit stats up to 68% for 16 rounds his year compared to 56% for last year. I'll take that every time. Always quite conservative but it seems to be working. Over 2 shots per round better off on average.

First medal of the year coming up on Wednesday. Will I have learned with a card in my hand?!

 

[mrobbie]

My best round this year was when I finally gave up on my ability to hit my 905R - played 5 wood off the tee for all holes except the par 3s. Lost about 50 yards but my ball was on the fairway on every hole. I did find the course harder to play as I was having to use long irons more.

I am far more is more consistent with my new driver, and I am hoping to replace the 3 wood this summer which will give me a full range of options off the tee. Think I'll stick with the 5 wood over a hybrid... for now anyway!

Here its not the rough that is the problem - its pretty much fairway then sand or water. Where there is water, its a lost ball and 3 off the tea - no chance of a recovery from the rough. A few bad drives and your card is ruined.

 

[Canfordhacker]

Something else to bear in mind is that all winter long we have been tonking drivers down soggy fairways and getting no run off. Now it's dry you are more likely to roll out into the edges of the juicy fast growing 1st cut. We need to adjust as the conditions change around us. I love my driver, but I'm trying to modify my behaviour to make the best of my all round game. Hopefully it will start to pay off soon!!