londonlewis
Tour Rookie
Took my driver out of my bag for a year. It didn't do any harm to my scores or distance. Have put it back in but I don't use it often.
does anyone never use their driver?
- Thread starter rudebhoy
- Start date
Grant85
Head Pro
Used to play with a guy, that would almost never hit driver, he hit 3 wood and he played to a good standard. He was really consistent with his 3 wood but when he went to hit driver, he just wasn't. Funny old game.
Me personally I almost always hit driver, I think it is probably a easier club to hit as it has a big head and is more consistent than my 3 wood. Generally will hit driver unless it is taken out of my hands, for example on a dogleg hole or a tree fairly close to the tee that I cant hit driver up and over quick enough.
Hit what works if that is what you are looking for from golf.
I played with a guy who would never play driver. He had a nice one in his bag but would hit an iron off every tee.
He could get round, but really struggled to get anywhere below 23 / 24 handicap, despite being keen and wanting to play better. Thing was, he had all decent equipment, 2 memberships but never thought about spending £100 or so on a few lessons, which was daft given the money he was probably spending on golf ever year. He was putting so much of his game under pressure by knocking it 180 yards off the tee that even on his good days he was struggling to break 90.
Even getting a 3 wood in play and getting something up to 200+ yards would have made a massive difference.
I don't necessarily agree its the same swing as with the rest of your clubs but would depend on your swing i suppose.
When i had a very flat swing, i drove the ball exceptional well with a consistent shot shape. Worked on my irons to get more upright and a descending blow on irons. this totally wrecked my driver game and had a long while where i really struggled with the diver, but was much better with irons, in fact hardly ever hit a bad shot with an iron in that time. After all Irons you hit down on, doing that with a driver doesn't work very well.
When i had a very flat swing, i drove the ball exceptional well with a consistent shot shape. Worked on my irons to get more upright and a descending blow on irons. this totally wrecked my driver game and had a long while where i really struggled with the diver, but was much better with irons, in fact hardly ever hit a bad shot with an iron in that time. After all Irons you hit down on, doing that with a driver doesn't work very well.
Badger
Assistant Pro
oddly enough i did a bit of an experiment with this yesterday evening. had an average round with driver saturday and began to think that my 3w was being under-used given how consistent i am with it. played a few holes playing a ball with each and conclusion i took was that if i'm hitting driver well then there is a definite advantage (pretty obvious) , but that i would be able to get around probably just as well using the 3w more often as on a couple of holes i ended up scoring better hitting approach shot further back but from fairway than from light rough where a couple of well struck drives finished up.
i tend to grab driver even on our par 5's which i can't reach in two anyway. will be making a concious effort to use 3w in the next couple of comps which will no doubt result in the end of my ability to hit it well !
i tend to grab driver even on our par 5's which i can't reach in two anyway. will be making a concious effort to use 3w in the next couple of comps which will no doubt result in the end of my ability to hit it well !
drewster
Tour Rookie
I literally can't hit a fairway wood for toffee so always take a driver on every hole I possibly can. It's served me well so far .
need_my_wedge
Has Now Found His Wedgie
Been struggling with golf in general for the last season and a half. Played most of this year without a driver, mostly a 5 iron off the tee, hasn't stopped the hook. but not so deep in the clag when it goes. Things have started to improve a little of late, so driver back in play on a few holes now.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
So it wasn't just me then!
Got fed up with the comments about my flat swing, and have never recovered from the path I set out on!
kevster84
Head Pro
I went away a couple of weeks ago for a 3 day/3 round trip, the first round and the first 9 holes of the second round I was driving the ball the best I have for months. Then suddenly I was snap hooking every driver shot, promptly gave it up for the rest of the trip in favour of hitting my 2 iron. Far more consistent albeit shorter. Ended up winning the event. I was back to hitting it well on Saturday's round.
anotherdouble
Journeyman Pro
On the nearest course to the beach hut I will only use driver to get over the windmill or to miss the clown. If I have to go through his mouth or have to get through the windmill sails then it’s an iron everyday of the week.
Matty6
Challenge Tour Pro
I’m currently sticking to my 3 wood off the tee at the moment. Well it’s more like a 4 wood cos it’s set to 17 degrees! I’ve lost maybe 15 yards compared to my driver, so it’s not massively shorter. My misses aren’t so severe as with my driver, so it’s a no brainer for me at the moment. Cut 3 shots off my handicap this summer!!
I’m gonna use this winter to get to grips with my driver though!
I’m gonna use this winter to get to grips with my driver though!
OOB
Medal Winner
Driver on 3 holes out of 18 maybe. Other than that it’s 3 wood, five wood or hybrid depending on how far I want to be and where I’m laying up. 2 of the par 3s are 5/3 woods for me these days.
GG26
Challenge Tour Pro
Same for me, although when it was very dry I was getting over 200 yards with the 4-iron so used that on a number of holes.
How was your scoring comparable to when it isn't dry and running far ? On a side note, I hit my 4 iron 265 yards in to a fairway bunker during that period, I had already zapped the distance and selected the 4 on the basis I couldn't reach it.
GG26
Challenge Tour Pro
Unfortunately my game is too inconsistent to tell and I only had a couple of rounds where I consistently hit the 4-iron well off of the tee
Coffey
Challenge Tour Pro
Completely the same happened to me!
I used to be able to drive the ball so well with a nice draw every time.
Changed my swing for my irons and couldnt hit the driver to save my life.
Luckily it is all fixed now and working again but I play with a fade instead of a draw.
Completely agree though, don't totally agree it is the same swing. I would say mine is quite similar now but what worked for my irons definitely didn't work for the driver or it could just have been me
rudebhoy
Q-School Graduate
watched a couple of vids yesterday (Shiels and Chris Ryan) where both were explaining the difference between iron and driver swings. Went up to the range and tried to put what they were saying into practice, and it worked reasonably well. Popped up to the course afterwards and played 2 balls for 9 holes and the driving was better. Long way to go I suspect, but it's a start.
For what it's worth, I reckon I have 3 different swings, certainly rotate more on hybrids than on irons, and it works for me. Driver swing is same as the hybrid swing rotation-wise, but with a slight backwards tilt of the shoulders. Can anyone beat 3?
For what it's worth, I reckon I have 3 different swings, certainly rotate more on hybrids than on irons, and it works for me. Driver swing is same as the hybrid swing rotation-wise, but with a slight backwards tilt of the shoulders. Can anyone beat 3?
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I average about 80/82 shots round the Zoo so I make that about.........80/82 different swingswatched a couple of vids yesterday (Shiels and Chris Ryan) where both were explaining the difference between iron and driver swings. Went up to the range and tried to put what they were saying into practice, and it worked reasonably well. Popped up to the course afterwards and played 2 balls for 9 holes and the driving was better. Long way to go I suspect, but it's a start.
For what it's worth, I reckon I have 3 different swings, certainly rotate more on hybrids than on irons, and it works for me. Driver swing is same as the hybrid swing rotation-wise, but with a slight backwards tilt of the shoulders. Can anyone beat 3?
Quite possibly, I e never made identical swings - must be a Snowflake
anotherdouble
Journeyman Pro
I average about 80/82 shots round the Zoo so I make that about.........80/82 different swings
Quite possibly, I e never made identical swings - must be a Snowflake
Snowflake, more like cupcake
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Be fair - Beefcake at leastSnowflake, more like cupcake
D
Deleted member 18121
Guest
Arguably driver is the strongest club in my bag, so no....I hit it everywhere.
