Driver / 3 wood

[car.crash]

Hi I own a ping g20 3 wood and g20 driver and I can't hit my driver at all and it always results in a huge slice.
I can however hit my 3 wood dead straight and can reach 230yds or more on the range.

My query is when I play against friends they use drivers and sometimes they outhit me and sometimes not and they comment how far I can drive a 3 wood.
I'm toying with selling my driver and not replacing it as I just can't use them.

Should I have lessons and learn how to hit one or just carry on how I am.
Myself and my friends are novices and we just play for FUN.

Do I stand to gain much by hitting a driver?

 

[duncan mackie]

"I can't hit my driver at all
v
I can however hit my 3 wood dead straight and can reach 230yds or more"

no brainer for you - just don't worry about it

 

[Pin-seeker]

"I can't hit my driver at all
v
I can however hit my 3 wood dead straight and can reach 230yds or more"

no brainer for you - just don't worry about it

Yep,what he said :thup:

 

[car.crash]

Is it common for this to happen?

 

[duncan mackie]

Is it common for this to happen?

very - most frequently it's the 5 wood or 3 hybrid where people can hit the ball solidly, and beyond that their swing breaks down in some way. unless you play a lot, or learnt young, having the confidence to let the longer clubs do the work is strangely absent!

 

[CMAC]

Is it common for this to happen?

yes, Driver is the hardest club in the bag to hit, longest shaft and lowest loft

 

[virtuocity]

I don't agree with the 'stick with the 230 yard straight-hitting 3 wood, drop the driver' line of thought.

Imagine how far you'd get your drives going if you got a few lessons, practised and improved with the big stick?

 

[Slab]

Is it common for this to happen?

Seems its common enough to happen to you

To be fair there's plenty of posts/threads where folks don't use/carry a driver for similar reasons

(I think many would be able to hit a driver just fine if only they'd consider the possibility that the shaft may be too long...)

 

[ADB]

Why not take an inch or so off your driver and see if that helps before you sell it?

 

[car.crash]

Over the year I have owned it and I try it on the range or course I may get one shot that's straight every now and then but I can't seem to out power my 3 wood.
I swing so hard with the wood and it works, yet the driver no matter what speed I swing or tee height or ball type I end up with a horrid slice.
I do occasionally connect well with it and the ball will straight but still not as well as my 3 wood.

Now its to the point where I approach a tee and I'm to scared of using it for fear of it putting the ball anywhere it likes and I'm worried of hurting somone and the embarrassment of crossing 2 fairways to retrieve my ball if I manage to find it.

 

[lyden]

A good swing with a 3 wood isn't too dissimilar to a good driver swing, the tension your suffering through expecting it to perform poorly is probably causing you not to release the club properly. This video really helped me http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EyRux9xuDtQ

 

[duncan mackie]

Over the year I have owned it and I try it on the range or course I may get one shot that's straight every now and then but I can't seem to out power my 3 wood.
I swing so hard with the wood and it works, yet the driver no matter what speed I swing or tee height or ball type I end up with a horrid slice.
I do occasionally connect well with it and the ball will straight but still not as well as my 3 wood.

Now its to the point where I approach a tee and I'm to scared of using it for fear of it putting the ball anywhere it likes and I'm worried of hurting somone and the embarrassment of crossing 2 fairways to retrieve my ball if I manage to find it.

as you said in your first post, you are playing the game for fun, enjoyment etc - hence my earlier comment.

I wouldn't sell the driver, as some point you may wish to come back to it, but the key point is that you shouldn't worry about using a 3 wood for your tee shots.

 

[car.crash]

Thanks guys, I've just been offered £80 for it from a friend so its as good as gone.
I don't have the stress and he has a near new club for cheap.
I shall spend it on a new bag instead

 

[PIng]

I had the same problem - 3 wood straight-ish but driver regularly going to the right. I read somewhere that using the baseball grip helps to release better and now my drives are much straighter, which in turn gives me the confidence to swing faster. I still use an interlocking grip for the other clubs.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Personally I'd be wanting to know why I can hit a 15 degree three wood and not master a 10.5 driver and would be getting a lesson to sort it out.

 

[car.crash]

I had 2 lessons at Cranfield golf academy.
I came out the same as I went in

 

[Pin-seeker]

A good swing with a 3 wood isn't too dissimilar to a good driver swing, the tension your suffering through expecting it to perform poorly is probably causing you not to release the club properly. This video really helped me http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EyRux9xuDtQ

Good video that,as are most of his reviews & tips

 

[DappaDonDave]

I've sacked my driver off for an 18 degree hybrid. It's accurate and rolls and rolls and rolls.

 

[Sledgehammer]

Why not take an inch or so off your driver and see if that helps before you sell it?

Yep, what he said.

Had an inch taken off my G20 driver and its made a definite difference. Much easier to hit.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Hi I own a ping g20 3 wood and g20 driver and I can't hit my driver at all and it always results in a huge slice.
I can however hit my 3 wood dead straight and can reach 230yds or more on the range.

My query is when I play against friends they use drivers and sometimes they outhit me and sometimes not and they comment how far I can drive a 3 wood.
I'm toying with selling my driver and not replacing it as I just can't use them.

Should I have lessons and learn how to hit one or just carry on how I am.
Myself and my friends are novices and we just play for FUN.

Do I stand to gain much by hitting a driver?

Sell the driver