Driver off the deck / fairway...

The19thHole

Head Pro
Joined
May 11, 2011
Messages
384
Visit site
How many times have you played / attempted this?

After my stunning 30 yard drive on Saturday, I thought “Sod this! I’ll not bother putting the headcover back on and take another swipe!”, low and behold my driver from the fairway wasn’t so shabby after all. Only left me with a 50 yard chip on to the green.
 
Big question is 'why'?

Is there an increase in yardage by using the driver, certainly seen some people hit a great driver off the deck, to be honest it hasn't gone further than a good 3 wood, but it's an enormous increase in risk.
 
Very rarely a shot I try. Recentrly when Ive been carrying a pencil bag and half a set ive hit it a few times at our 9th (a big open par 5) instead of the 3 wood, not a shot Id rush to use in a medal though. That said my 4bbb partner does it regularly, must have used his off the deck 4 or 5 times faultlessly at the weekend
 
Big question is 'why'?

Is there an increase in yardage by using the driver, certainly seen some people hit a great driver off the deck, to be honest it hasn't gone further than a good 3 wood, but it's an enormous increase in risk.

My reason as to “Why?” was because I wanted more run than I would get from a 3wd and also my bag was 50 yards further up the hill and I couldn’t be arsed to get a 3wd and then back to my ball :whistle:
 
the smaller headed drivers were easier to do this, the jumbo deep faced heads now make it a lot harder.

However, the only​ reason I try this is when I want a low fade or slice with some distance as its much easier to do with the straighter face
 
Back in the good old days, when I used to play a Titleist 975d i'd perhaps play it off the deck once or twice a season.
Wouldn't dream of these days with bigheaded drivers....3 wood all the time
 
Birdied 4 par 5's in a round once, hit driver/driver on 3 of the 4. It's easier to err on the side of a fade so you can get a bit of loft on the face and then (for me) I hit down on it ever so slightly.
 
The big hitting + handicapper at my old club used it as a deadly weapon, once saw him use it to hit it over 270 yards onto a par 5 green to 6 feet... Some hole that was, Driver-Driver-Putter-Putter :D

I use it at the range to show off mainly, I can do it there with a fair frequency. Only used it once on the course and it barely got a few feet off the ground but ran a mile! It was out a sitter of a lie in the rough uphill and upwind. It was only a 3/4 swing though as it was about 230 yards... The initial drive was carp!
 
Ping G15 9 degree off the deck = great, superfast 2.0=not so great, in fact poor. R11S off the deck...not tried it and wont have to as the r11s fairway goes bloody miles.
 
Tried it once last year in a friendly knock with a forummer, and once this year in a scramble with a good ball already in play.

They both went ok, but won't be trying it very often or even at all when it matters.

It doesn't give much confidence when you see how much clubface is above the ball when you stick your driver down next to it!
 
Not a shot I would use.

Plenty of other ways to manufacture shots without using a club that is primarily designed to be hit off a tee.

Ash!!
 
Guy I played with yesterday hit Driver/Driver off 515yd first onto green. and same again at 565yd last 15yds short on 18. Was about 8yds short of a 335yd par 4! 8.5* FTiZ w Diamana Whiteboard X untipped at 44".

Smiffy might know him.
 
I do use it a bit if its very windy and i have the right lye.

Our 7th is a par 5 into the prev wind and if i land on a nice upslope will give it a go. Its usually a low running fade.
 
I have never tried it but played with a fella for the first time a few weeks ago. On our par 5 14[SUP]th[/SUP] 490yds he ripped his drive, we walk up to his ball, he looks in his bag and says 'I’m in between clubs (pauses) 4 wood or a driver!!!’ I look at him thinking he is joking but he is deadly serious, ‘Feck it’ he says ‘I’ll take some off the driver’ smashes it to the front of the green and sinks a 20ft putt for Eagle.
It’s the first time I have seen anyone hit a driver off the deck and it’s not something that I have ever thought about doing, not even in a practice round on my own but when he said he was ‘in between clubs’ it just cracked me up.
 
Top