Driver off the deck

[Green Bay Hacker]

One of our group regularly plays the shot. Don't think he carries a 3w or rescue and although he does hit his irons well (probably not quite forum distances), he doesn't hesitate to pull the big dog out when the situation arises. It does seem to have mixed results but I can't remember a time when it has put him in real trouble.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

You are lucky that you can hit a wedge further than most people can hit a driver, and always under the wind.

Sorry.......do I know you?? :mmm:

 

[Tashyboy]

A guy I played with is a member at Worksop, He tells me there is one or two trees there. He has learned to play out of the trees with his driver keeping it down. Tried it once at our place, ball flew out went 30 yds forward hit a tree and went 100 yds right. Still there I think.

 

[Imurg]

I used to hit my original Great Big Bertha off the deck occasionally with reasonable success..
The course I played at had some mounding between fairways. As they were basically builders rubbish with some topsoil and grass on top we were allowed to pick and place if you were on the mounds.
On a par 5 I used to aim for the mounds, get a P&P, tee it up on a tuft of grass and get the GBB on it. Always at least made greenside and almost always made a birdie plus a few eagles....

 

[patricks148]

given the right lie its a good shot to be able to pull off esp on a links into very strong wind.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Not a hope in hell I'd hit this anything like as well or as far as a three wood.

 

[jusme]

I didn't think I would ever do this, but it was a regular topic of conversation over the last few weeks and today out on the course I had the opportunity to try it. Just a friendly knock around (doubt I would try it in competition) and mishit a drive quite badly on the 6th leaving me 220ish into a strong wind. Conversation over the weeks came back to me and I decided to go for it. No word of a lie - it ended up about 3 foot from the pin. It was of course largely lucky as I tried it twice more today with poor results. Having no real idea of best ball position, I doubt I will ever try it again, despite a cracking first result - reminds me of 'honeymoon shots'

 

[ScienceBoy]

Saw the club champ Go driver driver putt on a par 5. Longest hole on the course and into the wind.

He was build like a truck though...

 

[Hosel Fade]

Does anyone ever attempt this?
Personally i can't see the point.
Way too high risk & does it actually go any further than a 3w?

Yes
Because I stupidly invested a silly amount of time into being able to do it
No it doesn't really (at least not at my speeds) unless it is super firm, definitely doesn't carry further

 

[Slab]

Done it in a scramble a couple of months back, good fun and just shy of the green, quite chuffed



Done it again a couple of weeks back, not so much fun when you just top it 50 meters!

 

[Scoobiesnax]

'Saturday Rules' in our Soiree state that the 18th regardless of ball position shall be played with the driver. Putting/bunker shots are interesting!!

 

[Parsaregood]

Does anyone ever attempt this?
Personally i can't see the point.
Way too high risk & does it actually go any further than a 3w?

Regularly play this shot into the wind on par 5s, I can squeeze an extra 20 yards out more than I would with a 3 wood. It's really not that hard a shot to hit in my opinion, I think the main barrier is having enough speed to get decent height on it. I swing at 112 mph so that probably helps

 

[Capella]

no .... I think it is a guy thing

 

[User62651]

wouldn't try this with a modern 460 cc driver, too risky and you can't middle it as the clubface is too high. Did used to occasionally back in the day with the old wooden small headed drivers with mixed success.

Cripes I can remember when woods came in sets of 4 (1-4), quite common to see players with all of them too, no fancy wedges back then or 5 woods. God I'm old!
I started with a 2 wood, split a set with my brother and he had the driver/3w me the 2w/4w, hard to find a 2 wood these days.

 

[Snelly]

Agree about the old Big Bertha drivers being relatively easy from the fairway. I also used to be able to hit the ball pretty high off the deck with the right persimmon driver and in the late 80's, the original metal Burner from TM too.

Currently, we have the winter rule in place where shots on the fairway are lifted and placed in the semi. This allows placement on a nice bit of fluffy grass and drivers into long par 4's and 5's when required have become a relatively common thing. I played in a 4 ball last week and on our 3rd, all four of us hit driver as a second shot. I have hit maybe a dozen really well since January.

As a result, I have started to consider it more often now and in fact, hit a driver into our first yesterday without a preferred lie. It made the front edge and a 3 wood would not have due to the fierce headwind.

My driver loft is quite high I should add - 10.5 degrees.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Back in the day I used that shot quite often, mainly on links courses, with a persimmon driver.
Later in life I had an Adams driver which made the shot quite easy.

Into a strong wind it is a shot to nothing as a mishit shot generally went as far as a perfect strike

 

[fundy]

wouldn't try this with a modern 460 cc driver, too risky and you can't middle it as the clubface is too high. Did used to occasionally back in the day with the old wooden small headed drivers with mixed success.

Cripes I can remember when woods came in sets of 4 (1-4), quite common to see players with all of them too, no fancy wedges back then or 5 woods. God I'm old!
I started with a 2 wood, split a set with my brother and he had the driver/3w me the 2w/4w, hard to find a 2 wood these days.

Theyre just called 12 degree drivers arent they nowadays?

 

[User62651]

Theyre just called 12 degree drivers arent they nowadays?

Suppose it is although with adjustable loft woods one club covers two of the old ones. I have my first adjustable driver now, wasn't sure but sold on it now, really is a good thing, set mine for 11.5 which was high for 20 years ago but with ball/spin technology so advanced 11 or 12 deg is pretty normal now. Wouldn't rather than couldn't hit it off the deck, t'is a red thing of beauty not to be made dirty and scuffed!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

With the predominantly deep faced drivers these days, not a cat in hells chance of me trying it, and even less of pulling it off. I use to do it my old persimmon driver and with far more success, especially under winter rules where you could use a friendly tuft of grass

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Not a shot I have... Did used to hit my old TM bubble burner off the deck years ago but it had a nice shallow fade. Technique limits me too much (naturally low hitter) but for those who can it's a great option to have. Really valuable on the links when it's blowing a hoolie.