Driver vs Hybrid off the tee

[Marcg868]

Tried to start playing again last year after 11 years of not playing but due to a shoulder injury I had to stop again till after Surgery.
Went to the range today and I’m hitting all my Irons consistently straight and reasonably far, hitting my Hybrid(5 Hybrid) well off the deck and tried it off the tee also well. But compared to 11 years ago I just can’t hit my driver well at all, it either skims along the ground at 6000 mph or goes into outer space and travels 180 yards or it’s sliced 200 yards into the car park.
3 wood is slightly better but not much. I tried a 2 Hybrid with 18 degrees of loft and could hit that further than both off the tee.

Reckon I should stick to the Hybrid and/or longer irons off the tee instead?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Tried to start playing again last year after 11 years of not playing but due to a shoulder injury I had to stop again till after Surgery.
Went to the range today and I’m hitting all my Irons consistently straight and reasonably far, hitting my Hybrid(5 Hybrid) well off the deck and tried it off the tee also well. But compared to 11 years ago I just can’t hit my driver well at all, it either skims along the ground at 6000 mph or goes into outer space and travels 180 yards or it’s sliced 200 yards into the car park.
3 wood is slightly better but not much. I tried a 2 Hybrid with 18 degrees of loft and could hit that further than both off the tee.

Reckon I should stick to the Hybrid and/or longer irons off the tee instead?

Use what works, as you get playing again you might find the 3 Wood and Driver start behaving.
Good luck with the injury.

 

[DeanoMK]

I played on Sunday with only 10 clubs, top of the bag was 5 wood and a hybrid, I shot 10 over par and played some of the best golf I've ever played. The driver was not missed once.

 

[Marcg868]

Use what works, as you get playing again you might find the 3 Wood and Driver start behaving.
Good luck with the injury.

Cheers, shoulder all fixed after a Rotator cuff repair and physio so back to it. Aiming to go to the range tomorrow or Friday and then try for once a week till spring then get out on the course. Solo for a few rounds and then try playing with my mate back in Bolton and some locals in Rishton.
Been recommended trying a 5 wood also, so may need to invest in one.

 

[sunshine]

It's obviously the driver's fault. You need to spend £500 on a brand new shiny driver, especially with Christmas round the corner.

If you get your skates on you may be able to pick up a Black Friday bargain for £490.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

How old is the driver? What make? There have been some big changes in driver technology in terms of weight distribution opening and closing loft etc. It may be worth looking at newer makes and of course there is the 2nd hand option at places like Affordablegolf, golfibidder etc. If you are happy with the driver itself I'd suggest a simple lesson and learn how to hit it properly again

 

[Marcg868]

Got two a Ping G30 and a Wilson Reflex which came with the Irons as part of a Package. Neither I can hit well to be honest. I think I’m trying to swing the club too fast so it skims the top of the ball or I hit the floor then the ball.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Got two a Ping G30 and a Wilson Reflex which came with the Irons as part of a Package. Neither I can hit well to be honest. I think I’m trying to swing the club too fast so it skims the top of the ball or I hit the floor then the ball.

Ping G30 I am familiar with and not much wrong with that as a model. Personally I'd simply book a 30 minute lesson and get a pro to sort your out. Hit a few bucket of balls to drill in the changes and away you go

 

[Marcg868]

Yeah I think I do need one or two with the driver.
Never used to be this awful with one.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Yeah I think I do need one or two with the driver.
Never used to be this awful with one.

Just chill, enjoy getting back in to it rather than putting too much pressure on yourself.
Having a lesson right now may not work as your swing might change as you step up your rehab.
Give it a few months and then consider the lesson.

 

[Marcg868]

Just chill, enjoy getting back in to it rather than putting too much pressure on yourself.
Having a lesson right now may not work as your swing might change as you step up your rehab.
Give it a few months and then consider the lesson.

Yeah gonna have another bash tomorrow. Didn’t really help today as I was rushing also. Need to take my time and work on the clubs I’m struggling with.
gonna take my Driver, 3 wood Hybrid and Pw for warming up.
just really weird that after 11 years out, my terrible short game is now what I’m better at. Can hit my 7,9 and Pw pretty much where I want them to go. Out of 50 balls with them 3 one was a bit pants.

I’ll get there, if I can get round in below 90 at my local this Time next year I’ll be happy. Then I can start thinking about a membership. But until spring it’s the range weekly.

 

[Slab]

Its well-known and undisputed that your best shot with the driver will be better than your best shot with a 3/5 wood which will be better than your best shot with a hybrid, however… It’s also well known (& medically proven) that your ‘mean’ average shot with a hybrid will be better than your average shot with a 3/5 wood which will be better than your average shot with the driver

If you want it on the fairway most of the time, hit the hybrid, if you want the rush from occasionally hitting it a long way, hit the driver

 

[hines57]

Use what ever works and don't worry about it. I won a monthly medal a couple of years ago, playing nothing more than a 21 degree hybrid off the tee. Keeping the ball in play was much more important than distance. Stick with the hybrid for now and enjoy your golf

 

[Grant85]

Tried to start playing again last year after 11 years of not playing but due to a shoulder injury I had to stop again till after Surgery.
Went to the range today and I’m hitting all my Irons consistently straight and reasonably far, hitting my Hybrid(5 Hybrid) well off the deck and tried it off the tee also well. But compared to 11 years ago I just can’t hit my driver well at all, it either skims along the ground at 6000 mph or goes into outer space and travels 180 yards or it’s sliced 200 yards into the car park.
3 wood is slightly better but not much. I tried a 2 Hybrid with 18 degrees of loft and could hit that further than both off the tee.

Reckon I should stick to the Hybrid and/or longer irons off the tee instead?

Having had similar problems with Driver and ended up leaning on 3 wood a LOT... I'd say... learn to hit your driver. Maybe check you have something suitably forgiving (i.e. more modern head with reg shaft, if you were using older head with stiff shaft for example) which actually helped me massively.

I've gone from Driver being a big weakness to a strength with a bit of perseverance and a newer (not expensive) neutral club.

A lesson could always help, assuming the equipment is suitable for you.

 

[Marcg868]

Having had similar problems with Driver and ended up leaning on 3 wood a LOT... I'd say... learn to hit your driver. Maybe check you have something suitably forgiving (i.e. more modern head with reg shaft, if you were using older head with stiff shaft for example) which actually helped me massively.

I've gone from Driver being a big weakness to a strength with a bit of perseverance and a newer (not expensive) neutral club.

A lesson could always help, assuming the equipment is suitable for you.

I think I might try something with a 12 degree Loft as opposed to 10.5

Had another go today and checked my stance, positioning of the Tee and that was all wrong so that wasnt helping.

I was trying to position myself like I do for a 9 iron, club to close, club positioned in the middle of my stance and also I'm trying to do a wrist action as opposed to rotating my body.

Also slowed my swing right down and its slowly improving. Back again tomorrow and then on Wednesday.

I'll update later this evening.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I often play a 5 iron off the tee, whatever gets me on the fairway.

For your first few rounds just try to find short grass however you can off the tee, then doink up the middle then get on the green.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think I might try something with a 12 degree Loft as opposed to 10.5

Had another go today and checked my stance, positioning of the Tee and that was all wrong so that wasnt helping.

I was trying to position myself like I do for a 9 iron, club to close, club positioned in the middle of my stance and also I'm trying to do a wrist action as opposed to rotating my body.

Also slowed my swing right down and its slowly improving. Back again tomorrow and then on Wednesday.

I'll update later this evening.

Driver position should be inside the left heel or a fraction further forward.

 

[Marcg868]

Much better today with the driver. However I used a 19 degree Hybrid and absolutely smashed every shot off the Tee and deck perfectly. So for now I’m gonna purchase my own 19 degree Hybrid. I seem to be able to hit it perfectly.

 

[clubchamp98]

The driver swing is different to other swings as you need to hit up on the ball.
All other swings more or less you hit down on the ball.
If you treat the driver like the other shots this can result in inconsistency of strike.
This might be why you can hit lofted hybrids.
I have always had this problem. My angle of attack is -3 with my driver so I can be inconsistent at times.
If you continue hitting it poorly you may agrivate your injury so my advice would be.
“ if you are going to persevere with a driver have a lesson to make sure your technique is correct so you don’t unnecessarily hurt yourself.”
Good luck with it.

 

[Marcg868]

Started hitting my 3 wood a lot better now also. So I may use a mixture of the 3 wood and Hybrid off the tee for now to get going.
Think the priority is to get out on the course in Spring and see how I get on.