Driverless Bag

[Vardon11LDN]

After figuring out that the main cause of my problems was a) being OOB off the tee or b) in the deep cabbage or woods off the tee I decided to take my ill behaved driver out of my bag. In the last month my scoring has significantly improved hitting a 3 wood or Hybrid 2 off the tee. A side effect of this is that I have taken the adult approach and have used my practice time improving my short game and putting instead of trying to find the Holy Grail of the straight 250yd drive. The down side to this the envy I feel when my playing partners hit their drivers past my ball. My question is should I abandon the big stick for good or put time and effort into learning to hit it? I would be keen to know if anyone has played in the long term without a driver. The reason for me asking is that I will soon be making a significant investment in new irons, woods and a putter so my bag "strategy" will have an impact as to weather I shell out £300 for a new driver and keep my 3 wood or just get a new 3 wood. Opinions welcome

 

[Deleted member 18121]

In my opinion my driver is an integral part of my bag..... learning to hit it has enabled my handicap to drop from low 20s to (last weekend) playing to 12. Rather than hitting 4/5/6 irons or hybrids into greens I am hitting 8/9/wedges which give you eminently more control and a better chance to score.

IMO all areas of the game should be practiced, nothing neglected.

 

[Region3]

I put myself in some terrible spots using driver off the tee, but I wouldn't be without it. My 3 wood goes far enough to play the course effectively but the driver goes further and is fun.

If it really is costing you so many shots then either don't use it for a while and just practice with it, or be very selective where you use it ie. nothing hideously bad can happen.

 

[Keeno]

If not using a driver means your taking less shots for 18 holes, then its a no brainer.

Obviously work on your driving over the winter and put it into play when you've got your confidence back

 

[daverollo]

I played through most of the 90's just using a 3 iron or driving iron off the tee as I was truly awful with the tiny headed drivers and 3 woods of that era. Got down to 17.

You are missing a trick now though, these big headed jobbies are far easier to hit. If you can keep it in play with a 3 wood or hybrid (and are pretty straight, or consistent with your ball flight) then no reason why you shouldn't be able to hit a driver in play. Sounds more to me that you have the wrong driver, or more likely shaft.

Would be well worth forking out £30-£40 for a proper driving fitting session with a pro.

 

[Vardon11LDN]

Definate food for thought, I do hit my 3 wood and hybrid quite nicely but i struggle to find the middle of my Cobra Amp Cell Driver (which have started to hate). Should a driver be easier to hit? After doing some measurements with my GPS on good shots I am 220-230 yds with my 3 wood and on the rare occasion I hit the driver straightish I am about 250-265yds.

 

[ShankyBoy]

I'd get one and work on it at the range with some lessons. On the par 5s, long 4s, it's really beneficial, if you can get it going straight(ish). Mine never feels as good when I'm swinging, but it's one of my best clubs now, shame my short game is so *****

 

[RollinThunder]

I started a thread very similar to this a week or so ago. My underlying situation was a bit different, as my course is very short and narrow, with hazards and OoBs that can punish long, straight drives, never mind wayward ones.

My outlook was that my driver was wild, and I had no control which way it would curve. Thus, on my narrow home course, I would find myself in the trees or OoB very often, thus costing me valuable strokes. My course is also very short, so a 3W can easily put you within 9i or PW distance of the majority of holes, and a hybrid can put you within mid-iron range. There are lots of ditches, bunkers and hazards at around 250 yards, so a driver is a big risk on a lot of holes, and a lot of the shorter hitters who use drivers are the ones who can't get it to go further than 200 yards, so they unknowingly leave themselves an easy shot onto the green.

I subsequently took the driver out of my bag, and in the last two weeks, have had my two best scores. This was simply by hitting fairways, giving myself an easy shot onto the green, and not wasting strokes trying to chip out of the trees, or taking 3 off the tee. Lately, I'm very confident with my 3W and hybrid off the tee, which is a big thing, because after hitting a driver, the 3W head looks very small and intimidating to hit, so confidence is a must.

Taking the driver out of the bag for my home course is definitely working, but I'm definitely going to work on my driving until I think it's good enough to use, and give me the advantage on a couple of holes. On a longer, wider course, the 3W or hybrid just won't do the job if you want to get your scores low, so depending on your course, you should probably constantly work on your driving.

However, on Sunday, I played a longer away course with a 10-handicapper. I was hitting my 3W around 220 yards, and he was hitting his driver around 30 or 40 yards further. Although we were both hitting fairways, I was going into a green with a 6i, and he could use a 8i or 9i. Bear in mind that he was closer to the green, using a shorter, easier club to hit, and a club with a high flight and a quick stop on the green, whereas I was further away, using a 6i, which is harder to hit, harder to keep straight, has a lower flight, and takes longer to stop on the green. He had a big advantage with just being able to hit the fairway with his driver, so trying to get your driver as long, and as straight and controlled as possible is definitely the way to go.

 

[Paul77]

I got lessons on hitting driver. While I don't hit it a long way, I've certainly improved my dispersion with it. I just hit them less right than I did before lol. Feel I can give the 5 wood or the 4-5 iron a good belt off the tee though. It's psychological though. A bad mental state with a driver will have you think it's going to go 200 yards right or left. Thinking about creming it down the middle with a positive mindset will help deliever that shot. If you have trouble right or left off a tee, a large amount of the time your drive will go in the opposite direction. Groove a driver swing and trust it no matter the hole.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

No need for the medium-high handicap player to ever use a driver - and I didn't for 20yrs and got down to mid SFs as I just learned to hit a good 3w. But carry a driver if you feel 'naked' without it - I just never bothered.

 

[pokerjoke]

If not using a driver means your taking less shots for 18 holes, then its a no brainer.

Obviously work on your driving over the winter and put it into play when you've got your confidence back

Totally agree with this.
I have not had a driver in the bag on a consistent basis for 3 years or so.
Many people have said to me I don't need a driver as I hit my 3 wood far enough.

However seeing a couple of people knock there driver 30 yards past my 3 wood tells me if I could hit a driver it would be beneficial.

Don't dive in to get fitted play around with cheap drivers first and get used to hitting them and build confidence and as has been said already use the winter to work on it.

 

[UlyssesSky]

Have you ever thought of a mini driver? It seems like a good middle ground if you struggle with your driver but feel like your 3w doesn't go long enough.

Talking about mini drivers, it's basically two things that makes them easier to hit than a 'normal' driver: the shorter shaft, and more loft. While you can't easily add loft to your driver (without opening the face, which would add loft but also increase a potential slice, which I guess might be your problem), you can alsways choke down. Gripping at the bottom end of the grip, just above where the shaft begins, should give you more control over your club(face) and may make it easier to hit straight drives.

But before you go and buy a new club, I'd say do the following:

1. Leave the driver out of your bag for now.
2. Go see a pro to figure out what your problem is and how it can be adressed.
3. Then, if the pro thinks your current driver is part of the problem, chose one of the following options: a) go with your 3w and don't carry a driver, b) get a new driver or c) get a mini driver.

 

[woody69]

I've decided I need a change of strategy. Since making my swing changes I am losing so many shots off the tee with errand drives "power fading" off to the right. So until I manage to pull it back into line I have decided to do the following.

My average driving distance is approx 210 yards according to Game Golf. I've therefore decided that anything on a par 4 more than 380 yards means that "most" days even with a decent drive of 210-220 means I still have 170-160 yard + to get on in 2. With my handicap trying to hit a green from that distance is hard, especially if the tee shot has gone astray, which it often does with the driver. Because of this, I'm effectively hitting the green in 3 anyway, so I'm going to take a hybrid or 5/6/7 iron off the tee and break the hole down into 3 shots.

Anything between 310 and 380 I'll probably stick with the driver. Obviously it depends on where the trouble is, but if I can get away with my errand shot, hitting the driver here will hopefully mean I have a better chance of going for the green in 2.

For the par 5's I need to decide if the driver off the tee is worth it and where the trouble is. Sometimes a driver will be suitable and sometimes not. 550 yard par 5 might mean 3 x hybrid to get me to within 50 yards.

So yeah, basically this is a long way of saying I'm not taking the driver out but I do need to be a lot more disciplined as to when I use it. Hopefully more conservative off the tee will result in less dropped shots from lost balls etc off the tee and give me a chance.... we shall see.

Ahh the joys of high handicap and being rubbish at golf

 

[Foxholer]

At 45.75", the shaft on that Driver is far too long for most players! It's only that long to use for robot testing to give increased distances!

I'd suggest you consider chopping a couple of inches off the butt as part of option 3 of U'Sky's 3rd step!

Your Pro should be able to advise, but be aware that some are complete numpties in even pretty basic fitting!

 

[Craggles89]

I feel "The 3 Goal method" thread will be along soon to help this thread.

I agree with do whatever it takes to get your score lower, and then work on the driver seperatley.

In the long run, once it goes back in your bag, it will help you get them scores lower as well

 

[john0]

I've recently ditched my driver and now only use a 3 wood. Must admit it has seen my game improve considerably as I'm on the fairway much more consistently. Loss of distance isn't really an issue for me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

With winter on the horizon, why not get a driver lesson (or two) and put it back in the bag over the winter. There tends to be less comps so less damage to the handicap and you can learn how to play and control it ready for next season. I think once the wet and windy conditions arrive you'll notice the difference in the distance you're losing

 

[Vardon11LDN]

Thanks everyone for the input it has been very helpful. I am now looking at the Mini Driver option. I will be curious to see where it sits yardage wise. I know TaylorMade and Callaway have mini drivers are there any other alternatives that I should consider?

 

[Paul77]

If you're power fading everything to the right, there could be a lot more going on with your setup and swing that needs addressing that could in fact turn a dropped club into a winner. Understanding ball flight in relation to your setup is utterly key and you can eliminate this shot totally like I've done. I've turned a massive high slice into a draw now. Launching a 10.5 degree driver into 16 degrees (as confirmed with trackman) with an in to out path of about 1.5 degrees.

My faults were alignment, and too shallow an angle into the ball with a very small degree of up on good hits. All this was corrected by setting up correctly and aligned correctly and actually dropping my right shoulder and elbow into my body, totally relaxing it. This allowed me to swing easily up and just mimic the movement into the ball with ease. I actually now setup a tad off the right because the ball is line dup with the left heal, the natural swing path of the clubhead actually goes out to in by the time it hits the ball so lining up a tad right should correct for this. Since doing that, I have no bother using the driver and it's turned into my fave club again.

Don't fear the driver, dominate it.

 

[Crawfy]

Last year I ditched my Driver from Nov-March in a bid to improve my 3wood skills (I am pretty consistent with my Driver) as I wanted to play 3wood more on a few holes at my course in terms of having a better approach distance.
It worked, but will be doing it again this year to improve further.
Anyone else go down to a half bag over winter ? Deffo helps you get a bit more inventive.
Key target this winter is learning to hit a my 3 wood off the turf - for me the hardest shot in golf.