From the tee dilemma

[Ndw7]

Morning everyone. I'm in a bit of a dilemma with my golf at the moment. If had two really productive lessons in the past month and it's got me striking my irons and wedges better than ever. Last week I played in the institution of civil engineers annual old day, scored 34 points, and only used th driver once. Partly because of the length of the course, and partly because I don't trust it 100%. Yesterday I played at the ashburnham golf club in their members and guests day. Once again, 34 points, didn't use the driver once. Partly beside the fairways were so burned, they were like concrete! And partly because I was enjoying how I was striking my 4 hybrid / 5 iron off the tee.

My dilemma now, is do I keep going as I am, but work on my irons even more to improve my accuracy going in to par 4 or 5 greens. Or do I get the driver going again? Because all I was thinking was "yeah but imagine I'd hit driver and I was going into every par 4 with a 8 iron, 9 iron, or wedge" 😂

Anyone else been in the same position? And if so, what did you do about it and what was your thought process?

 

[bobmac]

Have a lesson on driving

 

[Ndw7]

Have a lesson on driving

I've had a few, but we always end up starting with some iron swings to warm up. Then they find a fault there and spend all Lesson working on that. I'm told the iron swing and the driver swing is pretty much the same. But when measured on trackman etc, my path always goes from being quite neutral / slightly in to out with my irons, to waaaaay out to in with my driver. I just can't seem to get it.

 

[Ross61]

I've had a few, but we always end up starting with some iron swings to warm up. Then they find a fault there and spend all Lesson working on that. I'm told the iron swing and the driver swing is pretty much the same. But when measured on trackman etc, my path always goes from being quite neutral / slightly in to out with my irons, to waaaaay out to in with my driver. I just can't seem to get it.

It is YOUR lesson. Just warm up with your iron and insist you want to move on to your driver once warmed up as you are happy with your irons at present. If he insists on tinkering with the irons you have 2 options. Either warm up before your lesson and start the lesson with your driver or find another coach, as it is YOU that are in charge as YOU are paying the money for a DRIVER lesson.

 

[ScienceBoy]

My solution was simple. Set up and hit the driver like my hybrid/3 wood.

Ok it doesn't go as high or as long but it gets out there and gets the required yards over the two shorter club.

What it does not do is bomb it out there like I used to, it just finds fairways 220+ yards out.

Give it a try and see.

 

[Hosel Fade]

It is YOUR lesson. Just warm up with your iron and insist you want to move on to your driver once warmed up as you are happy with your irons at present. If he insists on tinkering with the irons you have 2 options. Either warm up before your lesson and start the lesson with your driver or find another coach, as it is YOU that are in charge as YOU are paying the money for a DRIVER lesson.

Word for word this

 

[sawtooth]

I think you are getting away with it this time of year with warm air and hard ground.

You're going to need driver sooner than later so my advice is to learn to use it asap.

Not even for when the conditions change but for the longer courses also.

 

[UlyssesSky]

Why don't you just warm up with your irons before the lesson, so you can start hitting driver right away once the lesson starts?

 

[Twire]

I'd stick to what you are doing for a month or so, until that new swing gets a little more ingrained. Then when your happy with that, go for your driver lesson.

 

[Ndw7]

Yes I agree. I should be more clear really. I have a lesson booked inthis week so I'll make sure I get into the driver properly 👍🏻

 

[Ndw7]

I think you are getting away with it this time of year with warm air and hard ground.

You're going to need driver sooner than later so my advice is to learn to use it asap.

Not even for when the conditions change but for the longer courses also.

You're absolutely right. The course on Thursday was quite short. And the fairways at the ashburnham yesterday were like concrete. I checked out the course in supposed to be playing at th ICE national tournament and that looks super long. So distance off the tee is a must I think!

 

[njrose51]

So distance off the tee is a must I think![/QUOTE]

I would disagree slightly with this. No point getting 250 off the tee if you are in the trees! I would say finding the fairway is the key even if you sacrifice a little distance. I was in the same boat as you - erratic driver. My biggest fault was topping the ball about an inch in front of the tee and watching is scuttle 20 yards along the ground or into heavy rough. The driver has not come out of the bag all year and most of 2016. I have a Ping Crossover 4 iron, a Callaway UDI 2 iron and an M2 3 Wood. These work perfectly well for me. And I am confident of finding the fairway or first cut nearly every drive. I'm a 20 handicapper, so getting confidence is key. Yes I can still slice into the next county or like this weekend, hit the 3 wood so close to the toe it nearly hit my playing partners. But I don't have any fear on the tee now. Next year I will work towards driver with lessons, on course lessons and a correct fitting. Play to your strengths. you don't have to hit driver all the time. (Stenson case in point)

 

[Garush34]

How much time are you spending between lessons practicing what has been advised? You say you've had two lessons in the last month, but unless you have been down the range and worked on it your not going to improve and ingrain the changes.

So maybe it is a case that the pro is sticking with the irons because the faults are still there and he is actually trying to improve you, you only get back what you put into the game.

 

[Ndw7]

I think you are getting away with it this time of year with warm air and hard ground.

You're going to need driver sooner than later so my advice is to learn to use it asap.

Not even for when the conditions change but for the longer courses also.

How much time are you spending between lessons practicing what has been advised? You say you've had two lessons in the last month, but unless you have been down the range and worked on it your not going to improve and ingrain the changes.

So maybe it is a case that the pro is sticking with the irons because the faults are still there and he is actually trying to improve you, you only get back what you put into the game.

I spend a lot of time practicing between lessons. That's why my lesson groupings are so close together. The pros reasoning is that if I'm playing and practicing often, then in the 3 week gap between lessons I'll have hit enough balls in practice / on the course to be able to come back and give some accurate feedback. For example, before this month I was struggling. My irons were all over the shop. Driver was awful. Chipping was worse and putting was the same. In the last month, since my 2 lessons, I've worked hard and my irons are better than ever. My chipping is 10000x better, I'm now chipping and 1 or 2 putting as opposed to, thinned chip. Duffed chip. Poor chip, 3 putts. So I've gone from playing nowhere near my handicap to 34 points to rounds in a row. Ok it's not world beating but it's a start.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why don't you just warm up with your irons before the lesson, so you can start hitting driver right away once the lesson starts?

I get to the lesson early and hit a small bucket to warm up before the lesson. If you want a driver lesson tell the pro that's what you want. It's your cash you're spending

 

[Jamesbrown]

Sounds like a good coach to me.
Personally to me. It's not about what I want, it'll be whatever will make me better. It's up to my coach what we work on.
The only thing that differs between the driver and the iron swing is the set up.
The longer the club, the more your faults show up.
So If there's a fault with your iron swing, it'll be exaggerated with your driver.

Go for usual lesson and ask to work through the bag and take a look at your driver set up.

 

[Dannyj1984]

Currently in a similar position, I played 2 weeks ago and used my driver once on a par 5 that is easily reachable with an iron in 2 if you drive it 250, also to the right is plenty of other fairways so no real danger. I used my hybrid off every other tee, I won with a net 66. I played on the Wednesday and lost 2 balls with my driver and multiple other drives to the right leaving me lots of chips out, I ended up with 78 net......This is a regular occurrence, I normally tee off with a 3 wood that is slightly more accurate but found that my hybrid is about 15 yards shorter and nearly guaranteed to be on the fairway. I am gradually getting more consistent with my driver but at the moment and especially at my course there is hardly an advantage in using it over the hybrid. Much more enjoyable having a second shot into the green then a 10 yard chip onto the fairway

 

[the_coach]

I've had a few, but we always end up starting with some iron swings to warm up. Then they find a fault there and spend all Lesson working on that. I'm told the iron swing and the driver swing is pretty much the same. But when measured on trackman etc, my path always goes from being quite neutral / slightly in to out with my irons, to waaaaay out to in with my driver. I just can't seem to get it.

often times see the issue for index folks with driver path owes a bunch to set-up as folks tend to feel more comfortable with an 'iron' set-up which has the head position much nearer (laterally) to the ball

folks know the ball position needs to be up in the stance at/or near opposite the lead heel but the head needs to stay some inches back of the ball with the secondary spine tilt aways from target - because they feel more 'comfortable' with the head nearer to the ball they move the upper body & head back up to the ball (this also opens the torso & shoulders to be 'open' to the ball/target line) which tends then to encourage the steep/er AoA with an 'open' face at strike - so the trouble with either balls ways rightfield or/& low pulls & tops leftfield

but given that with driver the ball is up on high tee peg the AoA & path is a tad different from that with an iron the head has to stay at set-up laterally some inches aways from the forwards ball position as the swing motion has to be one that with index players slower swing speeds at worst level but preferably an upwards AoA that is also a tad in to out

folks though who have tee ball issues with driver tend to not be set-up so good plus they want to hurry to get the club head to ball as that 'feels' it would produce swing speed to achieve distance - so that again the need to get the club head to impact as quick as possible leads to the out n'over steep attack

the driver being the longest club in the bag 'needs to take the longest route to the ball' to use that arc width - that's how optimum CHS for the swing motion effort will produce the club head speed where it matters - through the ball

ask for a driver/3 metal off the tee box lesson am sure your pro would be happy to talk through the stuff needed to give you more confidence off of the tee

 

[duncan mackie]

As well as the technical reasons for potential issues with a Driver, well illustrated by coach above, there the huge psychological one for handicap (index) golfers that you take a driver because you need distance on a particular shot....most of the time you take all the other clubs because you wish to place the ball in specific position and, if you need more distance you take more club.

Separately, as a veteran, playing a league match yesterday over a course around 6800, I took the driver out of the bag and replaced it with a 3 iron because the conditions are such that distance isn't an issue but line accuracy from many tees is!

If you are having fundamental issues with a Driver (beyond those already reflected in other clubs such as being able to hit a 7 iron well but not a 5 iron) then go and see a professional for specific advice.

 

[Ndw7]

Currently in a similar position, I played 2 weeks ago and used my driver once on a par 5 that is easily reachable with an iron in 2 if you drive it 250, also to the right is plenty of other fairways so no real danger. I used my hybrid off every other tee, I won with a net 66. I played on the Wednesday and lost 2 balls with my driver and multiple other drives to the right leaving me lots of chips out, I ended up with 78 net......This is a regular occurrence, I normally tee off with a 3 wood that is slightly more accurate but found that my hybrid is about 15 yards shorter and nearly guaranteed to be on the fairway. I am gradually getting more consistent with my driver but at the moment and especially at my course there is hardly an advantage in using it over the hybrid. Much more enjoyable having a second shot into the green then a 10 yard chip onto the fairway

Haha yeah exactly! Although I've been going into greens with a 6 or 7 iron, it's been nice knowing i actually have a chance of being close, rather than trying to work out what is the best gap in the trees to go for 😂 I played Tenby recently on hit 5 iron, 5 iron, on some par 4s 😂 And at Cottrell park on Thursday, two par 5s were 5 iron, 5 iron, 6 iron, 2 putt!

Good luck to you and I hope we sort ourselves out soon!