How far do I need to be able to hit it?

[GreggerKBR]

That makes complete sense to me, assuming your wayward drive is playable rather than lost, or in such a position that requires a sideways hack out

But like you said, your 3w and Hybrid doesn't give you more accuracy.
So you are not sacrificing a little distance - you're giving up masses!

As I said "You can't gain distance without improving quality of your movement or the quality of the strike"
Distance is a result of a clubhead doing the right thing at the right speed. Get them about right and it's actually quite likely you'll not be far off a reasonable target area, unless playing brutal hole, in which case you probably should opt for more caution anyway.

I chose those words carefully... the issue here is the elephant in the room.
Sorry to be harsh, but you need to address your movement or body motion / swing faults so that you at least have some trust in Hybrids, woods and drivers. Until then, yes, perhaps you might do well to play very very conservatively.

x1 lost ball a round or one 3-putt will hurt but shouldn't be "game over" [unless you're off less than 4-6 handicap!].
but if it's regularly worse than that then...

 

[Canary_Yellow]

What elephant in what room?! lol

Maybe you haven't read my post properly or something. I'm working on my technique and it's getting there, but over the weekend i started about things differently.

My question was what distance off the tee is actually needed? If I can hit it straight more or less every time with my 5 iron, but it starts to get a bit more wayward beyond that, every extra club increases risk, but is the reward worth it?

The more I've thought about it, I reckon I could play to 12 just using my 5 iron off the tee (except for holes where there isn't any significant danger with the driver, cos well, why wouldn't you use it then?).

So actually, the issue isn't really my ability with the driver, it's when I use it. My inclination, as noted in my first post, is to grab it on every tee, mostly because I enjoy giving it a whack, and partly because my old course required it to reach the doglegs. So really, it's a course management issue.

As I continue to improve with it, the more I will be able to use it as the tighter my dispersion will get.

 

[High wide and handsome]

No disrespect, but that's rubbish. Chip/pitch close enough and you could not get a single GIR and go round in level. You won't get many birdies, but you could easily play to 12 if you were decent with the short game

Of course you could, but lets be realistic and say that playing easily to 12, is much less likely. Especially if you consider that scrambling stats over 30yd on the pga tour have tyrell hatton in first place with 55% up and down, the next closest is on 45%. So you would have to be better than decent short game wise, i would venture.

 

[Orikoru]

What elephant in what room?! lol

Maybe you haven't read my post properly or something. I'm working on my technique and it's getting there, but over the weekend i started about things differently.

My question was what distance off the tee is actually needed? If I can hit it straight more or less every time with my 5 iron, but it starts to get a bit more wayward beyond that, every extra club increases risk, but is the reward worth it?

The more I've thought about it, I reckon I could play to 12 just using my 5 iron off the tee (except for holes where there isn't any significant danger with the driver, cos well, why wouldn't you use it then?).

So actually, the issue isn't really my ability with the driver, it's when I use it. My inclination, as noted in my first post, is to grab it on every tee, mostly because I enjoy giving it a whack, and partly because my old course required it to reach the doglegs. So really, it's a course management issue.

As I continue to improve with it, the more I will be able to use it as the tighter my dispersion will get.

Important bit in bold (and not just for innuendo purposes ). Might be overthinking it. Hitting the driver is fun so just do it all the time!

 

[bobmac]

Hitting a 5 iron off the tee instead of driver is a bit like riding a push bike with stabilisers.........safer but not as fun

 

[shortgame]

What elephant in what room?! lol

My question was what distance off the tee is actually needed? If I can hit it straight more or less every time with my 5 iron, but it starts to get a bit more wayward beyond that, every extra club increases risk, but is the reward worth it?

The more I've thought about it, I reckon I could play to 12 just using my 5 iron off the tee (except for holes where there isn't any significant danger with the driver, cos well, why wouldn't you use it then?).

So actually, the issue isn't really my ability with the driver, it's when I use it. My inclination, as noted in my first post, is to grab it on every tee, mostly because I enjoy giving it a whack, and partly because my old course required it to reach the doglegs. So really, it's a course management issue.

As I continue to improve with it, the more I will be able to use it as the tighter my dispersion will get.

Interesting

I had a similar epiphany

As a result I haven't hit a driver on the course in 18 months and got down to singles (just) from 13, as previously my driving was poor and confidence low (could only ever visualise wild slices)

Generally I now hit anything from Driving/utility iron (ugly Ping crossover but it goes and is forgiving) between 200-230 (runs forever when dry / on links or heathland) or even as low as a 6 iron (180ish) depending on the hole

I'm consistently getting boring pars and some bogeys and a few birdies without the disasters and relying on my strengths (chipping/putting) to score

However, to get down much further I need to find the inclination to practice my driving (maybe with lessons) to make more GIRs and get more birdie chances

HTH ⛳👍

 

[shortgame]

Hitting a 5 iron off the tee instead of driver is a bit like riding a push bike with stabilisers.........safer but not as fun

True! 😂😂

 

[big_matt]

Interesting

I had a similar epiphany

As a result I haven't hit a driver on the course in 18 months and got down to singles (just) from 13, as previously my driving was poor and confidence low (could only ever visualise wild slices)

Generally I now hit anything from Driving/utility iron (ugly Ping crossover but it goes and is forgiving) between 200-230 (runs forever when dry / on links or heathland) or even as low as a 6 iron (180ish) depending on the hole

HTH ⛳

What sort of course do you play on? We've got par 4's around the 450 mark, so if you got a max of 230 off the tee you'd be looking at your driving iron again for your second shot. That's a tough way to make what you are describing as boring pars.

 

[shortgame]

Yup, 450 yard par 4's likely will often yield bogeys (with some scrambled pars) but then they would probably be low SI holes (I hope)

Take Beau Desert as an example, fast running heathland with danger everywhere (or say Saunton, fast links)

I would lose SEVERAL balls with a driver. Fact. Plus the stress and interruption to the rhythm of the game searching and calling others through

With the aforementioned boring approach yes the long par 4's play long but with a short wedge in for my 3rd I'm scoring and relying on my strengths not fighting my weakness

Would I score better if I could still drive 250-280 accurately like I used to?

Of course, but at least for now that is unfortunately unrealistic and needs major work over the winter

 

[Canary_Yellow]

What sort of course do you play on? We've got par 4's around the 450 mark, so if you got a max of 230 off the tee you'd be looking at your driving iron again for your second shot. That's a tough way to make what you are describing as boring pars.

Average hole distance at most course is probably only around 355 yards (assuming a 6400 yard course).

Although it's not unusual for courses to have 1 or 2 long par 4s, they can't all be 450 yards or the course will be pushing on for 7500 / 8000 yards depending on the length of the par 5s and par 3s.

 

[shortgame]

Average hole distance at most course is probably only around 355 yards (assuming a 6400 yard course).

Although it's not unusual for courses to have 1 or 2 long par 4s, they can't all be 450 yards or the course will be pushing on for 7500 / 8000 yards depending on the length of the par 5s and par 3s.

Exactly, besides which, I get to choose where I play so wouldn't often play a long parkland slog as that doesn't float my boat

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Exactly, besides which, I get to choose where I play so wouldn't often play a long parkland slog as that doesn't float my boat

In my opinion, the best courses offer a variety of challenges, so a good mixture of short holes and long holes relative to their par such that your whole game is tested. I'm sure that forms part of GM's top 100 ranking.

 

[shortgame]

In my opinion, the best courses offer a variety of challenges, so a good mixture of short holes and long holes relative to their par

👍👍👍

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Hitting a 5 iron off the tee instead of driver is a bit like riding a push bike with stabilisers.........safer but not as fun

have to say that I get much more fun and satisfaction from hitting a well struck 5i down the middle than I do from a well struck driver that disappears into the veldt.