Iron off the tee

[brendy]

I qualified for a matchplay event in the club a few weeks ago and the cut off date was last night to have the match done and dusted. I decided to use iron off the tee as often as possible as I was giving away 5 shots and fairways are a must in matchplay. The guy I was playing against didnt have the best day with the driver and my 4 iron wsnt far behind him most of the time. I did use my 3w a couple of times to great effect but I have to say even off the back sticks, I was still hitting the par 5's in three comfortably and didnt seem to suffer at all.
I ended up winning 6&4 and although happy winning and going through to the quarter finals, I took more away regarding course management. I usually end up folding after 7 or 8 holes with the irons off the tee and give into temptation but last night I kept it going and proved to myself that it does work.
Anyone else sacrificed yardage for accuracy recently?

As an aside, went round to play in the monthly medal today and the damn course was closed.

 

[Smiffy]

I collared a decent enough drive with my Driver the other day. Quite pleased with the result.
Hywel smashed a four iron off the tee and was only 20 yards behind me. I hit a 5 iron into the green, (well I tried to, but nobbed it). He hit a 7 iron. We both ended up parring the hole, but the bloke is a bloody animal

 

[DMC]

I have often kept the driver in the bag,especially in match play. The game is a little bit easier from the short stuff,after all if Tiger can play irons from the tees why shouldnt the rest of us.

 

[Imurg]

after all if Tiger can play irons from the tees why shouldnt the rest of us.

Err - maybe coz he's a bit better than we are?

 

[Region3]

If I could hit a 3 iron 250yds and straight 8 out of 10 I'd never use anything else!

 

[Imurg]

My point entirely.................

 

[brendy]

Even if you can get 220 off the tee, the high percentage of par 4's are between 300 and 400 yards so the second shot will still get you to the green distance wise.

 

[Bobirdie]

i love playing irons off the tee.

but i feel im cheating myself not hitting my driver and 3 wood lol

 

[gapwedge]

Our course is very exposed and windy so i carry a two iron which i use off the tee when its into the wind using this i keep up with most players and my handicap has gone from 16 to 12 this year

 

[Warren]

If playing irons off the tee is a safer option & the result is a lower score (which is the point of the game). Why have a driver in the bag if it is a risk?

 

[brendy]

Every club is a risk, it knowing when the driver will kill your score and when it will be a distinct advantage.

 

[backwoodsman]

Every club is a risk, it's knowing when the driver will kill your score

Err.... 95% of the time

and when it will be a distinct advantage.

The other 5%

For me anyway...

 

[brendy]

Haha there you go then, you can use your driver once every 6 rounds!

 

[RGDave]

Fair play brendy. If I did this though, I'd be in trouble.
There is a junior at my club who's taken to using a 2 iron off the tee for every hole but 4. His h'cap has come down noticeably.....QED.

 

[haplesshacker]

Good game managment Brendy. Well done.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been saying for ages that HTL and his 4 iron going 200+ yards make him a tough act to play against now. I find I have a real mental problem if I take irons off the tee. It almost as if I'm telling myself its for safety and that triggers something in the brain to then seek out the worst danger on the hole and shove the ball into it. I walk off the tee often thinking I'd have been better off hitting a wood

 

[Region3]

You could have been taking dictation for my reply there Homer

I find myself thinking that if I do find the rough, it's easier to have to hack it out 100yds than 150.

 

[Ken_A]

I take a 3I from the box quite a bit, I normally hit it 210ish so its only 40 yards behind a good drive- however in reality its in the middle or LHS.
I tend to try to play to my Iron strength or driving strength (depends on which I brought, seems I cant bring both on the same day)

On a side note I played my 3I on every driving tee on my last matchplay round - I hit every fairway but the rascal I played just putted EVERYTHING - nothing I could do to try and get the holes back. Its hard to play a 21 handicapper who uses 3 3woods (old timer) and one put on every hole (bar one which he 2 putted to his annoyance).

 

[brendy]

Ken, I believe playing guys who have maintained the same handicap for years and years means one of two things and both are bloody hard to beat on full handicap allowances.
There is the one type who dont practice nor wish to improve and there are those that are more than happy being given a certain amount of shots.

Out again today and shot 77 (par 71 sss70). I used 4 irons and 3 woods off every tee bar two holes (which I parred using driver off the tee)
I had only one bad drive which required a hack out sideways on the 11th wich resulted in a 6, double bogey. Apart from that, I was relatively happy.
One question though, when I hand in the card for a non competition round. Does the card definately count towards a cut or is it kept for end of year adjustments? The reason I ask is that Ive heard of supplemental cards before which count if you only get a certain amount of qualifying cards in a year, these supp. cards help in maintaining a more accurate handicap.
I play weekly so really am not sure whether they count the same?

 

[Ken_A]

I play weekly so really am not sure whether they count the same?

If you play weekly and hand in all your cards then you will have an accurate number beside your name, I thought the supplementary cards are really for peeps who cant play regular qualifing comps.

I wish I could shoot a 77