Should I be looking at a driver?.

[Johnny H]

Hi guys

I'm new to golf, hit balls on a driving range for a few years and just started playing probably since January this year.

At the moment I only have a 3 wood for off the tee but want a driver in my bag, I've got a slice which is worst with a driver but should I get one and keep trying with it or leave it until I think I'm ready??

thanks for your time
john

 

[CMAC]

Hi guys

I'm new to golf, hit balls on a driving range for a few years and just started playing probably since January this year.

At the moment I only have a 3 wood for off the tee but want a driver in my bag, I've got a slice which is worst with a driver but should I get one and keep trying with it or leave it until I think I'm ready??

thanks for your time
john

why?

 

[Craigg]

Hi guys

I'm new to golf, hit balls on a driving range for a few years and just started playing probably since January this year.

At the moment I only have a 3 wood for off the tee but want a driver in my bag, I've got a slice which is worst with a driver but should I get one and keep trying with it or leave it until I think I'm ready??

thanks for your time
john

I'm currently using my 5 wood off the tee instead of Driver or 3 Wood. (I'm trying to get rid of the disaster holes off the card!)
It goes 200 yds and keeps me on the fairway. Driver is a tough club to be consistent with, and will invariably land you in the muck at some point, so unless you really need those extra yards, I'd wait a while.

 

[Johnny H]

Why? I don't really know, maybe cause my mates use them, maybe cause the pros use them, maybe cause there's something about hitting the big drive down the fairway.

But this is what I wanted to hear thank you.

I'm going to wait and when my 3 wood is perfect and feel I need the more yards I'll look at drivers then.

Thank you so much for your replies
John

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Simple, perhaps predictable, boring answer....get a lesson from a pro and learn how to hit a 3 wood off the tee. If you can't get the ball in play regularly you'll never score and it's never fun reloading or chopping out of heavy rough all the time. A driver would help in time but again get a lesson

 

[Johnny H]

I am having lessons, had 3 so far.

Think I'm just trying to run before I can walk lol.

It's ALOT harder of a game than I 1st thought .

 

[Huwey12]

imo I would keep trying the driver and work out how to correct your slice on the range. i suffered with a horrendous slice a few years ago and corrected it with a couple of moves that i worked out without going to a pro
Full shoulder turn & hit inside to out. Bring back foot back a few inches (draw set up) and bingo
Try this before forking out for a lesson

 

[davemc1]

Go and get one, they are great fun.

This comes from a man with a sldr and a mini but still uses a hybrid off the tee...

 

[bobmac]

Fix the slice NOW.
If you dont, you'll fight it for ever.
Stand behind your ball and imagine your target is 12 on a clockface, when you slice, the club is moving from 5-11 or even 4-10.
Try and imagine the club is moving from 7-1 as it hits the ball.

 

[Beezerk]

1st, listen to Bob.
2nd, get a 16 degree SLDR Mini :thup:

 

[Smiffy]

Buy a driver, go out and smash it all around the gaff and see how you get on.
If you are still in love with the game in 6 months time, go and have some lessons.

 

[guest100718]

So many really good drivers out there at bargain prices it. buy one and smash it about a bit

 

[SugarPenguin]

I dislike all this 'don't let beginners use drivers'
Go out and buy one and see how you get on. I actually found drivers much easier to hit than irons when i first started playing anyways.

 

[Smiffy]

I dislike all this 'don't let beginners use drivers'

So do I.
First set of clubs I ever picked up was my Father in Laws 30 year old set of clubs. Old wooden headed things with bits of tape holding them together and rusty irons that looked like they had been pulled up with the Marie Celeste.
Didn't stop me enjoying the game.

 

[Dan2501]

Get a cheap, game improvement driver, maybe 2nd hand, something like a Ping G10, and go out and have a go with it, have fun, and then get some lessons to help you use it properly. Sorted. No point being scared of using one. Say you get one and slice it a few times, who cares? Just get some lessons and find a coach that's going to help you fix your swing path/face-to-path and you'll be bombing it down the middle in no time. I got my first driver just over a year ago, and struggled badly with it at first, but persisted, and so glad I did. Nothing better than bombing a big drive down the middle. Good luck!

 

[Johnny H]

So I brought myself a nice taylormade sldr driver yesterday and went out on the range, Hit about 100 balls and I would say 85% was straight. Very happy.

Went out again this morning to do the same and about 90% was straight. Again very happy.

Just goes to show there was nothing to be afraid of 😀

Thanks for all the advice
John

 

[SugarPenguin]

So I brought myself a nice taylormade sldr driver yesterday and went out on the range, Hit about 100 balls and I would say 85% was straight. Very happy.

Went out again this morning to do the same and about 90% was straight. Again very happy.

Just goes to show there was nothing to be afraid of 

Thanks for all the advice
John

Good man and a fantastic choice. All the best for your future golfing endeavors !

 

[D4RK1]

Good lad. Glad you're getting on with it. Now get out on the course with it and enjoy

 

[bignev]

I was struggleing with my driver then bought my current Callaway with a 11.5 degree loft
so much easier to control than the 9.5 I used to have.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Drivers should be easier to hit with their big faces and bucket load of tech.

The problem is we expect them to be hard to hit and then make it harder by trying to beat the life out the ball. All that energy has to go somewhere and its usually going 50 yards off line.

If your swing is good but you have a mental block on the driver then dropping it for a few rounds can help but you have to get back on the horse sooner or later.

Swing well within yourself and get a lesson or two and it should be the best club in the bag. Put a bad swing on it with a decent connection and suddenly its back to the naughty step.

An 80% swing for a beginner with a driver should do better on average than a small headed three wood.

Nothing is a substitute for good technique... Shorten, loft up, grip down or whatever is fine, just make sure you get to the root of the issue as well as putting a plaster over it. I learnt this recently and now my driving is getting back to where it used to be.