The beginners obsession with the driver?

[Orikoru]

When I was relatively new to golf, I couldn't hit driver. But I was using a Slazenger starter set from around 2004 probably. The driver was pony. Then I bought a more modern Yonex thing in 12° with a massive head on it, and it turned out I could hit the driver, a little bit. I could definitely hit it better than I ever could hit a 3 wood - the face is double the size which obviously makes it far easier! For me anyway. Always struggled with woods far more.

Once you understand the differences in set-up (ball towards left heel, higher tee, hit it on the up etc), I really don't think it's that difficult with modern drivers these days. I think the old 'leave driver out of the bag' advice when you're learning is outdated now, as modern drivers are so easy to hit. And smashing the driver is the most fun in golf in my opinion - there's no better feeling than catching one right in the centre of the face and ripping it up the fairway. I loved it, both times.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I think the old 'leave driver out of the bag' advice when you're learning is outdated now, as modern drivers are so easy to hit.

I agree as long as the driver is half decent, some lessons and they should be going up the middle.

What usually follows is then over use and over reliance as the player gets better and the driver then starts hitting them into trouble. They know no other way by that point and scores stagnate until they realise they can play for position and strategise more. Suddenly a hole can open up to good scores where a driver would have been a risky option.

 

[Orikoru]

I agree as long as the driver is half decent, some lessons and they should be going up the middle.

What usually follows is then over use and over reliance as the player gets better and the driver then starts hitting them into trouble. They know no other way by that point and scores stagnate until they realise they can play for position and strategise more. Suddenly a hole can open up to good scores where a driver would have been a risky option.

I wouldn't say that's 'usual'. Obviously some develop a slice, and if it's so bad you can't play with it then sure, stop using the driver until you've got better at it. That applies to anything though, if you can't hit woods off the deck, or if you're using too much loft to chip, or trying to hit through trees instead of chipping out - there are countless things people could be doing wrong.

If I had real game-breaking problems with the driver, it would sadden me a lot to not use it on the course, I feel like I'd be missing out. Not least because I'd only be hitting about 200 yards off the tee if I'm lucky. It is really worth getting the driver right in my opinion.

 

[ScienceBoy]

It is really worth getting the driver right in my opinion.

It cannot be underestimated how important it is, even if it’s just used 4 times a round they all need to get the ball out there and safe enough.

Those which do struggle are the ones who can’t break 100 and lose 5 balls off the tee a round, they can benefit from learning more tee clubs or playing shorter clubs off the tee and taking a treble off the card.

 

[hines57]

When you see that one of the best players in the world - Rory - started by chipping balls into his mum's washing machine - mastering the short game first and then moving away from the pin seems to be a much better strategy than whacking balls into infinity. Clearly not as macho - but it would look to be a much better strategy if we want to play good golf

 

[clubchamp98]

When you see that one of the best players in the world - Rory - started by chipping balls into his mum's washing machine - mastering the short game first and then moving away from the pin seems to be a much better strategy than whacking balls into infinity. Clearly not as macho - but it would look to be a much better strategy if we want to play good golf

This for me as well.
How many times have opPonents beat you because of their driving.
I have lost many matches where players have been all over the place but chipped in or stone dead for par or better.
It’s important to drive well But not nessesary to score well.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm guessing the 'beginners obsession' with the driver is simply linked to hitting the ball more than 200yds. Not so easy to do that from Day #1 with anything but your 'longest' club.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

This for me as well.
How many times have opPonents beat you because of their driving.
I have lost many matches where players have been all over the place but chipped in or stone dead for par or better.
It’s important to drive well But not nessesary to score well.

Surely that understanding only comes once you are playing the game?

If you watch any advertising either for equipment or events at lot of the time the emphasis is on huge drives or the odd game changing putt, so for the beginner they are being fed the driver or distance from a “special” ball etc.

You never see a ball advert that shows someone messing up a shot then recovering with their short game skill.

So back the thread title, I don’t believe it’s an obsession just more likely, imo, we are fed the fact it’s the most important part of the game and the most fun.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

When you see that one of the best players in the world - Rory - started by chipping balls into his mum's washing machine - mastering the short game first and then moving away from the pin seems to be a much better strategy than whacking balls into infinity. Clearly not as macho - but it would look to be a much better strategy if we want to play good golf

Bob would be better qualified to answer but I was under the impression the modern way of teaching kids in particular is to get them to hit it as hard and far as they can and then work on the technique to reign in dispersion and accuracy.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Bob would be better qualified to answer but I was under the impression the modern way of teaching kids in particular is to get them to hit it as hard and far as they can and then work on the technique to reign in dispersion and accuracy.

My observations of our juniors is of them giving the ball a real lash. The swings look fabulous - but when I look at what they score

 

[ScienceBoy]

My observations of our juniors is of them giving the ball a real lash. The swings look fabulous - but when I look at what they score

Mid 70s?

 

[clubchamp98]

Surely that understanding only comes once you are playing the game?

If you watch any advertising either for equipment or events at lot of the time the emphasis is on huge drives or the odd game changing putt, so for the beginner they are being fed the driver or distance from a “special” ball etc.

You never see a ball advert that shows someone messing up a shot then recovering with their short game skill.

So back the thread title, I don’t believe it’s an obsession just more likely, imo, we are fed the fact it’s the most important part of the game and the most fun.

Yes I agree see post#3
I was just commenting on a certain post About short game ,off topic I know.
But most of the TV advertisers are not aimed at beginners really , they are aimed at the golfers who think a £450 driver is the answer to their driving problems.
Most beginners would not pay that for a driver.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Because its fun smashing a driver.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Yes I agree see post#3
I was just commenting on a certain post About short game ,off topic I know.
But most of the TV advertisers are not aimed at beginners really , they are aimed at the golfers who think a £450 driver is the answer to their driving problems.
Most beginners would not pay that for a driver.

I got that, I also didn’t agree with the Rory analogy as the kid was in his parents kitchen, not really much choice what Club he could use to have fun, there are other vids of him as a kid smashing a driver.

 

[clubchamp98]

I got that, I also didn’t agree with the Rory analogy as the kid was in his parents kitchen, not really much choice what Club he could use to have fun, there are other vids of him as a kid smashing a driver.

I don’t think his mum would appreciate him hitting driver into the washing machine.
It’s one of the biggest things beginners see the TV are obsessed with big hitting.
Most of the courses are set up for driver wedge so we see the leaders all hitting driver 300+.
I can see the attraction to a new player, but we all find out quickly it’s not like the telly.

 

[BridgfordBlue]

I don’t think it’s beginners as such, more casual golfers. A big part of it is down to course management and lack of it for a couple of reasons. One is simply being new to the game and not knowing how to properly assess the risk/reward. The other is that people just don’t want to though.

For people that don’t play regularly (which was me for twenty years), the reward itself is different. It isn’t about making incremental changes and improvements, it is about that wonder shot - that’s what is remembered after the game for them and what keeps people coming back. There was a course I used to play that had a ditch running across the fairway that I could clear if I hit my driver sweetly, but around eight times out of ten, I’d end up in. I would always take the driver though, mainly because if I did get it across, it would put me in a good mood for far longer than the round itself and also because I didn’t play often enough to want to try a different approach and lay up even if it meant a better possible score - it felt at the time that if I did that, I’d miss the opportunity of trying to hit that shot over the ditch.

That is essentially the reward - it’s about individual shots rather than overall score. A decent player would be doing a risk/reward assessment on every shot they do and making a judgment from that. A casual player is more likely to go for that wonder shot because it is the main overall reward for them in itself.

 

[howbow88]

It's also way more impressive looking to a beginner/casual golfer. Hitting chips close is actually more effective in terms of scoring, but even beginners can do that every so often by fluke. Beginners can't smash a driver high and straight, 250+ yards, so it looks way cooler.