We're not playing for £1m.........

[bobmac]

...........so have fun.
If the corner of the dogleg is at 200yds, obviously dont hit driver.
If it's a par 3, dont hit driver.
if there's a pond/ditch/lake at 280 (230 for Smiffy), dont hit driver.

Otherwise give it a belt

You didnt buy it to not hit it.
You didnt spend hours/days/weeks to find that special shaft/grip/head combination to then not hit it.
You didnt get custom fitted for it to then not hit it.
HIT IT
Some people really enjoy holing a long putt, some relish a crisp wedge to 3 feet but you cant beat a long, high, straight drive which splits the fairway and sets up a birdie chance.
So, where and when you can, get the big fella out and let it do what it does best.

 

[fundy]

Each to their own Bob, personally prefer to be somewhere on the golf course and get it round in a score, and belting driver everywhere makes this almost impossible and lessens my enjoyment (believe me its no fun having to find it and chop it out a lot). In fact Im better off leaving the driver at home and carrying an extra wedge :whoo:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You're not? I take things serious when there is BIIIG money at stake...

btw - what does the little 'm' mean after the £1

 

[tsped83]

I kind of agree Bob, hitting the perfect drive is very satisfying, but for me, nailing a 4 iron dead straight to land on the green from the fairway is better. My wonder shot, happens about once every 5 rounds.

 

[Imurg]

Up to a point I'll agree with Bob

But we're also trying to score as best we can and smacking a driver, then having to manufacture a short approach, for some, might tend to rack up a higher score than a 3w/hybrid off the tee and a full 9/8 iron to the green

We also have a par 5 with a split fairway - there's a patch of rough most of the way across the fiarway at about 250 yards.
As it's downhill, if I hit the driver well I'll be in this rough. So I normally play a 3 or 5 wood to be short of it.
If I get the drive right then I'm about 10-15 yards short of this rough and can still have a pop at the green if I feel so inclined..

Also, certainly at the moment, the rough is so high that we have to be sure of staying on the fairway/1st cut.
Better to hit 3 or 5 wood and be safe than smack driver and risk a bounce and a kick into the jungle...

But it's still good to hit it when the time's right!

 

[CMAC]

You're not? I take things serious when there is BIIIG money at stake...

btw - what does the little 'm' mean after the £1

mine :smirk:

 

[Foxholer]

I always try to play the hole in as few shots as possible.

If that's by using the Driver, then fine. If another club is likely to improve my chances, then that's what I'll use.

Getting Driver out isn't automatic, but it's the most likely!

 

[Slab]

mmm, took the driver out last weekend & deliberately hit it off every tee I could, wont be taking it this weekend.... so lets see what happens to the scores?

 

[hovis]

Let the big dog eat!

 

[DAVEYBOY]

I hit driver at every opportunity but I'm pretty consistent with it. There's a do or die hole on the PGA, you either lay up to the dog leg leaving a long shot in or go across the gap. I think its a 220-280 yard carry depending on how much you cut off. I've never laid up and its a great sight to see your ball bounce onto the fairway the other side leaving a short pitch to the green.

 

[Imurg]

I hit driver at every opportunity but I'm pretty consistent with it. There's a do or die hole on the PGA, you either lay up to the dog leg leaving a long shot in or go across the gap. I think its a 220-280 yard carry depending on how much you cut off. I've never laid up and its a great sight to see your ball bounce onto the fairway the other side leaving a short pitch to the green.

JUst out of interest, how often do you make par at that hole..?

Had a simliar hole at my last club, although not quite as far, but still a good 220 carry over OB or a 6 iron to the bend and a wedge on (for me anyway!)
The number of times players went for the green and either messed it up and didn't make the carry or managed to get greenside and then proceed to chip and 2 putt. More often than not I'd go round the corner and have a decent birdie chance, getting par at worst.

Maybe next time you play it try going round and see if it makes it easier.......

 

[JustOne]

Up to a point I'll agree with Bob

But we're also trying to score as best we can and smacking a driver, then having to manufacture a short approach, for some, might tend to rack up a higher score than a 3w/hybrid off the tee and a full 9/8 iron to the green

Fair point.. but what if I told you that you could pretty much always shoot 5 over par (your h/cap) with nothing more than a 7-iron in your bag.... wouldn't the game be more dull for you... is it all about scoring... really?? or playing shots well, aggressively and fulfilling your 'potential'?

 

[Imurg]

Fair point.. but what if I told you that you could pretty much always shoot 5 over par (your h/cap) with nothing more than a 7-iron in your bag.... wouldn't the game be more dull for you... is it all about scoring... really?? or playing shots well, aggressively and fulfilling your 'potential'?

Why do you have to play shots "aggressively" to play them well and fulfill potential..?

PLaying with a 7 iron as your longest club would be dull so it's not something I'd do - hence the 3w/5w/hybrid choices off some tees.

I'll hit the Driver if I think it's going to put in the best position to get the next shot onto the green - that'll depend on many variables including how well I'm playing.
If I'm not swinging well then the driver will stay in bed as I can reach most of our holes driving with my 3w or even 5w if I have to - and, perversely, even if I'm swinging badly with the driver I'll more than likely be swinging ok with the others.
But if the driver's going well then it gives me an easier shot in on some holes but not on others.
Personally, I'd rather be 100 yards out than 60.
We have a 340 yard par 4. If it's playing downwind a little a driver can leave me as little as 60 to the pin but a 5w leaves me 100 and able to hit a full shot and get decent spin....Having to play a 1/2 or 3/4 or 5/6ths shot has to be harder than playing a normal one doesn't it?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Maybe if I played my approach shots more agressively I'd get (more) backspin - but I fear much of the time my ball will be spinning in the middle of a spinney (note the clever wordplay there - haha )

 

[DaveyG]

Surprised at this thread Bob...

When I saw your comment I thought fair play but aren't you a pro?

I think hitting it at every opportunity is the reason that people like us have higher handicaps... I am constantly told I should be lower after seeing me nail a drive down the middle... The other shots I hit with the big stick into rough or worse don't have the same comments made.

As many people say on here we play this game for fun (most) not a living... I wouldn't get fun out of hitting my driver 14 times and making the fair way 3 times... double bogey'ing or worse from OOB shots!!!

I will have great fun during and after the round knowing I have hit a PB or scored really well from using my brain and skill to get round a course.

If you can hit the driver and know you aren't going to put yourself in trouble fair play... I wish I could!

 

[JustOne]

Why do you have to play shots "aggressively" to play them well and fulfill potential..?

I think that it's because I want to play to my full potential and score the lowest score possible... and that normally means driver/wedge rather than hybrid/4-iron (and then chip on) :angry: I want 67 not 77

I already KNOW that I'd probably play OK if I didn't use the driver..... but I also know that I'd probably never shoot under my h/cap (which is the goal) as I can't reach a lot of holes comfortably without it.

 

[bobmac]

I wouldn't get fun out of hitting my driver 14 times and making the fair way 3 times... double bogey'ing or worse from OOB shots!!!

Does that not spurn you on to try and learn how to hit more fairways?

I read a lot of posts from people who cant hit their driver, or they cant hit fairway woods, or long irons or half wedges.... so they give up and dont even try.
Yes, you may score better using the 3 wood and keeping it in play but is the driver really that much harder to hit than the 3 wood?

 

[TheClaw]

...........so have fun.
If the corner of the dogleg is at 200yds, obviously dont hit driver.
If it's a par 3, dont hit driver.
if there's a pond/ditch/lake at 280 (230 for Smiffy), dont hit driver.

Otherwise give it a belt

You didnt buy it to not hit it.
You didnt spend hours/days/weeks to find that special shaft/grip/head combination to then not hit it.
You didnt get custom fitted for it to then not hit it.
HIT IT
Some people really enjoy holing a long putt, some relish a crisp wedge to 3 feet but you cant beat a long, high, straight drive which splits the fairway and sets up a birdie chance.
So, where and when you can, get the big fella out and let it do what it does best.

If that's the only 3 options we're getting I'd go for this order:

1) crisp wedge to 3ft
2) holing a long putt
3) a good drive

 

[Bomber69]

...........so have fun.
If the corner of the dogleg is at 200yds, obviously dont hit driver.
If it's a par 3, dont hit driver.
if there's a pond/ditch/lake at 280 (230 for Smiffy), dont hit driver.

Otherwise give it a belt

You didnt buy it to not hit it.
You didnt spend hours/days/weeks to find that special shaft/grip/head combination to then not hit it.
You didnt get custom fitted for it to then not hit it.
HIT IT
Some people really enjoy holing a long putt, some relish a crisp wedge to 3 feet but you cant beat a long, high, straight drive which splits the fairway and sets up a birdie chance.
So, where and when you can, get the big fella out and let it do what it does best.

Spot on Bob, grip it and rip it as they say.

What's the worst than can happen, you get beat or go up .1

 

[upsidedown]

Just had a count up and use driver on 13 of our holes and if wind in wrong direction that will go up to 14 for a par 3. Wishfully thinking as still around 2 weeks from being able to swing a club.