What's more destructive?

[garyinderry]

On the other hand, the outcome of the hole is still in your hands.
You could switch to the 3 wood and still make bogey.
Even if you make par with your second ball you can still take that positive thought to the next tee. After all, it was just a one off, one careless swing.

However, taking 4 to get down from the edge is just a waste, after the hard bit has been done. It's hard to take a positive thought to the next tee after that lot.

I suppose it depends on what you strengths are. I would back myself not to chip and three putt again later in the round. I couldn't say for sure I wouldn't knock another OOB with whatever fault has raised its head that day with the driver.

 

[Slab]

On the other hand, the outcome of the hole is still in your hands.
You could switch to the 3 wood and still make bogey.
Even if you make par with your second ball you can still take that positive thought to the next tee. After all, it was just a one off, one careless swing.

However, taking 4 to get down from the edge is just a waste, after the hard bit has been done. It's hard to take a positive thought to the next tee after that lot.

Of course many things 'could & might' happen with the 2nd ball (inc splitting the fairway but still taking 4 from the fringe) but if a 'net birdie' really is probable switching to a 3w than the driver, what on earth score was the player thinking of for the first ball

3-putting will happen from time to time and players without the mental fortitude to deal with it are gonna find many aspects of golf really tough

 

[Slab]

The more I think about it the more I’m leaning towards OOB being the worse of the two

Unless the player has really high GIR &/or up & down stats, then chips are a regular part of the game as is two putting. So while a chip and a single putt is hoped for, a chip & 2-putts is probably more the norm for amateurs.

Meaning 4 from off the green is only one shot dropped to the course not two

OOB is always 3 off the tee and 2 shots dropped (chasing the score might then pull one back which I'd guess is not the norm for amateurs)

 

[njrose51]

I voted both the same as feel either can be as destructive as each, whether mentally or to the score.

 

[Curls]

I'm 100% in the chip & 3 putt camp. If I blow one OOB then I reload knowing that I either birdie/par with this ball or I'm blobbing the hole, makes me focus better, clearly I wasn't doing a great job of that before.

If I duff a chip and three putt I'll be gutted, I can forgive myself for a wild drive but taking 4 to get down from a stones throw is utterly demoralising.

 

[Beezerk]

On the other hand, the outcome of the hole is still in your hands.
You could switch to the 3 wood and still make bogey.
Even if you make par with your second ball you can still take that positive thought to the next tee. After all, it was just a one off, one careless swing.

However, taking 4 to get down from the edge is just a waste, after the hard bit has been done. It's hard to take a positive thought to the next tee after that lot.

The flaw with that argument though is 4 consecutive bad shots, an oob tee shot is just the one.

 

[garyinderry]

The usual pattern is two bad shots.

The fluffed chip onto the green. Run the first putt too far or short. Just slip by with the second and tap in.

In reality that's two bad shots, one unlucky and a tap in.

 

[JohnnyDee]

For me it's got to be chip and three putts.

It's the weakest part of my game and there is nearly always one instance of this for me in every medal round.

I luckily keep the driver pretty straight and don't often put one OOB and even if I do as long as I hit three off the tee straight there's a chance of a bogey net par.