Whipping out the Big DOG!

[DaveyG]

I have spotted this type of thread on an American forum I look at when work is slow and I have read everything on here

Basically how many times do you pull the driver out a round. Obviously most PAR 3's will be exempt from this and the usual answer will be "depending on the hole etc" but on average... How many times would you say you use your driver a round?

Reason I am interested is I want to see how many people do actually play so carefully as some on here. I have definitely never thought of course management so indepth as I am starting too!

 

[fundy]

Me and the driver dont tend to get on too well, so usually I hit driver somewhere between 0 and 5 times a round, certainly less than almost anyone else I play with (and tend to get barracked a fair bit for it in certain groups too lol)

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

I don't have one, so easy to answer a big 0! I do hit my 3W on most holes though, until recently. My new rule has become to use my hybrid for the first 2 holes, as a precautionary measure!

 

[woody69]

Used to be every hole (excluding par 3's), but I now really think about my 2nd and 3rd shot and will take it out less often. I feel pretty comfortable with my driver though so tend to always use it on the 1st. Going through my track I'd say,

1st - Driver
2nd - 5 wood
3rd - par 3
4th - Driver
5th - 5 wood
6th - 3 wood
7th - 6 iron
8th - par 3
9th - 3 wood (or driver if I decide to take on the lake across the dog leg)
10th - driver
11th - driver
12th - par 3
13th - 5 wood
14th - driver
15th - 3 wood
16th - driver
17th - par 3
18th - driver

So 7 holes will see the driver unless the 1st and 4th are a disaster. Likewise, perhaps more if I'm struggling with my 3 wood.

 

[dotty001]

1st - Driver
2nd - 5 wood, short par 4 green is drivable but super dangerous
3rd - par 3
4th - Driver
5th - par 3
6th - Driver
7th - par 3
8th - Driver
9th - Driver
10th - Driver
11th - par 3
12th - driver
13th - driver
14th - par 3
15th - driver
16th - 3/5wood , PAR 4 dog leg , driver is too big
17th - driver unless tee is moved fwd brings bunkers into play so 3 wood
18th - 3/5wood , PAR 4 driver is dangerous,oob, but can drive the green

i bought my 3 wood when the driver was misbehaving but now the driver is very reliable and the 3wood is misbehaving , so the safer shot is driver :rofl:

 

[Imurg]

10 holes at mine where I would use a Driver.
Might use it 10 times but then I might not use it at all depending on the wind, roll or state of my game...

 

[bobmac]

Every chance I get

 

[Robobum]

7 holes where driver is automatic choice regardless of conditions.

The other 6 tee shots (exc the 5par 3s) may end up being driver dependant on wind direction

 

[sydney greenstreet]

Every chance I get

As with me, my driver is spot on at the minute so any chance I have of using it from the tee it gets used.

 

[bladeplayer]

Normal conditions 14 times , if the fairways are very hard as earlier in the year 12 (3 wood off 2 & 8)


Note to self... if your playing off the white tees a 3 wood will do off the 8th .. always say il do it but still take out the driver .. dope

 

[dufferman]

Most par 4's, unless they are under 300yards, and all par 5s. Around 10 times a round I guess.

 

[Birchy]

I use it as often as possible as i usually hit it well. The shorter the approach shot the better for me.

 

[londonlewis]

I have spotted this type of thread on an American forum I look at when work is slow and I have read everything on here

Basically how many times do you pull the driver out a round. Obviously most PAR 3's will be exempt from this and the usual answer will be "depending on the hole etc" but on average... How many times would you say you use your driver a round?

Reason I am interested is I want to see how many people do actually play so carefully as some on here. I have definitely never thought of course management so indepth as I am starting too!

I have no issue not taking a driver on a par 4 or even par 5 if the hole doesn't warrant it.
When I first started playing golf my instant response was 'par 4 ... driver please' but I now pay much more attention to course management.
Played Westerham a couple of times recently, used my driver 6 times.
Played the Addington a couple of times recently, used my driver 7 times and 6 times respectively.
Played Perranporth in Cornwall on a very windy day - used my driver 4 times (and once was on a par 3 into the wind).

 

[pbrown7582]

1st - Driver
2nd -Par 3
3rd -Driver
4th - 3 wood
5th - Driver
6th -Driver
7th -Par 3
8th - Driver
9th - 3 wood
10th - driver
11th - par 3
12th - 3 wood
13th - driver
14th - driver
15th - driver
16th - driver
17th - par 3
18th - driver


Thats 3 times i opt not to whip the big DOG out.

 

[Fraz]

Quite good timing with this thread!

Up until today I have pulled the driver wherever possible. I have been hitting it pretty well (touch wood!) but the odd big slice in there.

But from this evening onwards I am starting a new approach. After playing a few rounds with a scratch player, watching the course management, I am going to start playing 3w and Irons from some tee's. Not so much for the going wild off the tee, but more because these shorter clubs will leave me a full 100-110 yard wedge to the green rather than farting about with a 65-80 yard partial wedge of some sort (which had been resulting in fats, thins, longs and shorts!)

I think I will use the driver 6 times a round now going on standard wind conditions etc.

Let's see how I get on!

 

[patricks148]

I use the driver on 10 holes always, 4 holes 3 wood or Hybrid depending on wind and the other 4 holes are par 3's but one of those has had driver used a few times off the back tee into the wind

 

[tsped83]

Unless it's all going to hell, then I use it on on every Par 4/5 on the course, with the exception of one dog leg which requires a lay up off the tee. So, excluding that and the par 3's, 13 times a round!

 

[One Planer]

My course is pretty tight, so even on some of the longer par 4's, taking a driver isnt really a sensible option. I only really take driver on the holes where I know a poor shot doesn't mean having to take a penalty stroke for OOB or lost ball.

Conditions dependant, the driver may be only see 6 holes of use per round.

 

[Foxholer]

Of the courses I play regularly:

One one, Driver doesn't come out until 5th on one because it brings water into play - though off the championship tees it'll come out on 1 par 3!. But every Par4/5 after that.

On another, there are a couple of doglegs that mean Driver is not might affect choice, but normally every Par4/5.

I'm pretty consistent with the Driver and can hit it 'easy' pretty well too. Last decision to go to the 3W off the tee (Bearwood 8th) wasn't a good one! :angry:

 

[Jumboross]

8 for me on my home course in 'normal' weather. But things change. In the height of summer with the wind behind often 3wd or rescue. Just hit it high and let the wind and roll do the rest. I have taken driver on par 3s in winter on links courses playing into the wind. Played a par 4 at Protmarnock last week and hit driver off the tee, then again off the fairway. There was no other way to reach the GIR. Missed the birdie putt of course......