Whipping out the Big DOG!

[TheJezster]

Just did a tot up and looks like 12 times a round for me. Looked at my weekend score and was on the fairway 11 of those 12 shots on Sunday. The one which wasnt on the fairway was only a couple feet off to the right in the light rough so no big problems. I see no reason to reduce the use of the driver for me as currently driving quite well.

 

[Bratty]

I'd say anywhere between 8-10 times at Westerham. Some par 4's and even 1 par 5 just don't need it, and I could probably reduce that further if I wanted to play more conservatively.

 

[Jay1]

At my place I'll hit it off 13 tees in pretty much all conditions. In the winter that might go up to 14. We have 3 par 3's where I don't need it and only 2 of the par 4's where I pretty much always hit 3w or rescue.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

1 - Driver
2 - Driver
3 - Driver
4 - Driver or 3 wood, depending on wind conditions and summer v winter
5 - Driver
6 - Driver
7 - 8 iron
8 - Driver
9 - 4 iron
10 - Driver
11 - Driver
12 - 4 iron
13 - Driver
14 - Driver
15 - Driver
16 - Driver
17 - 5 iron
18 - Driver or 4-iron (if I've been hooking the driver there's no room for error!)

I've often thought about using the driver a bit less, but there's no alternative club that I'm more confident with so I don't really have a "play safe" option. Plus, there's quite a few dog legs, so unless you get up to the dog leg you don't have a second shot.

 

[CMAC]

every Par 5...
..and every Par 4 over 400yds....

my rule of thumb is any par 4 350yds and under its iron or 3 wood, so there are some 350-400yd par 4's I will use driver

 

[Davey S2]

13 times for me on my course.

 

[GB72]

I take a driver on every hole I can. There are a few where a shorter club is needed to stop you overrunning the fairway (1, 3, 16 and 22) but otherwise I will use the driver every chance I can.

 

[duncan mackie]

1 - Driver
2 - Driver
3 - Driver
4 - Driver or 3 wood, depending on wind conditions and summer v winter
5 - Driver
6 - Driver
7 - 8 iron
8 - Driver
9 - 4 iron
10 - Driver
11 - Driver
12 - 4 iron
13 - Driver
14 - Driver
15 - Driver
16 - Driver
17 - 5 iron
18 - Driver or 4-iron (if I've been hooking the driver there's no room for error!)

I've often thought about using the driver a bit less, but there's no alternative club that I'm more confident with so I don't really have a "play safe" option. Plus, there's quite a few dog legs, so unless you get up to the dog leg you don't have a second shot.

it may be interesting to bring a comparison in here, as I recently played a match here from the back tees...

1 3w (gw)
2 3h (gw)
3 3h (gw)
4 3h (avoiding hazard!)
5. driver
6 driver (with care)
7.
8. driver (it was wet and a BB match - normally 3h)
9. 3h (8i)
10. driver (wish I hadn't)
11. driver
12.
13. driver
14. driver
15. driver
16. 3w (pw)
17.
18. 3w (it was enough!)

My point is that it's not the club that necessarily represents 'course management', but the shot played.

At my course I will use the driver between 4 and 14 times in a round, depending on tees and conditions, and the shortest hole is about 360.

 

[DAVEYBOY]

Probably 13 times a round depending on which course I play. Also depends on weather though so it constantly changes. No point smacking a iron into a 3 club wind and wondering why you have 250 yards left to the green.

 

[Region3]

We have 3 par 3's, so 15 'normal' tee shots.

There are 3 holes I always play something other than driver, and another 4 possibles depending on the conditions and how I feel I'm playing.

So anywhere between 8-12

 

[Piece]

0 most rounds. Probably used the driver about 10 times in 2013. My "1" and 2 irons are fine for all long holes.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I'd normally use it 8 times in a round, there are 3 par 4's where it is definitely too big, 2 which depend on wind direction (if it changes I'll use the driver) and the rest are par 3's.

 

[Driven2Distraction]

As a general rule... Holes < 400yds no, holes > 400 yes

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Depending on conditions.....

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

That's 9 times in the round which is more than I thought actually. I could easily not bother with the driver on another 2 or 3 holes and score better rather than worse.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Approx 9 of 13 if playing well, otherwise 0-6.

 

[Jon321]

7 max. Sometimes only 4-5 depending on wind.

 

[londonlewis]

I'd say anywhere between 8-10 times at Westerham. Some par 4's and even 1 par 5 just don't need it, and I could probably reduce that further if I wanted to play more conservatively.

I like this - I can now compare my course management directly.
Last time I played Westerham (2 weekends ago) I teed off with the following

1st - 4 iron
2nd - 3 wood
3rd - driver
4th - 8 iron
5th - driver (whipped the club so quickly I hammered it in the woods on the right!)
6th - 4 iron
7th - 3 wood (quite windy - the time before was a 4 iron)
8th - 7 iron
9th - 4 iron
10th - driver
11th - 6 iron
12th - 4 iron
13th - 5 iron
14th - driver
15th - 7 iron (to give myself a nice flat lie with a 4 iron to the green)
16th - driver (hit it right again!)
17th - driver (because my father in law hit a beauty which I didn't realise ran out of fairway, so I followed him in to the rough at the end on the left)
18th - driver

 

[Canary_Yellow]

it may be interesting to bring a comparison in here, as I recently played a match here from the back tees...

1 3w (gw)
2 3h (gw)
3 3h (gw)
4 3h (avoiding hazard!)
5. driver
6 driver (with care)
7.
8. driver (it was wet and a BB match - normally 3h)
9. 3h (8i)
10. driver (wish I hadn't)
11. driver
12.
13. driver
14. driver
15. driver
16. 3w (pw)
17.
18. 3w (it was enough!)

My point is that it's not the club that necessarily represents 'course management', but the shot played.

At my course I will use the driver between 4 and 14 times in a round, depending on tees and conditions, and the shortest hole is about 360.

That is an interesting comparison, although I suspect you hit the ball further than I do - a 3h from the whites on the third would mean I'd have to stay right to have a view of the pin round the dog leg and a 130 - 140 yard approach (8i).

One of my big problems right now is how poor I am with my 3 wood and my hybrid. In an ideal world, I wouldn't use my driver on the 2nd, the 11th, the 16th or the 18th (and only in the coldest winter days would I use it on the 4th).

I am comfortable with my 4 iron, but I'm a lot more likely to get a good result with my driver than I am my 3 wood or my hybrid - so if my driver is having a bad day, I consider whether I will use that or my 4 iron based on how much trouble there is on the left hand side (which is consistently where I miss).

Food for thought though, certainly.

Did you win your match, out of interest?

 

[duncan mackie]

Did you win your match, out of interest?

:thup:

wind obviously makes a difference, and it was behind on 1, 3, 18 etc

I probably hit my irons a similar distance to you, but the longer clubs further - this being the case with most people I play with!

 

[cookelad]

Depending on the wind direction 6-10 times - course isn't that long so maximum distance off the tee isn't always essential and on a few holes the target area becomes quite narrow in driver range!