Who needs a driver?

[theeaglehunter]

Played a round yesterday and decided due to a complete lack of any consistency with it on the range that I would leave my driver at home. The longest club in my bag therfore was my 5 wood, and considering I usually use my driver quite a lot I was expecting to struggle greatly in terms of distance and was expecting this to equate to poor scoring on the longer holes. How wrong I was though. I am pretty good with the 5 wood and rarely miss the fairway with it, knocking it out about 220 yards and was so much happier having a 6 iron from the fairway on long par 4s than a pitching wedge / 9 iron from the rough, and as a result (unfortunately I didn't record it) I am sure I hit more greens than I usually do.

As for par 5s I managed to par 2 of them (Stroke indexes 1 and 4) and was 20 yards short of a third par 5 after 2 shots having cut the dogleg with my hybrid following yet another successful 5 wood tee shot. Unfortunately I proceeded to shank my 20 yard bumb and run into a greenside bunker, from which I then thinned my shot through the back of the green and then pitched and two putted, but that is another story.

Basically I have come to the conclusion that I am better off short and on the flat than long and in the rough (something obvious that I have always known, yet have only now come to terms with) and therfore the driver will be redundant for the near future until I learn how to use it.

 

[medwayjon]

I would personally be lost without my driver. Its the daddy of my bag and there is nothing like hitting a perfect drive. Mmmmmmmmm.

 

[Prubs]

Hi, when I started playing golf many moons ago I could not hit any woods consistently so I started to use driving irons(0 and1) and found like yourself that I could keep it on the short stuff, dose make things a lot easier.... still use them on links courses. so to answer your question no you dont need one all the time, but like me you have to carry on practising your driver until you hit it aswell as your 5 wood

 

[andycap]

I would recommend everyone leave the big stick out of the bag every once in a while, especially on your regular course . It makes all the holes different ,you find yourself using mid irons where you usually use wedges etc , most of us will be more accurate without the woods .In most cases i have found that my score cards are as good as any and more consistant , which should make you question your course management after all it's how many not how far ! But i have to agree with MWJ there is nothing like a well struck drive if only for the ego . It's also equally satisfying when playing against a big hitter to not get sucked in to trying to out drive him , play the percentage and win hole after hole :

 

[level5s]

i became a 3 wood man today. things were not going well over the first 7 holes and i was losing interest in the round. i decide to play 3 wood from the 8th in. it is more consistant and not all that less distance. I will be leaving the driver at home for awhile until i get some confidence in it.

 

[OldWindy]

Need the driver on most holes - even the 193yd par 3 into the wind. Impossible without it.

 

[tango101]

Its a club we all have a love hate relationship with....when it works its a great feeling....when it goes off course we think why did I use the driver?

But practice makes perfect

 

[RGuk]

I wouldn't step out without mine but have the course management to not push my luck with it. All of the greens I expect to hit with my 2nd shot are 3 wood holes anyway. I don't often hit bad shots with it and on the long holes where I have to give it a go (to have any chance at par), if it goes a bit wide I rethink my strategy to make a safe bogey.

I'm guessing though eagle' that you hit yours a bit further than me! If I managed consistent 250+ I wouldn't hit anywhere near as many fairways, then again I'd hit more 3 woods......I never hit it if I don't need it, apart from when the fairway is wide and no bunkers in sight!

 

[GB72]

I love my driver and could not leave it out of the bag.Yesterday there was some run on the fairways so nearly drove 3 greens on par 4s. I actually hit a driver off the tee better than my 3 wood as went for one with quite a shallow face for use off the fairway but am not that comfortable with it off the tee.

 

[johng]

Good post eaglehunter.

Played in a medal yesterday and my mate only took out half a set, 3 wood, odd no: irons, s/w + putter. Shot his handicap, 16, and started with 5 straight pars. He was never once in trouble off the tee and it's only his god given lack of chipping ability that has prevented him from scoring less.
He is a much longer hitter than me, both had exactly same handicap, but i used a full set and beat him by 5, purely because i got up + down far more often than him.

I think i'd struggle a fair bit more than him without my driver, as i'm not a big hitter.

The driver is fab when you're confident and swinging well but can be frighteningly dangerous when it isn't.

Cheers,

John.

 

[MVP]

when i played on friday the guys i played with hit drivers 20yrds short of my 3 iron they still beat me cos i couldnt putt for shizzle!!!!!! saying that if i had hit my tee shots as far as them i would be in worse trouble
Play to your Strengths!!