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Driver, 3wood, or Iron on the First Tee?

Finding a fairway levels my nerves more than a bombed drive in the rough.

I will usually layup to an 8i in most instances.
 
Assuming the fairway is fairly straight, although not wide open - Driver. For some reason, I tend to control my tempo and swing much better with the driver than any other club which is what I need off the first tee.
 
What will best get me to a range where I feel comfortable hitting an approach shot? I'd rather hit a 150 yard approach that gives me a good look at the flag than a 120 yard approach where I also have to hit over trouble into a short part of the green. So...it depends. But usually either driver or 3 wood, because I'm just a terribly long hitter.
 
Hawk said:
Most professionals can afford to hit a shorter club even off longer holes.

Don't care if it's the first tee or last tee. If it's a driver hole, it's a driver hole for me.
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Basically what I was going to say. Can't afford to give up yardage.
 
Most of the courses I play start with a good driver hole. The only one that brings up this question in my mind is the one that starts with a drivable par 4. It actually has a lot of room to the right, but a hook will be in the river. It's a pretty good risk/reward hole.
 
Depends on the length of the hole. Wide open does not always equal driver for me.
 
The course I've been a lot lately opens with a pretty wide open par 4. Driver, 3W, hybrid, iron, wedge anything will work here as long as you don't hit it left.
9/10 times though, I try to get the 1st one in the fairway so I pull either the 3W or the hybrid.


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It's got to be driver for me if I want to reach the green in regulation.
 
For me it depends what the hole calls for. Depending on how narrow and how much trouble, as long as I got to loosen up a bit I'm reaching for the big stick.
 
If the hole calls for a long shot, so hazards let the big dog eat. Otherwise I am getting very confident in my fairway woods.


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For me, it's whatever I feel like hitting. At my hone course, I normally hit 3 wood off 1 and 10. No need for driver as they play a bit downhill. But in our Spring Kickoff last weekend, 1 played into a pretty stiff wind. I hit driver as I wanted tbe distance. Happened to work out for me. :D
 
If its not a wide-open fairway, I'll take a hybrid or a mid-iron. Only 200 yards out but in the fairway is better than hitting the 2nd shot out of the woods or hitting it OB and having to retee.
 
Driver for me, but usually with a more relaxed swing to later on the round. I'll gladly sacrifice a loss if a few yards to prevent a wild strike.

I'm not as consistent with my 3w or hybrid to think about taking one of those off the 1st!


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Hawk said:
Most professionals can afford to hit a shorter club even off longer holes.

Don't care if it's the first tee or last tee. If it's a driver hole, it's a driver hole for me.
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This ^^^^^^^^^^
 
PeterKratsios said:
There is definitely a different mindset that goes into this decision with casual vs. competitive play, but my question is, what is your club of choice on the First Tee...assuming it isn't a wide-open fairway.

I for one always take out driver because if I can't get the nerves out on the first hole, then I usually don't feel comfortable taking our driver on the second hole. However, I always see Professionals on tour take out 3wood or hybrid on the first hole to get it in the fairway, so us amateurs are just more bold! (Or don't have millions riding on our round)
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Pros pull what will bring them success on each and every shot. Whether it's the first tee or last putts they are thinking low scores, best shots and that one perfect swing they work so hard for.

amateurs pull what will get them the furthest down the fairway or what they like most in their bag or what they can hit. Because today is the day they go low.
 
At my home course it is always 4 wood. There is water between the tee box and the green, if I hit driver, it would be in the water 100% of the time. Other courses I just play whatever is needed.
 
If its straight, driver for me. If it doglegs left, I'd use my hybrid. Dogleg right I'd use whatever it took to get to the point of the dogleg.
 
Driver, ALWAYS!!!
 
At the club I frequent we start with a par 5 so it's normally driver for me.


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I'm hitting driver 95% of the time. Last year in preparation for a Hilton Head vacation I played a lot of 5 wood trying to get used to hitting it down the middle. That completely backfired as I topped two into a pond then popped up a third ball about 100 yards. Must have been the gator that made me nervous.
 
Almost always a 3 wood off the first tee but I'm the wrong guy to ask since I only hit about 4-5 drivers each round. Soon I will have the option of a 2 wood when my Callaway 2Deep arrives on Monday! I hit the 2Deep on a launch monitor yesterday and was killing it - 11.5 degrees launch angle, 2500 rpm's, and 150+ mph ball speed.
 
I will hit the driver if the length of the hole is correct.
It doesn't matter to me if it's the first or last hole of the round.
 
I usually drive, but pull a 3-wood on tight holes.
 
PeterKratsios said:
There is definitely a different mindset that goes into this decision with casual vs. competitive play, but my question is, what is your club of choice on the First Tee...assuming it isn't a wide-open fairway.
Click to expand...


Based on the above assumption and assuming it is a par 4 or 5 hole then I would go with my 3W. I tend to hit my 3W straighter than my driver, not always, but I would have a greater chance of hitting the first fairway.
 
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