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Keeping the Driver in the Bag

SuperStroke
JR

JR

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Wondering how many of you have done this before. My Driver has not been behaving (I am blaming it on the shaft weakness which will soon be rectified) and save for 1 tee shot, I played all my drives using my 3 wood yesterday. I was playing in a scramble tourney and we all deemed that me playing it safe was the best course of action. The only time I had difficulty was on a 3 hole stretch when I started shanking the club. I ended up hitting 11 fairways (an all time high for me. I was playing with some absolute bombers, and I was still within 30 yards of their drives almost every time. Seeing as I get about 240 average out of it, and hit almost every fairway, I can see using it off the tee becoming a staple of my game. Anyone else experimented with this?
 
I played TPC today and used my driver twice. Lost 0 balls of the tee and I think last time I lost at least 4.
 
I have tried it before. It doesn't make much of a difference for me. My misses are usually good enough that i still have a good look at the green. I would rather have the extra distance, even if i'm not in the fairway.
 
I did it for awhile, but I always end up thinking if I cah hit the 3 wood, then I should be able to hit Driver and out it comes. Willpower is not my strong suit......just ask my waistline :banghead:
 
JR if it works that well for you then i say go for it, but what i would do is get the correct shaft in your driver and only hit it on the range until you get it figured out, i think this will help you buddy, taking away those bad tee shots will help the scores allot
 
Use whatever works best for your game while on the course. Fix your "broken" clubs on the range. Losing 30-40 yards is typically much better than having to punch out laterally or lose strokes to OB, etc.
 
I did that earlier this year. I bagged my driver to work on my long irons off the tee when I need too. I've been hitting my driver good lately so I'm going to keep using it. A friend of mine bagged his a week ago when he couldn't hit his driver and used a 3 wood and shot a 41.
 
The course I play has 13 driving holes. I typically use my driver on as many as 9 holes and as few as 7 depending on where the tees are. I use my 3 wood on 4-6 holes either to give me a specific lay-up distance or to stay out of trouble. The only time I hit driver every hole is when I am not concerned about the score, but trying something new with the driver.
 
Yeah, definitely do this if it is working best for you. As of right now, I'm not hitting my driver at all, but mainly my 4 wood off the tee. I can smash a 4 wood about 260-270, so I have no reason to hit the driver right now, especially when my driver swing is all messed up. Stick with it as long as it works.
 
I continue to hit my four iron off of every tee box until I hit my driver as consistent as I want to. That just playing it smart, pal. Plus, to be honest I'm not giving up a lot of yards to the other guys I play with.
 
Personally I know that I can hit my 3h 210yds every time down the middle or just off the fairway. My driver goes about 230-240 with a fade/slice. I'm not a long hitter or play with guys who are bombers ,except for 1 guy, so I don't mind being losing 20-30yds off the tee and being in the short grass.
 
I have done that before, but I always seem to pull the big stick back out. I have finally started driving consistent for the first time in my life, I think its a combo of the right club for me as well as A LOT of range balls. Once you get the shaft you want practice until you get it right before you take it back to the course. IMO.
 
I actually hit my driver better than other long clubs. I am not a long hitter anyway, so usually I am in the fairway even on misses.

This is actually a problem for me with longer par3s or longer dogleg holes that require something shorter than the driver off the tee. Sometimes I take the 3 wood out of the bag before going out.
 
If i have a bad time with my driver,i will use my 3 w next to check this out
 
I've been trying to play smarter, so today I played 18 and only used driver off the tee 6 times. For one, yes, my 3 wood has been pretty solid and finds the fairway for me and the driver has been a little off.

But also, sometimes on a par 4, a 3 wood off the tee can leave you with a 6 or 7 iron and I'm perfectly fine with that.
 
I did this today. I hit my 3 wood ~260 so I was eager to see the difference in not losing 5-6 balls a round would make. I still managed to hit a PW fat and into the water and lose 1 shot with my 3W. I shot a 93 (50 on the front where both lost balls happened). I'll probably do this until I purchase my new driver.
 
I'm so short off the tee. I almost have to hit driver everywhere. Luckly I hit the fairway a lot. Not a lot of big misses.
 
I doubt a new driver will do anything for you.
tgtt said:
I did this today. I hit my 3 wood ~260 so I was eager to see the difference in not losing 5-6 balls a round would make. I still managed to hit a PW fat and into the water and lose 1 shot with my 3W. I shot a 93 (50 on the front where both lost balls happened). I'll probably do this until I purchase my new driver.
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Have kept mine out of the bag many a round. It removes the temptation I have to try and bomb it.
 
If your in a funk with the driver, I'd say put it away. I just don't hit my 3W all that more accurate than my driver so I always hit the driver unless I'm playing a draw (3W) or need a layup and go with a 3i or 4i.
 
A few years ago I did not use driver once. Only irons and I didn't do to bad. It was like target panic, if any of you shoot competition archery or pistols you know. I just got so tense with it in my hand but eventually worked it all out. Now it all depends on the hole, I am a big fan of course management now and don't try to bomb everything. When I over swing its usually bad and left. Long par 5's if its a tight fairway I will hit a hybrid twice and wedge to the green. BUT I do love hitting driver.
 
I've started to try to plan my round out beforehand, to see how it goes. Turns out I should only be hitting driver 3 or 4 times with my course management 'plan'. I wonder if I'll be able to stick to it?
 
the_paulo said:
I've started to try to plan my round out beforehand, to see how it goes. Turns out I should only be hitting driver 3 or 4 times with my course management 'plan'. I wonder if I'll be able to stick to it?
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Well said. I am a big advocate of course management and playing to a distance, etc. But, lately I have been hitting driver anyways (and getting away with it luckily) so I can get inside 75 yards and use different wedge shots. That stuff should probably be saved for the range!!
 
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