We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Taking the Driver out of the bag...

benk777

benk777

Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Messages
68
Reaction score
1
Location
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Handicap
Not Sure
My question is, have you ever taken the driver out of the bag and played a round with your 3 wood as your longest club? If so, what was the result?

My prelude is below.

I know it's early in the season here in Wisconsin, but my driver has been costing me a few strokes per round. I'm wondering if it's costing me more strokes compared to how many scoring opportunities it presents. My normal driver distance is between 250-280, and my 3 wood distance is 220-240. I don't play from the tips, and usually play from between 6300-6700 yards. I am seriously contemplating leaving the driver in the car for the next round, and letting the 3 get the starting position. My 3 is much more predictable, and I really think it may shave a few strokes off my game. If my assumptions are correct, maybe I'll leave the driver out until I have worked on it enough at the range to make it more reliable.

I'll post my follow up after the next round.

Ben
 
JB has been doing that the last few rounds ive played with him. and with rounds of 77 and 79, im not sure if he even needs to be carrying one. hes been lighting the course up with his 3 wood hitting it around 250

btw, my driver has deserted me lately as well and i might be putting the FT-i back in the bag. its cost me about 6 strokes per round recently
 
I played for 2 seasons several years back with no woods in my bag at all (this is before hybrids) I had a 3-SW and a putter, that was it.

It helped my iron play immensely, and I didn't notice my scores climbing, but I wasn't cussing at bad drives near as much.
 
I wouldn't say I literally left it out of the bag, but I think there have been rounds where I have only hit it once or twice.

I used to be the type of player who would hit Driver on every hole, usually no matter the circumstances, because to be honest: I used to be so consistent and couldn't miss. Now it is a hot and cold type of thing. Usually in the last few rounds I have been snap hooking the ball or just flat out pushing it. I tend to hit a 3w off the tee, but am fairly inconsistent with that club as well.

Generally I'm now terrible off the tee, and if it wasn't for a distance situation, I would hit a 4 iron off every tee (but I don't like to have each second shot over 200 to the pin)

I still have to develop a good solid swing off the tee. It's a major issue for me right now. Not playing a driver when you are having troubles is a good idea. Usually I have to resist the temptation to use it.
 
I did that all last year. I couldn't hit the 9 or the 10.5 that I had, so I left it home all the time. Got a higher lofted driver for Christmas, played a couple of rounds with it and loved it, then got the Evolver. (It's not going far though, if the Evolver doesn't pan out my 12.5° will be back in the bag).

Had my best year of golf ever teeing off with the three-wood.
 
RS is right. I took it out of the bag completely. Shot 35 on the back nine at my course with no driver. The DYMO and R9 3 woods give me plenty of distance off the tee as RS can vouch for. He saw me hit a 3 wood yesterday that was longer than just about all my drives ever are.
 
I usually only hit 3 or 4 drivers during a round so I think I could easily play without one, but it is so fun to hit, hehe. Last year a buddy of mine went to his car after the ninth hole and came back with a 7 wood, a 7 iron and a putter and shot +1 on the back!!
 
I was playing a round with my uncle once, who was from out of town, and I let him try out my driver for the round. I had to stick with my 5 wood. I have to say, I hit a lot more fairways then I usually do with my driver. I even outdrove my uncle on one hole. But since then, I've gotten my driver swing somewhat under control, so I use my driver all the time.
 
I'm in the minority on this one I'm sure. I hit my driver alot better than I hit the FW's so there isn't anyway I would even consider taking it out of the bag.
 
Many rounds I have left it out without it ever phasing me. That is of course when I'm slicing the hell our of my driver but if you can hit your driver and 3 wood why not use both.
 
I haven't ever taken it out of the bag, but I probably could if I had to. I hit the 3-wood pretty long and straight. One round I remember last year was the last day of a four day stretch and I just couldn't hit a driver to save my life. After the third hole of hitting it in the trees I just played with the 3-wood the rest of the way. Still shot a 79 so it didn't hurt too much not playing with it. Could have maybe saved a stroke or two if I gave up on it earlier than I did. The course is one that position is more important than distance, so other than the par-5s, it wasn't really a factor. About a month after that, I couldn't miss with the driver and used it everywhere, even when I normally wouldn't. That course plays much longer so the driver is more important.

Over the last year or so I have been able to keep the driver in play the majority of the time, so I have been hitting it with confidence and the game is much easier.
 
For a long time I didnt even carry a driver because I couldnt hit the darn thing very well.
A lot of people find that they dont sacrafice any distance hitting 3-wood instead of driver because a 3-wood has a shorter shaft and is easier to hit solid shots with.
 
I have played a 9 hole rd with only 3 clubs, 6 iron, pw & a putter. I shot within 3 strokes of my best score ever on that course. Kinda nice hitting every fairway & there is no guess work as to club selection. Unless you are playing 600+ yd holes all day long, a driver really isn't needed.
 
I've been using my 3 wood a lot more off the tee lately since my driver has been extremely eratic. And with my 3 wood usually going about 220-250 off the grass and consistently straight, I'm tempted to just leave the driver out of my bag.

I have discovered that I have better luck just dropping my ball on the grass for tee shots instead of sitting it on a tee.
 
Before I put the FT-i in my bag, I always played with only my 3 wood of the tee. From my experience it was only 10 yards shorter on avg but helped me hit more fairways.
 
dynarider said:
Unless you are playing 600+ yd holes all day long, a driver really isn't needed.
Click to expand...

I agree with that, last round I played I hit 3 iron off most tees and scored more consistent than I have in a long time(except for my blowup on the ninth hole when I hit my second driver of the day OB).
 
Nope .
The driver is usually working for me.Now if I could throw the putter out of the bag that's another thing.
 
I did this last week in my league match and picked up a W. I actually didn't carry my 3W either- hybrids and irons. I just picked up a Cleveland 13* 3W that I have been hitting really well, so this might become more of an option from here on out. That thing freaking flies.
 
I do it from time to time to sharpen my iron and hybrid play. Suprisingly, I normally have a better round with the driver on the shelf and hit many more acurate shots. I should probably leave it out more often.
 
My driver was not my friend last Summer. I brought it to the course, but left it in my bag for two months. I finally took it out again in the Autumn. Now that I like it again, I can't really use it on the sim - the tee is set too high.
 
One of the last times I got out I cranked one on the first tee and broke the shaft about six inches up from the head.Had to play three wood from the tee from there on out.I missed the driver.
 
JB said:
RS is right. I took it out of the bag completely. Shot 35 on the back nine at my course with no driver. The DYMO and R9 3 woods give me plenty of distance off the tee as RS can vouch for. He saw me hit a 3 wood yesterday that was longer than just about all my drives ever are.
Click to expand...

JB, doesn't a 3W and a driver typically carry about the same distance in the air? The driver should roll out considerably more. Depending where you put the ball in your stance with a 3W shouldn't the launch angles be pretty similar at impact?

On another note, I haven't had a driver in the bag until recently. I always used my 3W off of the tee up until I fell in love with the Str8. Even with a consistent driver my scores haven't changed all that dramatically.
 
When I first started playing golf.. I could not hit the driver if my life depended on it and I did infact take it out of the bag and used the 3w to tee off with. I then stopped playingfor about 2 yrs and when I came back I found the cleveland driver that is in my bagand I can usually hit it very well. I will say this past weekend I again had major issues with the driver on the first 5 holes. I again put it away for the rest of the round and played better. One less thing to worry about is how I saw it.
 
When I first started playing, I had real issues with the driver so I used three wood for the first couple of years. I then found a driver I liked and added it to the bag. Now it is the most accurate and consistent club in my bag most of the time.
 
I couldn't imagine playing golf without my driver. it's one of my best clubs probably my second best stick. if your playing from the tips (most humans) are carrying their driver. I suppose if your a high handicapper it doesn't matter or u could get away with it. if u can hit your 3 wood what's so different than a driver? just my opinion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top