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Why play DRIVER?

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AmberLamps

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Simple question, why even play Driver when I can get a much more consistent shot with my 3w and only lose 20 yards or so. Recently I have just been leaving the Driver at home and teeing off with the 3W, I just shot my best round to date (90). I know i suck, but i really suck with Driver, as do most armatures.

I mostly just play my local city coarse, and I understand a driver is probably needed on some courses, but I feel most players would benefit by leaving it at home, unless your hitting fairways consistently with it.
 
AmberLamps said:
Simple question, why even play Driver when I can get a much more consistent shot with my 3w and only lose 20 yards or so. Recently I have just been leaving the Driver at home and teeing off with the 3W, I just shot my best round to date (90). I know i suck, but i really suck with Driver, as do most armatures.

I mostly just play my local city coarse, and I understand a driver is probably needed on some courses, but I feel most players would benefit by leaving it at home, unless your hitting fairways consistently with it.
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Because drivers are cool. Seriously, though, don't underestimate a 20 yard gap. That's the difference between a 9 iron and a 7 iron...or a 7 iron and a 4/5 iron. Two clubs are a big difference. But if you are simply slicing/hooking/topping with your driver, it's easy to give up on the driver. Don't. It can be tamed. Until this week, I had serious slicing issues as I worked on my swing. Tonight, I hit 60 balls at the range with zero slices. At one point, I had 23 drives IN A ROW in what I would call the fairway. That won't last...and it's always easier on the range...but if I can even temporarily tame my slice, so can you. And when you do, that potential extra two clubs will have an impact on your score.
 
Playing your first shot on a hole is as much about strategy as anything. I only play driver when it makes sense for the risk reward - I am also not consistent with it. Long par 4 and par 5s it comes out unless I am having an awesome driver day and the holes allow for it... Otherwise it's 3w or 3h off the tee.


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Because drivers these days have so much forgiveness in them, and man that distance helps your game so much. Mine was working for me earlier this year but it's working now and wow I am enjoying it!!! So many more opportunities for better shots. Plus my driver has TURBOLATORS :)
 
Because chicks dig the long ball.....

I play driver because I miss my fairway wood in the same manner. When I have that ugly hook swing going, it doesn't matter if I'm standing on the tee box with a driver, fairway, or 8 iron. I do understand your question, and I do think some players could benefit from keeping it in the bag, so that answer I just gave is specific to me.
 
I just started playing seriously this year. And i play solo a lot and im teamed up with randoms all the time. I see them pull Driver, walk up to tee and do the whole practice swing etc and then ball goes flying 150 yards into the rough and they spend 10 min looking for it. Or it goes 20 feet and land on womens tee. Just seems dumb to hit it ob every hole like most players do, when most players suck at driver.h
 
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I hit driver on every hole I can because the driver and I are getting along well these days, but you are absolutely right about leaving it alone (till you learn to hit it at least) if it costing you. That being said, I do think that the higher lofted driver options are really good nowadays, should yield more distance than a 3w, and are easier to hit than many 3w's.
 
When I know I can't lose the ball with a driver I'll play it..otherwise...yup 3w off the tee.
 
If 3W helps you score better, then you should definitely use it. However, I'd work on getting consistent with the driver, it can be a really useful club to be able to pull.
 
O'Carroll said:
Because chicks dig the long ball.....

I play driver because I miss my fairway wood in the same manner. When I have that ugly hook swing going, it doesn't matter if I'm standing on the tee box with a driver, fairway, or 8 iron. I do understand your question, and I do think some players could benefit from keeping it in the bag, so that answer I just gave is specific to me.
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That's me sometimes as well. When things go wrong, they REALLY go wrong, and then I'm left with a much longer recovery shot ( which I almost never pull off either, leading to a blow up hole).
 
Yahash said:
I only play driver when it makes sense for the risk reward - I am also not consistent with it. Long par 4 and par 5s it comes out unless I am having an awesome driver day and the holes allow for it... Otherwise it's 3w or 3h off the tee.


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exactly my strategy as well


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O'Carroll said:
Because chicks dig the long ball.....

I play driver because I miss my fairway wood in the same manner. When I have that ugly hook swing going, it doesn't matter if I'm standing on the tee box with a driver, fairway, or 8 iron. I do understand your question, and I do think some players could benefit from keeping it in the bag, so that answer I just gave is specific to me.
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Not just you, Pete. I feel exactly the same way.
 
Try a 12° driver and/or a higher launching shaft.

You don't have to go low degrees on your driver.
 
I want my driver to be a weapon against a course. Most modern courses use distance and forced carries as protection. I want my driver to laugh at that protection.

For me, there's a big difference between 165 into a green and 140.

Now, all golfers need to play to their strengths and their weaknesses.
 
Because I'm too stubborn to be smart.
 
There are some course where I can use my driver on 14 holes and others I can only use it 5/6 times. I will use it on every hole where I think it is needed. I have never been one to give up on my diver if I'm hitting it bad because I know how well it works when I swing it right. I just keep making adjustments until I get it back.

Also as it has been stated, chicks did the long ball:D
 
It is my opinion that the driver is a more forgiving club than a 3 wood with the larger head and bigger sweet spot. I just choke up if needed but will almost always play driver unless the distance does not warrant it.
 
Thanks for the responses so far guys. My driver is currently set at 9.5d and due to my **** swing im constantly slicing. I can sometimes correct this by having a "Strong" grip but as the round progresses I forget and it goes back to the slice. Would I benefit by adjusting the loft to 10.5? or even more? I really know nothing about this stuff.

thanks.
 
AmberLamps said:
Thanks for the responses so far guys. My driver is currently set at 9.5d and due to my **** swing im constantly slicing. I can sometimes correct this by having a "Strong" grip but as the round progresses I forget and it goes back to the slice. Would I benefit by adjusting the loft to 10.5? or even more? I really know nothing about this stuff.

thanks.
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Crank it all the way up, can't hurt.

I get hammered for this, but see if there are any professionals in your area and get a lesson. If nothing else, video your swing and post it in the swing tips section.
 
blugold said:
Crank it all the way up, can't hurt.

I get hammered for this, but see if there are any professionals in your area and get a lesson. If nothing else, video your swing and post it in the swing tips section.
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What will higher angle help with? And yes I am looking into lessons.
 
AmberLamps said:
What will higher angle help with? And yes I am looking into lessons.
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Higher loft will, in theory, reduce side spin by imparting back spin. it should keep it a touch straighter. Again, in theory.
 
I play my driver because I want to have a shorter approach. I've fought with it a lot, but I know it's my swing that is the problem, and not the driver so have been trying to work on that. It's seeming to come around finally, we'll see how long that lasts haha.
 
O'Carroll said:
Because chicks dig the long ball.....

I play driver because I miss my fairway wood in the same manner. When I have that ugly hook swing going, it doesn't matter if I'm standing on the tee box with a driver, fairway, or 8 iron. I do understand your question, and I do think some players could benefit from keeping it in the bag, so that answer I just gave is specific to me.
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Yup, this is me. Sometimes I'd go so far as to say the 3w can be worse when I'm hooking it bad.

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It depends on your distances and courses you play. Like with me, I'm about 30 yards shorter with a 3W than driver. And I tend to play on courses where the average Par 4 is about 420-440. So with a driver I'm about 140-150 out which is a stock 8 iron to me. With a 3W I'm looking at 170-180, which is a 5 iron to me. I'd much rather hit an 8, even if its out of rough than a 5 iron, so using the driver makes sense to me. Now if most of your par 4s are mid to upper 300s and you only have a 20 yard gap between driver and 3W than I would be inclined to agree with you but I don't think most people are like that.
 
AmberLamps said:
Simple question, why even play Driver when I can get a much more consistent shot with my 3w and only lose 20 yards or so. Recently I have just been leaving the Driver at home and teeing off with the 3W, I just shot my best round to date (90). I know i suck, but i really suck with Driver, as do most armatures.

I mostly just play my local city coarse, and I understand a driver is probably needed on some courses, but I feel most players would benefit by leaving it at home, unless your hitting fairways consistently with it.
Click to expand...

I disagree. The best plan of action is to find out why you hit a 3 wood so good but can't hit a driver. A driver is a must to play well. I'd seek some help from a PGA Teacher and make the connection on those two clubs.
 
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