Would you rather be a great driver of the golf ball, or a great putter?
Can't be both.
What would lead to better scores?
Can't be both.
What would lead to better scores?
Would you rather drive for show or putt for dough?
This is a good question. I think a lot of time you can work yourself out of trouble with the rest of your game but knowing what it’s like to not be able to get off the tee and what it does to you mentally, I’d go with having a solid tee game.
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My putting saves me alot strokes that my driving costs me.
As much as I want to be a better driver, I gotta take the putt for dough side. Bad drives might cost you anywhere from 2-5 strokes per round, but being a great putter will easily save at least that many strokes.
man, that's an interesting question actually. I find that my scores are considerably worse on days that I drive poorly. Having to take extra strokes to punch out of trees or penalties for OB or water are just score killers for me. I putt like s@#t anyway so 
It depends - if I am a great putter, what is my level of driving? Is it just average, or is it shameful, like I can't keep it in play? And conversely, if my tee game is great, am I just an average putter (2-putts on every hole, ish) or am I 3-putting all over the place?
Assuming the answer is the other is average, I'm going with great putter. If however the other is trash, I'm going great driver - it's harder to make up for penalty strokes all over the place than missed putts, IMO.
Assuming the answer is the other is average, I'm going with great putter. If however the other is trash, I'm going great driver - it's harder to make up for penalty strokes all over the place than missed putts, IMO.
I guess it depends on what "great" means, currently I would say I'm a poor driver of the golf ball and an above average putter. Currently would I give up a little in regard to putting to be better at driving, maybe, but I honestly wonder if I lost anything around or on the greens if my scores would actually get better.
I'm slowly realizing that no matter how far I hit it, I need to get better at my approach/iron game
I'm slowly realizing that no matter how far I hit it, I need to get better at my approach/iron game
Drive for show no question...
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Give me the putter.
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Putt for dough. I don't want to 
my drive on 18 and then walk off after a 4-putt.
my drive on 18 and then walk off after a 4-putt.
Great putter!
HITitHIGH
Well-known member
That depends if there is money involved or am I just playing with friends?
I'm distance challenged so I take distance
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I'd say drive for show. I shot a 92 (a solid score for me on this course) on a pretty tough course this year that saw me take 6 penalties off the tee, but also averaged 2.17 putts per hole versus my season average of 1.81. In other words, despite putting worse than usual on this round my score was well within acceptable range despite poor putting. If you wipe those off the tee penalties away, even despite poor putting, I would have scored quite well.
I will take Putt for Dough!! good putting can surely save a scorecard.
draining a long putt can be demoralizing to an opponent in match play when they think they are in position to pick one up.
draining a long putt can be demoralizing to an opponent in match play when they think they are in position to pick one up.
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The fact is there are too many unanswered questions. If you are a great driver, what kind of putter are you? Good? Okay? Crappy? Now ask the same of the great putter. And what does it mean to be a great driver? Long? Accurate? Both? and compared to what? What about your approach game? Your short game? I'd argue that if you aren't good to great in these areas it matters little whether you are a great driver or putter.
I like making putts more than I like hitting bombs.
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All things being equal, what leads to better scores, being a great driver of the golf ball (long and relatively accurate 55% FIR) or a great putter (1.3 putts per hole).
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I have spoken about this topic forever. I will still say being a great long ball driver up the middle of the fairway is always going to make a better score in the end than being a master putter.
If I can hit 300 down the middle of the fairway, then my irons are just as long and going to be good for the most part. I can live under 10 handicap easily with being an average to below-average putter.
The opposite can't be said for a player that only hits 200-yard drives and misses the fairway often. You can be a master putter, but if you don't get to the green in regulation or with a chance for birdie/par your score is 15 to 20 over par.
If I can hit 300 down the middle of the fairway, then my irons are just as long and going to be good for the most part. I can live under 10 handicap easily with being an average to below-average putter.
The opposite can't be said for a player that only hits 200-yard drives and misses the fairway often. You can be a master putter, but if you don't get to the green in regulation or with a chance for birdie/par your score is 15 to 20 over par.