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Leaving the driver at home when playing links style golf

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sickyspider

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Have any of you when you play links style courses used just fairway woods or hybrids on all long tee shots?

I know Tiger is famous for using his 3W on nearly all long tee shots when competing at the Open (I know he has nearly always been inconsistent with the driver).

Personally I can't wait to try out links golf in the Spring!
 
I never take the driver out of the bag, mainly because I dont bag a 3 wood and if I did I probably wouldnt be that much more consistent with it.
 
On a lot of courses, my driver never leaves the bag. Or at least, stays in the bag all except for one or two holes.

It doesn't have to be a links course. Just a tight hole is enough to pull out the 3W.
 
I've never played real links golf, but even then I wouldn't abandon the driver. It works too well for me.
 
For what it's worth. I try to avoid making decisions with my game by how a Tour pro approaches his round.

I never leave the driver home. Doesn't mean I alway use it. But I don't rule it out. It is one of my best clubs.
 
No way. I can't hit those other clubs nearly long enough, and I don't see a huge jump in accuracy using 3 off the tee. So not only would I not reach the spots I need to, I'd be sideways as well.
If I could flight a 3W down and hit a 260+y stinger that rolls out? Sure, I'd consider it then. But it isn't a problem I'm burdened with.
 
Driver is good when you're down wind. Links style isn't always playing into or across the wind.
 
I don't literally pull it from the bag but I do become very mindful of the situations where driver is really required and act accordingly. Weather plays a big factor - is a wind is in my face or at my back?
 
blugold said:
For what it's worth. I try to avoid making decisions with my game by how a Tour pro approaches his round.
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No one is suggesting that Blugold. Just curious what others do that's all.
 
Thainer21 said:
Driver is good when you're down wind. Links style isn't always playing into or across the wind.
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Well I never! ;) Seriously though, I get a ton of roll with my 3W so even if it was downwind I may still go with it.
 
sickyspider said:
No one is suggesting that Blugold. Just curious what others do that's all.
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Please don't think I was being confrontational. I understand the idea of teeing off with less than driver. I do it often.
 
sickyspider said:
Just curious what others do that's all.
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I've got a weekend trip where I'll play three different links courses. I don't expect to hit driver more than say 1x at the first course, if that. The second course will leave me options depending on wind. The third course is very wide open and long on several holes and I expect to hit driver here more than normal. If wind is bad that day it could be a long round :)
 
Blugold - no worries!
 
Nah. I love keeping drives low.
 
The advantages you have playing true links style courses is huge. We have links layouts but the ground is lush so the run out isn't the same. We have a few exceptions in Bandon Dunes, Chambers Bay and Whistling Straights.

Due to the lush fairways we can't really leave the driver at home. At least that's how I see it.
 
I always keep driver in my bag but it doesn't mean I will use it. If my drives are on I'd consider using it on tighter fairways. If its off I go to 3w or 3i.
 
i'd never take my driver out of my bag. i agree its smarter to sometimes use a 3 wood but theres usually a few holes on any links course you will want to hit a driver. Or you might play a links style like the new course at Grand Cypress where you will want to swing for the fences on every hole! lol
 
sickyspider said:
Have any of you when you play links style courses used just fairway woods or hybrids on all long tee shots?

I know Tiger is famous for using his 3W on nearly all long tee shots when competing at the Open (I know he has nearly always been inconsistent with the driver).

Personally I can't wait to try out links golf in the Spring!
Click to expand...

I'll never take my driver out of the bag. A lot of days, it's my most accurate club off the tee. I think the only really good reason to not hit a driver is if you're at a hole with a forced layup.
 
I'm assuming that "leaving the driver at home" is just an expression and you don't really plan on leaving it behind. Or if you meant it literally, would you be putting another club in your bag to replace it for that day? I'd feel naked without mine. I'd even take it if I was just going to a Par 3 course and leave it in my truck. If you leave it at home, you know you'll be wishing you had it later.
 
I never think about it. I love my driver and its very consistent. How often I hit it is another question.
 
I never leave home without it, not being the longest guy in the world, I need every yard I can get. I hit my driver fairly straight, but if the hole calls for three wood I have no problem hitting mine and it is one of the straightest clubs in my bag.
 
I've never played links before but I would still take my driver.
 
I don't think I have used my 3 wood on a links course. At least I can't think of a time.
 
Thainer21 said:
Driver is good when you're down wind. Links style isn't always playing into or across the wind.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily
I played on the same links course twice in a year and both times it felt like every hole had the wind either into or across the hole, fortunately I have mastered the 3w stinger ( not a 270 yard shot like tiger but it goes further than my driver when wind is against me which is handy :) )
 
There is one links style course in my neck of the woods but I dont see too much difference in it vs the others to be honest. In fact its part of two course muni but again I dont see it much diff from its partner. But as far as using driver, 3w etc......
I dont always use my driver but have never tee'd off with my 3w. I've just never felt the situation has came up. I hit my driver better and more consistant but I dont always use it. It just depends on the hole, dog leg, how long, how tight, hazrds etc... If I dont use the driver its usually because i am layin up with possibly a 5 or 4i or 5w or such. Its ither a blast with the driver or a need to lay up anywhere from perhaps 190 to 220 or whatever have you. Only time my 3w even comes out is if I flop/topped a screwed up drive that rolled 40 yrds to the begining of the fairwy or something like that and even then it depends on what things look like from there. Or perhaps from the fairway when i think I've got good chance to reach with very minimal risk.
 
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