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It makes sense to me...

Greg_10

Greg_10

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So today I decided to go to a local golf store and while there began to hit a Mizuno 3 Hybrid. I enjoyed hitting it and was consistently getting good distance (for me) and it was going straight. In my truck was my driver, a club that I hate to use and usually only pull out of the bag for s***s and giggles. I decided to trade in my driver for the hybrid and my reasoning is as follows: why not use a club I can hit in the fairway, but short. I have a massive slice with my driver and I know lessons is probably a great investment and use of money, but for now I don't have the time because of work and family. The time I do have I would rather play 18 with friends. My bag is now 4-wood, 3 hybrid, 4-GW, 54 and 58 wedge, putter. I haven't played a round yet, but I honestly don't think I will miss my driver.

Has anyone else done anything like this, or is this just a silly amateur making amateur decisions.....
 
I went over a year without a driver. I had 3W, 3i-PW, SW and LW. That was the Ayer I went from shooting high 90s/low100s to shooting 90-92 and if I had worked on my short game and putting instead of 6 days of softball I probably would have been in the 80s. The thing is keep balls in play, short grass if possible and GIR or close to with as few strokes as possible once on/around the green. I think you made a good call.
 
Greg I have a buddy that has been wanting to get lessons but didn't want to spend money on that right now (still in school).

His problems with drivers/woods became so bad he actually started hitting a 4-iron off of every tee. It worked for a bit before he started to figure out his driver. Point of the story is I think it's fairly common.
 
Keeping it in play is what's important! Doesn't matter what you have in your bag to do this and doesn't matter what other people think!
 
I trade clubs all the time. This week I've traded putter, irons and fairway wood. Thank goodness it don't have to make sense to others, always hoping for something better. The magic club I guess, even I'm definitely old enough to know better.
 
When I was in high school, my driver shaft broke one day (through no fault of my own, but the head traveled further than the ball). I played the entire season teeing off with a 3 iron, since I didn't have any other woods. I did fine, and I credit that experience to why I don't mind playing a 3 iron (and even prefer it over hybrids).

~Rock
 
Thanks for the positive responses guys. I am excited to see if I can drop my scores by keeping it in play and focusing more on quality instead of distance
 
For those that have gone driverless. What club were you teeing off with and what distances where you getting.
 
I dont see a reason to go driverless. Now that is not to diminish the struggles one might have with it, but that can be just as much about finding something that works, having it work for you and working to your strengths than anything else.

Whether that be more loft, shorter shaft, more spin, less spin, etc.
 
I have been using my x2hot 3 wood instead of driver. I'm around 240-250. I'm a 4 handicap and will say its much easier hitting a mid iron from the fairway than a short iron from the rough.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
 
JB said:
I dont see a reason to go driverless. Now that is not to diminish the struggles one might have with it, but that can be just as much about finding something that works, having it work for you and working to your strengths than anything else.

Whether that be more loft, shorter shaft, more spin, less spin, etc.
Click to expand...

I've gamed alot of drivers over the years, and have had multiple fittings. I still haven't solved the driver puzzle.
 
Your bag setup is the same as mine accept I do have a driver in my bag. If you notice it's 12 degree accurate easy to hit driver that works for me. It's not the longest driver for my swing but it is the most accurate I have played and gaps well with my 4 wood. (Driver 272 yards, 4w 245 yards).

There are a lot of wide open holes at courses I play that I would be hurting myself by not pulling out the driver. Also for holes where carrying trouble is the better play having the driver is very useful. For all the other holes I tee off with 4w or hybrid.
 
I found going with a shorter driver shaft worked wonders for me. Give that a try.
 
Wake said:
I've gamed alot of drivers over the years, and have had multiple fittings. I still haven't solved the driver puzzle.
Click to expand...

People have to be willing to accept things. Science will show that the driver head will be more forgiving than that of a fairway wood head when comparing apples to apples.
 
JB said:
People have to be willing to accept things. Science will show that the driver head will be more forgiving than that of a fairway wood head when comparing apples to apples.
Click to expand...

This. I tried the hybrid/3W route cod several rounds years ago when I struggled regularly off the tee.

I could hit just as many pulls and pop ups with those as I did driver.

Finally took the time to work on the driver swing bit also go to a few fittings to make sure I had something that was right for me.

Now driver isn't the best club in my bag. But I certainly have confidence with it.
 
I play almost the exact same bag. The only time I break out my driver for now is when I'm at the range and I always hit it well at the range, but when I get on the course I have no clue where the ball is going. And I hit my 4 wood about as far as my driver and 3 wood, but straighter. I still have to occasional pull or the pop up if I accidentally tee it up a shade high, but I know what's going on when that happens. Good luck. The game isn't about what clubs you have, but what your score is at the end of the round. Most people hit their 3 woods and 4 woods about as far as your driver and to prove that, most times I'm still right there with the rest of the group and their drives and sometimes further and almost always in the fairway or I'm helping them find their ball in the rough.

Keep practicing with the driver though and when you feel comfortable with it, break it out and see how you do. If you start struggling, you'll be less hesitant to put it back away in the bag and finish with your fairway wood off of the tee.
 
With getting fitted being out of the question for now, apparently my wife feels our children's needs come before my golf needs....She obviously doesn't play and therefore doesn't understand. I'll be looking for a used driver. I know like all clubs it's a personal feel thing but if I have no "feel" to begin with is there a route I should go...
 
Greg I like your reasoning and I think having confidence on the tee is key. If it gets you to enjoy the game more then I'm for it.

On the other side of the coin. You will need to learn to hit the driver sooner or later. The sooner you do so the better off you will be.

Maybe it's finding a driver that works and fits you, maybe it's getting the swing in order. What ever it is, you will have to tackle that fear. In the mean time enjoy the new club.
 
JB said:
I dont see a reason to go driverless. Now that is not to diminish the struggles one might have with it, but that can be just as much about finding something that works, having it work for you and working to your strengths than anything else.

Whether that be more loft, shorter shaft, more spin, less spin, etc.
Click to expand...

I agree with you but i think option gives him a chance to work on finding a driver, improving the swing and getting comfortable with whatever driver starts to work while not having to worry about where the ball is going and possibly getting the scores down.
 
I personally went without one for over a year, didn't even carry one. I just got another one and can hit it ok, tend to swing to hard with a driver. My reasoning; I still rarely hit it as I can hit my 3W as far if not farther than my driver. (I plan on getting a lesson for my driver in the next few weeks)

For me 5W is 230-250 and 3W is 260-280 depending on the day and swing so not having a driver doesn't affect my play too much.

In my opinion play to your strength's and work on the weaknesses, bag the driver down the road but keeping it in the fairway now until you can get fitted/help when the time and money allows, this will makes you have more fun. ( I assume)
 
Obviously going with what works for you is the best choice. That being said, learning to hit the driver opens up a whole new world. There is no reason that the driver should be any less accurate than the rest of your clubs.

As for where to start on the driver search without a fitting... I'd suggest hitting up a demo day and then perhaps waiting for the club that fits your eye to go on sale. Then take a couple lessons and really work on getting your driver in order. Personally, I've never been fitted for any of my clubs, just hit things at demo days and gone from there. <-- Not saying that is ideal, just do-able.
 
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