We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Why play DRIVER?

blugold said:
While I agree that the driver should be the longest club in the bag, no where in the rules of golf does it say that every driver swing has to set a personal distance landmark. why not make the mental decision to "try and take 10 yards off" a driver swing? I bet it would smooth out the swing, be more consistent, and maybe even longer
Click to expand...

we are not really disagreeing on much at all here. When I made my comments its not about a personal landmark. Its about what I have implied. No matter how we slice it (lol), the driver is there because (generally) we wan to hit a shot that is further than what any other clubs are capable of. We feel the need to be long as possible.

But again, as implied via the conversation, that (long as possible) distance must be one that is practical within ones ability of maintaining success. But for that desired long shot we are not going to take it with our 3,5woods or our 4iron or 3 hybrid. We generally use driver for it because its our longest club and we want that longest distance for the given scenario. If we didn't (in most cases) we would simply club up to something shorter. But we are not, why? because we want longest. I still maintain (in general) its the only club meant to be hit as far as possible. If I stand on the tee of a par4 and use my driver, its not because I don't want long, its usually because I want the longest shot I can make. Whenever I want something shorter, I use my 3,5w or 4iron, whatever. But here I want to hit the longest shot I can. I don't swing as hard as I possibly can because when I do it becomes useless due to the tiny success percentage. So I swing as hard as I can within my own ability and/or limitations to keep control. And that tamed swing would then (for all practicality) imo be considered to be - "as far as I can hit".
And it is also what my driver is mostly for. To hit the ball as far as I can.
 
I play driver for the same reason I try ridiculously hard recovery shots that get me in more trouble. I'm a glutton for punishment. And I like hitting wedges when I get ahold of a drive.
 
Because it's the only club I hit well!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Driver has a bigger clubhead and face so I'm less likely to have a shank or high toe floater with it. And I don't even carry a 3w, so that impacts my decision, too.
 
If you hit your 3W farther, straighter and with more consistency than your driver than play the 3W. However, if you can hit your driver 20-30 yards farther but offline and inconsistent than take a few lessons on how to hit your driver better.
The driver is the most important club in you bag as it will get you closer to the hole and possibly a GIR. Even if you carry the most expensive putter in your bag, if you can't get a GIR than you are using that $$$$ putter to putt for a bogey or a double at best.
 
The driver will always come back for you. It is a club possessed by a demon.

I ended up with a 44.5", 11.5 degrees. I have a 94 mph SS with it. Well did anyway. And it gives you the option to put a little extra heat on your tee shot after a three putt. 96 mph is smokin' for me.

I'm learning to get pretty good from the trees.
 
I went almost 3 years without a Driver in the bag. I just never found one that I did not slice at least 50% of the time.
I hit my 3 wood 220 yards on average with a slight fade. The only problem with the 3 wood off the Tee is miss hits! If I heel it or toe it the results are often terrible and I am hunting for my ball in the woods. Or worse, taking a drop!

This year I tried a Driver from Bullet golf called the Anti-Slice just for fun. It came with a cheap Uni-Flex shaft that I had replaced. And I also had it cut down to 44".

I hit it straight down the middle 80% and the other times with a slight fade. Miss hits are forgiven because of the big 460cc head. Very rarely will I slice it, but that is always because I came way outside in. And I about have that problem cured with a stronger grip.

The deal is, I only hit this Driver 220 to 230 yards, so I really don't gain distance with it, but I am forgiven for miss hits. If I hit it bad it still is in bounds most of the time. Since switching to it I have had to take very few drops, which leads to lower scores.

Now my 3 wood only comes out for shots off the turf over 200 yards. (My 5 wood is 185 to 195 yards)

So for me, the Driver is just more forgiving and gives me confidence off the Tee that I never had with the 3 wood.

And my scores are getting lower because of it.

But, had I not found this Driver I would still be using the 3 wood. And believe me. I have spent a small fortune trying to find a Driver I can hit! lol There is just something about this one. I love it so much I got another for backup. :)
 
I think if you're a highcapper and keeping an honest score going with 3 or 5 wood could shave strokes and improve your short game. Especially if your course's out of bounds are not playable.
 
Went to the range early today to fiddle with the driver before the round. I hit a few drives with my normal loft 9.5d, then i cranked it up to 11.5. I immediately noticed it was easier to hit and i was consistently getting better drives. I left it at 11.5 and played 27. First drive was str8 down fairway 260 yrds. I continued to only play driver on the necessary holes. Played my 3 wood on most still, however I really only missed bad on 2 holes with driver, and it wasn't really that bad compared to what I was doing before. I didn't play the best today (shot a 98) but it wasn't due to the driver. Im going to continue fiddling with the degree's on this thing and hopefully find the right one.
 
Karl said:
I think if you're a highcapper and keeping an honest score going with 3 or 5 wood could shave strokes and improve your short game. Especially if your course's out of bounds are not playable.
Click to expand...
Out of bounds is never playable, it's Out of Bounds!
 
Well, today, after hitting a couple dozen straight and long drives on the range, I played my driver 7 out of 9 holes and missed the fairway every time but the first breakfast ball. I should have done left the driver in the bag. SMH. I fail to understand how I can concur a slice so completely when practicing and then let it take over when playing for score. It wasn't even like I was overswinging. By hole 9, I was just trying to punch it and it still curved. Very frustrating.
 
katman said:
Well, today, after hitting a couple dozen straight and long drives on the range, I played my driver 7 out of 9 holes and missed the fairway every time but the first breakfast ball. I should have done left the driver in the bag. SMH. I fail to understand how I can concur a slice so completely when practicing and then let it take over when playing for score. It wasn't even like I was overswinging. By hole 9, I was just trying to punch it and it still curved. Very frustrating.
Click to expand...

There is certainly a lot to be said for striking balls when nothing counts vs when it does. That's just the way it is. Regardless how much we may think we are not doing anything different, it is imo always in backs of our minds that it counts when on the course. Golf is not just physical but certainly mental as well.
 
rollin said:
There is certainly a lot to be said for striking balls when nothing counts vs when it does. That's just the way it is. Regardless how much we may think we are not doing anything different, it is imo always in backs of our minds that it counts when on the course. Golf is not just physical but certainly mental as well.
Click to expand...

Yep, you're right, and that is why golf is so frustrating AND rewarding. Went to the range today and hit just about everything straight. Piece of cake when nothing matters.

:banghead:
 
I think most would benefit from learning to hit their driver. Learning to play golf males golf more fun. Leaving the driver out is just handicapping you in the long run.
 
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...

Personally I see nothing wrong with not carrying a driver. If you don't hit it consistent you don't have confidence in it. If you do with your 3W then hit that and keep the ball out of trouble. I have a driver that I don't carry during play but will take to the range where it reaffirms my decision to stick with the 3W off the tee every time. Maybe one day I will learn to hit it, maybe it is just too long for me, but if I can hit my 3W consistently it gets me off the tee far enough.
 
Few shots in golf are as satisfying a well-struck drive with the big stick. We all like hitting it long and far...it is so addictive. If you struggle with the driver, removing that club from your bag is definitely NOT the right answer...you simply need to learn to hit a driver better. Haven't you heard?...Golf is a Journey to Better.

:act-up:
 
Hmm, gives me an idea for a new thread...
 
bobcat said:
Few shots in golf are as satisfying a well-struck drive with the big stick. We all like hitting it long and far...it is so addictive. If you struggle with the driver, removing that club from your bag is definitely NOT the right answer...you simply need to learn to hit a driver better. Haven't you heard?...Golf is a Journey to Better.

:act-up:
Click to expand...

Well, all well struck shots feel good :)
I Had a few real nice drives today in the fairway in the 260's and sure it feels good. But there is nothing imo like the feeling of a great hit iron especially when its on the green. Over all my tee game wasn't so good today but some great irons and a good day putting (several 1 putts) was all so very satisfying and great feeling.
 
rollin said:
Well, all well struck shots feel good :)
I Had a few real nice drives today in the fairway in the 260's and sure it feels good. But there is nothing imo like the feeling of a great hit iron especially when its on the green. Over all my tee game wasn't so good today but some great irons and a good day putting (several 1 putts) was all so very satisfying and great feeling.
Click to expand...

I think any well struck ball makes the game feel fun too. I just can't do it with a driver. :D For me the one club that seems to give me that feeling the most is my 7I.
 
My driver betrayed me today. I still managed to pull an 87 out of my but.
 
I was in the same boat a little over a month ago. I had been focusing on irons with my pro before I finally had a lesson to figure out my driver swing.
It didn't take long to start hitting 'em pretty straight. I still don't hit it super far, but I'll take the extra yardage.

To echo some other posts in the thread, I'd suggest finding an instructor or posting some videos and getting some Freddie Kong advice.
 
Just got the 14 degree SLDR!! Amazing. My brother plays the SLDR driver and I am just yards short of him. Straight and impressive is all i can say.
 
Tadashi70 said:
I think most would benefit from learning to hit their driver. Learning to play golf males golf more fun. Leaving the driver out is just handicapping you in the long run.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree, and I play my driver, but on the other hand nobody says you should take lessons so you can bag a 3i. If you have *nothing* to hit off the tee, sure take lessons. But if you struggle with the driver, leave it at home until you've learned to hit it, just like any other club you're struggling with. Saving strokes is playing golf.
 
I have to do a mea culpa. I worked with my driver a couple of times one weekend and used it on the course for my next round. I'm not quite getting all the distance off it as I could be but was getting more than I get from my 3W and I think I only missed 3 fairways with it and I played it off the tee for every Par 4 and 5.. I have to say, it was my favorite club to hit all day.
 
Dave Alvarado said:
I don't disagree, and I play my driver, but on the other hand nobody says you should take lessons so you can bag a 3i. If you have *nothing* to hit off the tee, sure take lessons. But if you struggle with the driver, leave it at home until you've learned to hit it, just like any other club you're struggling with. Saving strokes is playing golf.
Click to expand...
How do you think it will take to play any club you don't play on a consistent basis?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top