Do you really need a driver in your bag?

[drglew]

I too will take the contrarian opinion. For me, the driver is just as accurate (or erratic) off the tee than a fairway wood (or even an iron!). I think the giant face makes it so much more forgiving than a FW. I would rather be in the rough 150 yds out rather than 200 yds out also in the rough!

[Keep It Simple]

In general I believe high handicappers hit their 3-woods farther than their drivers and so it is a distance issue for them. For low handicappers and even pro's (ie. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson) the added length from a driver increases the chance of ending up out of bounds when a shot is off target.

[nuck81]

I hit my driver about 30 yards further than my next club, it's pretty straight too. I think I'll keep it...

[holeinon3]

Thing is, most of the time I trust my driver more than any club in the bag so why hit 3W?

Edit:

I hit my driver about 30 yards further than my next club, it's pretty straight too. I think I'll keep it...

.

[MiddleWest]

In your specific situation, you may not need the driver right now. However, for long term progress I'm not sure I can find a solid permanent strategy without one.

[JML22]

I dont really get why you can hit a 3 w but not a driver
they're not "that" different

[alomar123]

I dont really get why you can hit a 3 w but not a driver

I think its because drivers are very long. I bought my R9 used, and I am pretty certain it was shorten and I love it. Today I held my old nike dymo and I was shocked at how much longer it felt.

[CG031]

I sometimes think about this, and yeah, I do. My course is pretty long and when I'm driving the ball well (solid and straight) I score much better then when I'm mis-hitting it, or when I'm hitting it all over the place (like most people, I guess)...

[McGolf-Doggie]

I play golf for fun, so I am sometimes going to do what is most fun, and sometimes that means giving the driver a ride when I get the opportunity. I'm near 50, work long hours/tight schedule so sometimes the opportunities even for 9 holes are once a week or once every other week, so I take what I can get.

Unfortunately, or fortunately even, some days my driver goes straighter than my 3W.

The 3W can sometimes take more practice, but when I practice it a lot, it can payoff on tight fairways. Sometimes one or the other is on or off. I never really know until I get out there. But if the driver seems to be off twice in a row, it can sometimes be a good decision not to bring it back out of the bag that day.

[shades9323]

I dont really get why you can hit a 3 w but not a driver

2"+ longer shaft and generally 5 degree more loft isn't that different?

I hit my driver maybe 1 or 2 times per 9. Of course my 3 wood is a 12.5 degree head with a low launching shaft, so it is basically a high lofted driver.

[goblue107501]

Nobody needs a driver, but if you want to have lower scores it sure helps. I think much of it depends on the course you play. If you play a tighter course that is short, you might not need one. My average score would go up 5-6 shots on my regular courses if I didn't have a driver. Some holes are just too long and you have to have the extra length or you end up hitting long irons or woods into par 4s. The 430 yard par 4s are much easier when you are inside 175 rather than outside 220.

I think back to the 9 hole course I grew up on and I could do without a driver and 3-wood and score just the same. The course just wasn't very long. It wouldn't be as easy to score, but it would average out within a shot or two.

[James_Black]

My new course is different from the old one I used to play on.

It's got tight narrow fairways, but I still hit the driver on a lot of the holes.
A PW from the rough is better than a 8i from the fairway right?

[steelernation]

I cant hit a 3 wood, have not practiced it enough. Driver is used 13 to 15 times on most courses depending on doglegs and Ill still use it if I think I have it in the swing. When I swing well w the driver it gives me an adv over anybody Ive played with. The next swing is always the problem and the closer I get the better off I am.

[te3point5]

For me, it's definitely an ego thing. Alot of the time I'll have my 2 hybrid out ready to hit on a par 4 or 5. Then I'll look over at my buddy who has a driver in his hand and 8-% of the time, I'll go back and grab my driver. This usually ends badly... My other issue with the driver is that on the course, I (and probably alot of us) have the tendancy to swing too hard.

[shades9323]

A PW from the rough is better than a 8i from the fairway right?

No, I would much rather hit an 8i from the fairway than a pw from the rough.

[Paradox]

I don't think ANYONE, regardless of handicap, should take clubs out of their bag. You gotta learn to hit all the clubs at some point or another so why avoid it? I think that just makes the tension even worse. If you're having a bad slump with the driver then sure, put it down for a while(I did that for two weeks and teed off with a 19 degree hybrid) but keep swinging it for practice all during that time.

In the end though, the object is to get closer to the hole on every swing so whatever you gotta do to get there...be my guest. My driver gets me into trouble from time to time but my off days are fewer and farther between now because I always stuck with it and didn't shy away from it even when I sucked with it.

[Fourputt]

My new course is different from the old one I used to play on.

Not if the rough is 2½ feet tall like the native rough is on my home course.

I carry and use a driver. My success with it comes and goes, but that's true of any club in the bag, including the 3W. When it's bad, it's still not horrible... usually in play. When I bought the new Diablo edge I went with the 11° just to add a bit more height and a bit more forgiveness to my drives. It doesn't roll out as far, but it carries farther than the 10° that I demoed, so they seem to balance out about the same. I also use it for punching out from under trees and such.... for me it's a good, low trajectory rescue club for some situations. I've saved a lot of strokes by having that shot in my bag.

[bcp]

For me, the driver is needed when I can't reach the 150 yd marker with anything else. My chances of hitting the green are significantly better from 160 in. If I can get to that point off the tee with less club, then I don't hit driver; however, my driver off the tee is more accurate than my 6 iron from the fairway. So, I try to hit whatever club will get me into at least 7 iron range (~160 yds).