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Playing Irons Only


LocoPatrick
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I played down to a 12 HI with no driver, I did have a 3w. My first time last year to shoot a sub 40 nine was with 4-PW on the 3352 yd front. IMO a bigger problem than being inconsistent with the driver is the overuse of it. Can't speak for anyone else but I play from 6400-6800 most of the time and for par 4's less than 400 yds driver is usually not a wise choice. The reason the high handicap guys get away with it, probably better to say attempt it, is because they're not very long. I use a driver now but I still hit a lot of 4w, no longer play the 3 w.

Example my former home course has a 348 yd par 4 dog leg left. The left side is guarded by water that juts out where the movement left starts near the 150 marker. Most steer away from the water and miss the fairway right or hit through it leaving a tough, uphill approach in deep rough to an elevated green protected by mounds on the right. Most miss it short and the pitch you're left with over the mound is a bear because the green slopes away from the mounds. Better players cut the corner over the water with a shorter club and it leaves a short pitch in the landing area where it expands around the lake. IMO it's a course management issue because those fearful of the water would be better off in the fairway even if they were 160 out. All it takes is 188 to get there and the angle to green is so much better than what you get missing long and right.

Dave :-)

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I'm about to take this strategy for a test drive as my driver and 3W have been giving me fits off the tee. When they're on, I'm dead on but when they're off (which has been more the norm of late) they're a disaster. I can be 260+ out in the fairway with the driver but sitting 3 (or sometimes 5) if I put one or two OB off the tee. Thinking I might just need a break from my woods for a while - the extra yardage off the tee doesn't offset the one or two extra strokes I'm carrying per hole if I go OB or get into trouble. We'll see.

Driver- :nike: Nike VR-Pro Limited Edition 9.5* Diamana 'ahina Stiff Flex 3 Wood- :titleist: Titleist 980 5 Wood- :tmade: Taylormade R9 3i-PW- :tmade: Taylormade Tour Preferred (Dynamic Gold S300) Putter- :tarmour: Tommy Armour T-Line 150 (it's old but I love it and haven't been able to find anything that feels better)

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I think there is some validity to this approach.  If you're really struggling off the tee, a strategy of basically laying up a couple of times to set up an approach shot isn't going to cost many more strokes after you add up penalty strokes and recovery shots to get the ball back in play and positioned for an approach.  And since irons tend to be easier to hit, you would have the satisfaction of more good swings.   But you would need to hit the irons pretty well and consistently.  You don't want to be laying way off the green in regulation + 1 on a regular basis.

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I would advise any of you who are struggling with woods or drivers to purchase a hybrid or rescue club. You'll get shaft benefit of a longer club with a compact head which can be struck like an iron. I have a 17&20 degree loft. I can easily hit both past 200 yards with a very straight ball flight. It gives you options for lay Ups of your choice because like someone mentioned earlier if you hit a 4&5 iron from the tee you will likely be leaving a longer third shot. With a hybrid on most par 4's I can chose 60-100 yards for a lay up where I can be accurate. I have had hybrids for a few years now and practice them religiously. Some prefer fairway woods but if you like the feel and profile of an iron then you will like hybrids.

"Repetition is the chariot of genius"

Driver: BENROSS VX PROTO 10.5
Woods: BENROSS QUAD SPEED FAIRWAY 15"
Hybrids:BENROSS 3G 17" BENROSSV5 Escape 20"
Irons: :wilson: DEEP RED Fluid Feel  4-SW
Putter: BENROSS PURE RED
Balls: :wilsonstaff:  Ti DNA

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I've adopted this as my strategy on sub 400 yard par 4s. Basically, whatever club is needed for me to hit my 7 iron or shorter to the green, is what I'll tee of with. At let's say 365 yards, I'll tee off with the 5 iron, leaving me about 155-170 yards, which is either my 7 or 8. If it's 340, I'll just go with a 7 off the tee, then a 7 or 8, if it's just over 400, I'll go 3 wood/7-8 iron....

That's my goal...is to have a line to the green from 150-170 yards. Whatever club it takes for me to accomplish that.

Ryan M
 
The Internet Adjustment Formula:
IAD = ( [ADD] * .96 + [EPS] * [1/.12] ) / (1.15)
 
IAD = Internet Adjusted Distance (in yards)
ADD = Actual Driver Distance (in yards)
EPS = E-Penis Size (in inches)
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Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

Damn SOL. If you hit it that far, you don't really need woods to score well.

I'm not a very long iron hitter I don't think, but I can get 200 off the tee with a 5. Not that much off the fairway, maybe 190. I don't think of that as very long. Especially when guys are hitting their 6 irons 220 out of fairway bunkers. Haha.

Most I've EVER hit my 5, was 218...and that was a fluke pure shot.

Problem is, my 5 iron has a little too much fade on it sometimes, so I almost always prefer to go 6 or 7 if I can.

Ryan M
 
The Internet Adjustment Formula:
IAD = ( [ADD] * .96 + [EPS] * [1/.12] ) / (1.15)
 
IAD = Internet Adjusted Distance (in yards)
ADD = Actual Driver Distance (in yards)
EPS = E-Penis Size (in inches)
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On that same note...I've decided to stop hitting my driver at the moment since I'm slicing it so bad recently...I'm getting like 230 out of it, or I can get a more controlled 230 out of a 3 wood...no brainer. Haha.

Ryan M
 
The Internet Adjustment Formula:
IAD = ( [ADD] * .96 + [EPS] * [1/.12] ) / (1.15)
 
IAD = Internet Adjusted Distance (in yards)
ADD = Actual Driver Distance (in yards)
EPS = E-Penis Size (in inches)
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Originally Posted by Slice of Life

On that same note...I've decided to stop hitting my driver at the moment since I'm slicing it so bad recently...I'm getting like 230 out of it, or I can get a more controlled 230 out of a 3 wood...no brainer. Haha.

I'm actually probably going to start using hybrid off the tee more often for par 4s and maybe shorter par 5s. I'm not having a horrible time with my driver but I just don't need it most of the time at the courses around here. My 18* hybrid should be here by Wednesday and will probably be my goto off the tee unless I play a longer course or am playing a practice round. When I played with Savael25 this weekend I was putting my crappy hybrid out about 240's anyway.

KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

I'm actually probably going to start using hybrid off the tee more often for par 4s and maybe shorter par 5s. I'm not having a horrible time with my driver but I just don't need it most of the time at the courses around here. My 18* hybrid should be here by Wednesday and will probably be my goto off the tee unless I play a longer course or am playing a practice round. When I played with Savael25 this weekend I was putting my crappy hybrid out about 240's anyway.

Yeah, unfortunately even my bombed hybrid doesn't get me 240. But I'm probably better with a 3 wood than my hybrid anyway.

Ryan M
 
The Internet Adjustment Formula:
IAD = ( [ADD] * .96 + [EPS] * [1/.12] ) / (1.15)
 
IAD = Internet Adjusted Distance (in yards)
ADD = Actual Driver Distance (in yards)
EPS = E-Penis Size (in inches)
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Originally Posted by Slice of Life

I'm not a very long iron hitter I don't think, but I can get 200 off the tee with a 5. Not that much off the fairway, maybe 190. I don't think of that as very long. Especially when guys are hitting their 6 irons 220 out of fairway bunkers. Haha.

Most I've EVER hit my 5, was 218...and that was a fluke pure shot.

Problem is, my 5 iron has a little too much fade on it sometimes, so I almost always prefer to go 6 or 7 if I can.

Maybe I'm off a little.  I think of 190-200 for a 5i as pretty long.  I don't see many guys doing that.  I think of 5i as my 175 or so.

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Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

Maybe I'm off a little.  I think of 190-200 for a 5i as pretty long.  I don't see many guys doing that.  I think of 5i as my 175 or so.


It's longer than average for golfers, but when you think about it in terms of what you hear the pros hit it doesn't seem as long. At least that is how I feel.

KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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Maybe I'm off a little.  I think of 190-200 for a 5i as pretty long.  I don't see many guys doing that.  I think of 5i as my 175 or so.

Maybe. I have a couple playing partners that absolutely crush their irons, so I don't feel all that long, but 175 is my 6 iron typically. I also have RocketBladez and the lofts may be a little crazier. My 5 might be closer to your 4.

Ryan M
 
The Internet Adjustment Formula:
IAD = ( [ADD] * .96 + [EPS] * [1/.12] ) / (1.15)
 
IAD = Internet Adjusted Distance (in yards)
ADD = Actual Driver Distance (in yards)
EPS = E-Penis Size (in inches)
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A lot of newer clubs are stronger lofted. My Cobras are a 4-PW but the PW is 43 degrees. Sorry, that's a nine iron dude! Many recent TaylorMade sets stop at 45 degrees for a PW. They also throw in Gap Wedges now, but mine is just terrible. I couldn't bump and run with it if someone put a shotgun up my butt. That does contribute to longer distances in a lot of cases. A hybrid or 4 iron (most modern 4s are almost 3 irons of yesteryear...they just design them to be easier to get te ball up) is a great play on a lot of holes. I recently began a "minimum distance needed" philosophy on my home course and it helps. I always take the lesser club when I have a choice to keep my out of trouble and rely on distance to front/center of the green instead of to the pin. Off the tee, I lay back to a safe distance and never anything that leaves me a half shot. It really does work!

Driver:  TaylorMade Burner 9.5 degree R Flex

3-Wood:  TaylorMade RocketBallz 15 Stiff flex

Hybrid:  Cobra Baffler 19 degree

Irons:  Cobra S2 irons  4-PW

Wedges:  52.08 Hogan, 56.14 Vokey and 60.07 Vokey

Putter:  1967 Muirfield Blade putter

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A lot of newer clubs are stronger lofted. My Cobras are a 4-PW but the PW is 43 degrees. Sorry, that's a nine iron dude! Many recent TaylorMade sets stop at 45 degrees for a PW. They also throw in Gap Wedges now, but mine is just terrible. I couldn't bump and run with it if someone put a shotgun up my butt. That does contribute to longer distances in a lot of cases. A hybrid or 4 iron (most modern 4s are almost 3 irons of yesteryear...they just design them to be easier to get te ball up) is a great play on a lot of holes. I recently began a "minimum distance needed" philosophy on my home course and it helps. I always take the lesser club when I have a choice to keep my out of trouble and rely on distance to front/center of the green instead of to the pin. Off the tee, I lay back to a safe distance and never anything that leaves me a half shot. It really does work!

I thought my 45* pw was as strong as they come! Yours is 43*? Geez, surely they don't come stronger than that???

Gaz Lee

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Problem I have is that I can swing irons simply harder than I can woods.    I really hit my 3 iron off the tee well - love the club.    It is my money club - have confidence with it & its the club I pick when a fairway looks too narrow for driver.      When it comes to 3 or 4 woods (or longer hybrids for that matter), they are not much longer than the 3 iron because I can't swing them as hard, I have to baby them.    If I swing a 3 wood as hard as a 3 iron - God only knows where its going to wind up.      Not that I'm overly short with the 3 wood, but it's not that much longer than the 3 iron due to the way I have to swing it to make it viable.     I do like a 3 wood off the fairway from a perfect lie - that is one situation that I can out distance the beloved 3 iron...

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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I thought my 45* pw was as strong as they come! Yours is 43*? Geez, surely they don't come stronger than that???

I hope not. I did do research beforehand and was looking for stronger lofts because I tend to hit the ball high. But after taking some lessons and doing more work i feel like I would do better with 45 - 48 degrees as the PW because I want to work on my 120 yard in game. But almost no wedge composition covers me completely.

Driver:  TaylorMade Burner 9.5 degree R Flex

3-Wood:  TaylorMade RocketBallz 15 Stiff flex

Hybrid:  Cobra Baffler 19 degree

Irons:  Cobra S2 irons  4-PW

Wedges:  52.08 Hogan, 56.14 Vokey and 60.07 Vokey

Putter:  1967 Muirfield Blade putter

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Depending on wind conditions I usually use irons off the tee if the par 4 is sub 380 ish. I have a lot of trust in my mizuno mp fli hi. Why not invest in a driving iron or even using a hybrid off the tee?
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Note: This thread is 2806 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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