Dropped the woods,only irons

**Brakkus** · August 11, 2008

I would guess most of us when we started playing got caught up in the whole distance thing.I did too,but I have gone completely the other way,and just don't find any gain in hitting further.

I find that an accurate iron shot is far more satisfying than a wood or a driver.I'm not long by any means with the driver,some 250 yds with a nice contact.

I'm shooting in the low 100's now,and it's only 3 putts and errant tee shots that are costing me even lower scores.The whole course management thing really appeals to me,and I get so much pleasure from hitting the green from 160 out,as opposed to bombing a drive from the tee.
Maybe it's something to do with the sports I like the most like tennis,and snooker which are very chess like in nature,or it's just my personality.

Anyone here who shoots low numbers on the course rely heavily on iron play?If it's a strength why not build my game around it?

**Bourbon and Coke** · August 11, 2008

I too shoot low 100s with a focus on irons. I take driver off tee, but only when I can't get within 160-170 without it. Otherwise, I take irons off the tee.

I also hit my hybrid when I'm longer than 170. My iron play isn't holding back my scoring... it's all in the short game.

**HotBite** · August 11, 2008

You will get better playing like that...but you will plateau and not be able to drop your scores any further when you cannot reach some longer par 4's and 5's in 2 or 3.

**JessN16** · August 11, 2008

I'm going the other way.

This was my bag last week:

* Driver, 3-wood, 4-wood, 7-wood, 11-wood, 13-wood
* Chipping iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, putter
* 7-iron, 8-iron, 9-iron

Only three numbered irons in the bag. If I had to play a course with all irons I could tee off tomorrow and I'd still be out there a week from Tuesday.

Jess

**tm22721** · August 11, 2008

Anyone here who shoots low numbers on the course rely heavily on iron play?If it's a strength why not build my game around it?

I did that two years ago. With the medium/short irons, a 3/4 swing and lots of de-lofting for crisp contact, I got down to a 10 handicap. Couldn't get any lower because of the !@#$%^&* par 4's.

Have been working on the longer clubs to attack the par 4's but the mis-hits increase my handicap by 8-10. Progress is very slow.

southwestgolf · August 11, 2008

I'm going the other way.

leta lindsey has a bag similar to this.

**rebby** · August 11, 2008

I only carry a Driver for woods so it's Driver, 2-Iron for me. Depending on the course/conditions I'll occasionally carry a 4-wood too.

**jmoc** · August 11, 2008

As you can see from my bag, I too have drifted away from the woods to just irons. Will I ever be a single digit handicapper without a 250 yard from the fairway club, probably, but I'm not getting there playing only once a week either. I found that I got into more trouble with the woods than they saved me strokes. Unless your par 4's are 450 and the par 5 are 575, you can get to any green in regulation with driver and iron. It really come down to knowing and enjoying the game you play and, as "Dirty Harry" said "A good man knows his limitations"...... jmoc

**Vintage** · August 11, 2008

Irons > Driver.

My iron play has always been poor....but my driving has been decent. This summer, I decided to ignore my woods and concentrate solely on irons.

I think I can best explain this in my latest round of 18 (a week ago)....

I shot a 48 on the front 9, using my driver on 5 holes.....and slicing everything, which led to trouble.

On the back nine, I hit a soft hybrid off the tee instead of driver or 3 Wood. I lost distance, I was only putting it out 200 yards or so.... but it was straight.

Shot a 43 on the back.

And I putted poorly that day.

I have a lesson set up with my instructor to work on my driver and 3 wood this week... but my improved iron play has been more important than driving well.

Hitting drives well doesn't necessarily lead to more GIRs. Good iron play improves the odds of a GIR than driving the ball well.

I chose to focus on my irons this summer (and a rebuilt swing). Its finally coming around. And I can't wait to see it in my next round of golf.

**InTheTwenties** · August 11, 2008

This is a very good way to control those high numbers due to lost balls. I did this and dropped 10 shots immediately. This told me that I was terrible off the tee with the driver. Something I had to fix! :

Granted I was keeping score like a priest: no mulligans, so I took a few lessons, and got better with the driver. Also I got a new driver the FT-i, and I got it with a high loft (13 degrees). I have gotten very good with it, and now hit driver 260 yards on average, and now have FUN off the tee.

Bottom line: do the no driver thing for about 10 rounds, keep score, take a lesson maybe. Ask if your driver is the right one. Most average handifcappers do better with a higher loft (like myself).

Good luck!

LongIron · August 11, 2008

Played 9 the other day at a short course. I amazes how many people use driver in situations where it is completely unnecessary (reminds me of some pros...).

I'm a fairly long hitter, so it was basically 3-iron/sand-wedge for me the entire round, but even for those that don't hit it long, it would still be a 5/6/7/etc.. for their 2nd shot. But nope, lets break out the driver on every hole and slice it into the woods (or on this course, the fairway parallel to ours)...

I only carry a driver and 3-wood and I try to keep them in the bag as often as possible. I've always loved the feel of irons.

**Stuart** · August 11, 2008

I've been playing with only my irons for the last month to try to help simulate what its like to play a much longer course. My ball striking with my 3 and 4 irons has improved a whole lot. I can now crank my 3 iron with as much confidence as any club. It's also really been good for me to practice hitting approach shots with longer irons than my wedges, as on my course my typical approach shot on a par 4 is a 56 degree wedge. Irons are essential. There's no point bombing 300+ yard drives if you can't get it close or on the green afterwards.

**Brakkus** · August 11, 2008

You will get better playing like that...but you will plateau and not be able to drop your scores any further when you cannot reach some longer par 4's and 5's in 2 or 3.

For me though hitting the scores that I am now,then it's better to shelve those woods. Found an interesting article about those long par 4's,even with a conservative approach. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Break-90&id;=1031955 I'm looking to employ the strategy I am now for my golf as long as I can,and If I ever get to the standard of shooting below 80,then maybe I can look at chossing to hit longer,but until then why not just take my medicine and hit accurately,after all I'm only losing 50 yds when I hit my 5 iron.

**Brakkus** · August 11, 2008

This is a very good way to control those high numbers due to lost balls. I did this and dropped 10 shots immediately. This told me that I was terrible off the tee with the driver. Something I had to fix!

This is what I thought,as I'm hitting just as far with my 16" hybrid,as I do with the driver,so for now I just want to improve my ballstriking,instead of watching sub-standard drives. My driver has a 10.5 loft and I would love to find out if I could benefit from a couple of degrees more.

**GaijinGolfer** · August 11, 2008

When I score well, its because of strong iron play and good putting. However, you still need to be able to hit your driver, or at least your 3-wood well if you want to shoot low scores.
I do think its a good idea to build your game around solid iron play, but you cant ignore your driver and fairway woods because if you do, it puts you at a serious disadvantage in terms of length.
It makes things a lot easier when you can hit a 250-yard tee shot and then follow it up with a 200-yard fairway wood shot that either lands on the green or leaves you with a short little pitch shot.
Unless you are hitting one heck of a 1-iron, I dont see you being able to hit the ball 250 yards consistently off of the tee.

**Awsi Dooger** · August 11, 2008

I did that frequently a few years ago. My iron play has always been more dependable than woods. But normally I'm decent enough with a driver. The fairway woods are the nemesis.

A few years ago the driver was in a ridiculous slump so I dropped it and carried a 17 degree Cobra Oversize driving iron, then 3-SW. I was carrying 13 clubs, sometimes 12. At altitude it was fine. I can hit the driving iron 220-230 off the tee at sea level and in higher altitude with some roll the distance was manageable. But I play frequently in Florida and that set up frustrated me. I couldn't reach the longer par 4s. At that point I started pressing and my game fell apart in general.

My solution was to start hitting out at my driver, thrashing like my carefree teenage days. Amazing what a forceful swing can accomplish. Granted, I had to switch to a Prolite Stiff.

Then I picked up a Rescue Mid 16 degree and that thing has been a savior. I can descend and not sweep like fairway woods. Lengthening it 3/4 of an inch was perfect since I'm 6-4. I use it off the tee instead of the driving iron and it's 10-20 yards longer. But I still hit the driving iron off the tee when I need more height, or a controlled cut. The Rescue Mid wants to draw.

**JessN16** · August 12, 2008

Hitting drives well doesn't necessarily lead to more GIRs. Good iron play improves the odds of a GIR than driving the ball well.

Man, is that ever the quote of the day. I played last weekend for the first time in six years, and hit 5 of 7 fairways with my driver and all but one was of at least decent distance.

Want to know how many GIR I hit from 4s and 5s? One. In the fairway 5 times and the two times I missed it wasn't by much, yet I only hit one par-4/5 green (I hit one of the par threes as well). My natural stroke is a horizontal, sweeping stroke. I'm not built for iron play unless I stand right over the thing and even then it's hit-and-pray. As for how I miss the green -- you name it, I do it. Chunks, straight pulls, straight pushes, hooks, bad distance estimations, tops, etc., freaking etc. Jess

**cdj588** · August 12, 2008

i have found that hyrids seemto be very inconsistent and fairway woods of the same loft more consistant.

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Dropped the woods,only irons

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