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Who doesn't carry a driver?

post #1 of 42
5/25/09 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
Just curious who doesn't carry/hit a driver?

I never used to hit a driver and always hit a 3 wood in its place until about 3 years ago. I then decided to give it a go and have struggled with inconsistency since starting to use one. Good some days, bad on others. I have recently thought about going back to my 3 wood and have even bought a 13* degree 3 wood to compliment my 15* and to use off the tee.

To me it seems straight forward, hit what works, sacrifice a bit of distance for consistency.

Anyone else out there do this?

John
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post #2 of 42
5/25/09 at 1:48pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

My driver is a bit of a passenger at the moment so I might as well; I don't think its a coincidence that both my best rounds (76 and 78) were when my old driver became illegal and I left it at home. I'm not a huge hitter (3-wood carries to 220) but my home course is more about tight/dogleg fairways than 450 yard par fours. If I left the driver at home I could get a gap wedge which would probably save me a couple of stokes, just may do that come to think of it.
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post #3 of 42
5/25/09 at 2:30pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I have a bad slice when i use my Nike SQ. It was making me mad yesterday when I went golfing with my dad. I asked him if I could use his Cobra 3 wood off the tee and I hit it straight as an arrow, pretty good distance too. I like the 3 wood but I want to figure out what is wrong with my swing if anything or what is wrong with my driver.
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post #4 of 42
5/25/09 at 2:45pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I only started carrying a driver late last summer, and only the old 190cc Callaway at that. I completely destroyed the driver that came with my knock-offs within a week of buying them, and I took that as a sign.....I spent about 5 years of only using the 3 wood, learning to hit, after breaking the pumpkin-on-a-stick. I picked up the new-to-me TM360 last fall after the season was over, but still prefer to hit the smaller bertha, and do so more consistently.

I can't get over the size of the 460cc drivers and it still throws me off. Even the 360 is a little menacing for me, but I am slowly getting used to it, and it does make me grin a little.
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post #5 of 42
5/25/09 at 3:18pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

Im probably going to drop the driver and get a set of Ping G10 fairway woods. They hit far and im so much more accurate with them. Plus 2 fairway woods are just as expensive as a driver.
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post #6 of 42
5/25/09 at 4:27pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I used to use a Ping 1-iron off of a short tee as a driver replacement back when I had a bad slice.
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post #7 of 42
5/25/09 at 4:34pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

For years I played a 2W off the tee (13º, probably called a strong 3W these days).

I finally broke down a couple years ago and put a 400cc+ driver in the bag. Took a while to get used to and hit correctly but now the results are finally starting to pay off. My driver is a "go to" club now, I find the fairway as often with it as I do a fairway wood and hit it further to boot.
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post #8 of 42
5/25/09 at 5:19pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I stoped using my driver about a week ago till i can fix my slice, been teeing off with my hybrid to replace it
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post #9 of 42
5/25/09 at 9:38pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I used to carry a 3 wood for the times when my driver isn't cooperating. Then, I realized that I hit it just as accurate as my driver. I dropped my 3W for a 2h and I'm getting about 10 fewer yards off the tee, but can hit it off the fairway with ease. Also, it's more accurate than my driver and great for those tight 300-350 yard holes.
Before I had a decent swing, I used to use a 3W off the tee all the time because the driver sliced. Learning to hit a driver is one of the best things that I've learned to do when it comes to golf. It's nice knowing (or thinking anyway) that I'll keep the ball in play and be close to the hole.
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post #10 of 42
5/25/09 at 10:31pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I don't carry a driver either. My 3 wood's not money off the tee but it's still a lot better than my driver, besides, the driver I've got has a way too flexible shaft for me. It's been so long since I've hit driver that I can't really remember how much distance I lose using the 3 wood but I'll often hit it just as far and sometimes further than the people I play with who are using drivers.
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post #11 of 42
5/25/09 at 11:10pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I love to play my driver, I play it well off the tee, I understand your reasoning as I used to not carry one...
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post #12 of 42
5/25/09 at 11:32pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I did not use a driver for about 7 years. I then found out how to work on my own clubs and shortened my driver. I find that the flatter swing plane of a driver gets people in trouble quick. Try a shorter driver around 44" and see what that does for you. The most accurate driver I ever owned was a Cleveland 400 with an NV shaft @ 43 1/2". A young man, who had a very fast swing, offered a very nice price for it, and I sold it.
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post #13 of 42
5/26/09 at 12:02pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I carry a driver (that a cousin gave to me) but never use it. Since I started up again last summer, I'm only using irons.
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post #14 of 42
5/26/09 at 1:44pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

Well I have been having a little off time from my drive over the last year and have been using a 2i off the T instead. For some reason my iron play is much much better than my driver. I just cannot hit that thing. When I do, it doesn't really add much distance over my 2i...so I stick with what is more consistant.

That said, I am going to a lesson tomorrow to go over my driver swing since I think the driver is a necissary club to master.
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post #15 of 42
5/27/09 at 4:10am

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

I score just as well, if not better, without my driver. It's still in the bag, but I hardly go to it anymore. My iron game, especially long irons, has improved since because I'm hitting my approach shots form the fairway instead of trying to get out of trouble. My goal for the rest of the year IS to be able to drive the ball again though. I don't know when/how/where it went so wrong.
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post #16 of 42
5/27/09 at 5:44am

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

i went through a long phase where I couldn't hit many fairways with my driver and resorted to hitting hybrids off the tee. Easier to score when you are hitting from the fairway. At that time I couldn't find a 3 wood I liked either.
Unfortunately, nothing replaces the feel off hitting a solid driver, so although my scores were OK, I felt emasculated, to a degree as it took a fair bit of the pleasure out of the game for me.
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post #17 of 42
5/27/09 at 12:46pm

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

Like many people, I had a stretch for a number of months that I couldn't do anything but hit a diving hook with my driver. I had my club maker build me a 13 degree three wood, and I pounded that thing dead down the middle every time, almost as far as my driver. That club got me through the summer and eventually changed the way I look at drivers.

The driver is now purely a distance club for me. In order to make it worth carrying a driver I have to be able to hit it at least 30 yards further than my 3 wood, or give me a 2 club advantage on approaches. To make that happen, and to achieve the swing weight I prefer, I added an inch to my driver, making it 46" long. My current driver - A Titleist 909D2, has a 46" Epic shaft and weighs in at E-0. It's a sledgehammer.
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post #18 of 42
5/28/09 at 10:06am

Re: Who doesn't carry a driver?

Originally Posted by WhiteSlice View Post
Im probably going to drop the driver and get a set of Ping G10 fairway woods. They hit far and im so much more accurate with them. Plus 2 fairway woods are just as expensive as a driver.
This was me from Dec 2007-2008, couldn't hit my driver to save my life. So i relied on my Ping G10 15.5 3W, man i was hitting a consisten 240 yards with it, just aimed fired away. Later part of 2008 had my previous driver re-shafted and was hitting it more in the fairway at 250-260 yards.

But it sure is nice to outdrive your flightmates with only a 3wood and as you guys walk towards your balls and you find yours 5yards or more ahead of theirs you just turn around and ask politely...."Excuse me but what cllubs were you using when we teed off?...Oh right...drivers hehehe"
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