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Driver Off the Deck

GreensDruid

By GreensDruid,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

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GreensDruid Well Established Member

GreensDruid

I was at the range yesterday and watched a kid from the local high school team warming up. At one point, he was showing off with his friends and hit a few shots with his driver - without a tee. Must say I was pretty impressed.

Do lots of people do this? I can't imagine hitting my driver without a tee. Do you risk hurting the club if you hit with it off the deck or can drivers withstand that kind of punishment?

In my bag:

Driver: Wishon 915CFE, 420cc, SK Fiber Lite Revolution I
Irons: Tommy Armour 845 FS - PW - 3
Hybrid: Adams Idea 21 deg.Wedges: Cleveland 900 52 deg., 56 deg. TA588 60 deg.Putter: Generic mallet style

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billchao
billchao

@DaveP043 hitting driver off the deck at the range. I tried it, too. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

billchao
billchao

Maybe. I just figured it would be funnier to see me making a fool out of myself, which didn't happen until I got on the course 🤣 It was a pretty good shot. For me 😉

billchao
billchao

That's because there just aren't that many 700 yard par 5s out there for you to reach in 2  I've never done it. Never wanted to try. I've broken a few driver shafts in the past and I'd rather not

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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Do lots of people do this? I can't imagine hitting my driver without a tee. Do you risk hurting the club if you hit with it off the deck or can drivers withstand that kind of punishment?

They take no extra punishment. It's not like you're hitting the ground. The idea is to barely touch the ground.

I've done it. I prefer deeper drivers, which makes this more difficult, but I have still done it. A consistently level head and a lot of clubhead speed help. I rarely need to do it (a 3W is almost always fine), but I can do it.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Jarno Established Member

Jarno

I actually posted this is another thread, but a kid on the Nationwide tour hits a Hi-Bore off the deck. Hits it pretty well, I think we walked it off at 270ish.
In the bag:

Driver: 905R 9.5* NV-Stiff
Woods: (Tour Issue) 906f2 15* Speeder-Stiff
Irons: 695CBWedges: Vokey 252.08, Vokey Spin Milled 256.14Putter: Studio Stainless 2.5 (35 1/2" 350g)Ball: Pro V1x (Low #'s)
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NM Golf Super Member

NM Golf

Tiger hit driver off the deck last Saturday in the WGC event. He did it on that 636 (or whatever) yard par 5. He got it to about 15 yards of the green.
I can hit it off the deck if I need to but it is a low percentage shot at best so I would never do it in competition. Plus I never practice hitting it off the ground.

Danny    In my :ping: Hoofer Tour golf bag on my :clicgear: 8.0 Cart

Driver:   :pxg: 0311 Gen 5  X-Stiff.                        Irons:  :callaway: 4-PW APEX TCB Irons 
3 Wood: :callaway: Mavrik SZ Rogue X-Stiff                            Nippon Pro Modus 130 X-Stiff
3 Hybrid: :callaway: Mavrik Pro KBS Tour Proto X   Wedges: :vokey:  50°, 54°, 60° 
Putter: :odyssey:  2-Ball Ten Arm Lock        Ball: :titleist: ProV 1

 

 

 

 

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billpar Newbie

billpar

Seems like a comfort level thing for the high schooler. It is not as if the kid was abusing an expensive driver with more impact on to the deck than ball.

He may feel without the tee works better for his stroke and distance because every tee is going to be slightly different at different places.
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georgep Dedicated Member

georgep

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It used to be a lot easier when driver heads were smaller. Hitting a persimmon driver off the deck was not all that much harder than hitting a 3-wood. I've pulled it off in the age of titanium, but I rarely if ever attempt it anymore. It's just a low percentage shot, and I'm probably not going to get good results anyway. If I can't get there with a 3-wood then I'm better laying up anyway.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
--Groucho Marx

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cmarkmyers Well Established Member

cmarkmyers

I remember Vijay doing it at the Mercedes in Hawaii in order to stay under the wind a bit. He also did it on The Golf Channel when he and Michael Campbell were breaking Big Break window panes.

On TGC they were saying you need to hit ever so slightly down on the ball in order to generate the backspin required to get the ball in the air and take a very minimal divot.
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rembrandt Dedicated Member

rembrandt

Over the years, I have used the driver off the ground alot on par 5s where the punishment isn't too severe. I can reach a bunch of greens on those holes with the driver and most of the time the payoff is better than the pain. Bunkers are no problem so whale away and use it where you can.

Golf is not a game, it's a way of life!

Driver...Cubic Balance offset
Fairway wood......Flying Saucer
3-Wood....Cleveland LauncherIrons.......Callaway Great Big Bertha w/graphite shaftswedges....Cleveland sand wedge, Callaway Lob wedge putter....Claveland VAS.

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golfchief Dedicated Member

golfchief

Use to with my old driver a 975D but the big head of the 580XD I just can't hit it farther than my 3wood off the deck.

R7 9.5 S Shaft
560 R7 quad R shaft
RAC LT irons
Scotty Cameron Pro Platinum

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SuaSponteMn Dedicated Member

SuaSponteMn

I'm suprised that so many people answered yes...

Personally, I wouldn't ever hit that shot. There's way too much opportunity for error and damage to my driver. If I've hit a first shot that bad or I'm that far out even with a good drive, I'm going to just take my lumps, swing the 3 wood, and hope for a nice easy pitch for my 3rd...

Now, in Tiger Woods on the Xbox, that's a completely different story

In My Bag:

Taylormade: Superquad 9.5 Aldila VS Proto 'By You' 70-S
Sonartec: SS-07 14.0 Aldila NV 85-S
Cleveland: Halo, 3i UST Irod 83-SPing: i-10 4-UW AWT-STitleist: Vokey Design Spin Milled 54.10 & 60.08Slighter: Handstamped Tacoma, 350G in Black Satin w/Sound Slot
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allin Great Member

allin

I think this is to high risk with 460 cc drivers. The orignal Taylor Made burner driver hit off the deck with a fade used to be money. I no longer hit the ball far enough to reach par 5s in 2 so haven't even tried it in years.

1W Cleveland LauncherComp 10.5, 3W Touredge Exotics 15 deg.,FY Wilson 19.5 degree
4 and 5H, 6I-GW Callaway Razr, SW, LW Cleveland Cg-14, Putter Taylor Made Suzuka, Ball, Srixon XV Yellow

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

I used to think it was one of those impossible shots to do.
It's really easy and it's more accurate than my normal 5 wood shot!

Anybody try this?
I think it's because driver clubheads are so big now it's hard not to hit the sweet spot.

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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Elvisliveson Great Member

Elvisliveson

I used to think it was one of those impossible shots to do.

I'm with you. It is much easier than it used to be. I use it when 230+ out AND going into the wind because it yields a lower ball flight.

My Tools of Ignorance:

Driver: Ping I20 9.5*
Woods/Hybrids: Cobra AMP 3W and 3 HY

Irons: Cobra AMP 4-GW

Wedges: Callaway Forged Copper 56* and 60*

Putters: Scotty Cameron  35" (Several of the flow neck blade variety)

Ball: Bridgestone B330-RX and Srixon Z-Star

Bag: Nike Performance Carry

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upah Well Established Member

upah

I think this depends too on the shape of the face and the loft. Some drivers don't offer much room to hit a ball off the deck (think game improvement styles). Also, too much loft makes it difficult not to hit it thin, while too little loft makes it hard to get the ball in the air. My favorite driver for the short grass was a 9.5 degree Nike 350 from way back when. Shaped almost like a 3 wood but meaner.

What kind of distance are you getting relative to off the tee?
Driver: Taylormade Tour Burner 9.5° | Fairway Wood: Adams Speedline Fast 10 15° | Irons: Mizuno MP-57 3-PW | Wedges: Cleveland CG11 52° 56° 60° | Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG Rossie
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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

I think this depends too on the shape of the face and the loft. Some drivers don't offer much room to hit a ball off the deck (think game improvement styles). Also, too much loft makes it difficult not to hit it thin, while too little loft makes it hard to get the ball in the air. My favorite driver for the short grass was a 9.5 degree Nike 350 from way back when. Shaped almost like a 3 wood but meaner.

200-210m (220-230 yards) off the tee

180m (200 yards) off the deck

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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Par Fore Well Established Member

Par Fore

The only time I will try the shot is with a sitting-up, pefect fairway or light rough lie where I need to go 260 plus, there is no concerns about carrying water or a trap, and the reward far outweighs the risk....

Otherwise, aggressive 3wd with a sweeping draw is a better play IMHO.....that, or a lay-up....

I love that shot of Arnie at his invitational that the TGC shows on 18 where he hits driver off the deck to 20 feet.....priceless.....
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clubchamp Great Member

clubchamp

I actually think the opposite I used to hit driver off the deck when the heads were smaller. I think drivers with a 460cc head is harder to hit off the deck. I sometimes hit punch shots with mine but that's about it.
Driver: i15, 3 wood: G10, Hybrid: Nickent 4dx, Irons: Ping s57, Wedges: Mizuno MPT 52, 56, 60, Putter: XG #9 
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WUTiger Incredible Member

WUTiger

Back in ancient times (the 1970s), this was the shot people used to show they had "the touch." All the single-handicappers where I caddied tried to hit the "driver off the deck" (DoD) on long par 5s.

Worked doubly well in hot, dry July: Ball sometimes set up better on dry, bristly grass, and the low shot hit the hard ground and kept going. Didn't work well on plush turf, even if fairway length.

Hadn't given much thought to it until today's post, and I'm not sure if jumbo heads would hurt or help.

I played one summer with a 12* brassie (2W) when I cracked my driver head. Used 2W off tee and off dry fairways. But, didn't try the driver too much.

An alternative to DoD was a toe hook with a 3W: close the face, and catch the ball about 3/4" to right of the sweet spot. Good on more open holes, had distances of up to 280 yds. on dry fairways. But, it was a risky shot if your swing was off that day. (I can't believe how much less adventurous I've gotten the last 10 years)

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking Academy: Fitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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