Playing without woods. Thoughts?

Hey guys, what are your thoughts on playing without any woods? The reason I ask is because I'm dying to get back into golf after a 3 year absence, and I want to get some good new clubs, but I also don't want to spend the full $1500+ on the clubs I want. I just want to get out and play right now.

So, I'm thinking about not getting a driver or 3-wood right away. I'd just get a hybrid, 4-GW iron set, sandwedge, and putter. And then maybe later this year pick up the driver and 3-wood.

Right now, this is a setup I'm thinking about.

Titleist 910H 17*

Mizuno MX300 4-GW

Titleist Vokey 56*

Odyssey White Hot #7

And for a bit of background about my game. Like I said I haven't played since October 2008. I broke my wrists then and had to give golf up for a while. But now my wrists are back at 100% and I can swing a club just as before. I played golf in high-school in 06-08 and would play at least 4 days a week, every week from April to October. During this time, I was never that good with a driver or 3-wood. I missed the fairway often with a driver, and I wasn't very consistent with a 3-wood. For a couple seasons I would play in tournaments without woods, and I ended up becoming pretty good with long irons. That's the main reason I'm considering not getting and woods right now.

So what do you guys think about not having any woods in the bag? Can you guys think of any advantages? I guess the only disadvantage would be length. I'm sure I'd end up having to use the hybrid more than once on some holes, so it'd be pretty important to become as accurate, long, and consistent as possible with it. If I can do that, I'm thinking I should be alright without woods. But I'd like to hear what you guys thought.

Thanks.

Sounds good to me...heck when I got into the game back in 2000 I was a 15 handicap and wanted to compete so I joined the American Amateur Tour (Golf Channel bought this tour when it put together the GC Am Tour)...anyway I was in what they called "C" flight (10-15) handicap.  At the time I had a fade bias swing…I could hit my irons pretty well even long irons but would tend to slice my woods and get myself in trouble…so after a few tournaments not scoring well enough to compete I decided at the next tournament I would not play anything but irons all day (longest iron in the bag was a 4 iron) and because it was being played from around 6,200 yards…I got a few weird looks from my playing partners but ended up shooting an 80 and winning the tournament for my flight…the funniest thing about the whole day was when we got back into the clubhouse my playing partners went on and on about how far I hit a 4iron…one even said I probably hit a few 300 yards…reason they were saying this was because most of the time I hit my 4 iron as far as they hit their drives (200-210yds) and I guess they did not want to admit they only hit their drives that far…LOL

Even today as a 7 handicap I have a problem with Drivers and don’t even own one currently (see my sig)…I think it is the big heads that off me…I hit a strong 3 wood off the tee and have a 2H for my fairway wood…oh and now my swing method is the S&T.;

Welcome back to golf.  Man, 30 months without... I can't imagine.

Still, your combination of clubs looks good.  Someone won a major a few years ago only hitting one driver the whole time (and I think he bogeyed that hole).  Get your swing in order, get your feel for the game back, and then go pick up a driver.  Maybe you have your eye on one now that will be much cheaper when you're ready for it.

I'm sure you know this already, but make sure you get the right flex and length for your new clubs.  There's no sense making this harder than it has to be.

Oh, and playing without woods has a term now;  you're playing golf "Elin style."  I don't think this term had that meaning when you left the game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-Guy

Sounds good to me...heck when I got into the game back in 2000 I was a 15 handicap and wanted to compete so I joined the American Amateur Tour (Golf Channel bought this tour when it put together the GC Am Tour)...anyway I was in what they called "C" flight (10-15) handicap.  At the time I had a fade bias swing…I could hit my irons pretty well even long irons but would tend to slice my woods and get myself in trouble…so after a few tournaments not scoring well enough to compete I decided at the next tournament I would not play anything but irons all day (longest iron in the bag was a 4 iron) and because it was being played from around 6,200 yards…I got a few weird looks from my playing partners but ended up shooting an 80 and winning the tournament for my flight…the funniest thing about the whole day was when we got back into the clubhouse my playing partners went on and on about how far I hit a 4iron…one even said I probably hit a few 300 yards…reason they were saying this was because most of the time I hit my 4 iron as far as they hit their drives (200-210yds) and I guess they did not want to admit they only hit their drives that far…LOL

Even today as a 7 handicap I have a problem with Drivers and don’t even own one currently (see my sig)…I think it is the big heads that off me…I hit a strong 3 wood off the tee and have a 2H for my fairway wood…oh and now my swing method is the S&T.;

Haha, that's awesome. I remember it feeling so good to hit an amazing tee shot with a long iron and being in better position than everyone else.

And I totally know what you mean about people saying you hit it further than them just to cover up their distances!

I think I may try and get one of the Titleist 910F-d 3-woods that are 13.5* after a couple months or so. I guess the F-d version is good for tee shots, and at 13.5* it should be a good option for par 5s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgolfer

I agree with laying up + a chip over using a wood. Hitting a 3-wood to a green never ended very well for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shindig

Welcome back to golf.  Man, 30 months without... I can't imagine.

Still, your combination of clubs looks good.  Someone won a major a few years ago only hitting one driver the whole time (and I think he bogeyed that hole).  Get your swing in order, get your feel for the game back, and then go pick up a driver.  Maybe you have your eye on one now that will be much cheaper when you're ready for it.

I'm sure you know this already, but make sure you get the right flex and length for your new clubs.  There's no sense making this harder than it has to be.

Oh, and playing without woods has a term now;  you're playing golf "Elin style."  I don't think this term had that meaning when you left the game.

Thanks! The first year or so of not playing wasn't too bad, because I wasn't physically capable of playing. But over the past little while, I've been watching golf a lot on TV, and man, it brings back a lot of fun memories and the desire to play again is now overwhelming. Especially considering how many hours I played. I spent so much time at the local links with my team and just by myself, that after a while I had a key to the gate.

I honestly think that if I can hit the hybrid well, both in distance and consistent accuracy, then I think I might be better off without a driver. I've always been more concerned with accuracy, and with irons I was accurate, but woods not so much.

Elin style, that's hilarious!

This is funny, because I think that was Tiger Woods, who is now without Elin.

Bad idea.  Youre going to be giving up a lot of distance with no woods.

You are correct;  Tiger won the British Open one year without using the driver, except for one hole.  I want to say it was 2006, back before I had a driver.

Since you're coming back in, you might get a lesson to get you started.

You might want to get a 3W out of the used club bin. You could use for longer holes, not give up so much distance off tee. Ask pro to check out  your 3W set up during the lesson.

Just my view.

Also... Try playing some par 3 courses to get the irons back into shape. Great way to work on scoring w/o having to push for 200+ tee shots.

Well that's what I'm curious about . I wonder how far I could hit a 17* hybrid. And with SureFit I could make it 16.25* if I needed too.

And I would eventually get the driver and 3-wood, but it might be beneficial to work on irons and hybrid first though, right?

I don't think it would be that bad just to get me out and playing again, especially if I can hit the hybrid consistently far and long.

Both good ideas. I could find a cheap 3-wood for some holes. And a par 3 course sounds beneficial and fun as well. I've never played any, but a google search shows that there are a few in my area.

I didn't carry a driver or 3W for the first 1.5 years I got back into golf. I played long par 4's like par fives with my 3h off the tee.

Obviously with your experience it won't be long before you get tired of hitting mid to long irons after hitting a hybrid from the tee, but getting started it's not a bad idea. There is no need to spend big $$$ on a 3w out of the gate. If you have an idea for what type of 3W you want or what shaft you need you can get good used clubs for cheap @ a play it again sports, or in the used club bin at the local golf shop.

You can do it, especially getting back into the game, you could really hone your iron game without the frustration of having to learn how to hit a driver.  That being said, a new set of nice irons would probably run about $700 bucks.  If you took all that money you could get some really nice used clubs in mint condition if you really look.....Driver all the way down to putter....this is what I got this winter:

Cleveland Launcher DST driver in really good condition: $70

Callaway mint condition Big Bertha 04 5 wood(already had the matching 3 wood): $35

Ping I3+ irons, also in nearly unplayed condition with the exception of the sand wedge, 3 iron-Lob wedge: $325

Ping Redwood Anser putter, demo- $120

Total: $550

Some hybrids are harder to hit off tee than 3w IMO.  I sometimes struggle with my driver (less these days) but I usually can hit my 3W within 10-20 yards of my driver, and 85% of the time it is straight down the middle of the fairway.

Yes the F-d is designed to be played off the tee mainly but before you do that check out the TEE fairway woods...I have the XCG-3 (13 deg) and this thing is friggin loooooooooooooong...also it is 190CC so it is a bit bigger then most 3 woods but since I use it mainly off the tee that is fine for me but I can also hit it off the ground...good luck on your way back to the game!

It is a great idea to play without Driver / Woods to settle back into the game and enjoy it. Last year I was playing off a 21 handicap and had done for years, what I could not understand was I could hit my irons so well and make great contact with fairly good accuracy but could not do anything to lower my score.

One day I just decided not to play with any woods, 4 iron off every tee apart from Par 3's, i went from hitting 92/96 ish to mid 80's straight away. I do use a driver now and again and use a 3 wood now also but only from certain tee's.

People go on about distance and I watch people try and smash the ball 270 - 280 yards down the fairway, I come along and hit my 4 Iron around 220, The difference is I realise i can hit a nice 7 or 8 iron on or close to the green and they end up in the tree's or giving themselves a demanding 2nd shot.

It is not about distance, its about course management and thinking about what you are going to do and enjoy it!!

its a great idea mate and good luck!.

Driving for show!! putting for dough!!