How to compress the ball and take a divot?

Hit my tee shot just into the penalty area and barely found it. Swung hard just in case I hit it. It was slightly downhill with a heavy tailwind. I don't actually hit my 9i 170 yards.

Right. The difference between being 120 out and 70 out for me (this is the important part) is negligible and not worth putting other risks into play off the tee.   Ok the argument against driver is that my shot cone is comically large. It puts every possible outcome into play. You can't see the green from the tee so there's a good chance I'd have to wait for it to clear which would slow down play. That's the third tee right in the middle of the firing range there. I really don't want to wait just to hit a terrible shot and I especially don't want to injure somebody. Yea I have no problem playing out of the rough short of the bunker if I'm just going to lay up short of the bunker, but I absolutely need to avoid flaring it right into the penalty area if I'm going to be laying up in the first place. As a general strategy I understand where you're coming from. But since we're specifically talking about me (this is a shot I'm going to have to hit on Saturday), I think the cost is fairly marginal. I hit the ball 8' closer on average from 50-100 than I do from 100-150 from the fairway and rough and the green success % difference is 4%. Bunker might as well be a penalty drop. Based on the data,  Here's my SG:A data compared to a 10: I honestly don't know how to use SG for decision making. That's why I was mostly looking at proximity to hole and green success rate for comparison. I mostly use SG as a way to track my progress. All good. Like I said, I appreciate the discussion. It makes me think. If I didn't want to see alternative/opposing viewpoints to my own I just wouldn't post anything. You should post it! In your own swing thread, of course. It's been a fun exercise.

Played my first 2024 round at Pierce Lake. Boomed my first drive down #10 fairway, then slowly slipped into mediocrity. 83 (69.6/131). The high point was going 2 of 4 on sand saves. My sand game is pretty marginal but today I must have discovered the secret for a couple hours.

day 34. Technique practice. Became too quick and outcome oriented. need to slow down and work on technique again. 

Day 534, April 18, 2024 Practice before lessons today. Priority piece. No sim this time. 🙂