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Take driver out of the bag???


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Any thoughts on if I should take my R5 out of the bag. Just started playing again after a few years off (shoulder surgery). Presently a high handicapper but should improve fairly quick with more time at the range. I am struggling to find fairways with the driver. Bought an RBZ Tour Spoon and bombing it consistently straight on the range. Thinking about ditching the R5 and using the strong 3 as my driver. Scores should improve quickly if I'm not in trouble after my tee shot.
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Nobody will really argue against the fact that taking the driver out of the bag being a good thing if you are struggling and putting it back in when/if you start being able to control it. This is especially true if you have a 3 wood you are able to hit well consistently. You aren't really losing much distance going with 3 wood over the driver most times anyway.

KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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Phil Mickelson uses a Callaway XHot 3Deep fairway wood instead of a driver.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, 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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Phil Mickelson uses a Callaway XHot 3Deep fairway wood instead of a driver.

Depends on the round.  He had a SLDR driver in the bag for a couple rounds at the Presidents Cup (his equipment contract with Callaway is very flexible, as Phil has used a few clubs from other names this year including Ping and Taylor Made)

Callaway XR 9.5 + 1, Taylormade R15 3 Wood, Burner 3 Rescue, Callaway XHot 5H, Warbird 4H, Nike Vapor Fly 6-AW Irons, Titleist Vokey 54, 60 Wedges, Taylormade Rossa Fontana Putter, Srixon Z-Star Tour Yellow.

Best Score 2017:  82 (Traditions at the Glen, Par 70)

Favorite Course - Conklin Players Club (Par 72) - Best Score 86

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Phil also uses something called a Frankenwood as his driver. It is a Callaway one-off of the XHot 3 Deep but I believe it is a larger head

Ping G400 Max 9/TPT Shaft, TEE EX10 Beta 4, 5 wd, PXG 22 HY, Mizuno JPX919F 5-GW, TItleist SM7 Raw 55-09, 59-11, Bettinardi BB39

 

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Any thoughts on if I should take my R5 out of the bag. Just started playing again after a few years off (shoulder surgery). Presently a high handicapper but should improve fairly quick with more time at the range. I am struggling to find fairways with the driver. Bought an RBZ Tour Spoon and bombing it consistently straight on the range. Thinking about ditching the R5 and using the strong 3 as my driver. Scores should improve quickly if I'm not in trouble after my tee shot.

I broke my driver shaft once and it took a month for the OEM to repair it, so I can share some of my driver-less experience:

I hit my 3w straighter than my driver, but not to the point where I thought it really mattered which of the two I was hitting. I am just as capable of hitting a shot in the woods with my 3w as I am with my driver. I didn't notice any significant difference in my average score, so when the driver was fixed, it went back into the bag. Recently, I find that having both in the bag helps, because some days I hit one better than the other, so I just hit the one that works best that day.

If you are definitely hitting your 3w much better than your driver, I say it's worth an experiment, but remember hitting the ball on the range is not the same as hitting it on the course. It's probably not going to be the great solution you are hoping it will be (I've been there, still looking). At the end of the day, you still have to keep working at it.

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

My Swing Thread

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just don't hit driver unless it's a wide open fairway where you have enough room if you really wing it, it' won't go OB.    If it looks tight, hit your best fairway or hybrid or even a 5 iron.     Since I started this strategy - my scores have dropped dramatically.    I don't bring the big dog out unless there's plenty of room ... try it

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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My driver was terrible yesterday, I'm talking hitting the fairway on the hole opposite us terrible. The course we were playing only had 2 fairways that were wide, so I put the driver away and hit 3 wood for the rest of the day. I lost yards, but we were playing in a scramble and it was more important to be in the fairway, a tradeoff I'll take every single day. One of the other guys in our group started snap hooking it with his driver, we joked that if we were able to average out our drives, we'd be dead center of the fairway every time :)

Russ B.

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I was having a horrid time with my driver until I got a good fitting and my 913 D2.  I know my father never carried a driver but carried a low handicap to the grave, though this was back in the day when woods were made of... wood.  I've no idea what he would have done with modern clubs.  The point is, if you can keep the ball out of trouble better, you are likely to score lighter.  I'd lose the untrustworthy driver, though I wouldn't give up on the idea of finding a faithful Big Dog one day.

Driver: Titleist 913 D2 10.5*, Aldila RIP Phenom 50

Fairway 1: Titleist 913F, 17*, Titleist Bassara W55

Fairway 2: Titleist 913F, 21*, Titleist Bassara W55

Irons: Titleist AP1 714 5-PW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95

Wedges: SCOR 4161 48/52/56/60, Genius 9

Grips: GolfPride New Decade Red Mid-size on all of the above.

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 - Super Stroke Slim 3.0

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I took my driver out earlier this yeah when I noticed I always struggled on holes I dont drive well.. My handicap went from 19 down to 14 just because of that.. I hit my 3W pretty consistent and it keeps me out of trouble and i'm hitting fairways a lot more.. Golf is a lot easier in the short grass.. I do want to start hitting my driver again. So I can at least try and attack par 5s or those long par 4s.. I think next year I will get lessons solely on my driver swing..

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  • 5 weeks later...

Fairway=good. SO if the 3-wood lets you hit the fairway more consistently, then keep that as your driving club. No one can criticize a man that is in the short grass, no matter how he gets there. I played with a guy that hit a 2-iron off the tee instead of a wood, but he hit the fairway more often than not.

Driver: Adams TightLies Titanium High Launch Max COR (10.5°) R Flex Graphite SuperShaft Lightweight Mid Kickpoint, GolfPride Multicompound Grip

Fairway Wood: Ping G20 4-Wood (16.5°), R Flex Ping TFC 169F Shaft, Ping ID8 Grip | Hybrid: Ping G25 (23°), Ping TFC 189H Shaft, GolfPride Tour Velvet Grip

Irons: Cleveland TA-5 Gunmetal R Flex True Temper Sensicore Shafts, BlackWidow Widowmaker Black/Black Grips: 5-I (27°) 6-I (30°), 7-I (33.5°), 8-I (37°), 9-I (41°), PW (45°)

Wedges: Cleveland Tour Action REG 588 Gunmetal Dynamic Gold Sensicore Shafts, BlackWidow Widowmaker Black/Red Grips: 51°/6, 57°/10, LW 64°/8

Putter: Carbite Polar Balanced DC, Tiger Shark Oversized Grip 31"

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Back when I usually broke 90, I would hit a 3W off the tee on longer Par 5s. The reason: I knew I couldn't get home in two, so a 3W would put me short of the bunkers or dogleg, and I could set up my final approach club better. For shorter Par 5s, I would sometime hit the driver so I could put my second shot up in front of the green for a chip-up.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, 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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When I was going through a tough time with my driver, I started using my 3w instead.  To be honest, I didn't notice very much distance lost.  If anything, it put me in position to use a full iron instead of going with a half swing or trying to knock some yardage off of another iron.  This opened my eyes to really calculating your best chances on the tee box.  I would start from the green and work my way back.  I would figure out what distance I wanted to have from the green that meant I would most likely hit it.  Then I would decide what I needed to hit off the tee box to get me to that number.  Smashing a good solid drive feels GREAT!!!  But shooting a lower score feels much better!

I vote to use the 3w more.  You don't have to take the driver out, unless you just can't resist pulling it from the bag.

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

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Friend of mine hits his three when driver not working. I agree with youse guys. Better from the short grass even if you are a little short. The comment about setting up at head of dog leg and or short of bunkers is spot on IMHO. I am adding a three to my bag this Spring cause in the past I did not have enough sense to not hit my driver on every par five. I would just back off a bit. Yeah I found out that rarely works out. So...Someone please tell me of an outstanding three that I should look into. Maybe I can catch a deal if I buy this Fall yet. Thanks.
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I go with a 360 rule (generally), if it's under 360 yards I go with my 3w. I recognize that I would likely score better not using my driver at all at this point (by far, my most inconsistent club) but I think long term it will help me to learn to hit it and the only way I know to learn it is to use it on the course...but sparingly!
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On the opposite side, I have a friend who doesn't bag a 3. If he doesn't need driver distance, or needs to be in the center no matter what, he chokes up on his driver and basically bunts the ball 220-230 right down the middle of the fairway. I've actually done that somewhat successfully a few times when I've tried it as well.

Russ B.

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So...Someone please tell me of an outstanding three that I should look into. Maybe I can catch a deal if I buy this Fall yet. Thanks.

My advice would be to go to your local golf shop and try out different ones.  For me personally, my 3w has to really fit my eye in addition to hitting well.  I still have an old Nike Ignite 3w that smashes the ball and I love it.  I recently bought a new Titleist 3w and have since retired the Nike, but I will keep it just in case.

I go with a 360 rule (generally), if it's under 360 yards I go with my 3w. I recognize that I would likely score better not using my driver at all at this point (by far, my most inconsistent club) but I think long term it will help me to learn to hit it and the only way I know to learn it is to use it on the course...but sparingly!

You don't have a driving range?  Many more chances to fix the issue without losing balls or hurting your score.

On the opposite side, I have a friend who doesn't bag a 3. If he doesn't need driver distance, or needs to be in the center no matter what, he chokes up on his driver and basically bunts the ball 220-230 right down the middle of the fairway. I've actually done that somewhat successfully a few times when I've tried it as well.

I have a friend that does this. It just doesn't fit me.  I can hit that shot, but I would rather take a full swing with another club.  But my friend is great at it.  He hits his driver off the deck very well too.  Whatever works!

Bryan A
"Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same"

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Note: This thread is 3780 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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