Take Your Driver Out of the Bag

I recently started playing after a 5-month hiatus. Before my break I became disillusioned because my swing somehow was gone. During the 3 months or so of my struggles, I tried 4 or 5 different drivers, thinking that might help correct my problem. Never did. So, when I started up again, I was stuck with a crap Adams driver that didn't go anywhere. I scrapped it for my 2nd round and went back to my old Nike Sasquatch that was 8 years old. Hit it solidly but it went nowhere. Prior to my 4th round back, I was cleaning my clubs and when I immersed the Nike in water, I heard hissing, oops. Never found the leak or saw bubbles but obviously, something was wrong. So, I don't have a driver at the minute. I've played 2 rounds with a 3w and my tee to green game has been phenomenal! I may never get another driver! I'm averaging 240-250, even melted one 277 yesterday. Downwind yes but still outdrove the other 3 in my group who all used driver. I could bomb a driver before my struggles, once or twice a round I'd get it out 300. But, I believe my driving average is longer now with the 3w because I hit hit pure much more frequently and I'm keeping it in the fairway so it's running out. Hit 10 of 13 fairways and 10 of 14 in my 2 rounds. It's tough sometimes hitting longer clubs in. Had a 458 yd par 4 on 18 yesterday, into a 20mph wind. I just pured my 3 but hit it high so the wind knocked it down. Still, was able to hit another very close to the green, chipped ok, missed the putt but was very happy to take a bogey. All 3 of my buds doubled it, good golfers too, single digit. Need to work on a few things with it, for example, I'm not yet comfortable controlling traj off a tee with it, like I was with my driver and while I can draw it, having a tough time playing a cut, which I did well with a driver. Just need to spend some time on the range hitting it off a tee, which I rarely did before. The courses I play are anywhere from 6200 to 6900 and I'm not finding that I'm missing distance cuz I'm more consistent. Been quite an eye-opener and as I said, in no hurry to run out and buy a big stick right now. Curious if anyone else has had similar experiences.

I don't know if this is universal, or even typical. I certainly don't get 240 with my driver, let alone my 3W. The driver is also significantly more forgiving off the tee, unless you have an unnecessarily long shaft. And I need the extra yardage my driver afford me. I'm also not convinced fairways hit is a good measure of a good tee shot: I can think of two holes on my home course where I'd rather be in the left rough than the right fairway.

I ditched driver for all of 2014 and gamed either my regular callaway or a Nike Covert Tour set to 13°. Went from hitting it about 200 to getting it out to 230 consistently, with the occasional 240-250. Very helpful. But by the end I wanted to fix my driver slice so I could get the extra yardage into my game. Once I did, I broke 90 for the first time the very first time I bagged the driver again. So it's a worthwhile experiment for a stretch, but it should have an endgame of getting a driver back in the bag at some point.

I only played 5W from the tee until my handicap dropped to 17.

The only thing I would add is why you would want to continue to give up 20 yards off the tee? 245 yards off the tee is going to make it hard for you to get back to your old mid single digit handicap. . .

I don't think it's only a question of driver or no driver: finding the right driver is key. I have been through a number of drivers (TaylorMade 580, r5 and r9, Mizuno MP 600, along with a couple of Callaways - all purchased from ebay) and found them vastly different to hit. I treated myself last year to a new Titleist 913-D2 and have found I can hit it less far (230-250 yards), but consistently straighter. I am now starting to experiment with different shafts, to see if that will improve things further. With a 3 wood, my experience is the same: I find the smaller head makes for a great shot if you hit it sweetly, but a higher proportion of mishit drives. Then again, I have the same problem with fairway woods from the turf, findingI can hit long irons much more consistently and almost as far.

Ive been thinking along similar lines. I am happy with every club in the back except the driver and the 3w. Driver is a 10.5 ping G5 and is nice if i hit it well (not often) and the 3w is a crappy Dunlop (£10 special). Im sure a lot of my problem is a mental one so i have been thinking of looking for a used 5w to use off the tee on the short par 4's at the 9 holer i play a lot.

Problem is im finding ot hard to find 5w in my price range over here so i may have to hang fire (dunlop NZ9 looks good but at £26 new may be too "cheap")

I hear about a lot of people who are dropping the driver. Obviously because it is hard to make a good swing/hit with.

But is it the right decision?

What about practicing more with it? So that you can use the driver. After all, it is one of the clubs meant to be used.

And if you can master it, you will be hitting longer than those who choose the easy solution of leaving it home.

Had it and loved it for 6 months, then lost my swing and gave it up. [quote name="Lihu" url="/t/80341/take-your-driver-out-of-the-bag/0_40#post_1108352"]The only thing I would add is why you would want to continue to give up 20 yards off the tee? 245 yards off the tee is going to make it hard for you to get back to your old mid single digit handicap. . .[/quote] True but I've found my average distance I don't believe has suffered, in fact, if I were to guess, I'd say my average is more because I'm not spraying it, hitting into rough or trees or bunkers, which kill your average. By landing in the fairway more frequently, I'm getting a little more roll out and I don't think it's hurt me to this point. I think I'll eventually get another driver because I do love bombing them but with the success I've had these past two rounds, I've definitely considered holding off awhile. Thanks for all the great feedback!

I think many use a driver with a shaft that's too long, I had mine cut down to about 43" last year, now I don't miss with it often and feel I can really swing with greater speed, a stock shaft off the rack is going to be long, so that the buyer can cut it down, but few do for some reason, and then they do well with the shorter 3W shaft, hmmm.

"Take your driver out of the bag." ?

Never.

You're just utilizing a temporary fix. To be honest I'd probably shoot lower scores teeing off with my 5w over driver, but that's just because my 5w hides my swing flaws better than the driver does. No, I'll continue to work towards dialing in on the driver because it'll be more beneficial in the long run.

Hitting driver is the most fun part of the game. Not giving it up.

+1. It's a band aid, not a cure. [quote name="colin007" url="/t/80341/take-your-driver-out-of-the-bag/0_100#post_1108430"]Hitting driver is the most fun part of the game. Not giving it up.[/quote] This, too. I loves bombing it out there. I used to have a wicked, "power fade," and then I worked until I started having a baby draw which eventually turned into a hook towards the end of last season and then by my last two rounds, became a baby draw. Never once did I consider taking driver out of the bag.

I love my RBZ 3 off the tee, I did what the OP did and started using this off the tee last year. But I think I hit it better off the tee then my driver because I have more confidence in it. I too have drilled one 270yds with my 3 wood, but about 30 of that was down a hill, but I have a gps measured 255 yrd hit on my game golf account with my 3 wood not downhill.

I think I just cannot hit my driver, and I need to practice it and get some confidence in it. My goal this year is to learn to hit my driver and average 250 yds with it. That's a big gain for me since right now with my driver according to game golf I average 180 yds.

It's a tough question with all the options out there.  First, what is the best/easiest/most-accurate 3 wood off the tee in stock form?  Callaway 3deep would seem to fit the bill with it's massive head.  But this is also designed to be a low-spinning club so it could be more demanding than a high-lofted driver.  Next, what is the best/easiest/most-accurate driver off the tee in stock form?  That sounds like a 12 degree variant of some driver with a 45" length like a Cleveland Custom, Titleist, or a Cobra Cell pro, etc.

After toying with the idea for years, I think I'm just more comfortable with a driver in my hands.  And when I hit my "good" ball I would rather not overspin it with a too much loft in the head.  The 3deep option might have it's advantages but I think it would take a real commitment to actually make it deliver more accuracy over the course of a season than a comfortable high-launch driver.  All in all, I think the 3 wood is easier to top/sky/shank/duck-hook but reduces the directional miss on a pure shot (with a 10% distance penalty).

Wasn't initially employed as a temp fix but out of necessity because my driver broke. But yes, now with 2 rounds under my belt without a driver, I'm in no rush to get a new one, and all that entails. I do believe I will probably get a new driver at some point this year but it's been an eye opening experience for me, not something I ever would have dreamed of a year ago.

I have my 3W set at 13.5*D, and I use it exclusively off the tee. It has a 43.5" shaft. I get a 215 yd carry with it with a medium trajectory + fade. (launch monitor) The loft is what I should have with my driver. It's a Cobra BioCell. I don't know what I'll do with it on the course, because I've never taken it out on the course. On the range I have my target as one of posts at the far end. The poles are 10 yds apart. I could keep my shot within one of the poles with my old swing. I love this club. The face on it is hot and it's forgiving.

When I get back to playing and when my pro starts me swinging this thing again, I'm sure I'll be hitting it better.

I intend to go back to my driver eventually simply because if he can show me how to crush it with more accuracy, I will have a chance of reaching many of my par 5s in 2.

At that point my time needs to go into my short game and putting.