Is Driver Dragging a Thing?

[iacas]

Thing is… a lot of slower swinging players could probably use MORE spin.

[Double Mocha Man]

When water gets on my driver face I hit knuckleballs... not my preferred shot shape.

[imsys0042]

I’ve not really noticed anything,  I’ve played in the wet and I’ve hit with a wet face because I haven’t bothered to wipe it off.  However my pattern is “Jekyll and Hyde” so I tend to either hit it pretty straight or hit bad shots that are pretty bad.   So I doubt I would notice something that was saved by a few feet due to a wet/coated club face.  Usually trees do a better job for me to keep it in play.

[woodzie264]

6 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Okay I played 18 early this morning. First one out. They sent us off the back, as they had a middle school (9 hole) tourney going off the back at 8AM. I finished my 18 holes and went over to see where the middle schoolers were, and how they were doing. I watched them play a couple of holes. Every last one of them dragged their driver up to the teebox. Not neccessarily off the teebox, but always onto the teebox. 

So, I was curious and asked one of the parents there. "What's up with dragging the driver?"

The parent told me the kids had been coached to do that. When asked why I was told that dragging the driver to the teebox covers the face in dew. The idea being the wet driver face will reduce spin off the face. 

"Does that actually work?" I asked.
"No idea, but they've been told to do it." 

A million things went through my mind. 
Firstly, Is that legal? 
Secondly, if its not legal, what kind of coach teaches middle schoolers to break the rules? I would think at middle school level you are just trying to get them to enjoy the game and play by the rules. 

 

I would’ve never made that connection. So bad that a coach would suggest, much worse require, it. 

[pganapathy]

12 hours ago, Shindig said:

I didn't realize there was a reason to not clean one's clubs.  After a shot, I'll almost always wet then dry the face of a club, and I'll check if a face is clean before I hit and will give it a quick wiping before hitting if I think it needs it.  I thought that I did was far more common practice. 

Here is the thing.  Anything that prevents the grooves from gripping the ball (water, mud in the grooves, grass behind the ball, vaseline, tape on the face etc) all lead to less backspin on the shot.  Which is OK when you are trying to hit it as far as possible, but very detrimental when playing short irons/wedges into greens

Edited August 6, 2021 by pganapathy
typo

[ChetlovesMer]

10 hours ago, woodzie264 said:

I would’ve never made that connection. So bad that a coach would suggest, much worse require, it. 

I'm with you. One of the things I always liked about teaching kids golf is it's the only sport where you call penalties on yourself. Lots of good life lessons, Sportsmanship, Handling adversity, etc, etc, etc, .... This, in my mind, just fees so "Not The Spirit of The Game"-ish.... if that's a thing. 

 

12 hours ago, iacas said:

Thing is… a lot of slower swinging players could probably use MORE spin.

You are probably right. So, this coach might not only be unethical, but also an idiot. 🤪

By the way, I'm not trying to pretend this is the worst thing in the world. Who knows, there could be a lot of things in play here. But, I found it fascinating that this was the approach taken. 

[boogielicious]

26 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I'm with you. One of the things I always liked about teaching kids golf is it's the only sport where you call penalties on yourself. Lots of good life lessons, Sportsmanship, Handling adversity, etc, etc, etc, .... This, in my mind, just fees so "Not The Spirit of The Game"-ish.... if that's a thing. 

 

You are probably right. So, this coach might not only be unethical, but also an idiot. 🤪

By the way, I'm not trying to pretend this is the worst thing in the world. Who knows, there could be a lot of things in play here. But, I found it fascinating that this was the approach taken. 

Also, any dirt they get on the face can damage the face. Pros always have their caddies clean the ball prior to using driver.

[colin007]

How did I not see this thread? I've dragged my driver AFTER a bad shot for as long as I can remember. 

[RickK]

On 8/5/2021 at 6:01 PM, iacas said:

Thing is… a lot of slower swinging players could probably use MORE spin.

BINGO^^^