Driver - how consistently accurate are you?

[Big_M]

I usually try to play a straight ball, but will try to fade or draw if the hole fits such. Right now my average is 60% and I miss right and left about the same percentage. I am not crazy long, but get good length.

Last round I hit 6/7 on the front... then 1/7 on the back... it was rediculous. My accuracy on the back cost me my chance at 70's.

[RX Phoenix]

The course has a lot to do with it. When I play it usually is a course I haven't played before. If I feel comfortable with the architect's layout then the driving will reflect that, but if there is an attempt to try and make the player peek and look to the target too soon, then problems can arise. It's all about staying with the shot and not fixating on where it will end up, you have to trust that the course design is fair and not out to drive you crazy.

[JSC924]

I am amazed at how many of you 20+ handicap players say you hit the fairway 75% of the time. If you guys can work on hitting your irons slightly better and get a good short game, then single digit handicap is not out of the question.

As for myself, I responded with "only god knows" catagory. On a really good day, I hit 50% fairways (although I do have many shots just in the 1st cut). On an average day, I hit about 30% fairways (again quite a few end up on the 1st cut). On a bad day, I hit about 15% fairways with many drives in the fairways on the wrong hole.... which probably saves me a few shots in those rounds. If I have a poor driving day on a tight course, it's pretty much a round in the 90s. With that said, 7/10 of my drives end up on the left side of the fairway or rough depending on how aggressive I get with my right arm/wrist rotation. I love dogleg lefts. It means I can make an aggressive swing, almost purposely pulling the ball and maximize my distance. On the other spectrum, I hit 3/10 of my drives to the right. If there's a hazard to the left, or I make a weak arm/wrist rotation, or come out of the shot early, I end up hitting a pop-up that ends up on the right side of the course, behind a tree somewhere, losing about 40 yards off my normal shot ending up with a total distance of 220 yards.

[unc879wins]

Funny thing is most high handi's are 75% fairway hitters 75% of their rounds.... the other 25% they are 50% fairway hitters.... we only like to remember the good rounds and not the ones we go through two sleeves of balls including 2 balls on the same hole :)

I'm at my most accurate with the driver when I'm swinging 75% power. Forcing the brain to connect to the arms and body is a challenge at times. I give up 15/20 yards in distance but I'm not digging through cactus and dodging rattlesnakes looking for balls either.

I think it is also important to be playing the right tee boxes... I see a lot of players playing back boxes and not carrying to the landing areas. Just kills pace of play as well.

[crocidile65]

Wouold be the one club that is only a guess when I hit it

[Wisco-Kid]

Wow I am surprised at how many people hit the ball straight down the middle. I remember reading Ben Hogan's response to watching Moe Norman hit balls straight,
after the first one he said "Accident"
after the second one he said "another accident"
after watching him hit numerous straight balls in a row he said "you just keep hitting those accidents kid".

[RX Phoenix]

. . . I'm at my most accurate with the driver when I'm swinging 75% power. Forcing the brain to connect to the arms and body is a challenge at times. I give up 15/20 yards in distance but I'm not digging through cactus and dodging rattlesnakes looking for balls either.

Great ideas!

I keep one number in my head as a swing thought . . . 85% power, that does more than anything else to keep everything working right. Try playing from the tees one step closer than your ego tells you, this enables you then to focus on the 85% rule. These two ideas will really help big time. Instead of trying to max out at 270 every hole, hit it 250 right down the middle every hole, not many players will scoff at that.

[Eore]

i consistantly fade my driver and 3-wood about 5-10 yards everything else draws 5-10 yards. weird. but today i hit 10 out of 14 fairways. so it works

[Dent]

Im such a huge perfectionist, last year my drive was so straight. This year I can hit it straight 75% of the time, and the other 25% hit a perfect tiny draw that can get back right onto the fairway (something some golfers would die for) but im not happy with it. I want the dead straight 100%!

[bogeyhitter25]

When I try and crush it, I end up hitting it a good 225, but it's terribly inaccurate. So now I've been trying to just have a nice, relaxed, easy-going swing. Even though I only hit it about 175, it's right down the middle.

[Pinseeker81]

I picked slice. I've only recently gotten to the point where I can expect a second shot most of the time without having to take a drop.

[Roody]

I am 40% fairways hit since 6/5/2005 according to the stats program I use. 29% missed left, 31% missed right.