Driver off the Deck

[804golfer]

to do this properly you need to do 3 things:

1. put the ball a little more foward in your stance
2. choke down a bit on the club
3. try to keep the club face a little open through impact

this is truly a lost art that if practiced, can do some good

[jasongst]

Wow I had a huge post on this but lost it! (I guess I was previewing and didn't know it.) Anyhow, I'm new to hitting driver off the deck, but I still think it's a good shot as long as you know the limitations. I think if you can hit a straight shot with your driver off the tee consistently, then you should be able to execute a driver off the deck. Why not? Just skim the grass like you do with your 3 wood.

Here are some good things about the shot:

• Hits farther (especially into the wind).
• Hooks and slices are less exaggerated by the wind.
• Great for hitting under tree limbs.
• Even thin shots get decent distance.

It's a good shot to recover from a short first or second shot, assuming you have a good lie. And of course, it's a good gamble shot for trying to get within 20 or so yards from the green. But you'll have less consistency clearing hazards, and you need to account for massive amounts of roll. If it's not windy and you can't make it near the green, just hit your normal club to lay up to your favorite distance.

I usually hit my 3 wood about 230-240 yards when it's not windy. The other day I hit my 460cc driver off the deck. I hit it thin and it only flew about 3-4 feet off the ground. Still, the ball rolled along for 250 yards, and I ended up about 10 yards from the green. I'll take that!

[elchene]

Real fun shot to pull off. When my swing is stinking and I'm on a par 5, I like to take that shot. It just runs forever with a low fade. People look at me funny when I do that on occasion. It's really not that hard to pull off.

[Mr.Buckethead]

Of course.

After I rock out my 315 yard drive, I then bust out a big 280 yard 2nd shot. Follow that up with a 6 foot putt for eagle.

Totally makes sense.

[ERC7.5]

Totally makes sense.

Does for some.....

you're not a fan of the shot..... Oh well! Nobody asked you if you were.

[iacas]

Does for some.....

Well, technically I believe I asked.

I didn't ask for people to comment on the shot for others, just themselves, though.

[ERC7.5]

Well, technically I believe I asked.

You asked if that shot was in the responders bag....so, I guess that's kind of asking.

I guess I just took the reply as a bit condescending. My bust.

[gortyl]

After posting on this topic much earlier in the thread and never using it much during a round and never practicing it, I got a chance to experiment tonight at the range. I only hit about seven of them as I was leaving the chipping green. I topped two of them and they went about 150. But the other five or so, all went at least 200 in the air (anywhere from 200 to 235 I'd say). They all either faded or sliced, but not of them more than an average "fairway's width". Two of them were still rolling out as they disappeared beyond the 300 yard marker which was actually 273 yards from my hitting station.

All this said, I'd definitely consider it in some circumstances with no hazards to the right, nothing between me and the green and over 240 yards out or so, into the wind. It definitely requires (and warrants) some additional practice time.

Good thread that has potentially given me another shot in my arsenal.

[golf_junkie27]

For those of you that perform this shot, what type of height are you getting?

I've read post from Erik, ElChene, etc, that say it's like hitting a 3W. Are you getting the same type of performance or is it just distance?

FWIW, I tried this, today. I hit the ball about 12-15 feet off the ground. Did not know if this was normal or what I would expect. I do know that I'm not skilled and ballsy enough to try this on the course. Kudos to those that do.

[iacas]

I've read post from Erik, ElChene, etc, that say it's like hitting a 3W. Are you getting the same type of performance or is it just distance?

I get about 3/4 the height I normally get with my driver. Which is, oh, about 1/2 the height of a normal 3W. That's why it's good into the wind.

I don't believe I ever said it was like hitting a 3W. Unless you meant another Erik, of course.

[MrSandman]

If you can hit a 3W, you should be able to hit the driver off the deck. The drivers have 9 or 10 degrees of loft, they do get off the ground. Just have to remember to stay down on them. If you stay down, they will rise.

But I do agree to an extent with the poster that said 6I + Wedge is just as good as Driver + Chip. It has to be a nice open landing area to really make it worth it with the Driver, make sure you gain something from doing it.

[MrSandman]

For those of you that perform this shot, what type of height are you getting?

Very low. No more than half my height off a tee, usually much less. And it fades more often than not.

My view with the shot is that a miss is a 180 yd ground ball (worm burnerish), wich is a good 5I or 4I. So if I have nothing between me and the green, why not just hit the shot that will go as far as the lay-up with the potential to get me even closer.

[iacas]

But I do agree to an extent with the poster that said 6I + Wedge is just as good as Driver + Chip.

How is a full wedge anywhere near as accurate as a chip shot or a short pitch?

That's still the weak point in that poster's argument.

[MrSandman]

This is my entire point. Just hit a 3 wood, the little extra distance gained in a driver off the deck is not worth the inconsistency.

Here is where your point is lost:

You are only allowed 14 clubs in your bag. You have to drop a club to add the 3W. How often do you hit a 3W in a week (not off the tee)? 1.5 times a round? less? If you can use the driver to replicate the 3W, the driver off the deck becomes attractive. I started using driver off the deck when I added an extra wedge. My 3W was old and didn't go much futher than my 3I or 2H, so I was debating getting a new one. Then I hit the driver off the mat a few times, saw that it was not much harder to hit than a 3W, and the results were fine. The driver off the deck is not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as a nice 3W struck well, but the results are similar (so long as you don't have to carry anything). And if I have a 220 carry that I would need a 3W for, I am probably better laying up anyway.

[MrSandman]

How is a full wedge anywhere near as accurate as a chip shot or a short pitch?

My mistake was using chip instead of pitch. A 6I + Wedge can be better than a Driver + Pitch. Obviously I would rather chip than hit a wedge, my bad in the wording.

I would rather have a clean 30 yd pitch with some green to work with than a 100 yd shot. I would prefer a 100 yd gap wedge off the fairway than a 35 yd chip/pitch from a side hill or bunker or funny down hill lie or gnarly rough. So unless the landing area for the driver is somewhat clean, it can be better to use the 6I. (same is true if with 3W. not exclusive to driver off the deck) I hit driver off the deck, I find it to be a reliable shot. But there are times when I do it and then ask myself why I didn't just hit a 6I to the 100 yd marker.

[iacas]

My mistake was using chip instead of pitch. A 6I + Wedge can be better than a Driver + Pitch. Obviously I would rather chip than hit a wedge, my bad in the wording.

It

can be , but for me, odds are it's not going to be. Pros and good golfers are usually much better from 30 yards and in (regardless of the lie) than they are from 115 yards. From 30 yards and in, I'm trying to hole the thing, regardless of the lie. My circle from 115 yards is 10 feet - not 4 1/4 inches. Yeah, you occasionally catch a bad lie in the rough, but even then your pitch should find the green, while the occasional bladed or chunked wedge still won't find the putting surface. If you're so bad at pitching that you'd rather be over 100 yards away than 30 yards away, perhaps your pitching game needs work from various lies. Or perhaps you should re-evaluate when you hit driver. Again, I tend to do it only when the landing area is pretty open (i.e. low odds of getting a screwy lie).

[Razorhog]

I decided to use my driver off the deck yesterday after a flubbed first shot. It went 200 yards but sliced into some bushes never to be found...

[hawkeye]

Never was confident doing it with my old R7425 but the Burner is surprisingly easier to hit off the deck (larger head?!). On my home course I'd only do it on one hole regularly - 2 par 5's are reachable with lesser clubs and the other is tight with water.

It's great to keep it under the wind - usually cuts or goes straight for me (though one time I aimed 40 yards left of target and pulled it 30! - still got par!)