Club Choice

[DJYoshi]

I see people talking about only hitting driver on a couple of holes.

Dent you're obviously a MUCH better player than I am. I used to hit driver on every par 4 and 5. Since I started playing conservatively I've been able to lower my scores (especially since the past 3 weeks, my driver hasn't been reliable. I used to be able to crack it down the middle 270...now it's all closed face snap hooks).

I'll pull the driver out on long par 4's & longer par 5's. If it's a 400 & longer par 4, then I'll pull it out so i'm left with 100 - 150 after the drive so I can still be within an 8 iron which is controllable for me. anything under that, I'm confident that I can hit my 3 wood 250 down wind or 230 - 245 on a calm day with an unexpected 250 every now and again when it's calm. So let's say it's a 360 par 4. If I crack a great drive, I'm left with 90 yards which is an uncomfortable sand wedge for me. I'd rather be a full 9 iron out after a 3 wood shot. Some par 4's with dog legs I'll even hit 2hy off the tee and I'm confident that I can work the ball to be left with anywhere from 100 - 150 after the leg... i'm comfortable being anywhere from 110 - 165 out. get me in full 56 - 7 iron mode and i'm good.

[Bump-n-MI]

Playing conservatively doesn't necessarily equate to playing smart….however playing smart is understanding how to manage a course properly. There are way too many people who will never grasp what "course management" means because their ego is too big (i.e. it's much cooler to hit a 310 bomb then a 250 3 wood). On my home course I use driver three times, 3 wood six times, 3 or 4 iron five times…..my goal is to get between 95 and 110 yards in.

[Dent]

Thank god some of you guys understand what I'm trying to get at now:

You all are right. I'm just a huge gambler and attempt to have the shortest shot into the green as possible, which probably isn't right. The Course I played last night I can definatly hit Driver on 8/18 holes. I seemed to use driver on every par 4/5 (thankfully it payed off) I just get that instinct feeling in me on tight holes where its like "Ya I know I can hit it down the middle" Its a really risky shot but I just keep thinking "But what If I can do it?" I go ahead and realize its the wrong discision. I have a lot of mental thoughts about that. I can hit my driver straight 90% of the time, I know hitting a 3w or something else will lower scores, but I honestly can't resist the driver and knowing I can be just a tad further and have an easier shot to the green.

[pjsnyc]

It also wouldn't hurt to hit a few balls with driver and 3 wood on the same hole off the tee if its a slow day at your home course (or whatever course is in question). It'll give you a good idea as to whats comfortable because there have been many times when I thought I'd be comfy teeing off with driver only to find myself in some unforeseeable trouble.

[beung]

For me I will hit drive unless the driver is too long. If the driver has a chance to get me into the trouble because of length, then I use 3wood or 5wood depending in the distance to the trouble.

I am not any more consistant or straighter with my 3wood then my driver. The 5wood I have though is very consistant club for me.

I was playing lastnight with a friend who was tempted to tee off every hole with his 7i because he just couldn't make any sort of good contact on the ball with his driver. Just think if you hit 7i 160 yrds, you could bascially hit 7i twice, hit wedge into the green give yourself a chance at a 1 putt par. This of course only works if you don't have to hit over anything longer then 150 yrds or so. But really if the point for you is to score good you have to put your ego away because you know there is usually a risk shot and a safe shot. The safe shot isn't typically going to let you get back any shots but it isn't going to cost you any either.

[goblue107501]

Thank god some of you guys understand what I'm trying to get at now:

If you can consistantly hit the ball down the middle then don't worry about it. The key is just to be in the fariway. I hit a 2-iron or 3-wood off the tee sometimes to give myself a better chance of getting in the fairway. If you can do that with a driver then keep doing it. I have a friend who hits driver on any hole that is not a par 3. Why? Because he keeps it in play every time. He may not hit every fariway, but I would bet my car that he hasn't lost a ball/hit OB/hit in a hazard with a driver all summer.

[TigerCurtis333]

Driver has become my most reliable club, so unless it's a dogleg, I hit driver.

However if the conditions become wet, I often change to my 3-wood for more accuracy on the fly.

[Fourputt]

Thank god some of you guys understand what I'm trying to get at now:

Just think "Phil Mickelson in the US Open" the next time you consider using the driver when it isn't necessary. Phil is a gambler too, and it cost him what should have been the crown jewel of his career. I'm sure that Phil was utterly confident in his ability to hit the driver where he wanted to, but when the pressure got heavy, the swing failed.

My only point is that it doesn't make sense to use the driver in a situation where if anything goes wrong, you've blown a chance for a good hole. You say you hit the driver straight 90% of the time. What I'd be doing then is recording the results from that 10% when you don't hit it straight. Then think about what would have most likely happened if you had played it smart and used a 3W or long iron instead. You might learn something useful. I know you're young, and you suffer from the eternal optimism of youth. No matter what you do, no harm will come of it. But reality says different... it just might be interesting to try reality on occasion and see what happens. Especially since you apparently are aware that lower scores are there for the taking.

[mellojoe]

You all are right. I'm just a huge gambler and attempt to have the shortest shot into the green as possible, which probably isn't right.

Dent,

When you play, do you play with other guys your age? Or do you play with an older crowd? Or do you play with old geezers like I do? Sometimes the pressure of the group you are with causes your ego to get on edge. I play with a bunch of retired old geezers who play from the #3 tees (#1 being the longest, #4 being the shortest). There is no such thing as "EGO" with these guys. They just laugh it up. It is no problem for me to pull out my 3-W. Now that I've gotten comfortable with it, it is easier to pull out the 3W with the more .... "ego centric" crowd that always remark on who's drive was the longest. And its amazing how I can (on a good 3W drive) keep up with the guys playing Driver. A ball in the fairway rolls a lot further than balls in the rough. Try finding an excuse to pull out your 3-Wood. You'll eventually get comfortable doing it in front of people. Its definately an "intellect" choice and not an "ego" choice. And its hard. Try leaving your Driver at home one day? Say you were cleaning it and you "accidentally" forgot to put it back in your bag. Laugh it off, shrug it off, and see what happens. Then next time you cay say you were "on" with your 3-W and wanted to keep the "magic" flowing. The guys may say something silly, but you'll shut them down when you are hitting more and more birdies. Good luck and Have fuN!

[Dent]

Dent,

Good advice! I play with guys my age all the time. And I don't think it is about ego, we are all around the same skill level. But I may have somewhere in the back of my head the thought that I need to hit it far. Whenever I decide to use my Driver i always think of the good outcome and not the bad, which can put me in a bad situation If i do hook or slice. I have no Other confidence off the tee besides my Driver.

I just feel like I'm playing the game completely wrong!

[TigerCurtis333]

Good advice! I play with guys my age all the time. And I don't think it is about ego, we are all around the same skill level. But I may have somewhere in the back of my head the thought that I need to hit it far. Whenever I decide to use my Driver i always think of the good outcome and not the bad, which can put me in a bad situation If i do hook or slice. I have no Other confidence off the tee besides my Driver.

I'd rather hit from 175 in the fairway than 160 in the rough.

[NM Golf]

There might be several reasons. Most people have covered the straight issue, wanting to keep the ball in the fairway. Also there is a yardage issue. I don't hit driver if its going to give me some sort of screwy yardage to the pin. I would rather have 100 yards to the pin than 50. 50 yards is a tough yardage. So one reason to hit 3 wood or 3 iron is for that reason.

[Lefty39]

I play the tee shot that will leave me the best second shot I can have. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but the risk shots makes golf more fun for me.