Tiger's Driver

[skwon11]

Does anybody find it odd that he keeps hitting it when he's hitting it all over the place? I know he's a PGA professional but... he's trying to win right? Does it matter if he wins with it or not? I'm not a good golfer... but if I'm playing friends for quarters and I know that all my drives are slicing way right... I'll just hit 3 wood off the tee to win. It's just so strange. I think if he hit 3 wood off the tee... he'd be winning everything!

[mdvaldosta]

Maybe he's hitting it fine one the range, and under pressure he's getting the yips. I'm sure he know's what he's doing, and it seems that he's only pulling out the driver when he needs to get in good position for an approach and/or has a good landing area.

[iacas]

Tiger's misses tend not to be as bad as yours, and when they are, he still often makes par because - unlike the rest of us - his repertoire of shots is vastly expanded.

Plus, as he said at TPC Sawgrass, there are a few holes (most of them par fives) where the reward outweighs the risk, even with his current driving issues, so that's still the smart play.

[chipper2]

I suspect that the way Tiger will straighten out his driver problem is by using it. He mind will then analysis the problem and find the solution.

[ApocG10]

One day, tigers just gonna flip that switch and start winning consistently again. Its almost inevitable.

[Diggitydog]

Keep in mind he's only been back from rehab for a few months as well. I also think that he's going pretty hard to his left side and maybe he's not as straight as the last few years. He was hitting it a bit easier before the surgery which gives smoother rhythm.

[JetFan1983]

One day, tigers just gonna flip that switch and start winning consistently again. Its almost inevitable.

He's won five of his last twelve stroke play events over the last two seasons. He's won nine of his last seventeen events. He has 17 straight top ten finishes.

If that's a slump then I really suck at golf!!!

[ApocG10]

Yes, but your talking about a man who won the US Open on one knee. He is by far the best, and obviously isnt happy with his game.

[JetFan1983]

Yes, but your talking about a man who won the US Open on one knee. He is by far the best, and obviously isnt happy with his game.

This is true.

[Parker0065]

Does anybody find it odd that he keeps hitting it when he's hitting it all over the place? I know he's a PGA professional but... he's trying to win right? Does it matter if he wins with it or not? I'm not a good golfer... but if I'm playing friends for quarters and I know that all my drives are slicing way right... I'll just hit 3 wood off the tee to win. It's just so strange. I think if he hit 3 wood off the tee... he'd be winning everything!

Tiger was putting his 3 wood in the trees as well on Sunday so he won't be winning everything by hitting 3 wood. He has swing issues that he will have to fix be it Driver, 3 wood or whatever he dicides to hit. I believe one of his bogeys he hit iron off the tee on a short par 4 as well. So he's got some work to do before Beth Page! I was more suprised about his poor putting more than anything!

[texaseagle76]

TW is the best player in world...ever! if he gets his tempo tuned in he will beat everyone by 10 shots...everytime they tee it up!

[Elsfan]

Tiger's misses tend not to be as bad as yours, and when they are, he still often makes par because - unlike the rest of us - his repertoire of shots is vastly expanded.

I haven't seen Tiger have a good driving day in years. His risk definitely does not outweigh the rewards. Put on tape of the British Open when he never hit driver and won. If in the fairway he can get his irons on and two putt everytime, throw in a birdie every third or fourth hole.

[iacas]

I haven't seen Tiger have a good driving day in years. His risk definitely does not outweigh the rewards.

Your analysis fails upon even the slightest bit of inspection. How many under par is Tiger on the par fives at TPC Sawgrass (on which he hits driver) versus the par 4s (on which he hits 3W or 5W)?

[wrx_junki]

I haven't seen Tiger have a good driving day in years. His risk definitely does not outweigh the rewards. Put on tape of the British Open when he never hit driver and won. If in the fairway he can get his irons on and two putt everytime, throw in a birdie every third or fourth hole.

I recall a recent tourney where he hit a lot of fairways but could not sink a putt.

[bigfred31]

Does anybody find it odd that he keeps hitting it when he's hitting it all over the place? I know he's a PGA professional but... he's trying to win right? Does it matter if he wins with it or not? I'm not a good golfer... but if I'm playing friends for quarters and I know that all my drives are slicing way right... I'll just hit 3 wood off the tee to win. It's just so strange. I think if he hit 3 wood off the tee... he'd be winning everything!

will that cure his wedge game because that has been worse then his driving. plus his putting has been off except bayhill this year.

[Elsfan]

Your analysis fails upon even the slightest bit of inspection. How many under par is Tiger on the par fives at TPC Sawgrass (on which he hits driver) versus the par 4s (on which he hits 3W or 5W)?

Look beyond the TPC. How many tournaments do you need to watch to admit how bad his driver play has been? He ranks 141 in driving accuracy. Besides look at the par 5's at Sawgrass. He could reach all of them hitting 3 wood off the tee. When you talk about sacrificing 30 yards to be in the short stuff or at least have double the chance of hitting it, it is worth it.

[Surefire]

Look beyond the TPC. How many tournaments do you need to watch to admit how bad his driver play has been? He ranks 141 in driving accuracy. Besides look at the par 5's at Sawgrass. He could reach all of them hitting 3 wood off the tee. When you talk about sacrificing 30 yards to be in the short stuff or at least have double the chance of hitting it, it is worth it.

He hits the fairway 56.79% of the time with his driver, I know he is good, but does he really hit the fairway 113.58% of the time with his 3 wood?

[iacas]

Look beyond the TPC. How many tournaments do you need to watch to admit how bad his driver play has been?

I'm not biting. I was talking about his driving performance at TPC Sawgrass, his reasons for choosing driver (seldomly) there, and so on. He doesn't hit driver nearly as much as you seem to think.

He ranks 141 in driving accuracy.

And in 2001 he was 145th. Had a pretty good year then too. Driving accuracy is a small part of winning golf tournaments. GIR and Putting matter far, far, far more.

http://thesandtrap.com/the_numbers_g...ting_a_formula

Besides look at the par 5's at Sawgrass. He could reach all of them hitting 3 wood off the tee. When you talk about sacrificing 30 yards to be in the short stuff or at least have double the chance of hitting it, it is worth it.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to defer to Tiger himself on that. And his lifetime numbers at TPC Sawgrass, particularly on the par fives, attest to his strategic choices.