Is there a reason to learn how to hit a driver off the deck?

[Trader Will]

I started playing golf recently, and every ball I hit is off the ground at the practice facility. I figure if I can hit well off the ground it should be np teed up. I haven't hit the 9.5 degree driver I have, and I'm wondering if there's any value in learning to hit the driver off the grass.

[JackLee]

I think that only a very shallow faced driver might have a low enough center of gravity to hit well off the ground.  With a deep faced driver you would be hitting the ball well below the center of gravity.

[Trader Will]

When you say shallow face do you mean as in the driver face doesn't protrude that much ahead of the shaft?

[delav]

Originally Posted by JackLee

I think that only a very shallow faced driver might have a low enough center of gravity to hit well off the ground.  With a deep faced driver you would be hitting the ball well below the center of gravity.

Did you read his original question?

To the OP - there really isn't a reason to learn to hit the driver off of the ground.  The path into the ball is slightly different when hitting your driver and 3 wood off of the tee.  Sounds like you are pretty new to golf, and learning to hit the driver off the ground would more than likely cause problems rather than help you.

[GaijinGolfer]

If you can learn to get the ball off the ground, you can gain some distance because the driver has a longer shaft and less loft than a 3-wood; but Id suggest only learning how to hit a driver off the deck once you have mastered every other shot in golf.

[michaeljames92]

Perth=really windy and on some long par 5's into a howling wind, hitting a driver off the deck no more than a few metres off the ground is really useful.

[max power]

With a little practice you can hit a very low shot with the driver off a tee with far more consistency than you can off the teebox.  Obviously you can't use a tee in the fairway, but the risk/reward of using a driver off the fairway is not gonna be worth it.  Do it once in a while for fun, but not a shot you will need or ever "master."

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by max power

With a little practice you can hit a very low shot with the driver off a tee with far more consistency than you can off the teebox.  Obviously you can't use a tee in the fairway, but the risk/reward of using a driver off the fairway is not gonna be worth it.  Do it once in a while for fun, but not a shot you will need or ever "master."

I gave away the driver this guy needs. Callway BB with Warbird soleplate. Nice low sweeping fade that's just a shade shorter than an easy 3-wood. Handy when you want to carry a half set, but otherwise . . . ?

[JackLee]

Originally Posted by Trader Will

When you say shallow face do you mean as in the driver face doesn't protrude that much ahead of the shaft?

No.  Shallow face and deep face refers to the height of the face.

[andymane]

i cant think of a good reason.

[max power]

100% right.  Last shot I hit from the fairway with a driver was a year and a half ago with a Callaway BB Warbird.  Equivalent of a modern jumbo 3 wood, with less loft.  I gave mine away too.

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I gave away the driver this guy needs. Callway BB with Warbird soleplate. Nice low sweeping fade that's just a shade shorter than an easy 3-wood. Handy when you want to carry a half set, but otherwise . . . ?

[dbuck]

To the original question, no.  This is one area where the modern driver is more difficult to hit, plus with modern 3 woods there is no need for it. I have a not too modern 3 wood-a 14* Orlimar with an EI-70 shaft that is 43" long - it is the same length as my Joe Powell driver and only 3* more loft.  I wouldn't even try it with my 9.5* Titleist 905T.

I also have an old 11* Lynx "Boom Boom" that worked ok for this.  Back in the day when persimmon drivers were the norm, and some  faces were more shallow with lofts around 11-12*, it was a more viable but still low percentage shot.  The conventional wisdom was only try it if there was a decent chance of success, and success would save at least a full shot.

[Deryck Griffith]

There isn't any value. especailly if you are new to golf.

As a new player, trying to hit the driver off of the deck is unneccesary as other things would benefit you more than trying to make adjustments to hit a deep faced driver off of the deck.  In fact, the adjustments you will make to try and accomplish this may hurt your game more than help.

There are many useful tips on this forum on things you can work on that would be better suited for your game.

[Chief Broom]

This isn't a shot I would worry about but there are times when you've got a long way to go and if the ball is sitting up nicely on the grass hitting your driver off the deck like that can work.  Bubba Watson nailed his driver off the deck this year in Hawaii and he hits a Ping G15 (hardly what I'd call shallow).  Again if the conditions merit it hitting your driver can make sense, but I'd really want to feel like I was on my game that day before I'd choose driver over my 3 wood on the chance that I'd be picking up 30 or so yards for my effort.

[The Recreational Golfer]

During a tournament broadcast a few years ago, a pro gave a 20-second lesson on how to hit a driver off the deck.

Back to the broadcast, and Gary McCord said something like, "I want all you amateurs to promise that you will never ever, ever, ever try to hit that shot."

On the other hand, this from Judy Rankin in Golf Digest My Shot:

" At the 1989 British Open at Troon, I watched Greg Norman birdie the first six holes. That was thrilling, but on the 16th hole, a long par 5, Greg's drive came to rest on a downslope on tight, bare turf. He pulled out a driver and I thought, No way he can pull this off. The crack of his driver striking the ball is with me to this day. He hit it as flush as a ball can be hit, a high, towering draw, and the ball stopped 18 feet from the hole. For a second I stood there frozen. I couldn't find words to describe a shot that good."

[Zeph]

I honestly can't see any. It's a way too risky shot for most amateurs, and a 3-wood will probably get you just as far with a good strike.

[sean_miller]

When hitting driver off the fairway was in vogue, a 3-wood went about as far and high as a modern 5-wood. People often used a driver from the fairway on par 5's with an opening to the green and not a lot of trouble between the green and where you stood. Basically, if you topped it or hit a worm burner, it was probably going to end up in the same spot as a 7-iron layup anyway, so there was no reason not to give it a go. There was a distinct distance advantage if both clubs were caught cleanly. I've hit many drivers from the fairway and can't say that I threw too many strokes away.

But nowadays? No way. A modern 3-wood is a driver.

The first shot I hit on the course with my Cleveland Launcher 15* 3-wood ( a couple seasons ago) went about the same distance as my best shot with a persimmon driver that year. And I absolutey smashed a few shots with that persimmon driver. I had to get a newer driver just to get a shot past that 3-wood. The first thing I noticed was, newer drivers are not meant for hitting the ball off ground. The leading edge is wrong and the faces are too thin (and fragile). Even one grain of sand on your ball can mar the face. There might be guys on Tour who hit a driver off the ground, but I doubt their driver is set up the way retail drivers are,and even if they are and have a short lifespan, who cares? They get a free new one the next day.

Basically, for any guy in 2011 who feels the need to hit a driver off the tee box (off the deck) or from the fairway, I sugest getting a new 3-wood.

Originally Posted by Zeph

I honestly can't see any. It's a way too risky shot for most amateurs, and a 3-wood will probably get you just as far with a good strike.

[jamo]

You have to remember also that the sweet spot on a modern driver is very high in the face. I don't know if it's even possible for most people to hit the ball on the sweet spot squarely from a tight lie with a modern OTR driver, the faces are just usually too tall. What you are left with is a low ballflight with a lot of spin. It's a lot easier (and probably longer) to just hit a 3 wood.