Would you trade hitting driver for a consistent 210 dead straight off the tee?

[stjames]

I'm guessing if you're handicap is greater then 18, then the answer would be yes.

And if you're handicap is less then that, perhaps no. Depends where the player is at.

Higher handicaps have a issues with slice usually.

[WUTiger]

This will be only my third year for using a true jumbo driver (460cc). It took me a season to learn how to hit it, and now it works pretty well. I can carry it about 225 yds., plus usually get some run.The high MOI helps keep it straight, and I'm rarely outside the first cut of rough.

So, the only time I don't hit a driver is when I could "run out of fairway" on a tight landing area, or when I want to lay up short of trouble.

Plus, I have two FWs and no hybrids. Do what you want, but I'm staying with my driver on most tee shots.

Jersey , go out and play some golf. You think too much.

[JetFan1983]

95% of the time, I'll hit 5-wood off the tee, and it will carry in the 190-220 yard range. I made this switch right at the start of the season, and I'm seeing better results. It doesn't really make much sense to me, but for some reason, the 5-wood is my best club in the bag, and honestly, it's the only consistent club in my bag. Why? I don't know. It's a low lofted club. You'd think I wouldn't be able to hit this thing, but somehow, it's pretty much the only club I can rely on round to round. Everything else is extremely streaky.

Its possible that my setup and ball position is ideal when I use the 5-wood, but for the other clubs, my setup and ball position are out of wack. I don't really know.

But back to the topic, it seems to me that I've solved a major issue that was hurting my scores, and that was using driver off the tee. When I'm hitting it well, I'm hitting it well. But when I'm not, I'm hitting it OB or shanking it. I do plan on one day going back to it, but for now, I'm comfortable with my club selection, and the courses I tend to play are short enough that it's not really an issue.

[golf4fun12]

jetfan...if the 5 wood works for you, then use it. I honestly would work hard on my driver so that I can use it on longer holes. but that's me.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by JerseyThursday

Just thinking out loud.

The driver sure is fun to hit. Part of the fun is you’re not exactly sure what you’re going to get. You could crush it and impress everyone in your group and also have the benefit of a short(er) approach shot. But also, just as likely, you’ll put yourself in the rough or jail. That of course is based on the average golfer who hits the fairway with a drive 50-60% of the time.

I’m pretty sure I could hit the fairway with a knockdown hybrid at around 210 yards 90+% of the time. But would that be prudent (and not to mention not as much fun)?

No. You will peak if you never have distance. Only so far you can go.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by golf4fun12

jetfan...if the 5 wood works for you, then use it. I honestly would work hard on my driver so that I can use it on longer holes. but that's me.

It's been working for the last 3 rounds I've played. I'm hitting fairways and looking at an approach from anywhere between 120 and 210 yards on all the par-4s at my home course. I tend to be around the green in regulation despite fighting a barely playable straight-fade with almost all my irons. Since I've ditched the driver, the majority of my bonehead mishits are coming from around and on the greens.

I'd be a sitting duck though on a course longer than 6400 yards with this strategy.

[clubchamp]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

No. You will peak if you never have distance. Only so far you can go.

That doesn't even make sense... You can only hit your driver so far does that mean you've peaked? I know I have other area's besides my driving where I could stand to improve.

[golf4fun12]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

It's been working for the last 3 rounds I've played. I'm hitting fairways and looking at an approach from anywhere between 120 and 210 yards on all the par-4s at my home course. I tend to be around the green in regulation despite fighting a barely playable straight-fade with almost all my irons. Since I've ditched the driver, the majority of my bonehead mishits are coming from around and on the greens.

I'd be a sitting duck though on a course longer than 6400 yards with this strategy.

yeah, true. a long course would not be fun for you. when I play executive courses, I never hit a driver. it is difficult to say that a 210 yard approach shot is great. haha. That is something that needs to be worked on. maybe use your driver on those holes. practice at the range.

[westcyderydin]

Originally Posted by JerseyThursday

Not sure I understand that part.

If you hit a tee shot 210 yards and are in the fairway you're going to hit you next shot more than 40 yards. Thus, you’d be much better off than someone who hit a drive 250 and had to take a drop.

You misunderstood what i said.  If you are having a rough day and you arent hitting any club well, i would rather have to take a drop with a driver 250 yards off the tee than hit a 4 iron 200 yards and in the woods.  then you have to layup into the fairway possibly with no shot but to hit it laterally back into the fairway.  you could be hitting your 3rd shot after your drop or hit your third shot, if you make a good layup shot, at a distance probably 30-50 yards farther back than if you would have hit your driver.  of course you would have to way the trouble on each hole...and you dont want to spend much time or mental engery worrying about trouble...but of course you want to know that its there.

but i see the thread is a hypothetical question, so if you know you can hit your 210 yard club down the middle every time...then i would do that when i would be able to hit a 7 iron or down into the green.  I would use my driver otherwise....and it does matter how you are hitting each club that day.  if you are hitting your driver well use it whenevery you can, if you are hitting it bad, then maybe the 3 wood or 3 iron would be smarter play on some holes... i think that knowing what you are hitting well and how well you are swinging the club that day is the most important part of course management.  confidence + percentages.

[jamo]

Originally Posted by clubchamp

That doesn't even make sense... You can only hit your driver so far does that mean you've peaked? I know I have other area's besides my driving where I could stand to improve.

I think the what he means is that you can only play so well when you can only hit it 210 max. That leaves you with a lot of approach shots above or near 200 yards, and most people aren't going to do so well in the situation.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by jamo

I think the what he means is that you can only play so well when you can only hit it 210 max. That leaves you with a lot of approach shots above or near 200 yards, and most people aren't going to do so well in the situation.

Exactly. How far can you take your handicap/profession ( if you choose it as one ) if you can only hit 210? A lot of courses you might not make the fairway, then you're hitting 250 in out of the rough.

For amateurs, on a par 4 400 yards, that leaves you 190 yards.....what amateur can hit a 190 yard shot well enough to stick the green, let alone make the green

What about draws and fades too?

[natp0wers]

To answer your question, NO.

I would rather have wedge from the rough than 4-5 iron from the fairway...

[Double Bogey]

I have thought about this for about 15 minutes and from this high capper's stand point,  I think that if the course allows you to take the 210 in the fairway 100% of the time do it. But it would have to be 100% of the time.  I am not sure that I would want the added distance on my second shot, but I would be much better off than using a driver and losing "stroke and distance" or ending up in the rough or a bunker.  Being in the fairway 100% of the time would at least give me better lies and views of the green... even if it took me 2 shots to get there.

[trickymicky69]

My mate that thinks "I crush it out to 270 normally" was shocked yesterday when the sat nav showed more like 240

[Tomboys]

While I understand OP is presenting a hypothetical question, it's highly unlikely that the scenario will present itself.  So, to a certain degree, it's a moot line of questioning.

First off, if you're a high-handicapper, you're not going to hit your tee shots with a hybrid 210 yards dead straight every time (or even 90+% of the time as suggested by the OP).  If you are able to get those types of results with your hybrid, then you have a damn good swing and you wouldn't be a high-handicapper, so there's no reason to "shelve" the driver.  Sure, you may lose some accuracy with the driver relative to the hybrid, but with a swing that good, the risk/reward ratio would be worth the distance/positioning advantages that a driver yields.

As such, in a nutshell, no, I would not trade hitting my driver.  IMO, to reach my potential as a golfer, there shouldn't be a club in my bag that I'm afraid to hit.  If there is, then it's time for lessons and more practice.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by natp0wers

I would rather have wedge from the rough than 4-5 iron from the fairway...

Who wouldn't?

But I would rather have a 6 iron to the green than be chipping out backwards from the bush or being OB.

Funny how some people seem to think that the only consequence of a poor drive is being in the rough.

[Zeph]

This question is kinda weird since everyone got a different game. He's asking if you would trade your current driver results with being in the fairway 210 yards out all the time. A high handicapper that probably don't even hit it 210 yards would take it in a jiffy. Lower handicaps that hit it 230-270 would realise the disadvantage at being that short off the tee, plus they probably got a somewhat decent driver swing already. I'm not a long hitter (yet), but I would struggle if I only could hit it 210 off the tee. It would mean a lot of long irons and woods from the fairway. I lose a shot here and there, but my driving is getting better, and I would not trade it for being in the fairway at 210 yards. Giving up the driver would also mean you can't improve, which is farfetched. My distance will only increase, so the dis-advantage by taking the 210 yards only keeps on growing.

210 yards is more like my 5 wood today, and I'd be hitting a lot of fairways if I only tee'd off with that club. Not to talk about the driver of course. A gripped down sort of punch shot with the driver would certainly fly 210 yards and I wouldn't miss a whole lot of greens.

Originally Posted by Shorty

But I would rather have a 6 iron to the green than be chipping out backwards from the bush or being OB.

Funny how some people seem to think that the only consequence of a poor drive is being in the rough.

To turn that argument around; the only consequence of a short drive is not hitting 6 irons from the fairway.

[Gioguy21]

nope. i hit more than 60% of fairways and rarely is it a miss that puts me in significant trouble. thanks to some off season work i've been deadly off the tee so far this year (it's the other parts that are killing me)...210 off the tee straight just isn't enough for me. if i wanted to do that now i could, but i want that distance...a wedge or close to it to me is much better than a longer iron. also if 210 off the tee you kill any chance of getting to just about any par 5 in 2.