Driver off the Tee

[ghalfaire]

On the home course there is only 1 par 4 hole (there are only 8 par 4 holes on the course, 37-35 par) I hit a driver on it is wide but about 435 yards with water guarding the front. But on other courses it depends upon the hole layout and yardage.  But as rule of thumb I will use a driver on any par 4 over 370 yards or so if there is room.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Wellllll ..... I actually prefer to use the driver on most par 4's as at most of our par 4's going with a 3W or Hybrid means a really long shot to the the green.

Besides that most of my drives are straighter than my 3W ....... I would only take let's say an iron if there is trouble at driving distance.

Maybe I'm reading something which isn't there, but it sounds like your course is lacking in variety on the par 4's.  My home course has par 4 holes from 340 yards on the short end to 440 on the long.  With 10 par 4 holes that makes for a good mix of long, medium and short.  One hole requires a lay up off the tee unless you can carry your driver 330 yards to clear a pond that begins about 220 yards from the tee.  Others have doglegs, bunkers, trees and slopes that require some course management to play your best.  I find that I use every club in my bag on most rounds.

[BostonSully]

Originally Posted by In the woods

In the normal round, how often are your par 4 tee shots is made with a driver?  After I get over this hernia surgery, I am bound to play smarter golf.  I think by being smarter about my club choice in certain situations would be a big step in the right direction.  How many of you grip it and rip it on every par 4 and 5 with the driver?

Honestly unless there is a reason that I am required to lay up IE Water hazard at my normal driver distance, big dogleg that needs to be laid up on, extremely narrow fairway etc...

Its driver 100% of the time.

[nuck81]

If the Fairway is wide, I use my driver, But usually I use my 4wd.  Even though I hit my driver pretty good, my poor swing are way left.  My poor swings with the 4wd aren't nearly as bad, and there is only about 15 yards difference between my 4wd and Driver.

I am playing in a Charity Tournament May 14th, which will be my first competitive tournament ever.  I'm debating on not even taking my Driver...

[In the woods]

If it were me, and I am the one that can't put my driver down and started this thread, I would at least take it.  Even if your mishits are way left, you could still be left with a long par 5 where you would actually benefit from the extra distance(even 10 yards).  But that is just my opinion.

[golf4fun12]

I use driver 90% of the time on a par 4. unless I am at a short course where the par 4 holes are only 280-300 yards. then I hit the 3 wood.

[Mizuno Guy]

I hit driver more than I need to because hitting the fairway is not very important to me. If I hit my driver in play I am perfectly fine with that, greens and putts are the most important part of golf.

[dsc123]

I've always used my driver on any hole that didn't have something to cause me not to, like a dog leg that i would shoot through.  But I decided today that I'm going to use my 4 Iron on any par 4 that I think I could reach with a 7i as my second shot.  If I think it would take a 6 or maybe a 5, i might still do it.

I'm debating as to what to do on a par 5.  Generally I'd hit a driver, and low iron, and a wedge to the green.  Maybe I'd be better off hitting two low irons and a mid iron.

If before the round I find that I'm hitting my driver well on the range, or if I see that as the round moves along, I may get more aggressive.  But I"m going to try to change my mentality to only use a driver when there is a reason to, rather than when there is a reason not to.

I would definitely benefit from a 3-wood that i could hit straight to close the gap a bit.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by In the woods

If it were me, and I am the one that can't put my driver down and started this thread, I would at least take it.  Even if your mishits are way left, you could still be left with a long par 5 where you would actually benefit from the extra distance(even 10 yards).  But that is just my opinion.

Wouldn't help much it's just 10 yards deeper in the woods.

When there is no penalty for missing, then there's no reason not to go for the extra distance.  But on a well designed course, there usually is a penalty of some sort for stray drives.    That might range from just having to hit a low punch to stay under some branches; to deeper rough that makes it hard to hit the ball cleanly; all the way to water, woods or OB for the most severe punishment.  All of those factors have to be considered, along with your typical accuracy, before you plan any tee shot.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Wouldn't help much it's just 10 yards deeper in the woods.

When there is no penalty for missing, then there's no reason not to go for the extra distance.  But on a well designed course, there usually is a penalty of some sort for stray drives.    That might range from just having to hit a low punch to stay under some branches; to deeper rough that makes it hard to hit the ball cleanly; all the way to water, woods or OB for the most severe punishment.  All of those factors have to be considered, along with your typical accuracy, before you plan any tee shot.

The second shot is the scoring shot. Having a GIR on most holes (or at least being in a good position to get up and down) can make for a very quick and enjoyable/relaxing round.

I try to keep the prime landing area in mind off the tee. Sometimes that means leaving a 200 yard approach to avoid getting stymied behind large trees and sometimes that means trying to fly the trouble in order to set up a little knockdown with a wedge. Playing a course that forced (or even allowed) me to hit a driver on every par 4 and 5 would be pretty boring after awhile.

[dustin88thewind]

I will almost always hit 3-wood off the tee early in a round (unless the fairway's quite wide). I'll save the driver until I've got more consistency in my swing.