bad course strategy.......it destroys so many rounds for high handicappers....

[CarlSpackler]

I'm trying not to be too preachy or too pushy or whatnot, but we have a pretty good way to build an ideal course strategy every time you play, with the game you've got now, in Lowest Score Wins.

I will also add that "bad course strategy" is not the same as hitting bad shots. If you aim 50 yards left of a pond and hit a horrible 60-yard slice into it, that's more a bad shot — the strategy itself was probably perfectly good.

That sounds like an awesome book. Can't wait to start reading it.

[Lihu]

I only hit driver 5-6 times a round in my home course.

It's not the longest course enough difficult that the course record is only -3.

http://www.golfclubdekoepel.nl/Baan/Plattegrondperhole.aspx

I don't think many high handicappers are going to play the "Geel" tees with a 76.4/140 rating.

[Dave2512]

Is bad strategy the same thing as no strategy? If so I agree with the OP. Most people I see just kind of wing it. The biggest problem I see is attempting very difficult shots following a poor shot on the fly. This is the one that really kills me, not using drop areas. Just about every time out I see someone drown a ball and instead of moving up to the drop they drown another.  So instead of pitching one from the drop they are facing a huge score. I saw a guy make a 10 on a par 3 over the weekend, the trouble just escalated until he was out of control. The worse he played the more random his next move was, totally bizarre.

[jmsage]

I just looked for a super forgiving 3 wood (g25) put a aldila x stiff shaft in it.  Now half the time I never pull out my driver at my home course because I've been hitting it 265 and straight off the tee.   Most of our par 4s are not that long for me.  most between 300-410 yards and one thats like 440.

[BuckeyeNut]

Is bad strategy the same thing as no strategy? If so I agree with the OP. Most people I see just kind of wing it. The biggest problem I see is attempting very difficult shots following a poor shot on the fly.

I love it when people dig up 3yr old threads and revive them from the grave...LOL

With that said, you said it all right there Dave.   Rather than getting the ball back into scoring position, high cappers go for the hero shot and compound their mistakes with stupid choices.  I see this all the time, and I'm thinking to myself at they prepare to make a stupid play....... "this guy has a 5% chance of success and 95% chance for disaster".

[isukgolf]

My motto is "don't follow a bad shot with a worse shot" ... Sometimes it's better to take my medicine and pitch out to the fairway ... I also have discovered I can repeat a bad shot out of the tee box rather efficiently, so always willing to go to the drop zone ... Most iSuk golfers like me have a hard time with a strategy ... Sort means I have some ability to a hit in a place I planed ... Unless that is someone's backyard I usually can't pull it off ... So despite a strategy at the beginning of the round, I am usually dead sticking it I for a crash landing by hole 4 or 5 ...

[Truegolf]

I was scoping a new course and paired up with high handicappers who took out driver every hole.

Came up to a 310 yard, narrow , with trees behind the green and tight treeline fairway.

Layup with long iron was the best play.

The yahoo I was playing with asked why I didnt take my driver out.

I find that a lot of these guys just dont understand course management.

Even if I was confident with driver, it's not the percentage play.

[dzclarkcpa]

I was scoping a new course and paired up with high handicappers who took out driver every hole.

Came up to a 310 yard, narrow , with trees behind the green and tight treeline fairway.

Layup with long iron was the best play.

The yahoo I was playing with asked why I didnt take my driver out.

I find that a lot of these guys just dont understand course management.

Even if I was confident with driver, it's not the percentage play.

I would have pulled driver....and when "you" asked me why I didn't do the smart thing and hit shorter club, I would tell you that every time, I MEAN EVERY TIME, I try to do the smart thing on the golf course, I screw it up. I know WHEN to not pull driver, but nothing sucks worse than laying up into trouble with a 5 iron. At least when I blow the driver 50 yards deep in the trees, I can console myself with "well I could have played that smarter." When I hit 5 iron 10 yard deep into the woods, behind a tree, in the hardpan, I just have to admit, I stink at this game.

[Spyder]

I would have pulled driver....and when "you" asked me why I didn't do the smart thing and hit shorter club, I would tell you that every time, I MEAN EVERY TIME, I try to do the smart thing on the golf course, I screw it up. I know WHEN to not pull driver, but nothing sucks worse than laying up into trouble with a 5 iron. At least when I blow the driver 50 yards deep in the trees, I can console myself with "well I could have played that smarter." When I hit 5 iron 10 yard deep into the woods, behind a tree, in the hardpan, I just have to admit, I stink at this game.

Sure, but you can rest assured that you made the smart and high percentage for success shot. That is, assuming this club was the right choice in this example. Then, you can work to improve ball striking, club path, etc. which caused you to shank that smart shot.

Playing a bad shot just to console yourself with an excuse isn't what will improve your game. Now, if you're okay with that, so be it. But, if you expect to get better and you want to be able to play a consistent shot and play smart golf, you have your work cut out for you (like all of the rest of us do)!

I personally just try to play the smartest golf possible and self-medicate with beer when the stress and pressure have a volcano of cuss words ready to erupt. Then, I just sit back and laugh at myself.

Tip: Save those extremely high-risk shots for practice rounds, or when you're able to play 2 balls as a single. Always play the smart shot first . Then, if you want to tea bag caution, go ahead and try that forced carry drive over the lake. You have nothing to lose at that point besides a ball. If you clear it, you can play that smart lay-up shot with more confidence because your ego will be juiced.

[saevel25]

I would say if it is a par 4 or a par 5 95% of the time I hit driver.

[CarlSpackler]

I would say if it is a par 4 or a par 5 95% of the time I hit driver.

Ditto unless the voices in my head tell me not to.

[OkGolfer]

Par 4 or 5 I will 100% play my driver unless there's a hazard where my drives typically land. Hole 1 at home coarse is a 293 par 4 with a bunker in the front and one on each side. I know my driver will go strait about 99% of the time and that my drives are in the 270-280 area usually. I use my driver. I'd rather use a wedge from 25yds then choose between a 7 or 8 at 160

[krupa]

Since I'm the one who started the 5 iron, no driver bit, I would like to clarify that no single piece of advice works for everybody. I would not tee off  with a 5 iron where I know I should and CAN  hit a 3 wood.

I'm 60.  Not using a driver is bad advice for a young beginner.

My take on course management: It's easier to figure out how far you hit your clubs when you don't have so many to choose from. If the 5 iron only goes as far as the 7 iron, except when it goes a lot farther, leave the 8 at home.

Not using a driver is bad advice?  So people should use a driver?  I thought I read someplace that the driver is the hardest club to hit?  It certainly is for me.

I started golfing last season (June) and by the end (late October) I was finally hitting it (the driver) straight.  This year, I can't hit it worth a damn.  I pulled back, focused on wedges and short irons and built up to hybrids.  I still can't (and therefore don't) hit a 3W or Driver yet (it's been rainy and I haven't gotten to the range enough yet) but I score better than I ever did last year.  My game plan is always the same, "what is the best club (given the distance to the green) that I can hit reliably from here?"

[Jeremie Boop]

I disagree, bad ball striking destroys many rounds for high handicappers.

[Spyder]

Not using a driver is bad advice?  So people should use a driver?  I thought I read someplace that the driver is the hardest club to hit?  It certainly is for me.

I started golfing last season (June) and by the end (late October) I was finally hitting it (the driver) straight.  This year, I can't hit it worth a damn.  I pulled back, focused on wedges and short irons and built up to hybrids.  I still can't (and therefore don't) hit a 3W or Driver yet (it's been rainy and I haven't gotten to the range enough yet) but I score better than I ever did last year.  My game plan is always the same, "what is the best club (given the distance to the green) that I can hit reliably from here?"

I personally feel that everyone should use their driver as much as possible and get as much practice and comfort with it as they can. It's a huge disadvantage to shy away from it and pull a wood or iron from the tee if you're playing a relatively longer (normal) course. If the course is <=6000 yards, you're probably going to be just fine with your 3W or 4 iron off of the tee all day. But, I don't think anyone will deny that playing a course in upwards of 6,500 yards is going to be much more difficult without your driver.

Plus, I think it's more important for golfers aspiring to be better to fix a problem that they have rather than ignore it. When I first started golfing, my father encouraged me to ignore the driver and play consistently with my 3W. If we go out and I hit a few bad shots consecutively with my driver, he'll still say "put that thing away!". In my opinion, that's not how you fix the problem. I'd rather learn to understand what I did wrong on a bad shot so that I can implement a fix as quickly as possible rather than give up significant yardage.

Disclaimer: I may be in the minority with my thinking and I am certainly no professional.

[iacas]

I disagree, bad ball striking destroys many rounds for high handicappers.

Uh huh.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krupa

Not using a driver is bad advice?  So people should use a driver?  I thought I read someplace that the driver is the hardest club to hit?  It certainly is for me.

I started golfing last season (June) and by the end (late October) I was finally hitting it (the driver) straight.  This year, I can't hit it worth a damn.  I pulled back, focused on wedges and short irons and built up to hybrids.  I still can't (and therefore don't) hit a 3W or Driver yet (it's been rainy and I haven't gotten to the range enough yet) but I score better than I ever did last year.  My game plan is always the same, "what is the best club (given the distance to the green) that I can hit reliably from here?"

I personally feel that everyone should use their driver as much as possible and get as much practice and comfort with it as they can. It's a huge disadvantage to shy away from it and pull a wood or iron from the tee if you're playing a relatively longer (normal) course. If the course is <=6000 yards, you're probably going to be just fine with your 3W or 4 iron off of the tee all day. But, I don't think anyone will deny that playing a course in upwards of 6,500 yards is going to be much more difficult without your driver.

Plus, I think it's more important for golfers aspiring to be better to fix a problem that they have rather than ignore it. When I first started golfing, my father encouraged me to ignore the driver and play consistently with my 3W. If we go out and I hit a few bad shots consecutively with my driver, he'll still say "put that thing away!". In my opinion, that's not how you fix the problem. I'd rather learn to understand what I did wrong on a bad shot so that I can implement a fix as quickly as possible rather than give up significant yardage.

Disclaimer: I may be in the minority with my thinking and I am certainly no professional.

If you are just beginning, then there is nothing wrong with leaving the driver out of the bag except at the range, and playing tees that accommodate that.  You are assuming that every male golfer should be playing a course more than 6000 yards.  That is the sort of thinking that leads to experienced players getting pissed off at beginners being on the course at all.  Encourage them to play the course with the clubs that are  most comfortable, with tees appropriate to their length and ability, then learn how to hit the other clubs on the practice tee before they try them on the course.

[krupa]

I personally feel that everyone should use their driver as much as possible and get as much practice and comfort with it as they can. It's a huge disadvantage to shy away from it and pull a wood or iron from the tee if you're playing a relatively longer (normal) course. If the course is <=6000 yards, you're probably going to be just fine with your 3W or 4 iron off of the tee all day. But, I don't think anyone will deny that playing a course in upwards of 6,500 yards is going to be much more difficult without your driver.

Plus, I think it's more important for golfers aspiring to be better to fix a problem that they have rather than ignore it. When I first started golfing, my father encouraged me to ignore the driver and play consistently with my 3W. If we go out and I hit a few bad shots consecutively with my driver, he'll still say "put that thing away!". In my opinion, that's not how you fix the problem. I'd rather learn to understand what I did wrong on a bad shot so that I can implement a fix as quickly as possible rather than give up significant yardage.

Disclaimer: I may be in the minority with my thinking and I am certainly no professional.

Speaking for myself, I'm not ignoring my problems I'm just trying to fix them at the range rather than on the course.  I had originally vowed not to play a course until June and only go to the range, but the range gets boring.  So when I go to the course, I only use clubs that I can hit fairly reliably.