Should I yank my driver from my bag?

[Slowcelica]

So my goal this year is to get my driving distance up to 230 yards(average) and fairways hit in the 60% range. Now 230 yards probably doesn't seem like a lot but last year with my driver i averaged 180 or so yards with my driver. So that's a 50 yard bump. Which a 50 yard gain is completely do able because most those distance issues I have worked out. The big issue for me right now is that I slice the ball into the trees 13 out of 15 times a round. I have submitted a driver swing video to my evolvr coach and he identified the problem and gave me a fix, right now I am currently working on that but it is going to take me a while to get comfortable with it and work it into my full swing. Now should I take it out of my bag and just hit my 3 wood off the tee, which I averaged 200 yards off the tee last year and in the fairway 10 out of 15 holes a round and bring the driver back later on this year after I have fixed my huge slice?

[rkim291968]

If you are not worrying about handicap index for tournament play, I say use the driver.   Otherwise, you won't know how you are progressing in field.   Hitting driver at range vs at tee box is different.

[kamaaina1]

I took my driver out of the bag, and immediately save 6-7 shots. I was just using my 5 metal with a goal of hitting fairways. Just received my Cobra Bio 3 metal. Can't wait to give it a try! Good luck!

[No Mulligans]

I'd keep it out of the bag until you can hit 2 out of 3 to a fairway width on the range.  At that point, I'd want to use it because I want to be able to hit good drives on a course.

Curious, what was the evolvr fix that you got?

[Slowcelica]

I'd keep it out of the bag until you can hit 2 out of 3 to a fairway width on the range.  At that point, I'd want to use it because I want to be able to hit good drives on a course.

Curious, what was the evolvr fix that you got?

The fix for me, basically my path is of course out to in, but also my face is wide open. So the fix I am working on is to getting my wrist flatter or even more bowed to close the face which will also help come more from the inside, and also fix my setup, bump my hips more forward, etc.... like @mvmac setup in the how to hit your driver thread which also help with my path.

[slightlymad]

I would say no, I know a lot of people that do this and tbh I think it's bs. If you have something that you are not good at, work on it. It's not that hard. All I see is people losing even more confidence in their swing Although I guess it's a strategy, I do not really agree with it since hitting you're driver better in the end will be a better strategy.

[Slowcelica]

I would say no, I know a lot of people that do this and tbh I think it's bs.

If you have something that you are not good at, work on it. It's not that hard.

All I see is people losing even more confidence in their swing

Although I guess it's a strategy, I do not really agree with it since hitting you're driver better in the end will be a better strategy.

Well I am currently working on it, the poll is should I take it out of the bag for 15 shots a week until I can at least keep it on the hole I'm playing or keep hitting it into the trees or next fairway over.

[dfreuter415]

I used to caddy for a doctor in club matches who would hit a 4 iron off of the tee. He hit the ball consistently 220-230 yards and 80% of the time in the fairway.

In his search for distance he started hitting a driver, which I initially thought was a good choice. Now, I just don't know. He is currently hitting a high lofted driver about 220 but only hitting 40% of fairways. I've tried to tell him to go back to his 4 iron, but the longest iron in his bag is a 5 iron. (He has a couple of hybrids.)

I voted to take the driver out of your bag, at least temporarily, until you get your issues resolved. You can't score very well out of the trees.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Actually, this is a classic experiment you're doing.

You're finding out the difference between being long and in the trees, rough, etc., and short and in the fairway.

What are the differences in your scores?

[DutchGolf]

I voted no, because i was in the same position. I said to myself that my score was not important and the only important thing was to gain experience and practice hitting that big thing. I think it helped my drives. Hitting it at the range is totally different for me than hitting it at a tee box with all kind of hazards out there. It improved my driving a lot. At first I also sliced it into the woods/lake/whatever 14 out of 15 times, but in a few months i made quite some improvement. This kind of practice made me a better golfer on the longer term.

However, if you only care about your scores (short term) you should take it out and hit with clubs that you are confident with that you can hit the fairway.

[billchao]

@Slowcelica , I say keep it in the bag and keep hitting it in real course conditions. Just be smart about it, don't hit it on a tight hole or anything where there's trouble right. The loss in distance from your 3 wood is negligible if you're avoiding a big number, but you're going to want to be able to take advantage of the distance when you get to an open hole or one that suits your driver shot zone.

[Slowcelica]

I think I am going to leave it in the bag, unless its a round were I care about my score. But just to add a little stats to the thread here are my game golf stats, I in all reality will be gaining distance with my 3 wood if I pull my driver out of the bag, because the course I play trees on the right of almost every hole, so I don't think there is a hole where I don't hit a tree off the tee.

Driver:

3 Wood:

[dkolo]

I think I am going to leave it in the bag, unless its a round were I care about my score. But just to add a little stats to the thread here are my game golf stats, I in all reality will be gaining distance with my 3 wood if I pull my driver out of the bag, because the course I play trees on the right of almost every hole, so I don't think there is a hole where I don't hit a tree off the tee.

Driver:

3 Wood:

I looked it up quickly on the game golf "compare" tool and scratch / better than scratch golfers are only hitting 56% of fairways. That's on average, obviously, but 60%, even with 3 wood, might be an ambitious goal over a long sample.

[Jeremie Boop]

In all honesty, around here, I could play without using my driver on all but a handful of holes total for the courses I go to. The problem is, if I don't use my driver and build confidence with it then I'll be at a disadvantage when I actually need to use it. I could probably lower my handicap by 3-5 playing these courses without the driver, but that handicap would not be accurate once I played a longer course which required the driver so what good would that lower index be? So, I say keep it in the bag, use it and become comfortable with it because you will need it at some point.

[inthehole]

I'd look at it like this ... gotta have reps to fix it.    It's a rebuilding time - work on what you need to & don't worry about the score right now.      I know you're doing evolvr, but I fixed my slice 100% by watching the Stack & Tilt videos - that whole system is designed to promote a draw & fix slices.     You don't have to use every part of it, but overall gist of it would be in your best interest to check those vids out ...

[Yukari]

Keep it in the bag and use on wide open fairways.  You'll know how you are progressing then and will gain experience using it during a round and not just on the range.

On tight fairways, use your 3W.

If you are hitting your clubs well, I would also pull out the driver on a "relatively" open par 4/5's to further gain experience.

[MrDC]

Driver can be a real pain in the ass until you find the thoughts that work for you, it takes time and reps, in the past I've gone to the range with that one club, I refused to let it beat me.

If there's any club in the bag a golfer should have fitted it's driver, that and putter, but because the driver is so important to play well and so unforgiving, it's #1.

The issue that I battled with for a while is steady head, the driver absolutely demands it, just a small move forward before impact can cause all sorts of issues.

Should a player stick with 3W? sure, I know players that do, but i doubt they'll never sniff an 80 from the whites, it's just too far without the driver, but that's doesn't mean they aren't scoring well and having fun.

[billchao]

In all honesty, around here, I could play without using my driver on all but a handful of holes total for the courses I go to. The problem is, if I don't use my driver and build confidence with it then I'll be at a disadvantage when I actually need to use it. I could probably lower my handicap by 3-5 playing these courses without the driver, but that handicap would not be accurate once I played a longer course which required the driver so what good would that lower index be? So, I say keep it in the bag, use it and become comfortable with it because you will need it at some point.

This is pretty much how I feel about it, too. I can probably score better without the driver, but unless I get real course experience with it, I'll never be comfortable when I [i]have[/i] to use it.