Crush the ball when driving

[Jon Hoover]

I'll take 275 in the rough, You never know maybe he just had a bad driver day, I know at least for me some days your on with the driver and other days I couldn't hit the fairway no matter how slow or fast i swung. You have to practice to be good with enough practice he could one day be hitting the long drive down the middle most of the time but you'll never be able to do it if you concede to only swing slow every time. Everyone even pros need to improve somewhere, for some it could be accuracy, others distance.

[ghalfaire]

Being a senior golfer, I get a kick out of watching younger golfers trying to clobber their ball on the drive. The result usually is they drive the ball left into the woods or off to the right into the other fairway and it reflects badly on their score. I once was a younger golfer and use to make the same mistake as these younger golfers make.

I'm almost 67 years old and was golfing with a golfer 23 years younger than myself yesterday. We played 9 holes and he only hit one fairway on his drive whereas I only missed one fairway and ended up beating him by six strokes for the 9 holes even though we both teed off from the same tee boxes.

Conclusion - I'd rather hit the ball 200 or so yards and be on the fairway, than hit it 250 yards into the woods, etc.

Well I have gotten up there too and am certainly a senior citizen.  But years ago I played with someone probably 25-30 years my senior and we had a beer later (on me).  He said something I have not forgotten.  That was, "son you need to learn the game is not about how far but about how many and when you do you'll be a better golfer".   Not that hitting the ball a long ways isn't fun or even advantageous if you keep it in play, but it isn't necessary or even required to be a good golfer.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saevel25

If a golfer only hits the ball 250 off the tee

Dick.

250 is long enough to be scratch, btw. But you knew that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

Dick.

250 is long enough to be scratch, btw. But you knew that.

On behalf of all the other golfers on this site. . .

[GHIN0011458]

Good luck with this 200 vs 250 argument here on the site. If the course is wide open and the rough isn't penalizing then the longer ball of course is the shot. I typically play very thick rough and I hit a lot of fairways. I RARELY make birdie from the rough(but I don't make many to start with). What everyone should do is hit the shot that puts them in the best place mentally. The shot that you can commit to, the shot that is going to leave you with the best chance at getting a GIR. The mental part of this game and playing smart is by far more important than hitting aggressive long balls all day. It was amazing I went back to playing smart but boring golf and how much better I have been scoring. I feel better hitting a shot I know I can hit and playing within my game. Anyone who goes out just for the fun of it I encourage to hit driver every time. That is the most fun club to hit and if you only get in 3-4 rounds a year you might as well. Don't worry about score if you don't play much because it takes practice to get good. I just played against a guy with I think 9 Major Championships under his belt who plays the exact same way- CONSERVATIVE. He rarely shoots over par, he wins most of the PGA Association tourney's and he is playing as conservative as possible. The #1 goal is GIR. Then you can plug along the golf course and make a putt here or a putt there and shoot under par or around even. Anyways- putting has gotten better/scores have gotten better and it is all mental. Numbers can be packed into a chart all day long but there are some intangibles that come into play with scoring in golf. And that is why a lot of the lower handicappers on this site are harder to convince of the distance is king argument. Every hole is different, every shot is different, and yet we try to generalize the game.

[saevel25]

Numbers can be packed into a chart all day long but there are some intangibles that come into play with scoring in golf. And that is why a lot of the lower handicappers on this site are harder to convince of the distance is king argument. Every hole is different, every shot is different, and yet we try to generalize the game.

It's just a fact that higher handicap players have bad swings. As such they will swing bad with an iron and a driver. So why should they ever take driver out of their hands unless the hole actually has water where their ball will land?

No one said distance was king. It's just the fact that people overestimate how important accuracy is compared to distance. Still accuracy is just doesn't magically appear when you hit a 3-wood off the tee.

I think the primary issue is more that golfers don't play the correct tees. If your good drive on average gives you a long iron into the green the move up. No wonder they hate the rough. I hate the rough when I have to hit a 4 iron out of it. Give me a short iron or wedge and rough becomes easy, even thick rough.

PGA Tour players average 165 yards from the green, that includes going for it on par 5's and their typical long par 3's. They are averaging 7 and 8 irons in to the greens.

If the option for a high handicap player is hybrid or 3-wood from the fairway versus 4-5 iron from the rough. I can see why they would choose the fairway. Move up to give your self the chance to play decent.

[Mop Bucket]

I average around 280 off the tee and max out at around 310 when its dry... But at the course I usually play, I don't drive the ball more than 3-5 times a round for the fact that it's simply not worth risking the OB for an extra 30-50 yards. I'd much rather hit a 3i or 3w and place it out in the fairway 250 yards than hit knockdowns from under trees all day.

[GolfLug]

I play very tight tree lined courses where the light rough or fairway does not matter as much. If I hit off line, it's in the trees or OB - instant shot penalty or 2 if OB. So if it is 250 in the rough vs. 200 in the fairway, I will take long and rough all day. 50 yards is huge - at least 3 clubs, but if it is trees vs. no trees, it's a no contest I guess.

Also, only time I will hit a hybrid (2 or 3) is if I do not want to be too long. If I am hooking with driver (my typical miss), hybrid is pretty much the same. If I absolutely have to hit fairway, regardless of distance consideration I will hit 4 or even 5 iron.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9wood

Conclusion - I'd rather hit the ball 200 or so yards and be on the fairway, than hit it 250 yards into the woods, etc.

Yea, being in the woods is bad. 250 in the rough I'll take over 200 in the fairway, though...

For me, it's either 220 on fairway or 170 into OB area on left or right.   If I try to clobber drives, I hit more into OB areas.  Although, once in a while, those clobbers lead to a 250 yard drive.

[mmoan2]

Good luck with this 200 vs 250 argument here on the site. If the course is wide open and the rough isn't penalizing then the longer ball of course is the shot. I typically play very thick rough and I hit a lot of fairways. I RARELY make birdie from the rough(but I don't make many to start with). What everyone should do is hit the shot that puts them in the best place mentally. The shot that you can commit to, the shot that is going to leave you with the best chance at getting a GIR. The mental part of this game and playing smart is by far more important than hitting aggressive long balls all day. It was amazing I went back to playing smart but boring golf and how much better I have been scoring. I feel better hitting a shot I know I can hit and playing within my game. Anyone who goes out just for the fun of it I encourage to hit driver every time. That is the most fun club to hit and if you only get in 3-4 rounds a year you might as well. Don't worry about score if you don't play much because it takes practice to get good. I just played against a guy with I think 9 Major Championships under his belt who plays the exact same way- CONSERVATIVE. He rarely shoots over par, he wins most of the PGA Association tourney's and he is playing as conservative as possible. The #1 goal is GIR. Then you can plug along the golf course and make a putt here or a putt there and shoot under par or around even. Anyways- putting has gotten better/scores have gotten better and it is all mental. Numbers can be packed into a chart all day long but there are some intangibles that come into play with scoring in golf. And that is why a lot of the lower handicappers on this site are harder to convince of the distance is king argument. Every hole is different, every shot is different, and yet we try to generalize the game.

You are a + handicap and rarely make birdie? I just got really depressed

Who did you play against, BTW? I think the only living guys who qualify are Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods. I'm guessing it was The Black Knight.

[mmoan2]

I think I may be one of the only people I know who hits it worse when I try to take something off with driver. It may be the way I do it. Gotta film it someday, but I usually pull hook an "easy" driver swing.

[GHIN0011458]

You are a + handicap and rarely make birdie? I just got really depressed

Who did you play against, BTW? I think the only living guys who qualify are Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods. I'm guessing it was The Black Knight.

Has played in- not won.. I don't even know if he has made a cut actually. PGA championships/Senior PGA's and US Opens.

I am just saying he can make it there with that game.

And yeah I mean one round I will make 5 and the next day I might not make any.. so if I average 2-3 a round I don't see it as a lot. Guys who are winning these events are averaging around 5. My game is birdie the easy holes/bogey the hard ones and par the rest.. + handicap doesn't mean I go out and shoot under par everyday.

[Jeremie Boop]

I think I may be one of the only people I know who hits it worse when I try to take something off with driver. It may be the way I do it. Gotta film it someday, but I usually pull hook an "easy" driver swing.

OT, but I'd say that is the result of becoming to "armsy" when you try to take an easy swing. However, I'm very similar in that regard. When I try to take an "easy swing" to just hit a fairway it usually nets me a shot that's as bad, or worse, than what my normal full speed swing would net me.

[mmoan2]

Has played in- not won.. I don't even know if he has made a cut actually. PGA championships/Senior PGA's and US Opens.

I am just saying he can make it there with that game.

And yeah I mean one round I will make 5 and the next day I might not make any.. so if I average 2-3 a round I don't see it as a lot. Guys who are winning these events are averaging around 5. My game is birdie the easy holes/bogey the hard ones and par the rest.. + handicap doesn't mean I go out and shoot under par everyday.

Oh. Still a good experience, though.

I understand that. I was just being a bit tongue and cheek. Considering I've never had 3 in a single round of golf in my life, I'd take it.

[GHIN0011458]

Oh. Still a good experience, though.

I understand that. I was just being a bit tongue and cheek. Considering I've never had 3 in a single round of golf in my life, I'd take it.

no worries. I actually don't see myself as a good golfer because I never win anything. I am more concerned with my Anti-Handicap. which is like 4.7 or around there. To me that number is more important because I want to be as consistent as possible. I think 5 strokes difference from my handicap to my Anti is too many.. OT though.

[dbuck]

It sounds like with the OP, his playing companions were not just out of the fairway, they were out of play.

It all depends on how far afield the 250 is. If it is a really crooked 250, the 200 in the middle may be equally close to the hole; it's basic trig. But if you mean 250 from the edge or first cut, I will take the 250. I will take the 200 if it is a 3 shot hole anyway.

I recently played in a "real golf" tournament (play your own ball, play em down and putt em out) and elected to play with vintage equipment. I wish I could report I did well, but I can't. Finished dead last. Except for putting, my game from 150 in was non-existent, especially the wedge game. I was also suffering from an extreme case of bronchitis, but that is a different story. Excuses, excuses.

By my modest standards though, I did do pretty well off the tee.  I played with some pretty decent golfers both days. There were several times where my 230ish in play was equal to their greater distance to the right or left. There are other times though, when the trouble is short rather than wide, and the abiltity to drive over it meant them hitting a short iron vs me laying up and hitting a fairway wood or longer iron. (Though the way I was hitting irons off the fairway, I was better off with the FW, LOL)

[iacas]

Being a senior golfer, I get a kick out of watching younger golfers trying to clobber their ball on the drive.

If golfers are swinging so hard they're hitting the ball terribly, then yes, they should stop that. Unless they enjoy it and don't care much about their scores, which is fine too.

Conclusion - I'd rather hit the ball 200 or so yards and be on the fairway, than hit it 250 yards into the woods, etc.

If you make the examples that extreme, then yes, but that's often not the case. Often it's a matter of being 50 yards ahead and in the rough 15% more of the time… in which case the better choice is often to advance the ball far and reduce the distance between your ball and the hole quickly.

Good luck with this 200 vs 250 argument here on the site.

Comments like that aren't really beneficial. They set you up to be argumentative and appear close-minded.

If the course is wide open and the rough isn't penalizing then the longer ball of course is the shot.

Generally speaking, yup. And if the rough is only mildly penalizing , it's still a better play to gain up to FIVE CLUBS less into the green.

Never mind the fact that hitting it 200 yards does not guarantee the player will be in the fairway, and that hitting it 250 does not guarantee the player will be in the rough.

So in the end, even with moderately penalizing rough, it's often a matter of something more like this:

• 250 yards and in the fairway 55% of the time, the rough 40% of the time, and blocked out 5% of the time.
• 200 yards and in the fairway 70% of the time, the rough 27% of the time, and blocked out 3% of the time.

15% over 14 driving holes is… two fairways per round you'd miss instead of hitting.

What everyone should do is hit the shot that puts them in the best place mentally. The shot that you can commit to, the shot that is going to leave you with the best chance at getting a GIR.

People are comfortable laying up to a full wedge, but that's dumb too. What's going to "put you in the best place mentally" is not always the smart or best play.

He rarely shoots over par, he wins most of the PGA Association tourney's and he is playing as conservative as possible.

I guarantee he does not play "as conservative as possible." And that's one guy, too… I know plenty of guys who play aggressively and win a lot of section events too. And on the PGA Tour it's true, there, too. Phil MIckelson has won many, many majors and PGA Tour events, and so did Arnold Palmer. How many has, oh, I don't know… Fred Funk won? What's the most prolific winning "plodder" you can name?

And the gap is even bigger on the regular golf courses. The rough is not as thick. Golfers are nearly as likely to miss the fairway hitting a hybrid as they are with the driver. And so many other things.

Yes, if the rough is ridiculously thick… nobody here would advise always hitting the longer club and going for distance . But implying that misrepresents a very strong and nuanced position.

The #1 goal is GIR.

We agree!!! Even from the rough, it's easier to hit the green from 150 than from 200 in the fairway for many people. Especially if it's only twice per round, and you get the benefit of being 50 yards closer the other 12 times, too.

Numbers can be packed into a chart all day long but there are some intangibles that come into play with scoring in golf. And that is why a lot of the lower handicappers on this site are harder to convince of the distance is king argument. Every hole is different, every shot is different, and yet we try to generalize the game.

I'm a lower handicapper. I've worked with lower handicappers who shoot lower scores now, including college programs, local amateurs (one of whom has finished top 5 in several mini tour events on quick trips to Florida in the middle of the winter here), etc. They buy in because they understand the generalizations (and that they apply most of the time), and understand when it's important to deviate.

They're numbers in a chart, but they lead to lower scores when they're understood and applied.

[saevel25]

When I play. I use to take driver less often. Now if I can hit it I will. That doesn't mean I am swinging full out, or off balance. I can choke down or dial down the speed to gain control.

Think of it this way. What do you think is easier to control, a 3-wood swung at 95% or a driver swung at 75%? I would bet a person who swings their driver 75% will hit the ball further than their 3-wood and be more accurate.

[AmazingWhacker]

True fact . .I can hit the ball about 90% of my total distance just with a 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock swing.  This is because with that short swing I'm not throwing away any power with crap technique.  I had a golf teacher who was in his mid 60's that could hit the ball around 280-300 yards.  He could hit it almost that far sitting in a chair . .which he did a few different times in my lessons to prove the point.

So, with proper technique, it doesn't have to be an either/or thing.  You can hit the ball pretty dang far for as long as you retain a decent amount of flexibility.  And those guys swinging for the fences on the range mostly don't have a clue.