Left the driver at home and my worst fears were confirmed.

[eric89074]

I decided to finally play a round without my driver and use a 3 wood off the tee and after that round I probably won't be using my driver any time soon. Even mishit tee shots that would have sliced into rough we're finding the fairway and giving me makeable second shots. I shot an 83 today and would have broken 80 for the first time if not for a few mishit irons and blown puts. I love the occasional huge shots I'd get with the driver but I'm glad I finally swallowed my pride and left it home.

[LeftyHoges]

Nice shootin...

Any crap that anyone gives you about being too soft to hit a driver will be rubbed out by your sub 80 round over their 87. Keep that thought in your mind as your hittin from 10-20 back in the fairway compared to them in the trees.

Hope you break the 80's soon...

[JEFF4i]

Do you go out to shoot low or hit your driver? The two aren't always congruent.

[spankdoggie]

Leave the driver at home.

[lamebums]

Arg. Why do people take the driver out of their bag? Hell, I'm less accurate with my 3 wood. Take that out too, eh? And the 5, since it's basically a 3 with more loft?

I toe the 3 iron too, take that out. I catch that 4 a little thin, shank the 5, top the 6... Guess they all gotta go.

Seriously, man. Sure, there's times to play it smart and tee off with a 3 iron, or something. But other than that, keep the driver in the bag. Better long and in the trees rather than short and in the trees.

[MGP]

I played for almost 20 years without a driver in the bag. I hit a PowerBilt Citation 2 wood (basically a 13° strong 3W with a little bigger head). When I was a junior golfer I played a 3W off the tee and hit it well enough that I outdrove most of the adults I played with hitting drivers.

I've only played with a driver for the last two years since my swingspeed has decreased and the driver technology has helped me get the distance back while being a lot easier to hit (straight!).

I hit the Citation 2W about 230 yds. dead straight virtually every time. I had my 'cap index as low as 3.3 and for a period of about 10-12 years it always stayed in the 7-8 range. Lots of mid 70's to 80-ish scores with the occasional low 70's. Not blasting the ball off the tee doesn't mean you can't score well -- especially if you are not accurate with a driver.

I played for about 15 years with the same clubs in my bag and was very consistent. Never a long hitter but knew what most every shot was going to do.

[spankdoggie]

We don't have self control. With the driver in the bag, we use it, even when we know we should not.

Therefore, leave the driver at home until you break 90.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

Originally Posted by lamebums

Arg. Why do people take the driver out of their bag? Hell, I'm less accurate with my 3 wood. Take that out too, eh? And the 5, since it's basically a 3 with more loft?

I toe the 3 iron too, take that out. I catch that 4 a little thin, shank the 5, top the 6... Guess they all gotta go.

EASSSSYYYY there Tin Cup.

[lamebums]

Originally Posted by ThatCanadianGuy

EASSSSYYYY there Tin Cup.

You know, I should try that some day - play with just a 7 iron and a putter. I'd bet I'd still shoot under 50 for 9 holes, since that 7 iron is my "go to" club when I'm in trouble, or in bad lies (or in trees).

Tin Cup has nothing on me, though. I've put half a dozen balls in the water trying to carry 200 yards to a green surrounded by traps. (Missing in a trap isn't the problem...so I'm not afraid to go for it and hit the sand, but the water isn't something you can hit out of everyday.) I get a hell of a lot of practice with my 3 wood, though. It kind of goes this way:

3 wood trying to drive home in two on a 520-ish par 5 18th hole. Splash.

"Give me another ball." Splash.

"Give me another ball." Splash.

"Give me another ball." Splash.

You get the idea. When that happens, I report in my score "after 17 holes". Or it's an ESC 8.

[spankdoggie]

Originally Posted by lamebums

You know, I should try that some day - play with just a 7 iron and a putter. I'd bet I'd still shoot under 50 for 9 holes, since that 7 iron is my "go to" club when I'm in trouble, or in bad lies (or in trees).


"Give me another ball." Splash.

Nice visor. Do you have a link?

[MAHALLEDAY]

I;m not crazy accurate with my driver either but i fugre you have to learn to hit every club in the bag. You shouldn't be afraid to use any club you have.

[ezra76]

I've had good results as well with no driver. The plain truth is it must be used to score your best. Once you play a longer course with forced carry's to the FW and over water/bunkers to the green, the benefit of driver and 9iron in vs. 6 iron will become very clear.

I think the key is too develop one "consistant" ballflight with the driver. For me that is the fade. Once I can hit a 5-10 yd. fade every single time I know I can put driver in play every time.

[lamebums]

Originally Posted by spankdoggie

Nice visor. Do you have a link?

Hmm? I don't get it.

[LeftyHoges]

Woods aren't my strength at the best of times, but when the driver swing goes completely off i'll take all the woods out and hit 1-iron off every tee. Grooves the swing back into shape and I don't think i've ever shot worse than high 70's doing it.
Completely disagree with your post lamebums, why persist with something thats not working? And his original post said that his 3 wood was finding fairways where his driver wouldn't. Better to be 20 short in the fairway than 20 long in the trees.

[spankdoggie]

Originally Posted by lamebums

Hmm? I don't get it.

Where can I buy a visor like that?

Oh, never mind...