How YOU play golf.

[CybrSlicr]

Hybrid, hybrid, hybrid.

Get a 3 and 4 hybrid.

You WILL be able to hit these clubs accurately off the tee.

You WILL be able to hit these clubs accurately off the fairway.

I promise.

A good recommendation. I find I am hitting my 3R and 4R off of more par 4's than my driver and 3W. On a 350yd par 3, the 3R leaves me in good position for a 7 iron to the green. For me it's the better play. Even on a 400 yd par 4, I just hit back to back 3R's and I usually find myself on or close enough to chip close.

The driver only comes out now when it could actually make a difference - shorter 5's, downhill holes, wide open holes. "Grip It and Rip It" leaves me with too many bad lies because of the lack of control. I prefer setting myself up for my stronger clubs, so I play more hybrids off the tees now, especially on tight holes.

 

[atlgolfer]

Only recently has it dawned on me that my chances of hitting the green are much better with a PW from 80-100 yds than trying to chip from 10 yds off the green. From 10 yds, I tend to fluff the ball 5yds or skull it off the other side of the green.

Prior to this realization, I always tried to advance the ball as far as possible with each shot...often with disasterous results. Now, I try to pace ball advancement so that my last shot to the green will be from the most advantageous position that fits my ability.

What he said.

 

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Only recently has it dawned on me that my chances of hitting the green are much better with a PW from 80-100 yds than trying to chip from 10 yds off the green. From 10 yds, I tend to fluff the ball 5yds or skull it off the other side of the green.

Prior to this realization, I always tried to advance the ball as far as possible with each shot...often with disasterous results. Now, I try to pace ball advancement so that my last shot to the green will be from the most advantageous position that fits my ability.

This may be the correct play for you presently, but those short shots are well worth practicing. If you learn how to play those, you'll soon find you can more often get those closer to the hole than the 80 to 100 yard wedge shots.

 

[SiberianDVM]

Does a 230 yard drive count as a "bomb"? That's about all I've got, unless I accidentally find the sweet spot.

My course plays a little over 6800 yrds from the blue tees. Almost every male under the age of 70 plays these tees, instead of the 6400 yard whites. I don't know why. High testosterone levels, I guess.

So with my decidedly below internet average drive, I'm left with anywhere from 210 to 130 yards for my second shot on par 4s. That's a 3 wood to 8 iron. Seldom do I get to "gouge" with a wedge on a par 4, unless it's my 3rd shot.

 

[Rockford35]

Is it possible to Bomb, Gouge, Stick Handle, Jab and Sweep to a 4 hdcp? Cuz that's what i do.

It's very rarely that I don't have to come up with some inginuity on the course after a mental lapse. 60* over some trees, hard draw with the 6 iron around the corner after leaving my drive left off the tee. But, more often than not, when i go out to shoot well, I play like garbage. If i go out and play within my game, I can shoot the lights out. I've started approaching this stupid game as a game, and KNOW that I can hit the shot.

It's worked out quite well for me, I guess.

R35

 

[longshot]

I must admit we have a couple of holes that i have a mental block on ob both sides.So i play a 4 iron on the 422 up hill but it keeps me in play.
Better on the fairway with a shot in to the green than 300 in the woods ob, right?
These holes have got in my head and its so annoying there is no real reason for it we have a 480 par five ob on the right which for me is a driver/wedge why cant i do that on those two holes?Its a strange game!

 

[JEFF4i]

Depends on the hole and circumstance.

 

[wirehair]

I try to play short golf. Keep it in the fairways & hit greens. If it takes me 3 to get on, it's OK with me. I'll never shoot in the 70's, which is my lot in life.

 

[WMitch6]

Jeezus - After reading this thread I'm starting to think I'm the only guy around that can't hit the friggen' ball 800 yards. I visit 4-5 golf message boards and it seems like everybody is hitting it 30 yards past JD.
Funny thing is, I play with a lot of different guys and maybe one in 20 is a real big hitter that can dependably crank out the big drives. The rest of the guys that think they are awesome are actually hit it and go find it types. 400 yards out and 200 yards sideways ain't all that good.

 

[SiberianDVM]

I'm the only guy around that can't hit the friggen' ball 800 yards.

You obviously didn't read my post. My drives range from 220 to 240. Twice I have hit it 260 or so on the course. Today was one. The ball was a HX HOT on a par 5 and it was friggin perfect.

 

[Eracer]

Is it possible to Bomb, Gouge, Stick Handle, Jab and Sweep to a 4 hdcp? Cuz that's what i do.

It's very rarely that I don't have to come up with some inginuity on the course after a mental lapse. 60* over some trees, hard draw with the 6 iron around the corner after leaving my drive left off the tee. But, more often than not, when i go out to shoot well, I play like garbage. If i go out and play within my game, I can shoot the lights out. I've started approaching this stupid game as a game, and KNOW that I can hit the shot.

It's worked out quite well for me, I guess.

R35

You must be ridiculously wealthy, have a private indoor driving range, and fly Dave Pelz and Butch Harmon up for the weekends . How the heck else can you maintain a 4 cap and only have warm enough weather to play 3 weeks out of the year?

 

[Eracer]

UH OH! I feel a wee dabble on the credit card coming... club reccomendations please??... (or a pointer to another thread?)

I've played these hybrids (and ranked them best to worst):

Cobra Baffler
Cleveland Halo
Callaway Heavenwood
Hogan CFT
Nike CPR
TaylorMade Rescue Mid

None of the others are as good as the Nippon steel-shafted 23-deg. Baffler. It is definitely the most consistent and rewarding club in my bag. I play the 3R and 4R with stiff shafts, even though I play regular shafts in my other irons. The distance I get with the steel stiffs in the 3 and 4 fit right in with the rest of my set. Nippon shafts plays a little softer than the US steel used in True Temper shafts.

For your reference, my driver swing speed is right around 90mph with a smooth tempo. The Baffler 4R goes a steady 185 yards off the tee.

I don't know about the graphite-shafted model.

 

[gwlee7]

I play with a crowd that has team shootouts where all birdies count. A lot of these guys think they are hotshot golfers since they can make 3 - 5 birdies a round because all they do is bomb it off the tee and pick up their bogey putts. I on the other hand, play in a lot of GOLF tournaments when I am not playing in this shootout. I am used to keeping the ball in play and being willing to shoot 77 with no birdies because that will often get the job done in my flight. I find it funny that almost none of the "bombers" in the shootout crowd will play me in a $5 low score match eventhough they will swear up and down that they are better golfers than me. They know that if I play them straight up low score that they will be putting the ball out and I will not let them pick up for bogey. There are only about 3 people of 20 in this group that can consistently beat me low score.

 

[Eracer]

I play with a crowd that has team shootouts where all birdies count. A lot of these guys think they are hotshot golfers since they can make 3 - 5 birdies a round because all they do is bomb it off the tee and pick up their bogey putts. I on the other hand, play in a lot of GOLF tournaments when I am not playing in this shootout. I am used to keeping the ball in play and being willing to shoot 77 with no birdies because that will often get the job done in my flight. I find it funny that almost none of the "bombers" in the shootout crowd will play me in a $5 low score match eventhough they will swear up and down that they are better golfers than me. They know that if I play them straight up low score that they will be putting the ball out and I will not let them pick up for bogey. There are only about 3 people of 20 in this group that can consistently beat me low score.

Long drivers who think that's all there is to "golf".
SUV drivers who would never take their precious vehicle offroad.
Sheep drivers who only...well, you know.

They are all the same. No balls, just testosterone. Laugh at them and let them be.

 

[Dale]

Whilst I agree wholeheartedly that for the majority of golfers, the most satisfying thing is undoubtedly banging a 300 yard drive right up the middle, for me personally the most satisfying thing is the 80 yard pitch that lands 1 ft away from the pin.

I guess I’m lucky enough that my game allows me to be one of the bigger hitters off the tee at my club, but the second I let one go (if it works!!) I find myself worrying more about making the next shot count rather than thinking I matched Tiger off the tee! Hence I prefer to make sure I get the distance off the tee, but tend to always concentrate on the shot into the green the most

(I guess most of that mentality comes from my amateurism, as at least 40-50% of tee shots with the driver are at least a bit off line, leaving me a shot into the green that requires a fair bit of concentration - mostly on the lines of "EEK! How the hell do I get it up over this tree from here!!")