Do amateur golfers really need a driver?

[SMRT]

I have always had a problem with over swinging while using my driver. By the end of a round that usually leads to over swinging every other club. Recently I have decided to just leave the driver at home and work on my swing consistency. The last 2 rounds that I have played while using my 4 iron off the tee, I have scored just as well or better than I did while using a driver. This got me thinking, do I or other amateurs really need a driver? Everyone loves bombing a drive past everyone else but when you only hit the fairway 30% of the time with a driver, the extra distance is rarely helpful.

We usually play one tee in front of the tips, so on par 5's I just play them as 3 shots to the green instead of even thinking about going for them in 2. Long par 4's are tougher because it is usually a mid to long iron into the green but with a little more practice I will hopefully be closer to the hole and have more makeable putts. One thing for sure is that my confidence has gone up a lot since I have started playing this way.

 

Has anyone else given up on the driver? Has it helped or hurt your scoring?

 

[mcavoy]

Not trying to be snarky, disrespectful, or mean.  But with a 30hdcp it might make sense to leave driver in the bag sometimes.  Or at least swing a shorter one.  Control is good and in my experience in watching and playing with players at your level directional control is one of the many challenges I see players face.  If you are playing one set up from the tips maybe try moving up one more - at least for a round - and see how you do.  Good luck.

[PlaidJacket]

I damn sure need one!

I don't have an iron in my bag I can come close to hitting as far as a driver.

SMRT you've got to learn to hit the driver. It's an integral part I believe; of playing most courses and scoring well.

[josmi15]

Oh yeah, bomb it, then you can pull wedge on a par 4, stick it on green, become a birdie making machine, just like Tin Cup!

 

I recently added 30 yards on drive, just by getting longer Tee

 

 

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[GolfSpyC]

I don't think giving up on the driver is the right play here - If anything, the argument is more on the other side of the spectrum where you have a guy like Stenson who murders his 3 wood - and if you were in that type of situation, you could certainly look at ditching the driver - If I were you, the two things I do are:

 

1) Get fit for a driver and then 

 

2) Through practice/lessons, learn how to hit your driver. It will become a huge asset for you!

[Kenny B]

Agree with PJ; I've got to hit driver, and I say that because now it's one of my favorite clubs in the bag.  Most days I might miss 2-3 fairways, but even those misses are very playable.  If I teed off with an iron, there are about 5 holes that I would have no chance of reaching in regulation, and others would be with a long club.  Not gonna happen.

 

That said, when I was a 30+ hcp starting out 25 years ago, I typically shot 63 for nine holes in our league play.  When our league had a 3-club tournament, I used 5i, 9i, and putter and shot 45.  What that told me was if I wanted to keep playing this game, I needed lessons to learn how to hit the ball better.  Unfortunately, I had ingrained so many bad habits that it took a lot of lessons to straighten out my swing!  I still take lessons occasionally just to keep old habits from coming back.

[revkev]

What everyone is saying is true. More engineering goes into a modern driver than any club in the bag. You need to be able to hit it if you want to advance as a golfer.

 

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[Peterpc2828]

I agree as well with everyone. For me it's the most exciting club to hit, though sometimes can cause a bit of stress. But keep in mind even a miss hit once you get some confidence will be ok, learn to hit it left/ straight and right as you will have to sometimes hit a particular shot. More importantly practice hitting your 3 or 5 wood or even a hybrid off the tee as sometimes when the confidence with the driver is low they will be a big help. For me confidence is key, learn to trust your swing and let it rip. Have fun!

 

 

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[StrokerAce]

Well... what it sounds like he is saying to me is not do amateurs need a driver but do beginning golfers need a driver?

 

I certainly think that there is some merit to the Driver/Handicap ratio.

I think if your handicap is 25 or above that maybe you shouldn't be using a driver and instead try a graphite shafted club with a shorter shaft - 5 wood?

 

Once you get some confidence and consistency then maybe move up to a 3 wood and then move up to the driver.

 

I certainly don't think that a 4 iron is easy to hit either.  My suggestion would be to get a 25* hybrid to replace the 5i, and then use a 5 wood.  The longest iron in the bag should be 6.  Once you get some confidence and consistency with those clubs, then look to move on to something a bit different.

 

Also - I can't remember where I read it - but there was a stat that showed how much better you score if you just get the ball in the fairway vs. off of it.  

Stay in the short stuff and you'll have much more success and fun...

 

When you get that handicap lowered get yourself a driver and BOOM it past your buddies.  Not a better feeling in golf to smash it right on the sweet spot and send the ball flying !!!

[Kor.A.Door]

As far as need, that really depends, the course I play is about 6600 yards, and though I am not a bomber, I don't need a driver for any hole, I do however use the driver, but only sparingly, I use it on the par 5's, I also use it on hole 17 and sometimes 7 depending on the wind, 7 is the number 1 hcp, and 17 is the number 2 hcp, on 7 it is a long hole and is very difficult, so sometimes driver is he play, I like to use 3wd because it is a dogleg to the left, and it is easier to turn a 3wd then it is to turn a driver, on 17 it is also a long par 4, but the trouble is anything to the left, but by hitting driver I can carry all of the trouble if I do miss to the left, so back to whether or not we need driver is say that driver is a need, but at times it isn't necessary once you learn to hit it properly it can be a huge asset to your game, but at the same time, there are many times where you should not use it.

[BigtazzGolf]

I'd say yes you do need it. Learn to control it and you'll be fine.

Plus, I'd also focus on good tempo and rhythm.

Side note, high handicappers do not need to tee off anywhere near the tips. Might want to move up and enjoy the game. Fun rounds are so much better when your actually having fun instead of trying your best to grind out a fun round.

Good luck

 

Tazz

 

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[revkev]

The average male golfer hits the ball 210. Unless we are playing tees that are incredibly short driver is needed. Just take lessons and learn how to hit it properly. Once you are at that point there will no doubt be some jokes where you don't want driver.

 

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[Mr_Theoo]

Well... what it sounds like he is saying to me is not do amateurs need a driver but do beginning golfers need a driver?

 

I certainly think that there is some merit to the Driver/Handicap ratio.

I think if your handicap is 25 or above that maybe you shouldn't be using a driver and instead try a graphite shafted club with a shorter shaft - 5 wood?

 

Once you get some confidence and consistency then maybe move up to a 3 wood and then move up to the driver.

 

I certainly don't think that a 4 iron is easy to hit either.  My suggestion would be to get a 25* hybrid to replace the 5i, and then use a 5 wood.  The longest iron in the bag should be 6.  Once you get some confidence and consistency with those clubs, then look to move on to something a bit different.

 

Also - I can't remember where I read it - but there was a stat that showed how much better you score if you just get the ball in the fairway vs. off of it.  

Stay in the short stuff and you'll have much more success and fun...

 

When you get that handicap lowered get yourself a driver and BOOM it past your buddies.  Not a better feeling in golf to smash it right on the sweet spot and send the ball flying !!!

 

I know for myself taking the driver out of my hands hurts my game way more than it helps. I played in a few events last year and because it was a shorter course I thought it would be smarter to not hit driver and go with a hybrid off the tee. It was a big big mistake because the miss with the hybrid is much worse than with the driver for me. Its the reason I don't really like the X handicap should do this or that type of rules. If you're serious about the game go get fitted. A good fitter will find the right type of clubs for your swing and skill level.

[SMRT]

I'm not sure what happened here. I may have phrased it incorrectly, but I really was not looking for advice on my game. The tees I play are not the issue, getting fit is not the issue, the technology in a driver is not the issue, and I could not care less about bombing it past anyone (been there, done that, who cares)

I was curious if anyone else has had luck not using a driver? It appears the answer is an overwhelming NO. Either that or you are all driver salesman?

At this point, I am still scoring better without a driver and will continue playing that way until I feel I am ready to swing one correctly.

[null]

What were you hoping for? That everyone would simply agree with you?

 

If you're not going to get lessons or get a fitting, how are you ever going to be able to "swing one correctly?"

[revkev]

I'm not sure what happened here. I may have phrased it incorrectly, but I really was not looking for advice on my game. The tees I play are not the issue, getting fit is not the issue, the technology in a driver is not the issue, and I could not care less about bombing it past anyone (been there, done that, who cares)

I was curious if anyone else has had luck not using a driver? It appears the answer is an overwhelming NO. Either that or you are all driver salesman?

At this point, I am still scoring better without a driver and will continue playing that way until I feel I am ready to swing one correctly.

Most statistical analysis that I've seen reveals that a large difference between each handicap level is distance. Most of the people on a forum like this know that, intuitively at least. If you ask us whether or not we'd recommend a player not use driver these are the answers you'll get. But why ask if you had already made up your mind?

 

From driver to putter if there's a part of the game that's not working the answer is always to find a good teacher and go take a lesson. Your pro will be happy to let you know if you're using the proper equipment for your game.

 

Glad using something else off the tee is working out for you but why not take a step toward improvement?

[4Left]

For me, it is all about math. What do I gain risking using a club that brings a greater risk of ending up in the rough or ob vs a club that will get the ball out there enough to put a mid iron in my hand on approach but likely in the fairway?

 

The last time I played I definitely lost some strokes using driver on some shorter par 4s. I guess it depends on how reliable your driver is for you. Mine has a tendancy to hook and most golf courses are not kind to those who miss left. To compensate for using a shorter club off the tee, I have also gotten better at using a longer one on approach (hit a 3 hyb to 6 feet from 210 on my last round)

 

I love crushing my driver, but I just can't rely on it enough to risk high numbers.

 

I think the short answer is that AMs should hit the longest club they can off the tee while keeping it in play. At the same time, using their practice time, as I have been, to straighten out the bug stick. There is no greater thing in golf for me than letting the big dog eat

 

 

 

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[revkev]

For me, it is all about math. What do I gain risking using a club that brings a greater risk of ending up in the rough or ob vs a club that will get the ball out there enough to put a mid iron in my hand on approach but likely in the fairway?

The last time I played I definitely lost some strokes using driver on some shorter par 4s. I guess it depends on how reliable your driver is for you. Mine has a tendancy to hook and most golf courses are not kind to those who miss left. To compensate for using a shorter club off the tee, I have also gotten better at using a longer one on approach (hit a 3 hyb to 6 feet from 210 on my last round)

I love crushing my driver, but I just can't rely on it enough to risk high numbers.

I think the short answer is that AMs should hit the longest club they can off the tee while keeping it in play. At the same time, using their practice time, as I have been, to straighten out the bug stick. There is no greater thing in golf for me than letting the big dog eat

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I would certainly agree that there are holes where driver may not be the proper play. The general rule is that if you can't pull off a shot 80 percent of the time don't try it.

 

The way the original post in the thread was phrased it implied never using driver. Perhaps seeing Stenson win the Open primarily hitting 3 wood prompted the question. I'd point out that he will use driver when he has to and that he hits his three wood 285 which is the tour average for a drive. I'd be very happy to face an opponent who never hit driver.

 

Unless of course it were Heinrick Stenson.

[4Left]

I would certainly agree that there are holes where driver may not be the proper play. The general rule is that if you can't pull off a shot 80 percent of the time don't try it.

 

The way the original post in the thread was phrased it implied never using driver. Perhaps seeing Stenson win the Open primarily hitting 3 wood prompted the question. I'd point out that he will use driver when he has to and that he hits his three wood 285 which is the tour average for a drive. I'd be very happy to face an opponent who never hit driver.

 

Unless of course it were Heinrick Stenson.

For sure there is a course management case to be made but I think that for people struggling AND have a reliable alternative, leave it in the bag. I can hit driver just ok and I am thinking about leaving it at home my next time out even on long par 4s and par 5s and see what happens.

 

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[Sproutland]

I'm not sure what happened here. I may have phrased it incorrectly, but I really was not looking for advice on my game. The tees I play are not the issue, getting fit is not the issue, the technology in a driver is not the issue, and I could not care less about bombing it past anyone (been there, done that, who cares)

I was curious if anyone else has had luck not using a driver? It appears the answer is an overwhelming NO. Either that or you are all driver salesman?

At this point, I am still scoring better without a driver and will continue playing that way until I feel I am ready to swing one correctly.

I also have a problem with driver accuracy at times. After watching Henrik Stenson at the Open I decided to try leaning on my three wood or hybrid early in the round and switching to driver if I am feeling confident. If I feel like I'm starting to overswing and lose control, I switch back to a fairway or hybrid for a few holes to get the feel back.

 

 

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[chemclub]

You would be crazy not to play a driver since the off-center forgiveness of the modern driver is far greater than fairway woods or irons, BUT if you are a higher handicapper you would be crazy to play the driver that is sold in every big box golf shop.

 

1) The loft is likely too low. A higher handicapper probably isn't delivering the club head speed necessary to get optimal distance from a 9 or even 10.5 degree. I would bet that a 12 degree would give better launch, and effects from "side spin" diminish with higher lofts (i.e. slices and hooks don't veer as far). 

 

2) The shaft is likely too long. Most pros don't play a 46" shaft. You hit the center of the face more consistently with a shorter shaft. Groove your swing with 43" and when you improve you can think about getting a longer shaft. FYI, Tiger played a 43.5" shaft in his prime.

[revkev]

You would be crazy not to play a driver since the off-center forgiveness of the modern driver is far greater than fairway woods or irons, BUT if you are a higher handicapper you would be crazy to play the driver that is sold in every big box golf shop.

 

1) The loft is likely too low. A higher handicapper probably isn't delivering the club head speed necessary to get optimal distance from a 9 or even 10.5 degree. I would bet that a 12 degree would give better launch, and effects from "side spin" diminish with higher lofts (i.e. slices and hooks don't veer as far).

 

2) The shaft is likely too long. Most pros don't play a 46" shaft. You hit the center of the face more consistently with a shorter shaft. Groove your swing with 43" and when you improve you can think about getting a longer shaft. FYI, Tiger played a 43.5" shaft in his prime.

Sergio is at 43"! I don't know why folks can't get that modern drivers have the most advanced technolgy. An earlier poster may have gotten it, they swing too hard. Just dont! Stay in rhythm and driver may be the easiest club to hit. I was 11/12 fairways hit yesterday and the miss was in the first cut with An easy lay up that ended up in birdie on a par 5.

 

Had I hit one more driver there's an 80 percent chance I would have saved a stroke and shot 74.

 

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[EthanSterlingPrice]

Driver is definitely a useful weapon that you'll want to learn to use to maximize your potential. I would at least look into some of the stronger lofted 2 and 3 woods and see if you can hit one of those. Hope that gives you a place to start

 

 

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[numberonecoog]

At one point in my life I struggled with driver. I would pop it up,slice it off the reservation, and everything else you can imagine. Getting it back in play really helped. When I got my swing back I started hitting driver and was seeing parts of the course I had never seen before. I understand OP's dilema. Pulling driver wastes a shot for him. It used to for me. I was crushing 3 wood at the time. What I did was I found an old Big Bertha steel head driver that was 12 degrees. It had a steel shaft. It went further than my 3 wood and not as long as a driver....... Hell With these Hogans Im testing i may be able to remove hybrid. I could put it in the bag for my nemisis hole....... GOTTA GO!!!!!!! 

[DaveP043]

I'll just pile on with the rest.  Just about every amateur needs the maximum PLAYABLE distance they can get off of most tees.  By PLAYABLE I mean in a fairway or reasonably short rough, and not in a tree, a hazard, or OB.  This gets you the shortest possible club to the green.  The shorter your second shots are, in general, the better your score will be.  

 

So in the short term, use the longest club you can that keeps you in a decent position.  If that's a 5-iron, that's OK with me.  In the long term, however, get instruction, work to improve your swing, and learn to hit the longer clubs, including driver, more solid and straighter.  As your swing improves, you won't necessarily be choosing between distance and accuracy, a better swing improves BOTH.  

[chemclub]

At one point in my life I struggled with driver. I would pop it up,slice it off the reservation, and everything else you can imagine. Getting it back in play really helped. When I got my swing back I started hitting driver and was seeing parts of the course I had never seen before. I understand OP's dilema. Pulling driver wastes a shot for him. It used to for me. I was crushing 3 wood at the time. What I did was I found an old Big Bertha steel head driver that was 12 degrees. It had a steel shaft. It went further than my 3 wood and not as long as a driver....... Hell With these Hogans Im testing i may be able to remove hybrid. I could put it in the bag for my nemisis hole....... GOTTA GO!!!!!!! 

 

I think that is what we all need. A higher lofted, shorter, safe 'mini' driver for when the swing goes off. Play it for a few rounds to get your confidence back. There is nothing worse than looking down at a 9 degree club and thinking, Ok don't f--- this up.

 

You can actually get a Wishon 919THI in 13.5*. Maybe one day

[chemclub]

Sergio is at 43"! I don't know why folks can't get that modern drivers have the most advanced technolgy. An earlier poster may have gotten it, they swing too hard. Just dont! Stay in rhythm and driver may be the easiest club to hit. I was 11/12 fairways hit yesterday and the miss was in the first cut with An easy lay up that ended up in birdie on a par 5.

 

Had I hit one more driver there's an 80 percent chance I would have saved a stroke and shot 74.

 

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I think it isn't just rhythm. A higher handicapper is also trying to control a club face that is 45" away using a swing that likely isn't built for that kind of control no matter the rhythm. I would think that Sergio would play a longer shaft for more distance if he thought he could control the longer shaft. Now think about the many amateurs playing >45.5" shafts. I am going to go out on a limb and say they aren't putting a Sergio swing on that club.

 

I chopped 1.5" off of my driver recently and it is amazing the difference it made.

[revkev]

Best is to be fit. That we should play a shorter or longer shaft is an urban myth. I was actually fitted for a driver by sergio's fitter. His issue is that his hands are so fast that he needs a variety of adjustments to square the driver. So 120 gm shaft, weight plug and shorter shaft do the trick. There are AMs who may do better with a longer shaft. Its simply wisest to get fit. I've learned that the hard way multiple times.

 

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[revkev]

I think that is what we all need. A higher lofted, shorter, safe 'mini' driver for when the swing goes off. Play it for a few rounds to get your confidence back. There is nothing worse than looking down at a 9 degree club and thinking, Ok don't f--- this up.

 

You can actually get a Wishon 919THI in 13.5*. Maybe one day

I meant to comment on this in my last post. I think it's spot on. If you let the average guy go to the rack to buy a driver he's going for 9 degrees S flex shaft. Chances are very slim that he needs that degree loft, that flex, that shaft length. To compensate for too little loft he's going to try and help the ball in the air which will increase spin and slice.

 

When properly fit a modern driver is silly easy to hit. You are teeing it up every time on level ground. They make tees with little lines to help you get it the same height every time. So long as you have the proper shaft head combo it should not be difficult to hit it solidly and accurately enough 80 percent of the time.

 

It would be interesting to have the original poster pop in to see if he's made any changes/improvements in his driving base on this thread. It's been a good one.

[fozcycle]

When I was young, using persimmon drivers & fairways, I would start every year in the Spring (March-May) without my driver.  I would get off the tee with my #2 wood or #3 wood.  Yes, that's right. I had a #2 wood (12*) persimmon wood that I would use from March through may, then, I would switch to my Driver for the rest of the season (June - October).  Looking back, it is amazing that this system actually worked.  Thanks to my Grandfather for steering me in the right direction.