Throttled Driver

[fixyurdivot]

No doubt we've all experienced a long par 3 hole where distance (particularly into the wind or up hill) makes everything but your big stick not long enough.  #15 at Desert Hills is such a hole.  210 (white)/253 (blue), slightly uphill, with a large bunker protecting over half of the front.  Yesterday, the white tees were back further than usual and with the blue pin location, our yardage devices were showing 236 yards to pin.  We had a light headwind at about 5 mph.  Even on windless days and normal tee location, this hole is a challenge.  I normally hit my 3w which I can carry about 205-210 yards. Instead of trying to mash it, I opted to try a "throttled" drive... which, only seems to work out half the time I try it... yesterday's attempt short left 

How many of you use a driver for these in between yardages and do you have success doing so?  What tips/techniques do you use?  I just try to swing slower, similar to a checked approach shot, but my results are very inconsistent.

[cnosil]

Never tried to “throttle” a driver. I have varied trajectory but not tried a less than full swing. I would just go to full 3 wood.

[Smellis745]

Anytime I've tried to "throttle" a driver, 3w, or 5w, it always hooks straight to the red light district.

[GB13]

Instead of throttling my driver, I take a full swing, but just (intentionally) hit a giant slice. It takes about 15-20 yards off the total distance, goes up higher so it lands softly, and it’s actually fairly accurate for me. YMMV

[RickyBobby_PR]

Only time I tried to “throttle” a driver was for contests where only a driver could be used. 
 

like @GB13 playing a slice is a much better option

[tony@CIC]

Yeah there were times I'd like to throttle my driver oh wait you mean choke down on it. I thought you meant punish it 

[MattF]

For me, trying to slow down my driver swing usually ends in disaster. So, I'd just smash a 3 wood and then pitch onto the green.

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, GB13 said:

Instead of throttling my driver, I take a full swing, but just (intentionally) hit a giant slice. It takes about 15-20 yards off the total distance, goes up higher so it lands softly, and it’s actually fairly accurate for me. YMMV

Show off .  

[DaveP043]

I had the same thought as @tony@CIC, I'd like to throttle my driver sometimes.

But I know the shot you mean.  I'll consciously try to take a 3/4 backswing, with kind of limited wrist angle, and almost try a hockey slapshot.  No feeling of releasing the clubhead, just rotate through with my normal body movement.  I like it when I don't need huge distance, especially into the wind where a solid 3-wood has the potential to balloon and go anywhere.  Tee it low, and be sure to rotate your torso.  And of course, practice it on the range before you try it on the course.  Same with driver off the deck.

[fixyurdivot]

32 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'll consciously try to take a 3/4 backswing, with kind of limited wrist angle, and almost try a hockey slapshot.  No feeling of releasing the clubhead, just rotate through with my normal body movement.

Exactly.  Based on my results, I'd make a lousy hockey player.  Time to bring back the 2 wood?

[ga_pike]

Sounds like you meed a thriver.

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[GB13]

8 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Show off .  

I’m not mentioning the other times when I do it unintentionally....

[revkev]

If you can run it on, grip down and take your normal swing. If it’s all carry I also try to hit cut as it takes 10 to 15 yards off for me.

The prudent play may be to lay up though. :)


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[Kenny B]

I have used that "throttled" driver for many years, but I call it a "punch driver".  @DaveP043 describes it well.  An old guy back when I was learning the game (probably about as old as I am now) showed me that shot to use when the wind is up.  At the time I was a horrible slicer, but I could hit that shot low and fairly straight.  I don't use it that much anymore since I normally hit the ball reasonably straight, and with today's driver and ball technology I get about the same or even better distance hitting my normal shot.

I have used this shot a few times this year when the wind is up on our par 3 #8 hole (ranges from 175-215 yards depending on where the pin and Blue tee boxes are located) and 249 yards from the tips.  The hole is slightly downhill but into the prevailing SW wind, usually 10-20 mph.  The good news is that short is fine; left or right can find some nasty downhill/sidehill lies in the rough.

[null]

Mark Crossfield did a video on this. Trying to step off a driver often leads to more inaccuracies than a standard swing. 

[DaveP043]

30 minutes ago, jlukes said:

Mark Crossfield did a video on this. Trying to step off a driver often leads to more inaccuracies than a standard swing. 

Do you have a link?  I'd be interested in seeing it.  In my experience, trying something on the course that I haven't practiced on the range is problematic.  Once I've practiced it, its less erratic.

[null]

2 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

Do you have a link?  I'd be interested in seeing it.  In my experience, trying something on the course that I haven't practiced on the range is problematic.  Once I've practiced it, its less erratic.

 

[DaveP043]

Interesting, although I'm not sure its directly analogous to my idea of a throttled driver.  I'm generally using this into the wind, as a tool to hit the ball lower and limit ballooning through decreased backspin.  I suppose its possible that I lose some accuracy, although my experience doesn't seem to indicate that, but I definitely limit the uncertainty that comes with a ball up in the air on a windy day.  The video seemed to be telling people not to try to slow down in search of increased accuracy, it generally doesn't work that way.  I do agree, normal solid swings are generally more accurate too.  Separately, they strongly recommend spending at least a portion of your driver practice in trying to hit it as far as you can, in order to improve your distance on normal swings.  Makes good sense to me, if you improve your maximum, your "normal" should follow along.

[THEZIPR23]

18 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Interesting, although I'm not sure its directly analogous to my idea of a throttled driver.  I'm generally using this into the wind, as a tool to hit the ball lower and limit ballooning through decreased backspin.  I suppose its possible that I lose some accuracy, although my experience doesn't seem to indicate that, but I definitely limit the uncertainty that comes with a ball up in the air on a windy day.  The video seemed to be telling people not to try to slow down in search of increased accuracy, it generally doesn't work that way.  I do agree, normal solid swings are generally more accurate too.  Separately, they strongly recommend spending at least a portion of your driver practice in trying to hit it as far as you can, in order to improve your distance on normal swings.  Makes good sense to me, if you improve your maximum, your "normal" should follow along.

 

[fixyurdivot]

On 12/18/2019 at 5:35 AM, jlukes said:

Mark Crossfield did a video on this. Trying to step off a driver often leads to more inaccuracies than a standard swing. 

Based on my experience, he's spot on.  Yesterday, while playing the same par 3 I described in my post, the hole was playing 216 straight into a stiff wind.  We figured it to be playing ~230.  I blistered my 3w and came up just short and left of the green.  For fun, I hit my driver with perhaps a 3/4 swing speed.  I managed to hit it straight but it came up short in front of the green.  Whenever we have a north wind, this hole continues to be a challenge.  There is some room behind the green, but also homes... next time, I may just launch one .

[DaveP043]

18 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Based on my experience, he's spot on.  Yesterday, while playing the same par 3 I described in my post, the hole was playing 216 straight into a stiff wind.  We figured it to be playing ~230.  I blistered my 3w and came up just short and left of the green.  For fun, I hit my driver with perhaps a 3/4 swing speed.  I managed to hit it straight but it came up short in front of the green.  Whenever we have a north wind, this hole continues to be a challenge.  There is some room behind the green, but also homes... next time, I may just launch one .

I don't carry a good drive much more than 240, I'm not sure I'd be holding anything back on this one.

[deauxrite]

On 12/6/2019 at 9:28 AM, GB13 said:

Instead of throttling my driver, I take a full swing, but just (intentionally) hit a giant slice. It takes about 15-20 yards off the total distance, goes up higher so it lands softly, and it’s actually fairly accurate for me. YMMV

My technique as well..I try to hold the face of the club open and aim left side.  It works (Mostly )

[fixyurdivot]

3 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

I don't carry a good drive much more than 240, I'm not sure I'd be holding anything back on this one.

Same here.  It's just that those houses look so awfully close .

[HardcoreLooper]

@DaveP043 nailed it earlier - attempting a shot on the golf course that you do not practice is a recipe for disaster.  Especially when the shot you're attempting is a change to your usual swing.  

Have you tried choking up significantly (like to the end of the grip) on your driver with your normal swing?  Try this on the range first (it's going to feel really weird at first), but that's the easiest way to take 30 or so yards off your driver that I've found.  

If you play that hole frequently, it's worth developing a shot for it and practicing it.  My old home course had a hole with a fairway that sloped drastically from right to left, and with my hook, any tee shot that I didn't hit into the trees on the right rolled down into the trees on the left.  I had to invent a swing that gave me an ugly, low slice that would hit the hill and stop.

[fixyurdivot]

Last Monday it was quite cool and very windy (gusts to 25)... again from the north and directly into the par 3. We guessed it to be playing about 235.  I took Dave's advice and just hit my driver as normal.  It landed on the green and rolled to the back fringe (back of green is slightly uphill).  Friday, almost no wind and playing at 205.  I hit my 3w pin high and made the 12 ft putt for my first birdie on that hole.  Holes like this are actually pretty neat in that what to use off the tee is as often as not - not routine.