Would you give up distance for accuracy?

[Jdawg3109]

I went from a gen 5 pxg driver to the black ops and gained both and hit all the 10k drivers on the market and had the same results. So I think personally with todays new drivers you can improve on both at the same time. But I would choose to hit 280 down the middle over 310 peppered all over the course for sure. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 6/5/2024 at 7:14 PM, KINGWinston said:

i appreciate it and i'll take a look but i don't think i'm "stuck" in methods that data doesn't support. Again, data only tells you one side of the story and i think you're missing that being so data driven. you can't always live on statistics. The beautiful thing about golf is everyone has a different way or view on how to get the ball in the hole the quickest. 

Surenthere are lots of ways to get the ball in the hole but when people say I’ll give up 10,20,30 yards to be in the fairway so I can play better the data says that thinking and type of play doesn’t lead to better scores.

 

[Josh Parker]

On 5/28/2024 at 9:32 PM, EnderinAZ said:

I can still hit the ball pretty far for being a lot closer to 70 than 60 reaching out to 270 yards on a good pop. The thing is when I play grip it and rip it that 270 yard shot can be 15 degrees off my target line. 

But if I cut it back a bit and play for a 220 to 240 yard drive I am pretty much right on my target.  At 240 yards for a drive even long par 5s are still in play for par. I am resigned to cutting back and playing smart. Playing smart and my name do not collide in the same sentence very often. But there it is. 

So would you do it? Give up 30 yards in driver distance to go from hitting six fairways a round to hitting 12 or more? 

I guess for me the answer would be, it all depends on the scenario.  I have tried to lay up to a comfortable distance and it doesn't end up as well as hitting it further and have less club in.

Example:  My big test on this after being on this forum.  Hole 15 (my nemesis hole)

Par 5 - 505 and plays uphill the whole way.  

For the longest time, I would try and play my second shot to 140-150yds out so it was a PW/9 into the green.  The slope on the fairway made the 3rd shot brutal, even in the FW.  I would say 6/10 times I was just off the green or pulled it from the slope and missed the green by a bunch.  I was essentially playing it for bogey.

Now, I take 4w or hybrid and hit it as far as I can if I am able to and typically have 30/40 yds to the pin but in the rough.  I have birdied that hole more times in the past 6 months that I can count.  

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Josh Parker said:

I guess for me the answer would be, it all depends on the scenario.  I have tried to lay up to a comfortable distance and it doesn't end up as well as hitting it further and have less club in.

The depend on fhe course is a course management approach and not you willing to give up your current distances to gain more accuracy. No different than saying it depends on the hole. This is where some people get confused on the strokes gained says closer to the hole is better, but leave or or aren’t aware of course management strategies that incorporate strokes gained into their methodology.

Whereas the op is kind of saying regardless if course im willing to sacrifice distance to be more accurate, which is how im reading most of the replies in here.

even pros dont hit driver all the time depsite again the closer is better part of strokes gained. There is risk that has to be mitigated.

The op admits that his issue comes from a grip and rip strategy which only works for someone like John Daly. Pros are giving up some good amount of their potential swing speed/ball speed and thus distance for control. Their dispersion pattern is 65 yards, that’s pretty wide when you think about. But they want control of the ball which is also why most aren’t hitting way up and are also playing a fade.

Going 100% on swings with any club is going to cause more issues than the benefit. 

[Josh Parker]

20 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

The depend on fhe course is a course management approach and not you willing to give up your current distances to gain more accuracy. No different than saying it depends on the hole. This is where some people get confused on the strokes gained says closer to the hole is better, but leave or or aren’t aware of course management strategies that incorporate strokes gained into their methodology.

Whereas the op is kind of saying regardless if course im willing to sacrifice distance to be more accurate, which is how im reading most of the replies in here.

even pros dont hit driver all the time depsite again the closer is better part of strokes gained. There is risk that has to be mitigated.

The op admits that his issue comes from a grip and rip strategy which only works for someone like John Daly. Pros are giving up some good amount of their potential swing speed/ball speed and thus distance for control. Their dispersion pattern is 65 yards, that’s pretty wide when you think about. But they want control of the ball which is also why most aren’t hitting way up and are also playing a fade.

Going 100% on swings with any club is going to cause more issues than the benefit. 

Yeah, if there is risk of OB or obstructions then hitting it further won't help. 

Our 16th hole, I hit iron off the tee everytime. It's downhill and risk of hitting wood or driver is too great of OB.  I can hit 4/5 iron and catch hill and be 120 or less out.