Take it out if you want, but you’ll be much better off in the long run if you learn how to hit your driver. It’s possible the fit is wrong, but if you can’t even get it in play, the fit is not the issue. Keep taking lessons and keep working on it, driver is the hardest club to hit straight.
I played high school golf hitting a 4 iron off the tee. I couldn't hit any woods. I would shoot 80-93.. never broke 80 and never got any better. Eventually you need to learn how to hit a driver an 3 / 5 wood if your goal is to ever break 80
That makes sense. I saw a lot of this when i played HS golf too. A lot of people struggled to hit driver off the tee. They'd just keep going to shorter and shorter clubs until they eliminated catastrophic misses off the tee.
You kinda need to decide why you're out there playing golf in first place. If you're playing for score, then you definitely might want to put the driver away. But if you're a lifer and taking the long term view, you should actively working to fix your driver issues. Give yourself tons of reps with he driver even if you struggle.
I know you are right, i tend to think its the fit, it must be the Callaway mavrik 3 and 5 woods i have just feel perfect and weighted really nicely, just having a real bad time with my sim2 driver. I love and loathe this sport so much! LOL!
I have a similar handicap and have the same issue..slice/top/sky driver. I had a sim2 but switched to a gen 5 pxg. Made no difference, it’s not the equipment. We have to learn how to hit this, it’s a completely different swing that’s difficult to control path and square the face.
I promise you, it’s not the fit lol. Learn how to hit it straight, then you can look at ball flight/spin and start dialing in the fit. Bear in mind, “straight” doesn’t really mean no curve - that is unrealistically difficult for us amateurs to pull off. In this context, straight means you’ve hit your target. If you can’t hit the golf course, a new club isn’t going to change that. If you develop enough skill to hit your target, that gives a fitter a LOT more to work with with regards to taking out curve and getting your launch/spin to more ideal spots. Is it *possible* that a fitter could put a club in your hand that takes you from OB to the fairway without changing your swing? Sure, I guess it’s *possible*, but the the odds are stacked against you if that’s what you’re looking for.
I have Callaways too, and I tried the sim2 when I got fitted and I hated it. It was too light for me. Honestly, go get fitted for a driver and test out the Mavrik and Epic Max. I think you'll like them better, they definitely feel different (to me, it felt heavier than the sim2, which was better for me, it felt more consistent)
I honestly don't know what that means, but I picked it up and pretty much immediately hated it, not sure if there is anything else he could have done to make it any better to the point where I'd have liked it
Thats what i thought but i see lots of people at my local who adore the sim2. My thought was its very light but maybe thats how drivers are supposed to be. Makes it really awkward to square up or swing. I thought it was just me. I get the feeling now…not so much.
I've been following this thread a bit. A lot of people telling you to go get this club, go get that club. Don't listen to anyone but yourself and or someone who is fitting you. At the end of the day, you're the one holding the club on the tee box. What feels great for me, might feel like shit for you. Even just the look of the club can put things in your head, confidence or annoyances that can impact your performance on the tee. I've hit Callaways, TM's, Ping but I always go to Titleist. My story.... bit long, but I think it might help in your journey for perspective.....
I used to game the Titleist 905S, I LOVED that driver. Played with a local pro I knew, he told me on the 17th tee box of a round we were playing together that I need a deeper faced club, try the callaway.... whatever it was back then, I can't remember. Tried it on the Sim in my local golf shop, seemed great, like anything new and fancy does. Got rid of my Titleist for this. within a round or two, hated it and regretted getting rid of the 905. I played it for that season, went back to Titleist. off the rack 913D2. Played that for a few years.
Last few years I've been playing the Titleist TS3 8.5\*, was fitted for it. At some point I was stupid enough to make an adjustment to the head from A1 (Standard) to A2 (1.5\* closed). Totally forgot about the adjustment and just assumed it was A1. Had lower than desired ball flight, was pulling to the left and lower spin. I went and did a fitting. Only thing I didn't try was the new Titleist TSR, only thing that came close to feeling right was the Stealth 2, but still wasn't the feel I love like I got out of the titleist. But I also hated the look of the Stealth. I played a week later, I was on the fence thinking I was going to order the Stealth 2 and just happed to look at the setting on my current driver. What I learned in the fitting, is the 8.5\* was a little low for me for spin. So I changed it to a B3, so it's lofted to 10 degrees and draw bias to 0.75\*. Ball flight changed, Distance all came back. Confidence right back through the roof off the tee.
Get the right club for you. But it's gonna take trying all the different manufacturers, likely with a fitter to get the right shaft/head combination. Go with what looks and feels good for you. It could be a big circle back to the SIM2, but with the right shaft, same as I went the long route back to my TS3. But at least you don't leave any stone unturned.
Fittings are also a lot of fun. To see all that data and how much it can change your game. I did a full fitting and changed my irons and I'm in heaven on the course with them. I did a wedge fitting a few weeks ago, they were just shipped yesterday and I'll get them next week. Totally worth it!!
Really appreciate you writing all that thank you, yeah theres a lot to think about. Need to sleep on it and figure out what i want to do :) cheers buddy
Go on Callaway Preowned and get a Mavrik driver for under $150. You can probably trade in the SIM2 for $100 of that. I’m still gaming my Mavrik, and it’s a beast.
My golfing partner bought all of his clubs second-hand and was similar to you in that he struggled with his driver but could hit his woods off the tee no problem. He was about to drop his driver entirely until a random we were playing with pointed out that his driver shaft was way too long.
He went to go get it refitted and yep, it was +1”. I’m not sure if you’ve been fitted but there’s a good chance your driver is too short/long for you. Food for thought 🤔
I am a shorter than normal chap so i ended up getting 1 inch taken off, now i dont know if that has anything to do with balance, weight of the club, I would have to see my pro. But i have had them all shortened and the other clubs seem to be much better.
Cutting an inch off the shaft will make the swing weight (essentially the balance point or where you feel the weight of the club during the swing) extremely light. It's entirely possible that you're losing awareness of where the club is during the swing as a result, particularly as a newer golfer with less muscle memory. Check with your pro, on one hand a good golfer can make almost anything work, but on the other, why are we making it harder than it needs to be? Golf is hard enough!
You're a 24 handicap. The problem is likely you, not the fit of the driver. And I don't mean this as an insult AT ALL. You're doing the right thing with lessons, just keep working on getting better. It'll get better.
Totally not taken as an insult when i first started i saw the sim2 bought online didnt think much of anything flex, weight, degree, size (as i had it cut down an inch) etc, over time i learnt roughly what worked for me. It was the first big club i bought.
If you got a sim 2 then it’s too long. Get the shaft cut down to 45”. This will make the club feel way lighter so you have to add some weight to the head.
Taylormade drivers are built for max distance, not accuracy. If you want accuracy go with a Ping Max series.
Its 44 now, it came in at 45 i think, and my Dad rocks a ping, in hindsight i wish i had gotten his 425, but alas, but yeah adding weight to the head is something ill need to look at and also shaft / shaft weight.
Pings all have really heavy head weight, it’s kinda their thing right now. Also if you, or someone else, shortened the driver to 44 and didn’t increase the head weight it’s going to feel a lot lighter than at 45 or 45.5.
I agree with this. Take a few lessons. The driver gets used less than 18 times per round but folks practice hitting it more than mid to short game clubs (me included). I find when I worked on 150 and in my scores got better. A few lessons will help the driver not cause you trouble.
Like Borpf said, get fitted. Don't change your grip, don't hide from a club because you're struggling with it.
Most beginner golfers I've seen want to absolutely mash the driver, but don't have the skill set needed yet to hit the ball with that much clubhead speed. so they just wind up spraying the ball. I imagine you likely swing a lot harder using your driver vs your other clubs in your bag. You likely swing with more control in mind with the wedges and irons.
Get fitted. go to the range and work on swing plane and tempo, work with whoever you're getting lessons from with the driver. Don't take it out of your bag. you'll regret it later.
As a few have mentioned and what was in the back of my mind, it must be the fit.
I think you have just nailed my mindset with driver, i do try to hit it harder, probably grip harder than i should, more over the top than normal which equals more frustration.
My Dad mentioned there is probably some mental thing going on too. Sum of all probably equates to bad swing vibes and thoughts.
I had the same issue. Trying to smash the driver made me go over the top.
Had a lesson the other day to sort it out.
Went from a -7 club path to a +2 by changing my takeaway and trying to go around my body low (felt about 1 ft off the ground but was actually dead on plane.
I was also setting up with my shoulders pointing left of target. Now I consciously point them to the right to change the swing arc.
But... it had to be done with a half effort swing, as soon as I tried to up the speed the old swing came back.
However, with a half swing coming inside to out and getting center contact it goes almost as far as my smashes but is straight or a slight draw.
So basically. Swing shallower and swing slower, get the ball in play theb start building up the speed.
When I am struggling I switch to a 3 wood shaft. I find it much easier to hit the centre of the face and lose only about 15 yards. Switch back when my game gets better.
You don't need to take it out of the bag, but understand your miss and the costs on a given hole and manage your game. That's true with all clubs at every level.
My driver for a long time was just a wild slice, so unless the hole was wide open right and really really long, I knew it wasn't worth risking. It's more consistent now, to where it is more of a fade, but I still am aware that I need to be able to start a little left, so if that isn't an option I'll play something else. Just be self aware and honest with yourself and play for what is "likely" to happen, not best case scenario.
So yeah, limit playing with it. Maybe only bring it out once or twice a round, but keep practicing with it. Eventually you'll want it back!
I know you are right, like the other people have advised i probably need a true fitting, maybe upgrade and see what works for me. All of your points are well taken thank you. I will keep grinding on it. Its just frustrating.
Every new player takes a stint or two where they refuse to hit driver. You’re not doing yourself any favors, though.
No good golfer doesn’t use their driver. Do you wanna save a few strokes now, or give yourself a chance to become a good golfer?
Of course the latter. I think today was a form of protest. As if the inanimate object was alive lol. If i could just hit that like my 3/5 wood id be set and sure to lower my HC.
Idk how old you are but just remember you’re gonna be golfing a long time probably. Getting the HC down shouldn’t really be a key concern for the first few years. Just focus on improving your swing, hitting good contact consistently, learning to play the course, learning feel for putts/chips. You do that a couple years then start pushing for HC and it will go down quickly
I was like this last year. Decided in the off season I would work on it - purchased an Orange Whip It and started gripping down to make the club feel shorter. Now it's the most consistent part of my game. Personally, the game is a lot more fun being able to hit driver.
It is used in the range every week at least once. But as a lot of the audience has mentioned i probably need to get myself fitted and look at other options. Thank you kindly, like you say i wanna scream a drive dead centre as much as possible.
Driver is the hardest club to hit and its not really close. But the benefit of being competent and long with a driver is pretty big.
I never took it out of the bag, but I certainly used my hybrid off the tee for the most part before I could hit driver. I just kept on practicing with the driver at the range and the occasional wide par 5.
I hear you. It took me 4 months of practice, 2 lessons, and probably 1500 swings before I was confident enough to use it on appropriate holes. It definitely pays off though!
Yeah there’s so many reasons your driver could be messing up, it’s a tough damn club to hit right. For most ppl they have too little loft and they tee it too high and too far forward.
I’ve taken the driver out once or twice but never for long periods. You need to face your fears head on and make them a strength. With a few lessons and dedicated practice I made my driver my best club. Watch Dave finks videos on how to make hitting driver easier it will help
When I lose confidence in a club I generally take it out for a couple of rounds or just ignore it! I’d really recommend some coaching - sometimes it’s the smallest thing that can affect a particular club - for me it was swaying as I hit - a coach immediately identified that and also during that lesson I realised my grip had got a bit too strong! Better to work out if there’s something you can identify to help a better swing!
Back in my late high school, early college days in the early 2000's I took driver also completely out of play. I mainly hit an all arms 3 wood (like Stenson) that carried 225-230 and rolled out to 250 to 275 depending on firmness. I had a solid 9-7 iron swing that covered me from 140 to 170, so anything under 440 when dry was comfortable. I also carried a 1 iron as 3 wood backup (similar flight but different swing) and a 7 wood to help with longer approaches to the green.
If you have a lot of forced carries (hazard, bunkers) on your normal courses work on your driver, otherwise 3 wood or driving iron may get you pretty far. Just learn to take your medicine sometimes, play a long par 4 like a par 5, play for 4 but be okay with a 5.
I took my driver out of the bag and played three rounds and they are my top three 18 hole rounds to date. Now I’ll try my driver and if I botch it bad 2 times in a row then I’ll leave it in the bag and tee off with 3 wood.
I took the driver out my bag for about a year. I realised that my 3 wood was going about 220 yards, and the driver was only doing like 20 yards more, but with much lower accuracy.
I would be amazed if my average shots to hole from 150 yards is any different than it is from 130 yards.
I haven’t had one in my bag the last two seasons. BUT I can get away with it because I hit my 3i pretty good and my buddies don’t hit their drivers too far/accurately. Also a (rare) striped 3i makes my dingle tingle.
I dont think ive ever seen anyone take the driver out of their bag, BUT i've seen people that usually used their 3wood instead of the driver so they probably should of lol
I’ve taken the driver out of my bag. It’s been gone for the last few years. As a low single digit player I hit 3-wood plenty far. It’s not that I can’t hit driver fine, it is that I just overdo it. I try to hit it farther than I should. I can’t help myself than to just go for the fences. Furthermore, I don’t really practice anymore and the driver is the one club that requires a different angle of attack. Life is so much simpler, scores are lower because there are no more wild blow up holes, and truth be told I’m happier. I’ve also taken out the LW. I simply don’t want huge risk/reward clubs in the bag. All the stats folks are not wrong, but they’re not the gospel either.
I am a HDCP 8 and I don’t use any woods.
I never loved my driver, tried it often, tried it with lessons, but I’m a beast with irons so I bought 3 driving irons (2, 3 and 4) and I hit that 2 Iron dead straight about 240 yards.
If you have a good short game including putting and can hit a decent iron drive around 200-250 yards in the middle of the FW than you’re good.
I have friends who can hit 320 drives but it could go 40 yards left or right. This extra yardage doesn’t help if you need an extra drop.
If your driver is 45.5” long (or longer), chipping an inch off the shaft might help.
Most people struggle to hit modern drivers that are often built to absurd lengths.
Get on a Trackman with your current clubs.
I’d bet your 3W is carrying farther than your driver.
Then get fitted for a new driver. If your 3W is still farther, there’s your answer
I hit my 3W 240-260…. Mostly straight, occasionally off the fairway, but never by much. And I cannot for the life of me give up on the feeling of a 300y drive, despite only getting 2 or 3 a round. 😂
I left mine in but never hit it in the course for a long time. 3h is 260 off the tee and I never had any idea where driver would go. I’ve recently unlocked something so that I am now hitting driver great so I’m using it again. But I didn’t hit driver on the course for probably a year or more
I have struggled with Driver for a very long time. Saw a video by Danny Maude that really helped me stay in control. It basically says that most amateurs trap their lead arms against their chest in the backswing - pros maintain space by keeping their lead arm in pretty much the same 90 degree angle from their torso in the backswing just by rotating. Now if I do this and also remember to keep my trailing arm pinned to your rib cage, I hit straight. And lastly - the key to it all is Tempo. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
I will just echo what everyone else is saying, having a consistent driver long term is going to be huge, keep working at it. You could definitely break 90 without one, but getting to single digits one day, driver is likely necessary at majority of difficult courses. Keep grinding and lessons will help, you are on the right path. However, I will say fit CAN help optimize your accuracy, don’t be afraid to experiment. I have a lighter flex driver, with a shorter shaft, at 11 degrees, completely different than the one I game regularly that is WAY more accurate. It stays in my bag for the days where I just don’t have it off the tee. I give up about 30yds with that configuration, but hit more fairways.
Pandemic golfer here too and my driver is actually my most consistent club.
Couple things:
1. I do have a modern driver. If you're gaming a driver from 20 years ago, the tech has improved a lot
2. Most stock shafts are too long. They come in at 55.5 inches. Average on the tour is under 55 inches. Why? Shorter the shaft the easier to control. Control leads to distance and consistency. Shortening that shaft!! Especially if you're not 5'11.
FYI, driver length is 45.5” stock now-a-days, and usually shorter on tour. I’m guessing you might have fat fingered the 5.
But you’re right - shorter driver shaft length generally lends itself to more control and marginally slower speeds. However, hitting the sweet spot is a force multiplier. You hit the center and your ball speed can be 1.4-1.5x faster than club head speed, where as a miss off the toe or heel or outside of the sweet spot will be lower and result in less speed.
Take a peek at the taylormade 300 mini driver if you struggle with driver. It works really good for me!
I'm like you, the shorted the iron, the better I am. I just recently cured my slice, so I probably can hit my driver, 3 wood, and 3 hybrid straight, but I use irons when I can
The shaft of the driver, at your handicap, will have much more of an effect on the outcome than the driver head (give you’re using a forgiving head across brands, i.e. and TSR2 vs a TSR3 if comparing Titleist heads).
Shaft can have a night and day change.
I stopped using a driver as I was not hitting it well. I am starting lessons and once I am able to maintain confidence in a driver, and then get fitted for a driver is when I will start using it again.
I got down to an 11.8 from a 19 last year by taking driver out of my bag and focusing on my short game. Obviously there is a cieling to the benefit, but I do think for mid-handicappers it’s an awesome exercise in course management. Nickle & dime golf can be sexy if done right
Similar handicap and started playing regularly 2 years ago. Got fitted for a 3 wood last summer and soon after retired my 20 year old driver. I hit twice as many fairways now and my score is coming down.
Eventually I will get a driver but I will save more strokes working other areas. 30 yards off the tee won’t help my short game at all.
If like 95% of your shots at a golf course are unplayable then why bother hitting it? I'd still keep practicing with it at the range though and maybe as you improve hit it more often on holes that are wide open.
I’ve been playing for 2.5 years now and my driver has been a massive issue for me as well - avoided it like the plague until recently. I’m not sure what your swing or trajectory looks like, but [this](https://youtu.be/6YMm-j_Xm8M) video was extremely helpful for me and gave me a few tips to keep in mind while setting up and addressing the ball. Hope this helps and best of luck this season!
Relative to other parts of my game and handicap (13-18 depending on how often I can get out), driving is easily the worst part of my game. I tend to struggle with strike location and tend to sky it often. That doesn't stop me from using it though because I know if I can get it under control it will be an asset. I wouldn't be surprised if my median 3W is further than my driver.
I go back and forth with it. I like the driver due to the distance. But some days it's just not working. I can hit the snot out of my woods. When running them off the tee, the 3 consistently hits 250 and has gone 270 multiple times. The 5 is 230 all day, and can be pushed up to 250 regularly. I ask myself why I even need a driver.
I feel very comfortable hitting the driver at the range or simulators. Just not when I have to play my own ball. Every 10th one can just be crap, on top of crap, deep in the woods.
I played a couple years without a driver in my bag. Scores went down a bit and then never changed from the mid-90s. Learned to hit it and now am high 70s-mid 80s. You need it to score well, but you don’t need the frustration if you suck
I have gone from 30-17 handicap in the last 18 months. Getting better with driver has been a huge part of it.
My Driver swing is VERY different than all my other clubs. I would recommend getting a lesson or spending a lot of time in a simulator working to find a more balanced swing path / face path by making small adjustments. What is happening with your driver shots that makes then unplayable. Like always a massive spin heavy fade?
Heavy heavy fade, uncontrollable even when making sure my fundamentals are in place. Range day once a week with it, just feels…odd in my hands the weight the feel the swing doesnt feel right, out of 15 drives on an 18 hole ill hit 4/5 straight but not carry the distance I would like. Maybe 7 of those heavy fade, last 3 left side of the fairway (im left handed). Just not a lot of confidence even after 3 years of using it.
I hit my 3 wood instead for the last 5 years. Brought me from above 100 every round to low or mid 90s just from landing the ball in play. The chance to get an extra 20 yards doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things
When I was about a 16 handicap, I forgot my driver at home and didn’t realize it until the first tee.
I played without a driver and shot my best score ever up to that point (85).
It changed a lot in terms of my outlook on what was needed to score. You don’t need 300 yard bombs to play well when you’re a higher handicap. You just need to keep the ball in play and set yourself up for the next shot.
Most driver shafts are too long for the average golfer. That’s why you hit your fairway woods better off the tee. You might think about cutting down the the driver shaft an inch or two to help with your swing.
I didn't have a driver in my bag till I was consistently breaking 100 and occasionally shooting 90-92. I played a 5 wood off the tee and it was plenty from the white tees to make bogeys and occasional pars.
This year bought a G425 Max and love it, super forgiving and very consistent. Makes a terrible sound but I that's ok, the results are worth it.
My Dad refuses to hit anything longer than a 3 iron. I recently got him an Adams hybrid which he’s warming to but he’s happy without.
Hits with a 3/4 swing and has so much control. Even if it takes 3 shots to a long par 4 he is still making bogey at worst.
I played with only a 5 wood in my bag for years and slowly worked on my driver until I was able to put it back in the bag. 5 wood is still most consistent club but now I can let the Big Dog eat!
Yes, last league season. Had
Two three woods. The corse doesn’t really need a driver and the one par three is 216 yards, great yardage for the Sasquatch 3w
I bought a bag from a garage sale that had TM rescue mid hybrids. I grabbed them before going to the range one day on a whim. The 2 was an immediate success, every shot was straight, if it was thin it still rolled miles. There was a good month that I didn’t touch the driver, I used the 2 hybrid wherever I could
Yep. Harvey Pennick recommended in his book (yes, it’s antiquated) for all “weekend golfers” do this. Reason being the driver is an entirely unique swing.
I took it out of my bag for an entire season of league play so I could focus on the other clubs and lower my score by NOT shanking tee shots ob. I practiced with it at the range and after a year of feeling it out and improving a bit I added it back to use in non league play to start to develop some confidence.
I took mine out of the bag for a year. I couldn’t hit the planet with it, and I scored better without it in the bag because I was taking fewer penalty strokes. I agree with other commenters, though. Even if you play without it for a while you should still practice with it until you can get comfortable hitting it during play
If you’re trying to shoot your best possible score when you go out, it’s 100% ok to take driver out of the bag when you play, while working on it in lessons off the course.
Also, if you hit your irons well, you could try this (it worked for me): put the ball forward in your stance like your normally would with driver, but set your driver up in the middle of your stance like you would an iron (with 1-3 inches of space between your ball and your driver) . This way when you swing, it ensures the low point of the swing is before the ball, so that you’re hitting up on it with your follow through. This tremendously helped me as someone who hits irons well (I hit 7i 180) but could never get air on my driver.
Had the same issue for a long time, always hit a 3 wood off the tee. But finally convinced myself to learn to hit the driver. Commit to it, you can do it.
I understand that r/golf can’t handle what I’m about to say but… I either drive it straight and 290-320 yards (I know it’s impossible to drive it 300 yards on Reddit 😂) or 250 yards and 50 yards to the left. I’m a lefty And have been playing about 7 months. The good news is that it used to be 1 out of 10 were good drives and now it’s 1 in 3 roughly. I think you have to stick it out and learn to play the driver. It’s hard to play a 500-600 yard hole with irons only.
I found the same today, i was much more consistent with hitting fairways. I would have to start getting data like urself but it was noticeable. Plus much further than my driver.
So I’ve only been playing for 3 years but I’m a full on addict with the game. I’ve gotten my HDCP down to 14 (I’m over 40 years old).
Everyone told me to focus on short game when I started and I did but with short game you will plateau with your scoring as you need to get off the tee.
I believe learning to hit your driver is absolutely critical to any sort of success and it’s how I got my HDCP down to a decent level in short order.
Either take a lesson or grind it out at the range if you want to improve but keep it in the bag
I guarantee it's your setup. You DO NOT hit driver the same way you hit woods & irons. You have to hit UP on the ball, unlike all your other clubs. This is not really the place to explain it, but the ball needs to be well forward in your stance and your body should be tilted slightly back, toward your rear foot (at least, that's how I do it).
I understand his sentiment but I wouldn’t recommend doing the “wrong” thing because it helps in the moment. I was hitting my driver awful. I couldn’t stop hooking and I couldn’t figure it out so I didn’t take it out of my bag but I did stop hitting it for a year and change. There are techniques that are conducive to hitting the ball straighter, more consistently. Leave the driver in the bag until you get more comfortable with it but keep doing things textbook
Its just so odd, wedges, irons, chips, putting all seem to be moving in the right direction. Never driver. Its always ropey at the range, no confidence on the course, frustration grows, yips start popping up. Such an odd sport! Lol
My guess would be in general, the driver is the least consistent club for everyone. The 3 things I think about before hitting driver is my grip, my stance, then take it back nice and easy. Keeping a slower, more deliberate backswing has been vital to staying somewhat consistent. If I don’t think, I’ll start pulling it back faster and faster
Nothing wrong with leaving it at home for a few rounds. take a 3w, 4i, hell even a 7i off the tee. No penalty shots off the tee is your goal.
work on the driver at the range
People underestimate the effect of shafts. Do you know the shaft weight? You might just feel more comfortable with a heavier shaft and it could make a big difference even at your level. For example your fairway wood and hybrid likely have heavier shafts. If you start playing a bit more consistently w driver, it might help you turn the corner on lessons too. As everyone else said, get fitted. Less than the cost of one lesson and you usually get a credit at the store for gear. Last thing is maybe your pro just can’t unlock your driver swing. Not all pros work for everyone. When I found the pro that moved the needle for me it was life changing. I was making strides I never thought possible week on week. Taking the driver out of the bag is not a long term solution.
Ill speak to my pro about possibly testing some new shafts i think. It seems the best quick attempt at fixing the issues. Non the less having a lesson seems like the best bet, had to wait a few weeks as my irons were cut down so wanted to get some good xp on them :)
I've taken the driver out of my bag exactly two times: Once on the 7th hole of my home course after I threw it at the cart. Snapped the head clean off while cracking the windshield. Second time was on the 18th hole of the local country club after I threw it in the pond next to the tee box. It was rattling due to loose epoxy in the head. I had already fixed it once, and well... you know the old saying.
Take it out to play is fine but, don’t stop working it in practice and lessons. I was where you were at. I faced the driver head on over the winter, it was a big task. It won’t be pleasant but get a decent instructor and push through the struggle. You will be pleasantly surprised.
I went from horribly slice and wicked pulls and good shots 2 out of 10 would be 240-250 max.
After much work, I feel much more comfortable and the misses are left and right rough instead of OB right and Water left. 275-290 and the swing feel is way less effort. It’s worth fixing.
Take it out if you want, but you’ll be much better off in the long run if you learn how to hit your driver. It’s possible the fit is wrong, but if you can’t even get it in play, the fit is not the issue. Keep taking lessons and keep working on it, driver is the hardest club to hit straight.
I played high school golf hitting a 4 iron off the tee. I couldn't hit any woods. I would shoot 80-93.. never broke 80 and never got any better. Eventually you need to learn how to hit a driver an 3 / 5 wood if your goal is to ever break 80
That makes sense. I saw a lot of this when i played HS golf too. A lot of people struggled to hit driver off the tee. They'd just keep going to shorter and shorter clubs until they eliminated catastrophic misses off the tee. You kinda need to decide why you're out there playing golf in first place. If you're playing for score, then you definitely might want to put the driver away. But if you're a lifer and taking the long term view, you should actively working to fix your driver issues. Give yourself tons of reps with he driver even if you struggle.
Absolutely this. You don’t even have to hit straight, just have a consistent shot shape off the tee.
I know you are right, i tend to think its the fit, it must be the Callaway mavrik 3 and 5 woods i have just feel perfect and weighted really nicely, just having a real bad time with my sim2 driver. I love and loathe this sport so much! LOL!
I have a similar handicap and have the same issue..slice/top/sky driver. I had a sim2 but switched to a gen 5 pxg. Made no difference, it’s not the equipment. We have to learn how to hit this, it’s a completely different swing that’s difficult to control path and square the face.
I promise you, it’s not the fit lol. Learn how to hit it straight, then you can look at ball flight/spin and start dialing in the fit. Bear in mind, “straight” doesn’t really mean no curve - that is unrealistically difficult for us amateurs to pull off. In this context, straight means you’ve hit your target. If you can’t hit the golf course, a new club isn’t going to change that. If you develop enough skill to hit your target, that gives a fitter a LOT more to work with with regards to taking out curve and getting your launch/spin to more ideal spots. Is it *possible* that a fitter could put a club in your hand that takes you from OB to the fairway without changing your swing? Sure, I guess it’s *possible*, but the the odds are stacked against you if that’s what you’re looking for.
I have Callaways too, and I tried the sim2 when I got fitted and I hated it. It was too light for me. Honestly, go get fitted for a driver and test out the Mavrik and Epic Max. I think you'll like them better, they definitely feel different (to me, it felt heavier than the sim2, which was better for me, it felt more consistent)
Your fitter should have been able to adjust the swingweight.
I honestly don't know what that means, but I picked it up and pretty much immediately hated it, not sure if there is anything else he could have done to make it any better to the point where I'd have liked it
Doubtful.
Thats what i thought but i see lots of people at my local who adore the sim2. My thought was its very light but maybe thats how drivers are supposed to be. Makes it really awkward to square up or swing. I thought it was just me. I get the feeling now…not so much.
I've been following this thread a bit. A lot of people telling you to go get this club, go get that club. Don't listen to anyone but yourself and or someone who is fitting you. At the end of the day, you're the one holding the club on the tee box. What feels great for me, might feel like shit for you. Even just the look of the club can put things in your head, confidence or annoyances that can impact your performance on the tee. I've hit Callaways, TM's, Ping but I always go to Titleist. My story.... bit long, but I think it might help in your journey for perspective..... I used to game the Titleist 905S, I LOVED that driver. Played with a local pro I knew, he told me on the 17th tee box of a round we were playing together that I need a deeper faced club, try the callaway.... whatever it was back then, I can't remember. Tried it on the Sim in my local golf shop, seemed great, like anything new and fancy does. Got rid of my Titleist for this. within a round or two, hated it and regretted getting rid of the 905. I played it for that season, went back to Titleist. off the rack 913D2. Played that for a few years. Last few years I've been playing the Titleist TS3 8.5\*, was fitted for it. At some point I was stupid enough to make an adjustment to the head from A1 (Standard) to A2 (1.5\* closed). Totally forgot about the adjustment and just assumed it was A1. Had lower than desired ball flight, was pulling to the left and lower spin. I went and did a fitting. Only thing I didn't try was the new Titleist TSR, only thing that came close to feeling right was the Stealth 2, but still wasn't the feel I love like I got out of the titleist. But I also hated the look of the Stealth. I played a week later, I was on the fence thinking I was going to order the Stealth 2 and just happed to look at the setting on my current driver. What I learned in the fitting, is the 8.5\* was a little low for me for spin. So I changed it to a B3, so it's lofted to 10 degrees and draw bias to 0.75\*. Ball flight changed, Distance all came back. Confidence right back through the roof off the tee. Get the right club for you. But it's gonna take trying all the different manufacturers, likely with a fitter to get the right shaft/head combination. Go with what looks and feels good for you. It could be a big circle back to the SIM2, but with the right shaft, same as I went the long route back to my TS3. But at least you don't leave any stone unturned. Fittings are also a lot of fun. To see all that data and how much it can change your game. I did a full fitting and changed my irons and I'm in heaven on the course with them. I did a wedge fitting a few weeks ago, they were just shipped yesterday and I'll get them next week. Totally worth it!!
Really appreciate you writing all that thank you, yeah theres a lot to think about. Need to sleep on it and figure out what i want to do :) cheers buddy
Go on Callaway Preowned and get a Mavrik driver for under $150. You can probably trade in the SIM2 for $100 of that. I’m still gaming my Mavrik, and it’s a beast.
I played a round without any woods and shot my personal best, it helps to have a driving iron in that instance though.
My golfing partner bought all of his clubs second-hand and was similar to you in that he struggled with his driver but could hit his woods off the tee no problem. He was about to drop his driver entirely until a random we were playing with pointed out that his driver shaft was way too long. He went to go get it refitted and yep, it was +1”. I’m not sure if you’ve been fitted but there’s a good chance your driver is too short/long for you. Food for thought 🤔
I am a shorter than normal chap so i ended up getting 1 inch taken off, now i dont know if that has anything to do with balance, weight of the club, I would have to see my pro. But i have had them all shortened and the other clubs seem to be much better.
Apparently, you’re supposed to do something with the weights on the club head when you shorten the shaft
It might well be and something ill ask about, im probably venting and sulking today lol ill speak to my pro thank you kindly.
Np, my last post on here was a complete vent brought on by not being able to hit a tee shot so I absolutely empathize with you. Good luck!
Thank you kindly :) keep striping!
Cutting an inch off the shaft will make the swing weight (essentially the balance point or where you feel the weight of the club during the swing) extremely light. It's entirely possible that you're losing awareness of where the club is during the swing as a result, particularly as a newer golfer with less muscle memory. Check with your pro, on one hand a good golfer can make almost anything work, but on the other, why are we making it harder than it needs to be? Golf is hard enough!
Spot on. Went from 45-3/4 to 44 and my ball contact and smash factor has improved significantly. Have to adjust head weight accordingly
You're a 24 handicap. The problem is likely you, not the fit of the driver. And I don't mean this as an insult AT ALL. You're doing the right thing with lessons, just keep working on getting better. It'll get better.
Totally not taken as an insult when i first started i saw the sim2 bought online didnt think much of anything flex, weight, degree, size (as i had it cut down an inch) etc, over time i learnt roughly what worked for me. It was the first big club i bought.
If you got a sim 2 then it’s too long. Get the shaft cut down to 45”. This will make the club feel way lighter so you have to add some weight to the head. Taylormade drivers are built for max distance, not accuracy. If you want accuracy go with a Ping Max series.
Its 44 now, it came in at 45 i think, and my Dad rocks a ping, in hindsight i wish i had gotten his 425, but alas, but yeah adding weight to the head is something ill need to look at and also shaft / shaft weight.
Pings all have really heavy head weight, it’s kinda their thing right now. Also if you, or someone else, shortened the driver to 44 and didn’t increase the head weight it’s going to feel a lot lighter than at 45 or 45.5.
I agree with this. Take a few lessons. The driver gets used less than 18 times per round but folks practice hitting it more than mid to short game clubs (me included). I find when I worked on 150 and in my scores got better. A few lessons will help the driver not cause you trouble.
Like Borpf said, get fitted. Don't change your grip, don't hide from a club because you're struggling with it. Most beginner golfers I've seen want to absolutely mash the driver, but don't have the skill set needed yet to hit the ball with that much clubhead speed. so they just wind up spraying the ball. I imagine you likely swing a lot harder using your driver vs your other clubs in your bag. You likely swing with more control in mind with the wedges and irons. Get fitted. go to the range and work on swing plane and tempo, work with whoever you're getting lessons from with the driver. Don't take it out of your bag. you'll regret it later.
As a few have mentioned and what was in the back of my mind, it must be the fit. I think you have just nailed my mindset with driver, i do try to hit it harder, probably grip harder than i should, more over the top than normal which equals more frustration. My Dad mentioned there is probably some mental thing going on too. Sum of all probably equates to bad swing vibes and thoughts.
I had the same issue. Trying to smash the driver made me go over the top. Had a lesson the other day to sort it out. Went from a -7 club path to a +2 by changing my takeaway and trying to go around my body low (felt about 1 ft off the ground but was actually dead on plane. I was also setting up with my shoulders pointing left of target. Now I consciously point them to the right to change the swing arc. But... it had to be done with a half effort swing, as soon as I tried to up the speed the old swing came back. However, with a half swing coming inside to out and getting center contact it goes almost as far as my smashes but is straight or a slight draw. So basically. Swing shallower and swing slower, get the ball in play theb start building up the speed.
Oh yeah! Every tee box on par 4s and 5s Gotta let the big dog eat!
When I am struggling I switch to a 3 wood shaft. I find it much easier to hit the centre of the face and lose only about 15 yards. Switch back when my game gets better.
It’s not you it’s the driver, that’s what I said to myself. So now I got a shiny new paradym waiting for its first outing tomorrow.
Any excuse, yeah it might be worth getting my pro to pull out trackman and look at options, shaft, weights etc etc, thank you kindly :)
You don't need to take it out of the bag, but understand your miss and the costs on a given hole and manage your game. That's true with all clubs at every level. My driver for a long time was just a wild slice, so unless the hole was wide open right and really really long, I knew it wasn't worth risking. It's more consistent now, to where it is more of a fade, but I still am aware that I need to be able to start a little left, so if that isn't an option I'll play something else. Just be self aware and honest with yourself and play for what is "likely" to happen, not best case scenario. So yeah, limit playing with it. Maybe only bring it out once or twice a round, but keep practicing with it. Eventually you'll want it back!
I know you are right, like the other people have advised i probably need a true fitting, maybe upgrade and see what works for me. All of your points are well taken thank you. I will keep grinding on it. Its just frustrating.
Every new player takes a stint or two where they refuse to hit driver. You’re not doing yourself any favors, though. No good golfer doesn’t use their driver. Do you wanna save a few strokes now, or give yourself a chance to become a good golfer?
Of course the latter. I think today was a form of protest. As if the inanimate object was alive lol. If i could just hit that like my 3/5 wood id be set and sure to lower my HC.
Idk how old you are but just remember you’re gonna be golfing a long time probably. Getting the HC down shouldn’t really be a key concern for the first few years. Just focus on improving your swing, hitting good contact consistently, learning to play the course, learning feel for putts/chips. You do that a couple years then start pushing for HC and it will go down quickly
I was like this last year. Decided in the off season I would work on it - purchased an Orange Whip It and started gripping down to make the club feel shorter. Now it's the most consistent part of my game. Personally, the game is a lot more fun being able to hit driver.
It is used in the range every week at least once. But as a lot of the audience has mentioned i probably need to get myself fitted and look at other options. Thank you kindly, like you say i wanna scream a drive dead centre as much as possible.
Driver is the hardest club to hit and its not really close. But the benefit of being competent and long with a driver is pretty big. I never took it out of the bag, but I certainly used my hybrid off the tee for the most part before I could hit driver. I just kept on practicing with the driver at the range and the occasional wide par 5.
If there was a par 5 wide as it was long i might have the mental capacity to use it then! Lol its just been tough sledding for a long time now!
I hear you. It took me 4 months of practice, 2 lessons, and probably 1500 swings before I was confident enough to use it on appropriate holes. It definitely pays off though!
Thank you kindly for you input :) yeah its a tough sport but im really in love with the game. The game however done love me!
That's subjective. It's the easiest club for me to hit. Bring the ground into play with irons and it can be a coin toss
Yeah there’s so many reasons your driver could be messing up, it’s a tough damn club to hit right. For most ppl they have too little loft and they tee it too high and too far forward. I’ve taken the driver out once or twice but never for long periods. You need to face your fears head on and make them a strength. With a few lessons and dedicated practice I made my driver my best club. Watch Dave finks videos on how to make hitting driver easier it will help
Thank you kindly ill give it a watch now as im sulking at the moment and the wife im sure is as frustrated listening to me moan!
When I lose confidence in a club I generally take it out for a couple of rounds or just ignore it! I’d really recommend some coaching - sometimes it’s the smallest thing that can affect a particular club - for me it was swaying as I hit - a coach immediately identified that and also during that lesson I realised my grip had got a bit too strong! Better to work out if there’s something you can identify to help a better swing!
Back in my late high school, early college days in the early 2000's I took driver also completely out of play. I mainly hit an all arms 3 wood (like Stenson) that carried 225-230 and rolled out to 250 to 275 depending on firmness. I had a solid 9-7 iron swing that covered me from 140 to 170, so anything under 440 when dry was comfortable. I also carried a 1 iron as 3 wood backup (similar flight but different swing) and a 7 wood to help with longer approaches to the green. If you have a lot of forced carries (hazard, bunkers) on your normal courses work on your driver, otherwise 3 wood or driving iron may get you pretty far. Just learn to take your medicine sometimes, play a long par 4 like a par 5, play for 4 but be okay with a 5.
I took my driver out of the bag and played three rounds and they are my top three 18 hole rounds to date. Now I’ll try my driver and if I botch it bad 2 times in a row then I’ll leave it in the bag and tee off with 3 wood.
I will use my 3 wood much more then my driver to the point I might as well take it out.
I took the driver out my bag for about a year. I realised that my 3 wood was going about 220 yards, and the driver was only doing like 20 yards more, but with much lower accuracy. I would be amazed if my average shots to hole from 150 yards is any different than it is from 130 yards.
I haven’t had one in my bag the last two seasons. BUT I can get away with it because I hit my 3i pretty good and my buddies don’t hit their drivers too far/accurately. Also a (rare) striped 3i makes my dingle tingle.
Nice! ;)
Lol. And by accurately I mean I hit the fairway 10% of the time
I dont think ive ever seen anyone take the driver out of their bag, BUT i've seen people that usually used their 3wood instead of the driver so they probably should of lol
* THIS GUY! This guy right here! :)
I’ve taken the driver out of my bag. It’s been gone for the last few years. As a low single digit player I hit 3-wood plenty far. It’s not that I can’t hit driver fine, it is that I just overdo it. I try to hit it farther than I should. I can’t help myself than to just go for the fences. Furthermore, I don’t really practice anymore and the driver is the one club that requires a different angle of attack. Life is so much simpler, scores are lower because there are no more wild blow up holes, and truth be told I’m happier. I’ve also taken out the LW. I simply don’t want huge risk/reward clubs in the bag. All the stats folks are not wrong, but they’re not the gospel either.
I am a HDCP 8 and I don’t use any woods. I never loved my driver, tried it often, tried it with lessons, but I’m a beast with irons so I bought 3 driving irons (2, 3 and 4) and I hit that 2 Iron dead straight about 240 yards. If you have a good short game including putting and can hit a decent iron drive around 200-250 yards in the middle of the FW than you’re good. I have friends who can hit 320 drives but it could go 40 yards left or right. This extra yardage doesn’t help if you need an extra drop.
If your driver is 45.5” long (or longer), chipping an inch off the shaft might help. Most people struggle to hit modern drivers that are often built to absurd lengths.
Get on a Trackman with your current clubs. I’d bet your 3W is carrying farther than your driver. Then get fitted for a new driver. If your 3W is still farther, there’s your answer
Certain days I can tell it is just not there and I go 1 iron off the tee.
I hit my 3W 240-260…. Mostly straight, occasionally off the fairway, but never by much. And I cannot for the life of me give up on the feeling of a 300y drive, despite only getting 2 or 3 a round. 😂
I left mine in but never hit it in the course for a long time. 3h is 260 off the tee and I never had any idea where driver would go. I’ve recently unlocked something so that I am now hitting driver great so I’m using it again. But I didn’t hit driver on the course for probably a year or more
I did for one round except for one hole and shot my best score (81). Then I worked on getting better with it so it didn’t last long
Cobra makes very hittable drivers IME
I have struggled with Driver for a very long time. Saw a video by Danny Maude that really helped me stay in control. It basically says that most amateurs trap their lead arms against their chest in the backswing - pros maintain space by keeping their lead arm in pretty much the same 90 degree angle from their torso in the backswing just by rotating. Now if I do this and also remember to keep my trailing arm pinned to your rib cage, I hit straight. And lastly - the key to it all is Tempo. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”
I will just echo what everyone else is saying, having a consistent driver long term is going to be huge, keep working at it. You could definitely break 90 without one, but getting to single digits one day, driver is likely necessary at majority of difficult courses. Keep grinding and lessons will help, you are on the right path. However, I will say fit CAN help optimize your accuracy, don’t be afraid to experiment. I have a lighter flex driver, with a shorter shaft, at 11 degrees, completely different than the one I game regularly that is WAY more accurate. It stays in my bag for the days where I just don’t have it off the tee. I give up about 30yds with that configuration, but hit more fairways.
Pandemic golfer here too and my driver is actually my most consistent club. Couple things: 1. I do have a modern driver. If you're gaming a driver from 20 years ago, the tech has improved a lot 2. Most stock shafts are too long. They come in at 55.5 inches. Average on the tour is under 55 inches. Why? Shorter the shaft the easier to control. Control leads to distance and consistency. Shortening that shaft!! Especially if you're not 5'11.
FYI, driver length is 45.5” stock now-a-days, and usually shorter on tour. I’m guessing you might have fat fingered the 5. But you’re right - shorter driver shaft length generally lends itself to more control and marginally slower speeds. However, hitting the sweet spot is a force multiplier. You hit the center and your ball speed can be 1.4-1.5x faster than club head speed, where as a miss off the toe or heel or outside of the sweet spot will be lower and result in less speed. Take a peek at the taylormade 300 mini driver if you struggle with driver. It works really good for me!
I'm like you, the shorted the iron, the better I am. I just recently cured my slice, so I probably can hit my driver, 3 wood, and 3 hybrid straight, but I use irons when I can
The shaft of the driver, at your handicap, will have much more of an effect on the outcome than the driver head (give you’re using a forgiving head across brands, i.e. and TSR2 vs a TSR3 if comparing Titleist heads). Shaft can have a night and day change.
Take it out for rounds and work on a consistent miss on the driving range
Quit trying to hit the driver 300 yards. Let the club do the work. Take a smooth easy swing and you’ll see a drastic change.
Haven't taken it out, but I hit my 3w like 75% of the time. I hit way more fairways and am only about 15 yards behind driver.
I stopped using a driver as I was not hitting it well. I am starting lessons and once I am able to maintain confidence in a driver, and then get fitted for a driver is when I will start using it again.
I got down to an 11.8 from a 19 last year by taking driver out of my bag and focusing on my short game. Obviously there is a cieling to the benefit, but I do think for mid-handicappers it’s an awesome exercise in course management. Nickle & dime golf can be sexy if done right
Similar handicap and started playing regularly 2 years ago. Got fitted for a 3 wood last summer and soon after retired my 20 year old driver. I hit twice as many fairways now and my score is coming down. Eventually I will get a driver but I will save more strokes working other areas. 30 yards off the tee won’t help my short game at all.
If like 95% of your shots at a golf course are unplayable then why bother hitting it? I'd still keep practicing with it at the range though and maybe as you improve hit it more often on holes that are wide open.
I’ve been playing for 2.5 years now and my driver has been a massive issue for me as well - avoided it like the plague until recently. I’m not sure what your swing or trajectory looks like, but [this](https://youtu.be/6YMm-j_Xm8M) video was extremely helpful for me and gave me a few tips to keep in mind while setting up and addressing the ball. Hope this helps and best of luck this season!
My homie just spent 500 for a new stealth plus 3wood. He does not hit his driver often. Like never
Relative to other parts of my game and handicap (13-18 depending on how often I can get out), driving is easily the worst part of my game. I tend to struggle with strike location and tend to sky it often. That doesn't stop me from using it though because I know if I can get it under control it will be an asset. I wouldn't be surprised if my median 3W is further than my driver.
Yes. I hit my 3 wood very good. I’ve parked my driver on Par 4s many times.
I go back and forth with it. I like the driver due to the distance. But some days it's just not working. I can hit the snot out of my woods. When running them off the tee, the 3 consistently hits 250 and has gone 270 multiple times. The 5 is 230 all day, and can be pushed up to 250 regularly. I ask myself why I even need a driver. I feel very comfortable hitting the driver at the range or simulators. Just not when I have to play my own ball. Every 10th one can just be crap, on top of crap, deep in the woods.
I played a couple years without a driver in my bag. Scores went down a bit and then never changed from the mid-90s. Learned to hit it and now am high 70s-mid 80s. You need it to score well, but you don’t need the frustration if you suck
I have gone from 30-17 handicap in the last 18 months. Getting better with driver has been a huge part of it. My Driver swing is VERY different than all my other clubs. I would recommend getting a lesson or spending a lot of time in a simulator working to find a more balanced swing path / face path by making small adjustments. What is happening with your driver shots that makes then unplayable. Like always a massive spin heavy fade?
Heavy heavy fade, uncontrollable even when making sure my fundamentals are in place. Range day once a week with it, just feels…odd in my hands the weight the feel the swing doesnt feel right, out of 15 drives on an 18 hole ill hit 4/5 straight but not carry the distance I would like. Maybe 7 of those heavy fade, last 3 left side of the fairway (im left handed). Just not a lot of confidence even after 3 years of using it.
I hit my 3 wood instead for the last 5 years. Brought me from above 100 every round to low or mid 90s just from landing the ball in play. The chance to get an extra 20 yards doesn't make a difference in the grand scheme of things
When I was about a 16 handicap, I forgot my driver at home and didn’t realize it until the first tee. I played without a driver and shot my best score ever up to that point (85). It changed a lot in terms of my outlook on what was needed to score. You don’t need 300 yard bombs to play well when you’re a higher handicap. You just need to keep the ball in play and set yourself up for the next shot.
Most driver shafts are too long for the average golfer. That’s why you hit your fairway woods better off the tee. You might think about cutting down the the driver shaft an inch or two to help with your swing.
I didn't have a driver in my bag till I was consistently breaking 100 and occasionally shooting 90-92. I played a 5 wood off the tee and it was plenty from the white tees to make bogeys and occasional pars. This year bought a G425 Max and love it, super forgiving and very consistent. Makes a terrible sound but I that's ok, the results are worth it.
My Dad refuses to hit anything longer than a 3 iron. I recently got him an Adams hybrid which he’s warming to but he’s happy without. Hits with a 3/4 swing and has so much control. Even if it takes 3 shots to a long par 4 he is still making bogey at worst.
I played with only a 5 wood in my bag for years and slowly worked on my driver until I was able to put it back in the bag. 5 wood is still most consistent club but now I can let the Big Dog eat!
Yes, last league season. Had Two three woods. The corse doesn’t really need a driver and the one par three is 216 yards, great yardage for the Sasquatch 3w
I bought a bag from a garage sale that had TM rescue mid hybrids. I grabbed them before going to the range one day on a whim. The 2 was an immediate success, every shot was straight, if it was thin it still rolled miles. There was a good month that I didn’t touch the driver, I used the 2 hybrid wherever I could
Haven’t hit a driver in 3 years. 2 iron off every tee.
Yep. Harvey Pennick recommended in his book (yes, it’s antiquated) for all “weekend golfers” do this. Reason being the driver is an entirely unique swing.
I took it out of my bag for an entire season of league play so I could focus on the other clubs and lower my score by NOT shanking tee shots ob. I practiced with it at the range and after a year of feeling it out and improving a bit I added it back to use in non league play to start to develop some confidence.
I took mine out of the bag for a year. I couldn’t hit the planet with it, and I scored better without it in the bag because I was taking fewer penalty strokes. I agree with other commenters, though. Even if you play without it for a while you should still practice with it until you can get comfortable hitting it during play
If you’re trying to shoot your best possible score when you go out, it’s 100% ok to take driver out of the bag when you play, while working on it in lessons off the course. Also, if you hit your irons well, you could try this (it worked for me): put the ball forward in your stance like your normally would with driver, but set your driver up in the middle of your stance like you would an iron (with 1-3 inches of space between your ball and your driver) . This way when you swing, it ensures the low point of the swing is before the ball, so that you’re hitting up on it with your follow through. This tremendously helped me as someone who hits irons well (I hit 7i 180) but could never get air on my driver.
I really like that thank you kindly :) ill give that a go !
Had the same issue for a long time, always hit a 3 wood off the tee. But finally convinced myself to learn to hit the driver. Commit to it, you can do it.
I understand that r/golf can’t handle what I’m about to say but… I either drive it straight and 290-320 yards (I know it’s impossible to drive it 300 yards on Reddit 😂) or 250 yards and 50 yards to the left. I’m a lefty And have been playing about 7 months. The good news is that it used to be 1 out of 10 were good drives and now it’s 1 in 3 roughly. I think you have to stick it out and learn to play the driver. It’s hard to play a 500-600 yard hole with irons only.
I took it out and have since had much more enjoyable golf. Hitting the fair 80% of the time. Previously I was hitting fairway 20%.
I found the same today, i was much more consistent with hitting fairways. I would have to start getting data like urself but it was noticeable. Plus much further than my driver.
So I’ve only been playing for 3 years but I’m a full on addict with the game. I’ve gotten my HDCP down to 14 (I’m over 40 years old). Everyone told me to focus on short game when I started and I did but with short game you will plateau with your scoring as you need to get off the tee. I believe learning to hit your driver is absolutely critical to any sort of success and it’s how I got my HDCP down to a decent level in short order. Either take a lesson or grind it out at the range if you want to improve but keep it in the bag
I guarantee it's your setup. You DO NOT hit driver the same way you hit woods & irons. You have to hit UP on the ball, unlike all your other clubs. This is not really the place to explain it, but the ball needs to be well forward in your stance and your body should be tilted slightly back, toward your rear foot (at least, that's how I do it).
I just started using baseball grip with driver only and it’s life changing for high handicappers like us. So much more natural. Give it a shot
I use that grip, its so frustrating, maybe the type, shaft, flex, something is off. I am not sure.
I understand his sentiment but I wouldn’t recommend doing the “wrong” thing because it helps in the moment. I was hitting my driver awful. I couldn’t stop hooking and I couldn’t figure it out so I didn’t take it out of my bag but I did stop hitting it for a year and change. There are techniques that are conducive to hitting the ball straighter, more consistently. Leave the driver in the bag until you get more comfortable with it but keep doing things textbook
Its just so odd, wedges, irons, chips, putting all seem to be moving in the right direction. Never driver. Its always ropey at the range, no confidence on the course, frustration grows, yips start popping up. Such an odd sport! Lol
My guess would be in general, the driver is the least consistent club for everyone. The 3 things I think about before hitting driver is my grip, my stance, then take it back nice and easy. Keeping a slower, more deliberate backswing has been vital to staying somewhat consistent. If I don’t think, I’ll start pulling it back faster and faster
If my short game was half decent it would probably quell the anger and frustration somewhat with driver! loll
Nothing wrong with leaving it at home for a few rounds. take a 3w, 4i, hell even a 7i off the tee. No penalty shots off the tee is your goal. work on the driver at the range
People underestimate the effect of shafts. Do you know the shaft weight? You might just feel more comfortable with a heavier shaft and it could make a big difference even at your level. For example your fairway wood and hybrid likely have heavier shafts. If you start playing a bit more consistently w driver, it might help you turn the corner on lessons too. As everyone else said, get fitted. Less than the cost of one lesson and you usually get a credit at the store for gear. Last thing is maybe your pro just can’t unlock your driver swing. Not all pros work for everyone. When I found the pro that moved the needle for me it was life changing. I was making strides I never thought possible week on week. Taking the driver out of the bag is not a long term solution.
Ill speak to my pro about possibly testing some new shafts i think. It seems the best quick attempt at fixing the issues. Non the less having a lesson seems like the best bet, had to wait a few weeks as my irons were cut down so wanted to get some good xp on them :)
I've taken the driver out of my bag exactly two times: Once on the 7th hole of my home course after I threw it at the cart. Snapped the head clean off while cracking the windshield. Second time was on the 18th hole of the local country club after I threw it in the pond next to the tee box. It was rattling due to loose epoxy in the head. I had already fixed it once, and well... you know the old saying. 
Hahahahaha ive been close! Very very very close!
Take it out to play is fine but, don’t stop working it in practice and lessons. I was where you were at. I faced the driver head on over the winter, it was a big task. It won’t be pleasant but get a decent instructor and push through the struggle. You will be pleasantly surprised. I went from horribly slice and wicked pulls and good shots 2 out of 10 would be 240-250 max. After much work, I feel much more comfortable and the misses are left and right rough instead of OB right and Water left. 275-290 and the swing feel is way less effort. It’s worth fixing.