Long Hitters - A Question

[OldandStiff]

Weird day at the course with passing vehicles yelling racial slurs, and a couple players that were definitely a couple holes and groups ahead early on circling back and slipping in behind. Totally effed up the flow.

Which leads me to the question -

As a longer than average hitter, how often do you use less club on the tee to keep things moving??

Not hit into the group in front, not make everyone in your group (and all the ones behind you) wait, etc.

 

[blugold]

Never.

The people I golf with all enjoy each other's company and we rarely play longer than the course's recommended pace.

 

[PhillyV]

Pace never determines my club selection. If that happens then I’m mentally shot

 

[OldandStiff]

So I do it what feels like a lot on certain rounds. With family it's a constant. Some friend groups and the amount of people on a course lend itself to it too. And I try not to resent it. It's not life changing. It can be annoying though.

Like today I wanted to sort out some driver stuff out there. Hoped to, but in those last 9 holes I hit 4i off the tee twice and laid up on the last to keep things moving. Didn't get to hit driver as much as I wanted and probably cost a stroke or two in the end. And I want to not care. It was fun regardless. But it's also not the round I would have played.

 

[BuffaloPlunger]

It depends how backed up things are. If it’s not too bad, I might wait to go for a green in two. If I can reach the green I might not be so quick to wait because it’s a low probability shot. If there’s a group constantly on our heals I’ll lay up

 

[blugold]

Pace never determines my club selection. If that happens then I’m mentally shot

If I'm waiting for the group ahead, I'm exactly where I need to be. Group behind us not my concern.

 

[Jeff Spicoli]

I have laid up in the past. Don’t like doing it but will do it if it means moving things along (sometimes).

 

[baylrballa]

Couple times a round. And I’m not that long.

 

[OldandStiff]

It depends how backed up things are. If it’s not too bad, I might wait to go for a green in two. If I can reach the green I might not be so quick to wait because it’s a low probability shot. If there’s a group constantly on our heals I’ll lay up

Does it bother when you do, but you didn't really want to?

 

[MWard]

On a par 5 that I can get to in two, no chance. I’m waiting to top it just like you’re about to, group behind me.

Drivable par 4, that’s a 50/50. How much risk is there, how much wind etc is there.. Then I might wait. Might lay up. Depends what I’m also laying up with!

 

[Scott F]

I’m not a long hitter anymore but back in the day, I’d do it when I was paired up with some players. Once, I was playing alone and I was paired up with a threesome of older women. They were playing the front tees and were clearly agitated that I was hitting from the back tees and had to wait for me while I waited for the group ahead to move out of range. On a couple of par 5’s where I was going to wait for the green to clear before I hit my second shot, I could see the women were inpatient waiting for me to hit so I laid up instead. I’m sure they weren’t happy I was there at all and I didn’t want to make things any worse. Over the years, I’ve had it happen many times, and didn’t mind laying up when the situation called for it.

 

[Parrot]

I’m not long but I have taken 5W or less off a couple of tees when I’ve played from a tee forward of where I usually play. A good drive on a couple of holes would put me uncomfortably close to the group ahead who would be out of range if I played my normal tees.

 

[Templet0n]

I have. But I don’t have a rule or anything. It’s many times a “this just makes sense” deal.

 

[BuffaloPlunger]

Does it bother when you do, but you didn't really want to?

No not really. If I’m REALLY feeling it then I’ll wait but laying up is often the smarter play for me

 

[Briton G]

I put never… but it’s not because I like to make people wait… I want to play my game how I normally would… if pace is slow typically me clubbing down won’t speed the pace up anyway.

 

[Jtubb17]

If I have a group right on my back and I’m not 100% confident, I’ll Club down to keep moving. If nobody is behind, I might just wait

 

[golfinnut]

I'm not long by any means, any more at least, (I was in my younger days) but I would play to my pace, regardless. I would rather wait & not hit into someone. I didn't care about the pace of play. It's not going to move any faster or slower, if I layup, or if I go for it. The only thing I don't want to do is stand there & wait, then proceed to top it or chunk it in the sh*t. I can hear the guys waiting on the tee now ... "what are you waiting for, you're not gonna make it."

 

[1860VS]

I have done it with people right behind us., especially on the tee of par 4's I have reached before .
Not an issue any more........ I'm 64. LOL

 

[Tywithay]

All gas, no brakes.

 

[willplaysgolf]

Rarely if ever, mainly because it's rare I think doing that will actually keep things moving

 

[smgoldstein]

Not applicable-I'm not a long hitter.

 

[mtbloco]

Everyone posting in the thread.

 

[Misike]

Off the tee, never (but I wouldn’t consider myself a long hitter). I’m always waiting for them to clear out when on the tee box.

There are times on a par 5 though, where I’ll talk myself out of waiting and end up laying up (which for me is probably the smart move anyway lol)

 

[Wildcat]

Not a long hitter but I’ll hit an iron off the tee or lay up. I’ll work on other shots that day sometimes if busy.

Probably smarter play in the long run. Mentally I feel if I wait I won’t pull it off anyway.

 

[Doubleb21]

We will have the shorter hitters tee off first then the bombers. Normally there is zero issue with pace we are right on the group ahead.