We've launched the new forums! Read more here

TOP 10 REASONS that driver is the most overrated club

Briton G said:
Lol this post is fun. Driver is my favorite club but I am wanting to do a contest on here next year with my Edel clubs only which will be Putter-4 iron and see what I shoot on my home course which I average a 38 on both sides. I am very interested to see because it is shorter course, so I typically can either drive or be a half swing wedge into all greens except the par 5s.
Click to expand...

You are a good golfer. I wouldn't be shocked if you can shoot a 38 using only irons based on how long your course is. If you hit a 4 iron and then have a 8 iron into the green there is no reason you can't shoot 38.
 
DG_1234 said:
Not really.
Consider the 48" driver shaft trend that happened about 20 years ago, especially for the Senior Tour and LPGA Tour. Several players enjoyed the extra distance which 48" shafts produced, but ultimately recognized that the unique tempo-rhythm-timing needed to make the 48" shafts produce good shots was too significantly different from the swings they needed to play the other clubs within the bag.
While 48" is extreme, even the common 45" to 46" shafts of today can create a bit of an awkward transition to the rest of the clubs within the bag. Certainly, the higher skilled the player the better equipped he/she is to adapt to different length shafts. However, the average player shooting 80's, 90's 100's can probably help himself/herself by minimizing the variables and required adaptions brought about by having a single club shaft 2" to 3" longer than the others.
Long drive specialists/competitors are a good example of what a player trying to shoot a low score should not do, that is swing with too much effort.
Swinging too many drivers at a practice range or on a golf course breeds faulty tempo, which in turn negatively affects the swings for all the other clubs within the bag. It was obvious at the 2006 British Open that Tiger not swinging a driver greatly helped his tempo/rhythm for all the fairway woods, irons, and wedges he did swing that week.
Click to expand...
Yes really the rhythm/tempo/timing should be the same on a full shots in the 3 to 1 ratio range
I just don't believe that length makes that much of a difference. If it does make a difference I would argue that is because the players just aren't that good. At every level the better player does something better than the lesser player because they are better. I would agree if you were saying that variable swing weights in the clubs were causing difference in transition. As I have found in my own game when my swing weights are off throughout the set my swing gets a little wonky.
Stop with the Tiger argument, nothing was different in tempo/timing that week versus his other wins. Tiger is the GOAT his timing and tempo was spot always.
DG_1234 said:
On this thread multiple times I've suggested players leave driver at home for a round or two. This will allow the player to learn what he can do playing fairway wood (s) or hybrid (s) from the par 4 and par 5 tee boxes. He will learn the benefit that removing a "hit it hard" club from the bag does for his swing tempo and rhythm, he will likely hit more fairways, he might shoot a low 18-hole score. The only way a player can know what will happen is if he gives it a try.
The data that driver lovers hang their hats on is compiled from players who rarely swing a fairway wood (or less) from a par 4 or par 5 tee box. Consequently, it's awkward and uncomfortable when they do give it a try, and from that experience is born the "I'm no more accurate with a shorter length club " misperception. So, to get past this awkwardness he needs to make more on course tee box swings with clubs other than driver. Only then will he have an understanding, and from that point he can make good sense decisions about equipment and strategy.
Click to expand...
I responded to this and said that my scores were worse and explained why. There is a 20 yd carry distance between my driver and 3 wood. On average I hit 8 fairways a round. On the rounds when I have played less than driver I average 10 fairways hit. The extra two fairways hit due not out way the benefit of the added distance the driver brings.
 
The Milk Man said:
Yes really the rhythm/tempo/timing should be the same on a full shots in the 3 to 1 ratio range
I just don't believe that length makes that much of a difference. If it does make a difference I would argue that is because the players just aren't that good. At every level the better player does something better than the lesser player because they are better. I would agree if you were saying that variable swing weights in the clubs were causing difference in transition. As I have found in my own game when my swing weights are off throughout the set my swing gets a little wonky.
Stop with the Tiger argument, nothing was different in tempo/timing that week versus his other wins. Tiger is the GOAT his timing and tempo was spot always.

I responded to this and said that my scores were worse and explained why. There is a 20 yd carry distance between my driver and 3 wood. On average I hit 8 fairways a round. On the rounds when I have played less than driver I average 10 fairways hit. The extra two fairways hit due not out way the benefit of the added distance the driver brings.
Click to expand...
Don't forget, Tiger was never an accurate driver of the ball. Being straight off the tee is not a requirement for success at that level.
 
Chef23 said:
You are a good golfer. I wouldn't be shocked if you can shoot a 38 using only irons based on how long your course is. If you hit a 4 iron and then have a 8 iron into the green there is no reason you can't shoot 38.
Click to expand...
My issue is that I don't hit shots from 150-200 yards nearly as often as I should so that is one of my struggles
 
blugold said:
Don't forget, Tiger was never an accurate driver of the ball. Being straight off the tee is not a requirement for success at that level.
Click to expand...

In one out of his 82 wins Tiger didn’t have driver in the bag and look what happened. He won.
 
Briton G said:
My issue is that I don't hit shots from 150-200 yards nearly as often as I should so that is one of my struggles
Click to expand...

Sounds like it would be good for your game overall. I am not sure I would only to it but certainly for some practice it should help your game a lot.
 
Chef23 said:
Sounds like it would be good for your game overall. I am not sure I would only to it but certainly for some practice it should help your game a lot.
Click to expand...
That is why I typically say my handicap doesn't travel well. If I am not hitting my driver well, I look more like 8-10 handicap haha
 
blugold said:
Tiger lost 75% of the time when he had driver in the bag. Checkmate haters.
Click to expand...

Good point. Every week over a hundred tour pros lose a golf tournament with a driver in their bag.
 
GolfFest said:
Good point. Every week over a hundred tour pros lose a golf tournament with a driver in their bag.
Click to expand...
From this we may safely conclude nobody should ever bag a driver... except maybe Bryson DeChambeau.
 
Duffer Seamus said:
From this we may safely conclude nobody should ever bag a driver... except maybe Bryson DeChambeau.
Click to expand...

Did he have a driver in the bag when the rope thing happened? None of us are safe
 
blugold said:
Don't forget, Tiger was never an accurate driver of the ball. Being straight off the tee is not a requirement for success at that level.
Click to expand...
Sure isn’t. Many PGA pros are good if they make more that 50% FIR. The difference at that level is short game and putting. For ams that can’t chip or putt, they gotta get close to score well and that means you need to be as long off the tee as you can get.
 
GolfFest said:
Did he have a driver in the bag when the rope thing happened? None of us are safe
Click to expand...
I bet he did! Damn, it's dangerous having a driver in the bag, innit?
 
 
For a short-ish knocker like myself (Driver 230, 3W 215) then I hit whichever is feeling hottest.

Which is almost always the 3W, which I absolutely love hitting. Couple of bad drives and the big dog goes back in the bag and stays there. Those extra 10-20 yards just aren't worth it for me, as the 2nd shot is still usually over 180 yards on Par 4/5s.

My FIR with 3W is 56% so I have no reason to move away from that.
 
Nick20UK said:
then I hit whichever is feeling hottest.
Click to expand...


Excellent ! On any particular day awareness of what one has going (good or bad) is a major factor to shot making and good golf scoring.
 
Nick20UK said:
For a short-ish knocker like myself (Driver 230, 3W 215) then I hit whichever is feeling hottest.

Which is almost always the 3W, which I absolutely love hitting. Couple of bad drives and the big dog goes back in the bag and stays there. Those extra 10-20 yards just aren't worth it for me, as the 2nd shot is still usually over 180 yards on Par 4/5s.

My FIR with 3W is 56% so I have no reason to move away from that.
Click to expand...
What club is that for you?
 
blugold said:
What club is that for you?
Click to expand...
3 hybrid (19 degrees). Generally goes about 190 total. Usually better to hit that than 3W when punting up towards the green as far as possible. Especially if just in the rough. Though if it's sitting up and I have a nice open shot in front of me I like hitting 3W off the deck too.
 
Nick20UK said:
3 hybrid (19 degrees). Generally goes about 190 total. Usually better to hit that than 3W when punting up towards the green as far as possible. Especially if just in the rough. Though if it's sitting up and I have a nice open shot in front of me I like hitting 3W off the deck too.
Click to expand...
You're routinely going into par 4s with your 3h?
 
Bomb & Gouge is here to stay.

Dang, what a name for an apparel company. Consider that trademarked.
 
There are valid reasons pros use launch monitoring to dial in spin and launch to maximize ball speed - a few more mphs at the highest level - maximized chance of winning. Most greats have been long to very long and at least reasonably accurate- Nicklaus, Woods Palmer Watson etc
 
I can with 100% certainty tell you the driver is not over rated. Thought about this thread as I played yesterday.. had a good driving day over all. But hit some pretty bad drives as well. The good drives made the holes way more easy..
 
on the first tee, my driver said to me "remember that silly thread about me being overrated?...go on, swing away..." i was pummeling the driver today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top