This is what I do. Leave the Driver in the bag, hit 3 wood on the course and get lessons and use driver on the range until you figure it out. Leave those poor houses alone
Years ago I was struggling with my woods… all of them…. So, I just left them at home and played just with irons. I took a few lessons and got the woods working again and now they are back in the bag.
Sometimes just leaving them in the bag (or hell, at home) can help fix things over time. I couldn’t hit woods off the fairway to save my life for the longest time and eventually just took the 3W out of the bag for the better part of a year. Put it back in for the range once and what do you know, finally correctly swung it and can hit it decently now.
Sometimes you just need a break and to re-approach things with a fresh perspective.
I find if I’m hitting the 3 wood good but not driver it’s more mental - not necessarily even from a confidence perspective from from an approach or methodology perspective. I’ll play the 3 wood for a few holes and after a few lazer beams I’ll switch to the driver and in my mind still be hitting 3 wood and I’ll stripe it
I use 3 wood to tee off and hit it straight majority of the time and helped me improve my irons and approach to the green. Can’t improve if I’m in the woods looking for my sliced drive every time 🤷♂️
I used to be the latter, until I was getting frustrated missing greens and an older buddy I was playing with pointed out the obvious that I was constantly giving myself a longer second shot on almost every hole. Buckled down and learned how to keep my driver in play and my scores dropped. Long winded anecdotal way of saying I vote for the first camp
It's not anecdotal though, better drivers = better scores. I don't care who you are you have a better chance of hitting a GIR from 100 yards than 150 yards.
John Sherman preaches off the tee is the most crucial part of amateurs dropping scores. Keeping it in play is step one, hitting it longer is step 2 for the very reason you outline. It’s just math thst the closer you are to the hole the better chance you have of scoring lower.
Step 1 is obviously crucial and a missed step for a long of especially higher handicap golfers. If you’re hitting it OB a few times a round you’re likely better off planning to get on in 3 every hole and stick to the longest, most reliable club in the bag off the tee especially on short to mid par 4s.
Sucks to not have an opportunity to be on in 2, but too much focus on that elusive eagle or birdie for a lot of people. If you’ve got an easy chip on for a par putt every hole that is a very not bad position to be in.
Yes but the problem is that step 1 works so well they don’t think they need to move onto step 2.
Can’t tell you how many guys I know who put the driver back in the bag. Dropped their scores immediately and now haven’t progressed because they are afraid to hit driver.
I am a huge believer in Sherman's approach to the game. Last year I started tracking my SG data and took like 1 stroke off my index.. this winter I started to tailor my indoor practices to align with my data and more intentional practices.
I've stuck with that so far this spring and since posting started (April 1) I am down to an 11.8 from a 17.1 at the beginning of the season. I have broken 80 for the first time, then did it again a month later. The biggest change was just intentional measurable outcome practices! It's been amazingly transformative in my game. Plus when you go to the range/short game area/putting green with a plan in place it's amazing how much quicker you practice too. The efficiency is amazing when I know exactly what I am doing there.
Drive for show and putt for dough is bad advice for amateurs and weekend hacks, you need to get to the green as fast as you can. It's certainly commendable being a maestro around the green, but you're not going to keep up having to constantly get up and down.
To be that guy, I prefer having a full shot into the green. So if it's like a shorter Par 4 (say 325 yards), I'd prefer to hit 5i (approx 190), PW (approx 140). But I have enough length to realistically manage a course that way. YMMV.
I am constantly trying to get better at driver, using it on the range and in normal rounds. But if I’m playing league or tournaments, there are times I won’t even bring a driver, especially on tighter courses. I can’t hit it in play reliably even half the time
I’m not nearly as good at driver as any of those guys. They were in the natural areas and wire grass next to the fairways. Imagine being another 20-100 yards farther away from the fairways, off in the shit. That’s where the majority of my drives would be.
This is the approach I'm taking. Same boat as OP, cant hit my driver to save my life but Im 220-230 with my 3 wood and hit it consistently straight so for the sake of having fun, Im leaving my driver in the bag for the rest of this year, focusing on my short game and getting lessons to sort out my driver in the off season. Fingers crossed I can get it sorted and start using it next year.
Yea I’m going to take lessons for my driver. Really struggling with it lately. Went to the range and was hitting 8 iron 150 carry, furthest I hit driver was 120 carry. Hell my 7 wood carried 190 (but averaged about 175). My pitching wedge was averaging further than my driver
Really need help with the driver, till I get lessons though it’s going to stay in the bag.
I just sucked it up and started hitting driver and dealing with the consequences. The consequences after well over 100 drives is that I’m gaining consistency, hitting longer, and scoring lower because of it. Do I still slice a few into oblivion, of course, but my slices are getting less severe and the ball is still in play, and my distances are increasing.
Don’t give up on the driver, keep working at it. You’ll thank yourself in a couple months.
Only caveat here is OP needs to figure out what’s wrong. Just repetitions with driver swings without any diagnosis is going to ingrain whatever bad habits are at the root of his issue and make it harder to actually improve. But yeah once there’s a diagnosis and a plan, then it’s all about the reps to ingrain the proper movement.
Of course! I recorded my swing, saw how over the top I was, and actively practiced swinging and learning how to come from the inside. A tip I saw on here a while back that really helped was “pretend like you’re swinging toward first base”, for me as a lefty its third base, but now when I swing I think to swing toward third with a square/slightly closed face and it’s helped tremendously.
I don't have any distance on my 3 wood, and finally just bit the bullet and started swinging my driver. I feel like my driver travels further right to left than it does straight. But I'm playing the slice now, so my ball starts off heading straight OB then slowly curves back to the fairway. I'm slowly hitting straighter, but not enough that I can aim at the fairway if I want to hit the fairway.
A few times a round, I'm close enough to reach the green in regulation with a good shot from my hybrid. Once or twice a round, I actually do it. I still end up with a six somehow, but for five minutes I feel great about golf.
This is me. One can score ok and you’ll hear examples of older guys who are scratch that drive it 220. But driving it another 30-50 yards is absolutely game changing on most par 4s and any par 5s. I recently hit my best shot ever that was 200 yds out (2nd shot) with a 5 wood. My buddy (280 yd drive) was congratulating me as he took his 9 iron out with an easy swing to the green. It’s really night and day difference.
220 on a 400 yard par 4 means you’ll have 180 left into the green that’s probably a 5 iron if not more for most people. Hit driver 250 and you’ll have 150 left in that’s an 8 iron. That’s a hugeeeeee difference.
You're right, but I would think that someone that's hitting their 3 wood 220 and can't hit driver isn't playing from the tees where they have a lot of 400 yd par 4s
I broke 100 and then 90 since ditching my driver and being happy with the 220 yard 3 wood.
Makes the day a lot more pleasant as well. Occasionally looking for balls in semi rough rather than the gorse bushes.
Do fancy getting back to hitting a driver someday cos I want to hit bombs etc but I score consistently better since ditching it
62, playing a couple times a year since 35 and breaking 90 is still a dream. I joined a league first time ever this year. The course is tougher than many if you can't hit straight. My driver just isn't consistent so, first time ever, in week 2 I put it in the bag in favor of my 4H, which I hit pretty good. Scores improved so I bought a used 2H which I'm hitting well, sometimes over 200. I may one day dust off the driver but I just want to have fun and a little better score is fun to me.
Not sure what I’m doing wrong. But somehow I either stripe my driver right down the middle (rare). Send the ball super high and not far at all. Or most commonly somehow hit the ball with the crown/top of driver head. Luckily it wasn’t very expensive because the top of the head is dented pretty bad now.
The problem is this;
People get hung up on hitting fairways.
But to really make gains in your game. You need to learn the driver. You won’t hit every fairway but if you’re in play, I’ll take an 8 iron from the rough over a 5 iron from the fairway 100% of the time. That yardage is crucial to scoring lower
It’s also great though to know on a shorter, target focused hole, or a day when your driver is ice cold. Pull 3 wood full confidence and move on
It massively depends on the course you olay though. I play links courses in the north west of England. They’re not long holes but they’re narrow fairways and the rough is brutal it’s basically a deep bunker in the summer with having to just dig out. Accuracy is 10x more important for distant that extra 50 yards off the tee isn’t worth the 2/3 times extra in the rough
One lesson and I was hitting my driver much better. I realized even how I was teeing it up was messing up my drive, and where I was standing in correlation with the ball. This kind of sounds like it could be your problem as well.
Don’t set up with your driver head on the ground. Float it with the sweet spot behind the ball. This was the first thing that helped me get away from sky balls.
I have a buddy of mine who’s like this but he doesn’t listen very well. Idk if you do it as well but he tee’s his ball super high. Hits straight up and says “idk what’s going man!?”
Go to the range, tee the ball down so it’s in the center of the driver face sitting on the ground,
Then put it kind of in your stance where you do a 5 iron and swing it like an iron - this will get you more comfortable.
Then when you grow in comfort move it up a little, tee it up a little higher and you’ll start hitting it higher and further, but being terrified of driver isn’t good.
> Or most commonly somehow hit the ball with the crown/top of driver head. Luckily it wasn’t very expensive because the top of the head is dented pretty bad now.
You're teeing up too high and hitting down I think. That's why a 3 wood would go farther than driver - you can kinda hit down on a 3w and get away with it (ideally it's more of a sweeping motion or slightly up if teed). Your low point should be behind the ball with driver so you're coming up into the ball. Driving is the one time you want the low point behind the ball.
I had the same problem, i parked my driver for 3 years used my 3 wood off the tee and deck and wore the hell out of it. One spring i said enough is enough and went to the range with only my driver and hit 3 full buckets. Now i drive anywhere from 250-270 and i can work the ball when i need to.
This is the way.
I have confidence in my contact with irons so when I do an preround warmup I'll hit my driver and some short irons off the tee and that's about it.
im with you on the fact that you can play good golf without hitting it far, but that dude is also a scratch/+ handicap. of course he can still score low with only 200 off the tee. He's not hitting 5i from 160 like a dude who can only get 200 of the tee does.
He's a 24 handicap left handed. He has a video where he hit his tee shot right handed and then played out the hole left handed. He shot 6 strokes better over just 9 holes compared to his normal left-handed round.
He plays rounds without a driver and shoots a good score and tells you "put the driver away" but then plays the same course in a later video and shoots 10 strokes lower with his driver.
Keep in mind, he can hit irons further than most people can hit a driver......so he doesn't prove you can score low without hitting it far. He just proves he can score decently without his driver, but still with the ability to hit it far.
I’m a big fan of the Playa in chief and I think you’re slightly misrepresenting him here. He has a bazillion videos showing you don’t need to be long (or use a driver) to break 100 or 90. When it comes to breaking 80 though, with his 6/6/6 method, he’s expecting six GIR and six ups and downs. That’s pretty tough to do hitting the ball 200 off the tee and he says as much.
Tee off with your 3 wood, practice or take lessons with driver and/or have a fitting until you’re comfortable using it on course. Having 30 extra off the tee can save some strokes throughout the round
i had the exact same problem. i took my driver out of my bag and leave it at home now.
since i have done that, my score has improved dramatically.
that being said, to take the next step, i need to learn to hit my driver. however, for the moment, i am happy leaving it at home and shooting in the low 90s consistently.
I no longer bother with the driver. I don't have time for lessons, and I can hit my 4 iron around 215. I moved up to the white tees at my course when I made the switch. I usually play 9 holes when I go, and shoot around 42.
With modern equipment, 3w is now much harder to hit well than Driver so there’s just something psychological you have going on with driver. Don’t rob yourself of 20-40yds off the tee, it likely equates to several strokes a round. Work it out on the range or get lessons
im with ya. gotta be a pure confidence thing but also sounds like OP tees it up too high and I'd bet swings too hard.
when you picked up the 3w, you already made teh decision to sacrifice distance......so you make a smoother and more committed swing. people get driver and feel like they have to swing as hard as possible and set a new distance PR every time.
I've been 3W, 5W, 4I for a long time but after going to the 4W I'm considering replacing the 5W with a 7W. My current issue is the 4I is great off the tee or fairway but not great out of rough.
My brother did the same thing for years, except could outdrive people with him 3-wood (he's an amazing golfer)
Take some lessons, he did and now he loves his driver
Everyone will give you individual advice, only you will know what works by testing—at the range. Personally I tee my driver at triple the height of my 3wood and play my driver at my left big toe, with my 3wood 6 inches to the right of that. This is all to get a square contact, find where you are making most of your driver misses (too high, low, left, right of the clubface) and correct accordingly, a perfect strike is ~1/4in above the middle of the clubface—good luck!
You learn to hit your driver. And fun fact, it’s the same swing with a different ball placement. Some minor tweaks to really have a great driver swing, but choke down a bit on your driver, setup with the ball on the inside of your lead heel, and do the same swing you would with a 3w and watch the magic happen.
When I have my driver in my hand I have to constantly remind myself to not get cute, just swing normally.
Been working on my swing really hard this year and gained 20-30 yds on all clubs including driver. Scoring is a lot easier when ur hitting wedges vs 7/8 irons into greens.
I picked the game up again this year after 20 years away. First thing I did was buy a really cheap driver. I hit nothing but driver and watched YouTube tips for the first 600 or so range balls.
I’m convinced that if one wants to hit driver acceptably then one should do the same.
My misses are now right hand rough instead of right hand OB or water. I’m hitting the odd draw when I want. But more importantly I’m confident with driver in hand at the tee.
And I’m not crushing it yet either. Average 260-270 but I’m in the fairway or first cut more often than not.
Wanna hit driver? Go to the range and hit hundreds of driver.
I took everything out of my bag that I can’t hit. So currently in my bag, I have some tees, ball markers, stale crackers, a half pack of smokes, and windbreaker. It’s quite light.
I am in the exact same situation and haven't played the driver for 2 years now. I slice my driver really bad so it doesn't go any further than my 3 and it's usually in the shit.
I don't have money/time for driver lessons and I'm perfectly happy with the golf I'm playing with my 3. Some day I'll get driver lessons or fitted for a driver, but right now it's not a priority.
You’re losing a lot of yards and by virtue of that, chances at greens. I had the same debate and it was clear as day. Get a driver (or maybe just a shaft) that works for you.
I hit 3 wood for an entire season once and not even teed up, right off the tee block. It was money and similar to you, around 220-240. But I got tired of being 20-40 yards behind everyone so started practicing my driver, got fitted for a new one, now it's money for 250-280. Changed the game for me.
Keep hitting your 3W. I’d rather be playing from the fairway than the rough. On a good day I’m hitting mine in the 260-275 range, off day is around 235-250. I’m assuming you’re not playing from the tips, I’m definitely not. I like the second shot to be on the short stuff where I can actually get to the green and give myself a chance to score.
I would suggest a round by round approach to keeping the driver in the bag. Some days it works and some days it doesn’t. But you do need to keep trying to figure it out, can’t just quit altogether.
Had the same problem. If I was trying to have fun with friends and/or playing for money, yeah I kept the driver in the bag. Eventually locked in my driver
I felt the same way until my three wood actually broke from repeated use in under 6 months. Had to use driver in that brief time while it was being fixed and broke 100 for the first time (with winter rules/temp greens). Haven’t really gone back to using 3wood off the tee unless it’s course management or long par 3. You will definitely see the difference once you get the hang of it in terms of yardage on second shots.
What is the length (physical) of the driver and what is the loft? You may be ideal candidate for a thriver. It is essentially a high lofted driver and a little bit shorter than normal driver.
I also hit 3w around 230 avg with odd spike 250-260. I left my driver in the bag all season.
I finally ponied up and got driver lessons this year. The coach asked what I wanted out of the lessons and I said keep driver in play. He helped me figure out my two-way miss and now the driver sails. I went from leaving driver in the bag, to being the longest hitter in my friend group.
Get lessons. And practice what your coach tells you.
Just take it on selected holes where it is i) forgiving in the landing area ii) giving you good potential gains eg 8 iron Vs 4 iron second shot (poor gains would be to give yourself 40 yards over a bunker rather than 100, or where you can't reach in two anyway).
Accept that sometimes it will pay off and sometimes not. Certain courses it may never be worth the risk and others it might be almost every hole
also maybe see what length the driver is playing at? I think a bunch of stock driver length is like 45.5 inches. Probably need something like 45 inches which would help your dispersion
Go to a range, do nothing but hit driver. Remember, it's a different swing than irons and woods.
Take time between each shot, play with tee hight as well as front shoulder should be higher than the trail shoulder.
Start by swinging very slow to focus on hitting the center of the face rather than care where or how fat it goes.
When you hit a good one, stop for a second and try to remember how your body felt.
I have some driver yips at the moment from lack of practice, so I only took 3 wood and 3 iron off the tee on my last round. I hit 85% fairways and nearly tied my lowest round because i wasn’t in awkward positions or having to drop after a bad tee shots. Worst case just go up a tee box to make up for the lost distance if you don’t use the driver, and gain confidence on the range
Keep at practicing your driver - this was my issue too but over the last 4 months I’ve honed in my driver, which I now hit 240 to 280. It’s a really good feeling, even with the occasional mishit and hitting only half the fairways.
i was in the same boat, didn't play driver all last year. my scores dropped about 10 strokes, now that driver is back in the bag, they ballooned up again. the struggle is real.
it depends on what your goals are. if going low(er) is the aim, then bench driver other than the range until you figure it out, but if you want to follow common convention that distance is everything (it isn't) then do the dumb bullshit i'm in the middle of and suffer through garbage tee shots on the course.
I was in the same camp for a while until I got a good pre-shot routine down with my driver. Rick Shiels has a few great videos on this. I also switched to these [tees](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CVH2HM96?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) that make the ball the same height every time.
Yes. Leave it in the trunk. Don’t try to figure out how to hit it out on the course. But don’t give up on it. Get a couple of lessons focusing on driver. If you can hit your 3 wood reliably your can hit any club.
My guess is that you’re trying to smash the driver. Swing it like you’re swinging your pitching wedge and you’ll probably get 250 down the middle.
But for now, play the club that works.
I had the same problem for a long time. I focused on a 75% backswing with the driver at the range so I could dial in a fairway finder.
Once I got comfortable delivering the club head from a shorter distance it was easier for me to step on it when needed. In most cases that shorter backswing is all that’s necessary to get a good distance off of the tee.
Sometimes it’s the difference in length of the club between driver and 3 wood that makes the difference. I cut my driver down from 45.75 to 44.75 and that made all the difference in the world.
Learn how to hit your driver, but it's not particularly bad if you're good with your long irons/mid irons.
I'm kind of the same way, but I've gotten better with driver. If the wood puts me within like 165 yards, and in the fairway, I'll usually just opt for the wood instead of driver and potentially ending up in the rough but like 20-30 yards closer. Then again, the rough at my home course is usually pretty... well rough... so it can really ruin your day
I kept my driver in my trunk for 3 years. I played only my irons. It was the best decision I ever made in my golf game.
I’m just a point a space but after dialing in my driver on the range and focusing on landing in a consistent 20 yard cone, my game is 10 shots better consistently this year compared to before keeping the driver out of the bag.
I’m now attacking greens off my second or third shot instead of chunking out or dropping, hoping for a playable 3rd, missing a green, chipping on and hoping to two putt.
It’s like I’m playing a whole different game of golf.
Learning to hit your driver will help you scoring significantly. I hit my 5 wood about 220. I hit my driver 265. It means I'm hitting pitching wedge on shot #2 instead of six iron. Don't give up on it, but obviously you can still club down while working on it.
Man I was in the same camp. I have since moved away from 3wood to driver. For me going from a 250 off the tee to 280+ with about the same spread has been awesome.
There are very few cases playing from 6500ish yards where 3wood is needed over my 3h.
For Driver, **I'd recommend taking some lessons INDOORS.** Trackman bays are much cheaper during the summer and the data about your spin/swing path/face is essential for the driver to feel the difference.
With how close these 2 clubs are it sounds more mental than mechanical.
Try playing with tee and ball placement, pretend it’s a 3 wood when you’re holding it. Stop swinging the driver harder than the 3 wood
Luckily my driver is pretty solid but there are days where I’m swinging lazy and it tends to spray. On those days I’ll stick with 3w off the tee and it salvages the round. Nothing wrong with it, just leaves longer irons in.
Definitely keep it in the bag and practice. I have friends that do what you are considering, and they struggle when we play further back or if the course is longer. I average 285 off the T with my driver. A 6500+ course gets harder if I go 3 wood 230 and now have 220 in on a 450 par 4. Depends where you play I guess.
I hit my driver about 220, and all over the place, 1 out of 5 shots is perfect. 2 out of 5 “playable” if I am lucky. The other two land the next county over. I play the 3 wood and hit it about 200. I bring the driver, but leave it in the bag to think about what it has done. I call it the timeout driver
I was in the same situation. I spent months learning how to hit my driver straight, it was incredibly frustrating but paid off. My fix was to keep my lead arm locked straight throughout my entire swing. Once I started doing that, the slice disappeared and the ball would go straight about 270-280 rather than slicing and going 200-220 OB.
I had a similar problem a few years ago and only hit driver if I know I could avoid trouble by going right. My 4 wood was my fairway finder. It isn’t the same now unfortunately but it is what it is.
Learn to hit driver but don’t lean on it like a crutch. Find a backup shot to hit off the tee like a lot of people online will tell you you to do. Having a fall back or stock shot will make the game more fun.
I have a similar problem,
Just started, got a half bag driver / hybrid 4 / 7 and 9 iron and SW.
Iron are okay, driver is ok (a little bit of slice) but I'm unable to hit the hybrid ...
So it's either 240 m or 135 m .. no in between 🥲
I know there's a ton of comments already so this might get lost but it has helped my game tremendously to move to a 3+ wood from a huge 460cc driver. Both are about 13.5⁰. Might be an option for you! There's a reason mini drivers are becoming much more popular among pros and ams right now.
I dont remember posting this.
My 4 iron goes 220. My 3 wood USED to go 250 now I cant hit it either. My driver goes 90 or 120 if i'm lucky.
Same swing, sometimes middle face contact. I took lessons he said I had to work my irons to fix my swing.
Hit three wood while playing, work on learning how to hit driver better. I left driver in the bag for almost an entire year a few years back, but I was working on hitting driver better in the background. Driver is a real weapon if you can hit it well; if you are constantly losing strokes with it, leave it in the bag while playing until you figure it out on the range. That being said, it might take some time figuring it out on course after working on it at the range.
You shouldn’t be using any club during a round that you aren’t fairly confident with. Go to the range and practice driver, use it once you have more confidence
Play with what works on the course. Off the course work on the driver and the rest of your game.
Strangely I can't ht my 3 wood for shit. I originally bought it with the hope I could use it as a fairway finder but it has not been that and I use my 3H for that when I need to hit a fairway.
You hit 3W well probably because you hit down on it. Then you put the same swing on the 3W => disaster. Or it could just be the shaft in your driver is too different from your 3W. Consider getting fitted. Never put your driver away. Distance off the tee is the modern game because it gives you a better chance to land it on the green with a shorter loftier iron. It scoring holes like par 5s and long par 4s in play. Your approaches on these holes will be 2-3 club lengths longer on average with a 3W to achieve GIR or below.
I'm betting you have a steep out to in downswing that produces a slice? So you can tee a 3 wood low approach it steeply and it has enough loft for you to get it up in the air. But that doesn't work with a driver.
The driver does take a different swing than fairway woods as it sits on a tee; need to hit up. You likely get pop ups off a properly highly teed driver shot because you're swing path is downward from out to in?
Tough answer is - its not the driver; its likely your swing/swing path/angle of attack. Its a classic problem.
3-wood is meant to be hit more like a long iron. You want to hit down on the ball. Off the fairway, you should have a small divot like you would a 4 iron.
Your driver is a completely different swing. You want to hit up on the ball and take zero divot.
If you can hit the 3-wood but not the driver, this is why.
I’ve played golf for 30 years without a driver and I play straight up bogey golf. I have fun. I keep the pace of play up. If I wanted to be a scratch golfer or really needed to shoot lower, I would definitely learn to use a driver.
It happens sometimes. You just have to deal with it. You're not just going to magically get better with driver by leaving it in the bag. Take it to the range and try to figure something out.
I've found the key to hitting driver for me was speed. You have to really give it some and go 100%. It's the only club I hit like this. If you can't generate the speed I'd leave it out the bag, but that's just me and I'm bad.
I had the same exact thought and situation. Ultimately decided to suck it up and keep the driver. I kept watching swing videos and hitting the range and realized I have potential to hit my driver 250-280 if I can get consistent. Definitely worth the extra 50-80 yards that I get over my wood to keep at it.
i am a horrible golfer, recently golfed with a random guy that noticed my grip was absolute trash and he thought that's why i was slicing so bad. He showed me a better grip and while it's 100% consistent i can hit 250+ on a few holes very straight. My point being there is a fix for you, find it and it will help especially on those long par 5's.
I’m not trying to be a Taylor Made shill, but I was struggling mightily with driver. Got a Sim II late last year and am hitting the best tee shots of my life. Sometimes, it CAN be the equipment.
I had this. The way I fixed it was moving the ball much further forward in my stance with driver and swinging in a more single plane with that club. Driver now a strength not a weakness.
I've had this exact same problem.
I eventually took lessons tomhit driver and I'm now easily hitting 255yards with my driver.
Personal best was a 308 yards for a furthest drive on a match. Only thing I won that day because I could not hit a putt even if my live depended on it that day.
What is your goal? Keep getting better or just consistently hit low? If I cant hit a club I remove it so I'm not tempted to make a mistake on the course. You can absolutely shoot low without a driver but if you want to maximize your potential you need to learn to hit that club consistently.
I was in the same boat then I got a new driver and the new technology is insane how forgiving they are lol. Sure that may not fix my swing but now I can hit my driver relatively strait for 250+ rather than my 5 wood for 220
Get a lesson and/or go practice driver. Being good from long range is the biggest separating factor in skill level.
Step 1 is just be in play. OB shots kill a scorecard quickly.
Step 2 is hit it as far as possible. Because everyone hits it closer from closer. At all skill levels we all hit it closer to the flag from 100out than 200out. So hitting it far on the first swing is a big advantage.
Idk how much golf you watch but “strokes gained” is a relatively new stat to put numbers to how “good” a shot was. Long story short, this Columbia university professor formally disproved “drive for show, putt for dough”. Drive is the most important club in the bag.
If you really want to get as good as possible, driver needs to be a weapon, not a liability.
Driver was killing my game too. Short game and putting pretty killer. Approach game decent. But driver was volatile as hell. Finally got several lessons and put in the hours practicing and I recent shot 78 and 77 at my home course from the tees just in front of tips. And I went from a 19hcp to a 10!
Do you want to get better? Figure out to hit a driver. Do you just want to go out and have fun with relatively no stress? Tee off with 3 wood.
This is what I do. Leave the Driver in the bag, hit 3 wood on the course and get lessons and use driver on the range until you figure it out. Leave those poor houses alone
My career has been more destructive to the local housing stock than Hurricane Katrina.
Yes, but you’ve single-handedly propped up the local window glass market, so hats off!
Years ago I was struggling with my woods… all of them…. So, I just left them at home and played just with irons. I took a few lessons and got the woods working again and now they are back in the bag.
Sometimes just leaving them in the bag (or hell, at home) can help fix things over time. I couldn’t hit woods off the fairway to save my life for the longest time and eventually just took the 3W out of the bag for the better part of a year. Put it back in for the range once and what do you know, finally correctly swung it and can hit it decently now. Sometimes you just need a break and to re-approach things with a fresh perspective.
You turned it off and then on again. Works every time.
Plenty of golfers, even single-digit handicappers, can't consistently hit a 3W out of the fairway. That's why there's the #5woodgang.
Love my 5wood, except when I top, pull hook, or slice it, other than that I love it.
Happy cake day
Hey they had it comin standin there all cocky-like
I find if I’m hitting the 3 wood good but not driver it’s more mental - not necessarily even from a confidence perspective from from an approach or methodology perspective. I’ll play the 3 wood for a few holes and after a few lazer beams I’ll switch to the driver and in my mind still be hitting 3 wood and I’ll stripe it
This 
I use 3 wood to tee off and hit it straight majority of the time and helped me improve my irons and approach to the green. Can’t improve if I’m in the woods looking for my sliced drive every time 🤷♂️
I used to be the latter, until I was getting frustrated missing greens and an older buddy I was playing with pointed out the obvious that I was constantly giving myself a longer second shot on almost every hole. Buckled down and learned how to keep my driver in play and my scores dropped. Long winded anecdotal way of saying I vote for the first camp
It's not anecdotal though, better drivers = better scores. I don't care who you are you have a better chance of hitting a GIR from 100 yards than 150 yards.
John Sherman preaches off the tee is the most crucial part of amateurs dropping scores. Keeping it in play is step one, hitting it longer is step 2 for the very reason you outline. It’s just math thst the closer you are to the hole the better chance you have of scoring lower.
Step 1 is obviously crucial and a missed step for a long of especially higher handicap golfers. If you’re hitting it OB a few times a round you’re likely better off planning to get on in 3 every hole and stick to the longest, most reliable club in the bag off the tee especially on short to mid par 4s. Sucks to not have an opportunity to be on in 2, but too much focus on that elusive eagle or birdie for a lot of people. If you’ve got an easy chip on for a par putt every hole that is a very not bad position to be in.
Yes but the problem is that step 1 works so well they don’t think they need to move onto step 2. Can’t tell you how many guys I know who put the driver back in the bag. Dropped their scores immediately and now haven’t progressed because they are afraid to hit driver.
I am a huge believer in Sherman's approach to the game. Last year I started tracking my SG data and took like 1 stroke off my index.. this winter I started to tailor my indoor practices to align with my data and more intentional practices. I've stuck with that so far this spring and since posting started (April 1) I am down to an 11.8 from a 17.1 at the beginning of the season. I have broken 80 for the first time, then did it again a month later. The biggest change was just intentional measurable outcome practices! It's been amazingly transformative in my game. Plus when you go to the range/short game area/putting green with a plan in place it's amazing how much quicker you practice too. The efficiency is amazing when I know exactly what I am doing there.
Drive for show and putt for dough is bad advice for amateurs and weekend hacks, you need to get to the green as fast as you can. It's certainly commendable being a maestro around the green, but you're not going to keep up having to constantly get up and down.
Doesn’t matter every r/golfer plays with a mythical senior who hit its 150 but shoots under par every round.
My local muni is swarming with them.
To be that guy, I prefer having a full shot into the green. So if it's like a shorter Par 4 (say 325 yards), I'd prefer to hit 5i (approx 190), PW (approx 140). But I have enough length to realistically manage a course that way. YMMV.
Even if they want to get better, there’s probably lower hanging fruit than 15% more distance off the tee
I am constantly trying to get better at driver, using it on the range and in normal rounds. But if I’m playing league or tournaments, there are times I won’t even bring a driver, especially on tighter courses. I can’t hit it in play reliably even half the time
If you watched the US Open, most players took driver out of play on a lot of holes. Except the guy who won.
I’m not nearly as good at driver as any of those guys. They were in the natural areas and wire grass next to the fairways. Imagine being another 20-100 yards farther away from the fairways, off in the shit. That’s where the majority of my drives would be.
This is the approach I'm taking. Same boat as OP, cant hit my driver to save my life but Im 220-230 with my 3 wood and hit it consistently straight so for the sake of having fun, Im leaving my driver in the bag for the rest of this year, focusing on my short game and getting lessons to sort out my driver in the off season. Fingers crossed I can get it sorted and start using it next year.
Yea I’m going to take lessons for my driver. Really struggling with it lately. Went to the range and was hitting 8 iron 150 carry, furthest I hit driver was 120 carry. Hell my 7 wood carried 190 (but averaged about 175). My pitching wedge was averaging further than my driver Really need help with the driver, till I get lessons though it’s going to stay in the bag.
I just sucked it up and started hitting driver and dealing with the consequences. The consequences after well over 100 drives is that I’m gaining consistency, hitting longer, and scoring lower because of it. Do I still slice a few into oblivion, of course, but my slices are getting less severe and the ball is still in play, and my distances are increasing. Don’t give up on the driver, keep working at it. You’ll thank yourself in a couple months.
Only caveat here is OP needs to figure out what’s wrong. Just repetitions with driver swings without any diagnosis is going to ingrain whatever bad habits are at the root of his issue and make it harder to actually improve. But yeah once there’s a diagnosis and a plan, then it’s all about the reps to ingrain the proper movement.
Of course! I recorded my swing, saw how over the top I was, and actively practiced swinging and learning how to come from the inside. A tip I saw on here a while back that really helped was “pretend like you’re swinging toward first base”, for me as a lefty its third base, but now when I swing I think to swing toward third with a square/slightly closed face and it’s helped tremendously.
I found if you keep plugging the consistent frustration will spur you to find out what’s wrong. A google search fixed my slice
Some can do this, but it’s poor advice to put out to a general population.
I don't have any distance on my 3 wood, and finally just bit the bullet and started swinging my driver. I feel like my driver travels further right to left than it does straight. But I'm playing the slice now, so my ball starts off heading straight OB then slowly curves back to the fairway. I'm slowly hitting straighter, but not enough that I can aim at the fairway if I want to hit the fairway. A few times a round, I'm close enough to reach the green in regulation with a good shot from my hybrid. Once or twice a round, I actually do it. I still end up with a six somehow, but for five minutes I feel great about golf.
220, if straight every time, is going to get the job done on 90% of holes.
“…if straight every time… That’s a pretty big caveat.
Lance? The fuck did I just hear Lance?
No, I said Nance!
This is me. One can score ok and you’ll hear examples of older guys who are scratch that drive it 220. But driving it another 30-50 yards is absolutely game changing on most par 4s and any par 5s. I recently hit my best shot ever that was 200 yds out (2nd shot) with a 5 wood. My buddy (280 yd drive) was congratulating me as he took his 9 iron out with an easy swing to the green. It’s really night and day difference.
220 on a 400 yard par 4 means you’ll have 180 left into the green that’s probably a 5 iron if not more for most people. Hit driver 250 and you’ll have 150 left in that’s an 8 iron. That’s a hugeeeeee difference.
That would the the 10% then wouldn’t it.
You're right, but I would think that someone that's hitting their 3 wood 220 and can't hit driver isn't playing from the tees where they have a lot of 400 yd par 4s
And they should be playing for bogey on longish par 4s
correct. which is still better than playing for double bogey on 335yd par 3's because you sliced your driver into the shit again.
On the course? Yes. Focus on driver on the range until you feel some confidence building then pull driver on the few really wide open holes.
I broke 100 and then 90 since ditching my driver and being happy with the 220 yard 3 wood. Makes the day a lot more pleasant as well. Occasionally looking for balls in semi rough rather than the gorse bushes. Do fancy getting back to hitting a driver someday cos I want to hit bombs etc but I score consistently better since ditching it
I think it does help pretty well getting from 120 to 90 range. When trying to get from 90 to 80 you’re going to need to have that driver sorted out.
62, playing a couple times a year since 35 and breaking 90 is still a dream. I joined a league first time ever this year. The course is tougher than many if you can't hit straight. My driver just isn't consistent so, first time ever, in week 2 I put it in the bag in favor of my 4H, which I hit pretty good. Scores improved so I bought a used 2H which I'm hitting well, sometimes over 200. I may one day dust off the driver but I just want to have fun and a little better score is fun to me.
No. You need to learn how to hit driver
Not sure what I’m doing wrong. But somehow I either stripe my driver right down the middle (rare). Send the ball super high and not far at all. Or most commonly somehow hit the ball with the crown/top of driver head. Luckily it wasn’t very expensive because the top of the head is dented pretty bad now.
The problem is this; People get hung up on hitting fairways. But to really make gains in your game. You need to learn the driver. You won’t hit every fairway but if you’re in play, I’ll take an 8 iron from the rough over a 5 iron from the fairway 100% of the time. That yardage is crucial to scoring lower It’s also great though to know on a shorter, target focused hole, or a day when your driver is ice cold. Pull 3 wood full confidence and move on
How about 5 iron from the rough 2 fairways over?
It massively depends on the course you olay though. I play links courses in the north west of England. They’re not long holes but they’re narrow fairways and the rough is brutal it’s basically a deep bunker in the summer with having to just dig out. Accuracy is 10x more important for distant that extra 50 yards off the tee isn’t worth the 2/3 times extra in the rough
You are teeing up too high. Half of the ball should be covered by the driver when it's resting on the ground.
Such an easy fix too, it’s not like he’s slicing the shit out of it
I'd like to report this comment. I'm in it and I don't like it.
One lesson and I was hitting my driver much better. I realized even how I was teeing it up was messing up my drive, and where I was standing in correlation with the ball. This kind of sounds like it could be your problem as well.
Don’t set up with your driver head on the ground. Float it with the sweet spot behind the ball. This was the first thing that helped me get away from sky balls.
I have a buddy of mine who’s like this but he doesn’t listen very well. Idk if you do it as well but he tee’s his ball super high. Hits straight up and says “idk what’s going man!?”
Sounds like you are teeing it up too high. How high do you tee the ball for a 3 wood? What about driver? What are these clubs?
Go to the range, tee the ball down so it’s in the center of the driver face sitting on the ground, Then put it kind of in your stance where you do a 5 iron and swing it like an iron - this will get you more comfortable. Then when you grow in comfort move it up a little, tee it up a little higher and you’ll start hitting it higher and further, but being terrified of driver isn’t good.
> Or most commonly somehow hit the ball with the crown/top of driver head. Luckily it wasn’t very expensive because the top of the head is dented pretty bad now. You're teeing up too high and hitting down I think. That's why a 3 wood would go farther than driver - you can kinda hit down on a 3w and get away with it (ideally it's more of a sweeping motion or slightly up if teed). Your low point should be behind the ball with driver so you're coming up into the ball. Driving is the one time you want the low point behind the ball.
I had the same problem, i parked my driver for 3 years used my 3 wood off the tee and deck and wore the hell out of it. One spring i said enough is enough and went to the range with only my driver and hit 3 full buckets. Now i drive anywhere from 250-270 and i can work the ball when i need to.
This is the way. I have confidence in my contact with irons so when I do an preround warmup I'll hit my driver and some short irons off the tee and that's about it.
If you look up golf sidekick on YouTube he has about 30 videos proving that you do not need to hit it further than 200 yards to score low.
im with you on the fact that you can play good golf without hitting it far, but that dude is also a scratch/+ handicap. of course he can still score low with only 200 off the tee. He's not hitting 5i from 160 like a dude who can only get 200 of the tee does. He's a 24 handicap left handed. He has a video where he hit his tee shot right handed and then played out the hole left handed. He shot 6 strokes better over just 9 holes compared to his normal left-handed round. He plays rounds without a driver and shoots a good score and tells you "put the driver away" but then plays the same course in a later video and shoots 10 strokes lower with his driver. Keep in mind, he can hit irons further than most people can hit a driver......so he doesn't prove you can score low without hitting it far. He just proves he can score decently without his driver, but still with the ability to hit it far.
I’m a big fan of the Playa in chief and I think you’re slightly misrepresenting him here. He has a bazillion videos showing you don’t need to be long (or use a driver) to break 100 or 90. When it comes to breaking 80 though, with his 6/6/6 method, he’s expecting six GIR and six ups and downs. That’s pretty tough to do hitting the ball 200 off the tee and he says as much.
Try a mini driver. The Taylormade 2024 mini driver is super forgiving and plays like a longer 3 wood
On 18 leave the driver in the bag. Take it out at the range consistently 1-2 a week for a month. Then play 18 with it again.
Tee off with your 3 wood, practice or take lessons with driver and/or have a fitting until you’re comfortable using it on course. Having 30 extra off the tee can save some strokes throughout the round
Yes, until you can hit it
Ive played many of rounds with a three wood only off the tee when I couldn’t hit my driver. Probably do that until you figure it out on the range
i had the exact same problem. i took my driver out of my bag and leave it at home now. since i have done that, my score has improved dramatically. that being said, to take the next step, i need to learn to hit my driver. however, for the moment, i am happy leaving it at home and shooting in the low 90s consistently.
I no longer bother with the driver. I don't have time for lessons, and I can hit my 4 iron around 215. I moved up to the white tees at my course when I made the switch. I usually play 9 holes when I go, and shoot around 42.
Try a shorter or more lofted driver. A driver is objectively easier to hit than a 3wood and distance is the #1 thing you can add to improve your game.
Mini driver is another option here.
Mini drivers are just a marketing tactic. OP would be better off putting a fairway wood shaft on their current driver and adjusting the swing weight.
When I got fit he put a 3w shaft on my driver, definitely makes it easier to swing.
With modern equipment, 3w is now much harder to hit well than Driver so there’s just something psychological you have going on with driver. Don’t rob yourself of 20-40yds off the tee, it likely equates to several strokes a round. Work it out on the range or get lessons
im with ya. gotta be a pure confidence thing but also sounds like OP tees it up too high and I'd bet swings too hard. when you picked up the 3w, you already made teh decision to sacrifice distance......so you make a smoother and more committed swing. people get driver and feel like they have to swing as hard as possible and set a new distance PR every time.
This. The sweet spot on the driver is much larger than 3w so it’s some set up issue or mental issue on the tee box.
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I've actually gone to a 4W for this reason because my philosophy is if you're going to layup then layup.
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I've been 3W, 5W, 4I for a long time but after going to the 4W I'm considering replacing the 5W with a 7W. My current issue is the 4I is great off the tee or fairway but not great out of rough.
Same boat here... Rescued by the fact I carry a driving iron. Learning the driver until its consistent enough (swingwise) to warrant a fitting
Nope. Hit the range/practice until you figure it out.
My brother did the same thing for years, except could outdrive people with him 3-wood (he's an amazing golfer) Take some lessons, he did and now he loves his driver
Everyone will give you individual advice, only you will know what works by testing—at the range. Personally I tee my driver at triple the height of my 3wood and play my driver at my left big toe, with my 3wood 6 inches to the right of that. This is all to get a square contact, find where you are making most of your driver misses (too high, low, left, right of the clubface) and correct accordingly, a perfect strike is ~1/4in above the middle of the clubface—good luck!
You learn to hit your driver. And fun fact, it’s the same swing with a different ball placement. Some minor tweaks to really have a great driver swing, but choke down a bit on your driver, setup with the ball on the inside of your lead heel, and do the same swing you would with a 3w and watch the magic happen. When I have my driver in my hand I have to constantly remind myself to not get cute, just swing normally.
I started teeing off with mine and use my driver at the range extensively. I’m trying to get better, but know I can’t use it reliably in play.
Been working on my swing really hard this year and gained 20-30 yds on all clubs including driver. Scoring is a lot easier when ur hitting wedges vs 7/8 irons into greens.
I picked the game up again this year after 20 years away. First thing I did was buy a really cheap driver. I hit nothing but driver and watched YouTube tips for the first 600 or so range balls. I’m convinced that if one wants to hit driver acceptably then one should do the same. My misses are now right hand rough instead of right hand OB or water. I’m hitting the odd draw when I want. But more importantly I’m confident with driver in hand at the tee. And I’m not crushing it yet either. Average 260-270 but I’m in the fairway or first cut more often than not. Wanna hit driver? Go to the range and hit hundreds of driver.
I took everything out of my bag that I can’t hit. So currently in my bag, I have some tees, ball markers, stale crackers, a half pack of smokes, and windbreaker. It’s quite light.
I am in the exact same situation and haven't played the driver for 2 years now. I slice my driver really bad so it doesn't go any further than my 3 and it's usually in the shit. I don't have money/time for driver lessons and I'm perfectly happy with the golf I'm playing with my 3. Some day I'll get driver lessons or fitted for a driver, but right now it's not a priority.
Practice with your driver. Figure out what you’re doing wrong.
You’re losing a lot of yards and by virtue of that, chances at greens. I had the same debate and it was clear as day. Get a driver (or maybe just a shaft) that works for you.
I hit 3 wood for an entire season once and not even teed up, right off the tee block. It was money and similar to you, around 220-240. But I got tired of being 20-40 yards behind everyone so started practicing my driver, got fitted for a new one, now it's money for 250-280. Changed the game for me.
This is what I did for now. Irony is I hear 3W is supposed to be harder to hit.
It’s harder to hit off the deck, 100%. I’m not sure 3W off a tee is too hard to hit though.
3 wood harder to hit off the deck?
Ah thats true, didn't think of it that way.
Keep hitting your 3W. I’d rather be playing from the fairway than the rough. On a good day I’m hitting mine in the 260-275 range, off day is around 235-250. I’m assuming you’re not playing from the tips, I’m definitely not. I like the second shot to be on the short stuff where I can actually get to the green and give myself a chance to score.
You can if you want to put a significant ceiling on your game. Double down on your weaknesses.
Invest in a driver lesson, I did as someone in a similar spot and it made a world of difference
I would suggest a round by round approach to keeping the driver in the bag. Some days it works and some days it doesn’t. But you do need to keep trying to figure it out, can’t just quit altogether.
Had the same problem. If I was trying to have fun with friends and/or playing for money, yeah I kept the driver in the bag. Eventually locked in my driver
I would until I could hit the driver well on the range.
I felt the same way until my three wood actually broke from repeated use in under 6 months. Had to use driver in that brief time while it was being fixed and broke 100 for the first time (with winter rules/temp greens). Haven’t really gone back to using 3wood off the tee unless it’s course management or long par 3. You will definitely see the difference once you get the hang of it in terms of yardage on second shots.
Leave it in the bag during rounds to score but make sure to practice it on the range so it becomes a weapon
What is the length (physical) of the driver and what is the loft? You may be ideal candidate for a thriver. It is essentially a high lofted driver and a little bit shorter than normal driver.
Hitting straight is more important than hitting long. The goal is fewer strokes regardless of the club you use.
Yes
Post your setup for driver. Let’s see what we are working with. Could be a simple grip/address issue
I also hit 3w around 230 avg with odd spike 250-260. I left my driver in the bag all season. I finally ponied up and got driver lessons this year. The coach asked what I wanted out of the lessons and I said keep driver in play. He helped me figure out my two-way miss and now the driver sails. I went from leaving driver in the bag, to being the longest hitter in my friend group. Get lessons. And practice what your coach tells you.
Just take it on selected holes where it is i) forgiving in the landing area ii) giving you good potential gains eg 8 iron Vs 4 iron second shot (poor gains would be to give yourself 40 yards over a bunker rather than 100, or where you can't reach in two anyway). Accept that sometimes it will pay off and sometimes not. Certain courses it may never be worth the risk and others it might be almost every hole
Driver are now too long for many. Shorten it up.
You should go to the range and actually work on hitting the driver better.
I’m the same way. I hit the 3 wood 260 and keep it in play but the driver will put me OB 2-3 times a round. I leave my driver at home.
also maybe see what length the driver is playing at? I think a bunch of stock driver length is like 45.5 inches. Probably need something like 45 inches which would help your dispersion
Go to a range, do nothing but hit driver. Remember, it's a different swing than irons and woods. Take time between each shot, play with tee hight as well as front shoulder should be higher than the trail shoulder. Start by swinging very slow to focus on hitting the center of the face rather than care where or how fat it goes. When you hit a good one, stop for a second and try to remember how your body felt.
I have some driver yips at the moment from lack of practice, so I only took 3 wood and 3 iron off the tee on my last round. I hit 85% fairways and nearly tied my lowest round because i wasn’t in awkward positions or having to drop after a bad tee shots. Worst case just go up a tee box to make up for the lost distance if you don’t use the driver, and gain confidence on the range
Keep at practicing your driver - this was my issue too but over the last 4 months I’ve honed in my driver, which I now hit 240 to 280. It’s a really good feeling, even with the occasional mishit and hitting only half the fairways.
i was in the same boat, didn't play driver all last year. my scores dropped about 10 strokes, now that driver is back in the bag, they ballooned up again. the struggle is real. it depends on what your goals are. if going low(er) is the aim, then bench driver other than the range until you figure it out, but if you want to follow common convention that distance is everything (it isn't) then do the dumb bullshit i'm in the middle of and suffer through garbage tee shots on the course.
Get a shorter shaft for your driver my guy.
I was in the same camp for a while until I got a good pre-shot routine down with my driver. Rick Shiels has a few great videos on this. I also switched to these [tees](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CVH2HM96?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) that make the ball the same height every time.
Figure out the driver, or move up a tee box.
Yes. Leave it in the trunk. Don’t try to figure out how to hit it out on the course. But don’t give up on it. Get a couple of lessons focusing on driver. If you can hit your 3 wood reliably your can hit any club. My guess is that you’re trying to smash the driver. Swing it like you’re swinging your pitching wedge and you’ll probably get 250 down the middle. But for now, play the club that works.
I had the same problem for a long time. I focused on a 75% backswing with the driver at the range so I could dial in a fairway finder. Once I got comfortable delivering the club head from a shorter distance it was easier for me to step on it when needed. In most cases that shorter backswing is all that’s necessary to get a good distance off of the tee.
Keep it in your bag for now while on the course, but continue to work on it on the practice range.
Start with a mini driver and work up from there. Shorter length, smaller head, work on body awareness.
3Wood when playing a round and driver for the range only until you can figure it out.
Sometimes it’s the difference in length of the club between driver and 3 wood that makes the difference. I cut my driver down from 45.75 to 44.75 and that made all the difference in the world.
Leave it at home for a round and see how it goes
Learn how to hit your driver, but it's not particularly bad if you're good with your long irons/mid irons. I'm kind of the same way, but I've gotten better with driver. If the wood puts me within like 165 yards, and in the fairway, I'll usually just opt for the wood instead of driver and potentially ending up in the rough but like 20-30 yards closer. Then again, the rough at my home course is usually pretty... well rough... so it can really ruin your day
I kept my driver in my trunk for 3 years. I played only my irons. It was the best decision I ever made in my golf game. I’m just a point a space but after dialing in my driver on the range and focusing on landing in a consistent 20 yard cone, my game is 10 shots better consistently this year compared to before keeping the driver out of the bag. I’m now attacking greens off my second or third shot instead of chunking out or dropping, hoping for a playable 3rd, missing a green, chipping on and hoping to two putt. It’s like I’m playing a whole different game of golf.
Learning to hit your driver will help you scoring significantly. I hit my 5 wood about 220. I hit my driver 265. It means I'm hitting pitching wedge on shot #2 instead of six iron. Don't give up on it, but obviously you can still club down while working on it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/s/AQmYKYBLPk
Duh.
Man I was in the same camp. I have since moved away from 3wood to driver. For me going from a 250 off the tee to 280+ with about the same spread has been awesome. There are very few cases playing from 6500ish yards where 3wood is needed over my 3h. For Driver, **I'd recommend taking some lessons INDOORS.** Trackman bays are much cheaper during the summer and the data about your spin/swing path/face is essential for the driver to feel the difference.
With how close these 2 clubs are it sounds more mental than mechanical. Try playing with tee and ball placement, pretend it’s a 3 wood when you’re holding it. Stop swinging the driver harder than the 3 wood
Luckily my driver is pretty solid but there are days where I’m swinging lazy and it tends to spray. On those days I’ll stick with 3w off the tee and it salvages the round. Nothing wrong with it, just leaves longer irons in.
Pretty much the same as me, I've ditched both and bought a callaway mini driver for tee shots, loving it so far.
Definitely keep it in the bag and practice. I have friends that do what you are considering, and they struggle when we play further back or if the course is longer. I average 285 off the T with my driver. A 6500+ course gets harder if I go 3 wood 230 and now have 220 in on a 450 par 4. Depends where you play I guess.
I have been keeping my driver in the bag for over a year now. Waiting until I completely forget how to hit driver so I can go get lessons
I hit my driver about 220, and all over the place, 1 out of 5 shots is perfect. 2 out of 5 “playable” if I am lucky. The other two land the next county over. I play the 3 wood and hit it about 200. I bring the driver, but leave it in the bag to think about what it has done. I call it the timeout driver
A single lesson got my driver playable, I’d recommend one before giving up on it
I was in the same situation. I spent months learning how to hit my driver straight, it was incredibly frustrating but paid off. My fix was to keep my lead arm locked straight throughout my entire swing. Once I started doing that, the slice disappeared and the ball would go straight about 270-280 rather than slicing and going 200-220 OB.
For now theres nothing wrong with hitting 3 wood off the tee if it puts you in the best position
If your life depends on it, I might.
Shorten your driver.
I had a similar problem a few years ago and only hit driver if I know I could avoid trouble by going right. My 4 wood was my fairway finder. It isn’t the same now unfortunately but it is what it is. Learn to hit driver but don’t lean on it like a crutch. Find a backup shot to hit off the tee like a lot of people online will tell you you to do. Having a fall back or stock shot will make the game more fun.
Woods you hit down on the ball driver you hit up. Go hit your driver.
I have a similar problem, Just started, got a half bag driver / hybrid 4 / 7 and 9 iron and SW. Iron are okay, driver is ok (a little bit of slice) but I'm unable to hit the hybrid ... So it's either 240 m or 135 m .. no in between 🥲
I know there's a ton of comments already so this might get lost but it has helped my game tremendously to move to a 3+ wood from a huge 460cc driver. Both are about 13.5⁰. Might be an option for you! There's a reason mini drivers are becoming much more popular among pros and ams right now.
No, keep at it. What are you doing with your 3 wood setup that’s different? Maybe mirror your driver to that setup and make small adjustments
I dont remember posting this. My 4 iron goes 220. My 3 wood USED to go 250 now I cant hit it either. My driver goes 90 or 120 if i'm lucky. Same swing, sometimes middle face contact. I took lessons he said I had to work my irons to fix my swing.
Only time I can hit a good 3W is at the range. Complete chaos on the course.
Hit three wood while playing, work on learning how to hit driver better. I left driver in the bag for almost an entire year a few years back, but I was working on hitting driver better in the background. Driver is a real weapon if you can hit it well; if you are constantly losing strokes with it, leave it in the bag while playing until you figure it out on the range. That being said, it might take some time figuring it out on course after working on it at the range.
You shouldn’t be using any club during a round that you aren’t fairly confident with. Go to the range and practice driver, use it once you have more confidence
just visualize a 3W in your hand 👍
Get a shorter driver. Mini drivers are a thing now.
Use your wood on the course until you figure out your driver at the range
Play with what works on the course. Off the course work on the driver and the rest of your game. Strangely I can't ht my 3 wood for shit. I originally bought it with the hope I could use it as a fairway finder but it has not been that and I use my 3H for that when I need to hit a fairway.
They are very different swings to be fair, practice driver until u feel better but play with 3 wood - depending how serious you take your rounds
You hit 3W well probably because you hit down on it. Then you put the same swing on the 3W => disaster. Or it could just be the shaft in your driver is too different from your 3W. Consider getting fitted. Never put your driver away. Distance off the tee is the modern game because it gives you a better chance to land it on the green with a shorter loftier iron. It scoring holes like par 5s and long par 4s in play. Your approaches on these holes will be 2-3 club lengths longer on average with a 3W to achieve GIR or below.
I'm betting you have a steep out to in downswing that produces a slice? So you can tee a 3 wood low approach it steeply and it has enough loft for you to get it up in the air. But that doesn't work with a driver. The driver does take a different swing than fairway woods as it sits on a tee; need to hit up. You likely get pop ups off a properly highly teed driver shot because you're swing path is downward from out to in? Tough answer is - its not the driver; its likely your swing/swing path/angle of attack. Its a classic problem.
Take a lesson and learn to hit driver. Until then, 3 wood on the course is fine.
New mini drivers coming out, might be worth a shot.
Leave it in the bag. Prioritize practicing with it. Getting an extra 40+ off the tee is so important for par 5s and most par 4s
3-wood is meant to be hit more like a long iron. You want to hit down on the ball. Off the fairway, you should have a small divot like you would a 4 iron. Your driver is a completely different swing. You want to hit up on the ball and take zero divot. If you can hit the 3-wood but not the driver, this is why.
I’ve played golf for 30 years without a driver and I play straight up bogey golf. I have fun. I keep the pace of play up. If I wanted to be a scratch golfer or really needed to shoot lower, I would definitely learn to use a driver.
It happens sometimes. You just have to deal with it. You're not just going to magically get better with driver by leaving it in the bag. Take it to the range and try to figure something out.
I've found the key to hitting driver for me was speed. You have to really give it some and go 100%. It's the only club I hit like this. If you can't generate the speed I'd leave it out the bag, but that's just me and I'm bad.
I’m pretty similar. Hit the 3 wood 220 but the driver only goes 210-260
Use the 3 as your driver for a while. Then when you think you’re ready take that puppy out and “half swing” and it’ll be dead straight
I had the same exact thought and situation. Ultimately decided to suck it up and keep the driver. I kept watching swing videos and hitting the range and realized I have potential to hit my driver 250-280 if I can get consistent. Definitely worth the extra 50-80 yards that I get over my wood to keep at it.
i am a horrible golfer, recently golfed with a random guy that noticed my grip was absolute trash and he thought that's why i was slicing so bad. He showed me a better grip and while it's 100% consistent i can hit 250+ on a few holes very straight. My point being there is a fix for you, find it and it will help especially on those long par 5's.
Try a shorter shaft for your driver. Going -1 inch helped me a ton.
I’m not trying to be a Taylor Made shill, but I was struggling mightily with driver. Got a Sim II late last year and am hitting the best tee shots of my life. Sometimes, it CAN be the equipment.
agree with william
I had this. The way I fixed it was moving the ball much further forward in my stance with driver and swinging in a more single plane with that club. Driver now a strength not a weakness.
Some days I hit my 4 iron further than my driver 😂
I have a friend that only uses a 3 wood off the tee. If it works for you, why change it??
I've had this exact same problem. I eventually took lessons tomhit driver and I'm now easily hitting 255yards with my driver. Personal best was a 308 yards for a furthest drive on a match. Only thing I won that day because I could not hit a putt even if my live depended on it that day.
What is your goal? Keep getting better or just consistently hit low? If I cant hit a club I remove it so I'm not tempted to make a mistake on the course. You can absolutely shoot low without a driver but if you want to maximize your potential you need to learn to hit that club consistently.
Well if it were me I'd practice more and try to improve instead of just giving up.
Yes- I hit my 3 210 stuck to this and dropped 10 on my h/c
Your driver swing is too steep
I would if I could hit my 3 wood that far.
I was in the same boat then I got a new driver and the new technology is insane how forgiving they are lol. Sure that may not fix my swing but now I can hit my driver relatively strait for 250+ rather than my 5 wood for 220
Get a lesson and/or go practice driver. Being good from long range is the biggest separating factor in skill level. Step 1 is just be in play. OB shots kill a scorecard quickly. Step 2 is hit it as far as possible. Because everyone hits it closer from closer. At all skill levels we all hit it closer to the flag from 100out than 200out. So hitting it far on the first swing is a big advantage. Idk how much golf you watch but “strokes gained” is a relatively new stat to put numbers to how “good” a shot was. Long story short, this Columbia university professor formally disproved “drive for show, putt for dough”. Drive is the most important club in the bag. If you really want to get as good as possible, driver needs to be a weapon, not a liability. Driver was killing my game too. Short game and putting pretty killer. Approach game decent. But driver was volatile as hell. Finally got several lessons and put in the hours practicing and I recent shot 78 and 77 at my home course from the tees just in front of tips. And I went from a 19hcp to a 10!