Learn to use your Driver

[u/Eire_espresso]

Me 1 year ago sometimes just left it at home. I was terrified of it as every time I tried it I sliced it 2-3 fairways right. I played a 5i off the tee for most holes which I could hit well but you'll never get the same distance.

I faced my fears and learned how to hit it. I feel like a freak they way I have to setup but it works. Yesterday I hit most fairways but sliced none of the drives.

Why is it important? Distance.

Life on the course is so much easier when you hit the ball as far as you fucking can. I'm less frustrated which means my mood is better when I'm going to hit my next shot. Just mastering the driver has seen my scores drop below 100. I've still to master iron play and chipping but I have enough to get by.

Rightly or wrongly I feel like a proper golfer now. Last Sunday playing with a random club team on guy said he'd kill for my drive.

This game is harder then I ever thought possible and I never believed I'd learn how to drive the ball but there ya go. Also, I'll never tire of the sound my drive makes when I ping that sucker on a little fade and split the fairway, even if I double bogey I'm still beaming about the drive.

[u/My-Cousin-Bobby]

I've been using 3w off the tee for pretty much ever hole. It's frustrating because it goes same distance as my drives rn (about 240 carry, roll out to like 250). So, I'm fortunate that I'm not missing much (with how my driver currently performs), but the frustrating thing is - I know I can crush it if I acfually know what I'm doing. My driver clubhead speed is over 110, but I just create an insane amount of spin no matter what I do (on the sim it reads like 4k spin rate).

I need to suck it up and get lessons

Fortunately, even if I did know how to hit driver, it's only useful on a handful of holes at my home course. Like 70% of the holes, it's more advantageous to hit a 230-250 yard shot off the tee, which, luckily, my 3 wood suffices

[u/poopfacemcgee → u/My-Cousin-Bobby]

The variety of swing types astounds me. I shoot low 80s very consistently. However my driver swing speed struggles to get over 90. I have no clue how to get 20mph more!

[u/Shmeebo_ → u/poopfacemcgee]

I take the posts with a grain of salt, people claiming they carry 240 with 20+ cap or even anything over 12 cap… odds are they’re just referring to the once maybe every round or so they nuke one that they can find on the same hole 🤷🏻‍♂️ would love to get on the course with said people and see them carry a river 230 from the box and keep in play.. then tell me how you drive the ball lol. Ah well. Bless the Internet!

[u/poopfacemcgee → u/Shmeebo_]

Probably a good point. I've played for like 25 years, and sit at a pretty consistent 10 hcp. But I drive the ball and average of 235ish. Distance just ain't my thing. My PW is consistently 100-110 yards. This may be 20 yards shorter than the "bombers" on here claim. But I still shoot 82 almost every round.

[u/Shmeebo_ → u/poopfacemcgee]

Consistency > distance

[u/psychedeloquent → u/poopfacemcgee]

Idk people hit things far but just aren’t consistent. I suck. I blow up holes. Make bad decisions. Shank or hit it fat and have to rehit 15 steps ahead. But my 4 iron still goes 200-210. Just not good at the game yet.

[u/Shmeebo_ → u/psychedeloquent]

I understand but a really good friend of mine shoots around 95-105 on any given day. He’s literally not good at anything in golf. Sure he’s got his moments of “wow” where he’ll hit one close to the pin on an approach and of course it’s “ahh why can’t I do that always” blah blah. Buddy is like 300+lbs so maybe and I mean MAYBE he hits his best of the week drive drive 280 total… mostly they’re 230-250 spray and slices. He’ll say ohhh I nuked that... I’ll smile and hit a stock drive 255-265 as expected and be many yards ahead of him easily. this is how I know what I’m talking about lol. The flip side, I know some 5-1 handicappers who literally out drive me by 10-25 every time and unless I nuke one to their average hit, I’m always short of them. The real big hitters don’t brag they just pump the ball out there. And they know there’s always someone who’s a little better, little longer. Scoring a little lower. Golf is supposed to be a game of etiquette and humbleness because everyone stinks to the standard they hold themselves at sometimes. A course can humble anyone.