Conservative Strategy; Cocky swing

This is chapter out of Bob Rotella's book. It is simple, yet effective. It goes to explain why pull a driver every time when a 3 wood will do the job. In some cases even a 5 Iron can replace the driver! From the Tee, landing in the fairway 175 yards to the hole is better than a driver leaving you in the rough and 50 yards closer. Hence instead of a tentative swing with the driver, use a long irong and swing with confidence. Sound advice...I think. But will your ego let you do this ?

I have been golfing for 5 years now. I just bought my first driver. If the Par 4 hole is 400 yds or less, I use a 3 iron to Tee off which gives me about 220 yards or my 3 wood which gives me about 240-250 yards. I am learning to play the course rather than just hit the driver. It is very hard to do, since the other golfers in my group will be using drivers. But then I chuckle to myself when they go in the rough.

Lee Trevino is quoted as saying that 90% of amateur golfers would be better off not even carrying a driver. I can't give you the source, but I've seen that quotation more than once (He might have said 99%). I've also read that for most golfers the difference in distance between the driver and the 3W is about 10 yards, but the difference in accuracy is much greater than that. To get any advantage from the driver, you have to be able to (a) hit it hard enough to keep it in the air with the lower trajectory, and (b) hit square enough to minimize the sidespin that causes slices and hooks.

I can hit 250 yards with my driver. The operative word is "can." That means, 250 yards is my best drive, but it is by no means my typical drive. Typically, it's going to be 220-230 or less. And although I *can* hit it straight, I usually don't. With my 3W I not only *can* hit about 220 yards, I usually do, and I am *far* more likely to end up on the fairway.

It may be a blow to my ego to use a 3W when the others are using drivers, but it's worse to drive a wicked banana slice into the woods. I reserve the driver for the very widest fairways, where I feel I can't get into too much trouble, and even then I don't usually end up in an advantageous position.

The temptation is not just about ego. It's also the tendency to remember those few times when I used the driver and crushed it and the ball sailed right down the middle--and to forget about the banana slices, worm burners, and pinball shots amid tree branches. I remember the great shots (by my standard; I realize not everyone is thrilled with a 250 yard drive) and then the little voice says, "Wouldn't it be great to hit one of those now?"

I figure my approach is okay. I don't want to shun the driver altogether, but I limit it to holes where it isn't likely to get me into too much trouble. My partner can hit about 180 off a tee with his 5 iron, and when he's really concentrating on making a certain score, he goes to that club every time, because he's completely confident in that shot going straight where he points it.

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Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

Screw ego - I use my Rescue Mid 16* off the tee all the time. If I catch it right I can hit it 230 yards. Most par 4's that leaves me in the fairway with a 6 iron or less in my hand.

My only ego is reading my score card - it's bigger when my score is in the 80's than when it's in the 90's.

At my home course, the first hole is a longish par 4 - with a downhill shot, and a great, big, wide fairway.

I like Bob's idea - but why not apply it to the driver as well?

I personally like to hit driver. My swing is still largely in a state of flux - so I can't guarantee that my 3W or even my 5i will be any more playable than a drive.

But I've always played reckless golf - the more I try to play conservatively, the worse I play, for some reason. I can't play level 5's to save my life.

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A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

I love this strategy and have been using it. I plan to use it till I learn to hit the driver - straight. It has worked. But the key is 'no holding back' when hitting the irons, for I found when I am careful and try to control the swing, I Pull(when I tighten the lower body) or Push the ball(when the swing is not complete).

I do that too. When I am teeing of with a 3 iron, I just go for it. Get about 220-230 yds and that feeling is priceless.

I tried to use this strategy (replace driver with 3-wood) about 2 years ago when my driver was too eradic. It was a good idea back then but now it doesn't make much sense for me when more of my drives hit the fairway.

Average drive = 280 - 300+
Average 3-wood = 230-250
5- iron = 180-190

On an average par 4, 50 yards (average increase in distance between 3 and driver) can mean the difference between hitting an 8 iron into the green instead of a 3 iron. So unless I am playing a pitch and putt course or a quirky place with lots of doglegs, I always let the big dog eat.

I'm a big fan or Dr Bob; the best golf advice I've ever read and not once does he mention "swing plane" or "spine angle".

The other thing to remember about his conservative strategy, cocky swing approach is that it's all very personal and may change from round to round. If you're hitting the driver great then use the driver, if you're having trouble with a pitching wedge then leave yourself an 8-iron to the green.

There are some excellent anecdotes in the book where the greats such as Nicklaus and Watson left a club in the bag all day because they weren't comfortable with it and formulated a strategy that means they'd never have to use it during the round (I seem to recall that it was the driver in Nicklaus's case and the wedge for Watson).

Another observation of Dr Bob is that the pros have the single-mindness to do this whereas amatuers will try to perservere with a club that's not working form them and lose many more shots in the process. As he says, practice is for the range, the course is for play (or something like that).

just groove a swing, stay in balance, and pull the f**king big stick!

Part of the allure of golfing for me is hitting the driver. I suppose I hit the fairway 50% of the time. I'm not comfortable with my long irons yet so I try to get as close to the hole as possible. When I get a hold of a good drive it can go 300 yards. My longest drive to date is 320, but I average 250. DAMN THE ROUGH!! As GoBucks said; "LET THE BIG DOG EAT!".

My favorite saying after a long drive; "I CRUSHED THAT BALL!!!"

My friends that I golf with don't drive it as far as I do so I feel I owe it to them to unleash a couple of long ones each round.

that is all

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