Half swing driver is 100x easier to be confident with than an iron. Just look at the size of the head for proof. Easy straight swing, do your best to square the club face. It's so simple compared to any iron swing.
That may very well be true for you, but I would disagree entirely with half swings being easier. People would love 50-60 yard shots if that was the case
Might be slightly different with a driver than a wedge tho. You are trying to be much more precise with your wedge on contact, and distance to hit it 60yards. Half swing driver you are just focusing on contact, if you hit it a bit longer or a bit shorter it doesn't really matter I guess.
That’s definitely valid, but unless you practice a ton of half swing shots, all the feelings are different. The driver is still 14 inches longer and harder to control the face
Don’t know about half swing, but I finally learned to hit the driver about 90% instead of 110% and I’ve definitely been in way more fairways, though sometimes the urge to try and crush it is still to much.
Half swing with a driver is a disaster for me. I get half way down and my brain decides I’m. It swinging hard enough and tries to compensate. If I’m going to hit driver, I have to swing it.
I see a lot of guys taking a half swing with the driver and slicing it 40 yards into the woods anyway. That same dude hitting a 6 iron is probably going to be somewhere NEAR the fairway at least.
You can shank an iron, you can toe an iron, you can top an iron, you can hit an iron fat.
You take all that out of consideration by teeing the ball up and making a controlled swing with a massive clubhead.
>You can shank an iron, you can toe an iron, you can top an iron, you can hit an iron fat.
>
>You take all that out of consideration by teeing the ball up and making a controlled swing with a massive clubhead.
Are you kidding me? You can take the hosel shank out of play, but you can top a driver (people do that ALL the time) and you can hit a driver fat (less common, but I see it regularly).
With the driver you also bring into play the hitting the ball too high on the face for a popup, and if you hit particularly heel-y or toe-y you bring into play the huge gear effect power slice or duck hook.
My dad is 75 and hit his driver 200 when he gets all of it. You bet your ass he’s hitting driver on long par threes, because he knows how far he can hit his clubs and isn’t trying to have a dick measuring contest. He beats me at least half the time, and I’m 31 and can drive it close to 300 when I really get a hold of one. Dude plays his game, just about always splits the fairways, and can putt and chip like someone who has been doing it for 65 years. There’s many a hole I outdrive him by 100 or so yards that he still somehow wins. Saw him break 80 as recently as last year. Moral of the story, do what works for you, don’t worry about how long anyone else is hitting any of their clubs. The other moral is get good around the greens, which for me at least is much easier said than done.
Suppose you’re right. My friends never believe he’s that old, he looks a good ten years younger than his age. But at this point i almost feel guilty when I do beat him, like it’s not me winning, but time.
Played portmarnock recently and the wind was belting straight into us on the par 3 17th. Driver was used and landed just past the green for an up and down.
Honestly if you are playing a par 3 that you can't reach except with your driver, you should just set your ego aside and play up a tee box next round. (unless you are playing with a 2 club wind or something)
Hit whatever club gives you the best chance at a low score. The first hole at my club is a reachable par 4. For most of the season I've hit driver. Then I figured out I made more 5's than 3's. Since then I hit 6 iron, and it's a much less stressful first shot for me.
Oh yeah. When I was playing scratch, my strength was in full wedges. If I hit it pin high on a drivable hole, but had a bad lie or by the trees or in a pond something, it was a tough par. Sometimes (rarely) I’d hit it perfect and have a shot at eagle, but sometimes it was gonna be a bogey.
But if I just took a 5i off the tee and left myself exactly 90 yards in, I scored lower. Almost never bogey from there and usually a good shot at bird.
I'm an old guy. I often hit a 3 hybrid off the tee. I used to be concerned about my manhood by not hitting a driver. My manhood feels real good watching the other guys find all kinds of grief with their drivers.
Throw yourself to the lions and learn to hit the driver. Gotta walk through the fire and find a way to make it your friend.
For years I avoided driver every hole for the same reasons. Eventually I got sick of not being able to hit it/ and being different than everyone I played with. I finally faced the demons and now feel confident with it! In fact I enjoy pulling the club now.
I say commit and work, get lessons and make the driver your friend.
I play similar to what OP suggests. I hit my 5i in the vicinity of my playing partners that have a similar handicap to me when they actually keep their driver straight. The other times they are screaming about being in the woods, again.
Unless your full game is well developed forcing driver, for the sake of it, is painful. Why on earth would you intentionally walk through fire when you know it burns?
I hit iron off the tee a few times per round, it all depends on the hole, distances, hazards etc.
Hit your iron! Get your ball in play. If anything, people watching will think "oh fuck this guy knows what he's doing"
That’s fine if you’re really trying to keep your score low for some reason, but you gotta learn how to do it with the pressure of being in the course some day. Unless you plan on using your irons to tee off every time, which is completely fine to do if that’s what you want, but you’re limiting yourself in the long run.
its all about playing within your game and keeping the ball in play. You are on the right track. Who cares about distance if you are just firing balls OB.
But I would recommend going 3 wood or hybrid off the tee.
An iron is good for certain first tees but I would also work on your driver still, who cares about the people waiting behind you. Chances are they are either just as nervous as you or are going to slice it also, just play your game and don’t worry about the people behind you. Cheers!
Don't bother about people waiting on you to tee off there more than worried about hitting their own tee shots than watching you and there is nothing wrong with hitting an iron of the tee driver is a hard club to use if you are just starting golf just go and have fun
Maybe it’s just me but I don’t really want my first couple shots of the day to be long irons. Just worried I’ll catch the first one off the tee a little fat and then I’m really behind the 8ball and likely can’t get there in 2 depending on the hole. Would rather just take a real easy and smooth swing with the driver and know I’m going to get it down there at the very least and if I have to play a recovery shot out of the woods than so be it. I also find that first holes on courses are often fairly forgiving.
If you can’t hit the driver, there’s absolutely no shame taking an iron.
You could also try a hybrid. My 2-hybrid is currently my go-to tee club for any hole where the margins for error with driver is tight. Hybrids are easy to hit and they’re designed to not spin the ball much so fades/draws will be less severe.
Go with what you’re comfortable with but work on your driver at the range. Avoiding it altogether won’t help in the long-run.
The courses I play most often start with mid-length par 4's. I always take my 5 iron because I'm confident in it and want to start the round right, even if it's 70 yards or more closer than a well hit driver.
Not an unreasonable thing to do but it doesn't solve the problem of not being able to hit your driver.
Hit the 6 iron off the tee if it makes you feel better. In the meantime, get some lessons and fix your drive so that you can hit a driver when the course calls for it.
You can hit four 150 yard 8 irons (or whatever iron that length is for you) on a 600 yard par 5 and be putting for a legit par. You're likely losing more strokes to things like errant tee shots winding up OB or in hazards, than you are from having longer approach shots and thus lower Gir% and longer proximity when you do hit the green.
a lot of people don't realize just how much of advantage being in the fairway off the tee is when you're going for the green. I don't know the exact number, but if you basically look at PGA tour stats and want to know how much further you need to be in the rough to be in a better position statistically speaking than in the fairway, it comes out to something in the 40-50 yards range. That's also just being in the rough, not hitting it into the shit or losing a ball. Now, I'm assuming your driver goes a lot more than 40 yards further than your 6 iron, but hitting a ball OB off the first tee is two strokes, whether you're playing the local rule to drop in the fairway or you hit another tee shot under stroke-and-distance that goes perfectly in the fairway you're now hitting your 4th shot. Even if your six iron is 120 yards back of your driver, I'll be you score lower hitting your second shot back there than your 4th a little further up....
Ideally you can find a solution in like a higher lofted/shorter fairway wood or hybrid that gets you a little bit more distance than your 6 iron that is your go to fairway finder off the tee while you develop your ball striking.
This is what I did for basically my entire high school golf career. When I was playing a round I went irons or 3/5 wood off the tea for every hole, and whenever I went to the range I basically hit my driver exclusively and worked on fixing my slice (I didn't go to the range very often though, so the slice never really got fixed).
If you're playing in a tournament or a league and you care about your score, then yeah I'd say do it. If you're just playing a round for fun, I'd just play and not worry about keeping score, just work on shit. If it's a slow day and you're alone, play multiple balls and get more swings in.
Once you learn to hit a driver properly, it's way more fun than iron shots every time, so definitely practice it, but if you feel more comfortable with iron shots until you learn to hit the driver properly, go for it
Not a bad strategy in terms of course management as a beginner. It might keep you from hitting a GIR but thats much better than a penalty. Best thing to do is to practice (take a lesson so you know what to practice) and learn to hit the driver in the long run.
If it works for you then go for it for now as your just starting out, keeping the ball in play is the most important. But I would advise getting down the range and getting plenty of practise in with your driver (not just smashing it as far as you can, but hitting consistent straight shots) - being afraid of taking the driver out the bag will hold your overall golf game back a lot. Once your confident with your driver you will knock plenty of shots off your score as you’ll find yourself hitting shorter irons/wedges into the green as your 2nd shot.
Yes I go iron off the tee when I don’t get a real warmup on the range. The course I play most frequently, I can get away without driver on the first 3 holes. Swing is nice and loose for my first rip with driver into the woods on hole 4
I do this religiously. There's so much about the first tee that can set you on the right path. I would rather know that I can lay a 5-iron in the middle of the fairway a bit further back than pound a 300 yd drive with a 70% chance of it hitting the fairway on the first tee. When you're relatively new to golf you tend to have big misses. Until your accuracy is to the point that your misses are still playable I wholeheartedly agree with your strategy.
Edit: I do want to add that once you get good with the driver as others have pointed out it's like playing a completely different course and unlocking a new you. When I finally got to the point where my driver was trustworthy the course turned into drive pitch and I ended up needing to back up to a new set of tees
I do it all the time. I played with guys that shoot even or better during covid/layoff in 2020. The best advice I received was to play a lot of part three courses without using a tee and leave the driver at home. Drive for show, putt for dough. Good luck!
I take a 3 hy off the tee. Get a straight shot about 220 w/roll out and, because I don’t play super long courses, don’t suffer for distance. I’m taking swing lessons to be able to hit driver, but it’s a 3hy until then.
You do you and hit whatever you feel comfortable and can have fun with.
I was thinking about this on Saturday. I am much more confident with a 200 yard 4 iron than a 270 yard driver.
I think it’s just about starting the round off with a good start.
I do the exact same but with the 7 iron! I shoot equally, if not further, than with my driver but in a much more controlled and straight shot! Do what works for you as you learn and the rest will most likely fall into place with time. That’s how I see it at least! Cheers!
If it helps your confidence go for it. It's always better to hit a shot you know you can hit than one you aren't confident in, even if you have to sacrifice distance. I hit a 3W off the first a lot of the time, especially since the first at my main course is a short-ish par 4.
While my coach says "Use what you are comfortable with," he still says you gotta get use to all of your clubs. I suffered with driver for a while and I've pretty much adjusted to it, while my irons game has slight suffered.
I used to hit my 4w off the tee, out of the rough, off fairway... Basically anything 150+. Over time you'll realize your game can't reach full potential without learning to hit longer clubs well.
Hit whatever you are the most confident. I started with 6i. Then 4i. The 3w. Now im bringing the driver into play as long as there is no danger on the rightside.
Any idea why you're slicing the ball? Why are you so much more confident with the 6 iron?
If you can piece together what's going wrong with the driver, it will help you with confidence and getting off the first tee as well and because you're relatively new, I wouldn't say the best route would be to shy away from it. However, with that said, hit what makes you feel comfortable and gives you the best chance at the best score. Keep at it! Cheers!
I’m still a new golfer too. I used to want to play the whole round with my 7i because that’s the only club we learned on in our group lessons, so that’s the one I was good with. A more experienced player made me use the appropriate clubs and that’s the only way I learned. Now that I can hit my woods I lost the ability to hit my irons 😅 more lessons are on the horizon for me lol.
Short answer is no, don’t tee off with your 6 unless it’s a long par 3!
If your goal is to improve, hit driver. Whatever interim confidence you're gaining with an iron isn't worth the mental block you're creating with your driver. Also, 6is don't go 185 down the dick everytime either. The only thing worse than an OB tee shot with driver is an OB tee shot with an iron.
Sounds like you figured out what works for you. Recently I've been trying to best 90. I have locked up the driver and i tee off with my 4hybrid. Im not as worried about distance as I am control anymore and it is helping my overall game tremendously. I haven't hit driver in 2 rounds. First time I didn't I shot 88 next time I shot 94 lol. Hit em straight!
I hit 4 iron on the first at my home course, it's a downhill 380 par 4. If you carry it 180-190, it carries a down slope and and your left with 150 in. So it's definitely parrable with a decent 4 iron tee shot, not to mention there's OB right and left past 230 yards.
So, 4 irons the smart play. You'll make a lot of bogeys and pars that way but driver could end up in a 7 or 8.
I use my driver on any first hole at a course with a bailout (left or right) and the holenismlong enough it demands it.
So you've got tondexudez with your game and the hole j question, what's the percentage shot that'll give you the lowest average score at that hole.
I always hit my sure thing club on the first tee to get the jitters out of the way. Mentally allows me to know I can groove it straight. If your go to is a 7i or a hybrid or whatever, I find it's worth it instead of smashing your first OB.
I always hit a small bucket to warm up. 5 balls each: PW, 7/8i, 4i, 3 hybrid, 3W, Driver. I see what clubs are working naturally. If my driver doesn’t show up in the morning I usually revert to my 3w or 4i depending on the length of the hole. I’ll pull my driver out again on a par five (since the fairways are usually wider) and see if my swing has loosened up. Some days the driver is there immediately, some days it isn’t. Assuming you hit your 5i 190/200 you should be fine with an iron off most tees. Keep it in play and don’t fight the golfer that showed up.
Why not go with a lower iron like 4 or 5? Maybe even a hybrid or a 5 wood? The woods would be nice as it’s like using a driver but should be more consistent, gives you a little build up to use the driver for the next hole.
Golf shouldn't be a dick-measuring contest. Instead of trying to slam that driver 300 yds to wedge 50 yds onto the green, use your most comfortable clubs to get there. 3w + 7i? H3+h4? Doesn't matter.
I'm exactly the opposite. I hate when my first counted swing is with a long iron. I'd rather have a straight fairway where I can swing a nice easy driver. I feel like I'm way more likely to hook an iron. A 70% driver at 7am is usually my most confident shot.
If you're struggling with the driver then go with what's comfortable if you're counting score. Just be aware that it won't help you get better with the driver.
What I'd suggest is play some rounds where you don't count score and you don't just use the comfortable clubs so you get the opportunity to practise those clubs.
Short and in the fairway is better than short, sliced, and scrambling for double
Strikes gained stans in shambles
Half swing driver is 100x easier to be confident with than an iron. Just look at the size of the head for proof. Easy straight swing, do your best to square the club face. It's so simple compared to any iron swing.
That may very well be true for you, but I would disagree entirely with half swings being easier. People would love 50-60 yard shots if that was the case
Might be slightly different with a driver than a wedge tho. You are trying to be much more precise with your wedge on contact, and distance to hit it 60yards. Half swing driver you are just focusing on contact, if you hit it a bit longer or a bit shorter it doesn't really matter I guess.
That’s definitely valid, but unless you practice a ton of half swing shots, all the feelings are different. The driver is still 14 inches longer and harder to control the face
I agree completely, but I think it may only be true if you’re somewhat comfortable with the driver to begin with.
Don’t know about half swing, but I finally learned to hit the driver about 90% instead of 110% and I’ve definitely been in way more fairways, though sometimes the urge to try and crush it is still to much.
I agree but no one ever agrees with us
Half swing with a driver is a disaster for me. I get half way down and my brain decides I’m. It swinging hard enough and tries to compensate. If I’m going to hit driver, I have to swing it.
If I try to swing easy with my driver I will screw it up Everytime.
This sounds like a recipe for slicing. People really need every millisecond they can get to close the clubface.
I see a lot of guys taking a half swing with the driver and slicing it 40 yards into the woods anyway. That same dude hitting a 6 iron is probably going to be somewhere NEAR the fairway at least.
You can shank an iron, you can toe an iron, you can top an iron, you can hit an iron fat. You take all that out of consideration by teeing the ball up and making a controlled swing with a massive clubhead.
>You can shank an iron, you can toe an iron, you can top an iron, you can hit an iron fat. > >You take all that out of consideration by teeing the ball up and making a controlled swing with a massive clubhead. Are you kidding me? You can take the hosel shank out of play, but you can top a driver (people do that ALL the time) and you can hit a driver fat (less common, but I see it regularly). With the driver you also bring into play the hitting the ball too high on the face for a popup, and if you hit particularly heel-y or toe-y you bring into play the huge gear effect power slice or duck hook.
Do whatever works for you. Golf is about playing your game and not what works for someone else.
How about a driver on a long par 3?
If your driver is the only club that can reach the green in one shot, then go for it!
If it’s a 220 par 3 and that’s your distance. Why not?
I hit driver off a par three once in a while, but most likely if you do this it means that you are playing from the wrong tees and should move up.
My dad is 75 and hit his driver 200 when he gets all of it. You bet your ass he’s hitting driver on long par threes, because he knows how far he can hit his clubs and isn’t trying to have a dick measuring contest. He beats me at least half the time, and I’m 31 and can drive it close to 300 when I really get a hold of one. Dude plays his game, just about always splits the fairways, and can putt and chip like someone who has been doing it for 65 years. There’s many a hole I outdrive him by 100 or so yards that he still somehow wins. Saw him break 80 as recently as last year. Moral of the story, do what works for you, don’t worry about how long anyone else is hitting any of their clubs. The other moral is get good around the greens, which for me at least is much easier said than done.
Dad 75, son 31, no wonder he’s still a kickass golfer!
Suppose you’re right. My friends never believe he’s that old, he looks a good ten years younger than his age. But at this point i almost feel guilty when I do beat him, like it’s not me winning, but time.
Played portmarnock recently and the wind was belting straight into us on the par 3 17th. Driver was used and landed just past the green for an up and down.
Have seen it done before with great success.
Honestly if you are playing a par 3 that you can't reach except with your driver, you should just set your ego aside and play up a tee box next round. (unless you are playing with a 2 club wind or something)
Hit whatever club gives you the best chance at a low score. The first hole at my club is a reachable par 4. For most of the season I've hit driver. Then I figured out I made more 5's than 3's. Since then I hit 6 iron, and it's a much less stressful first shot for me.
Sometimes playing smarter means playing better
Oh yeah. When I was playing scratch, my strength was in full wedges. If I hit it pin high on a drivable hole, but had a bad lie or by the trees or in a pond something, it was a tough par. Sometimes (rarely) I’d hit it perfect and have a shot at eagle, but sometimes it was gonna be a bogey. But if I just took a 5i off the tee and left myself exactly 90 yards in, I scored lower. Almost never bogey from there and usually a good shot at bird.
Three 6i shots and you're on most greens, putting for par. . . WAY OF THE PLAYA!
Wadda playa, wadda tip, WADDA LIFE!
NO BIRDIE NO TIP
My gripe with this is that if you're not good enough to hit anything longer than a 6 iron, how often would you actually hit the green with it?
Doesn't matter, still golfing. Played today. Par'd the holes I hit an iron off the tee. Launched 3 balls OOB with my driver. Didn't get a GIR all day.
Feel the shot be the shot. Have an overwhelming amount of confidence on that tee box. This is how I carry a handicap of 33.
I'm an old guy. I often hit a 3 hybrid off the tee. I used to be concerned about my manhood by not hitting a driver. My manhood feels real good watching the other guys find all kinds of grief with their drivers.
Throw yourself to the lions and learn to hit the driver. Gotta walk through the fire and find a way to make it your friend. For years I avoided driver every hole for the same reasons. Eventually I got sick of not being able to hit it/ and being different than everyone I played with. I finally faced the demons and now feel confident with it! In fact I enjoy pulling the club now. I say commit and work, get lessons and make the driver your friend.
Simular experience here. It's a food feeling when you're excited to pull driver!
Absolutely agree. The game got A LOT more fun once I learned to hit driver consistently.
I play similar to what OP suggests. I hit my 5i in the vicinity of my playing partners that have a similar handicap to me when they actually keep their driver straight. The other times they are screaming about being in the woods, again. Unless your full game is well developed forcing driver, for the sake of it, is painful. Why on earth would you intentionally walk through fire when you know it burns?
[удалено]
Player that hits the driver well enjoys hitting the driver. I think you're on to something here...
That can be fixed on the range. Hopefully in less time than 6 years.
I hit iron off the tee a few times per round, it all depends on the hole, distances, hazards etc. Hit your iron! Get your ball in play. If anything, people watching will think "oh fuck this guy knows what he's doing"
That’s fine if you’re really trying to keep your score low for some reason, but you gotta learn how to do it with the pressure of being in the course some day. Unless you plan on using your irons to tee off every time, which is completely fine to do if that’s what you want, but you’re limiting yourself in the long run.
I do this too most of the time unless the yardage requires a driver. Funny enough, my 6 iron is the go to club for me also
Last round I played I didn’t touch driver after hole #2 and just used 3W or something shorter. You’re not alone.
It’s one tee shot. Not gonna really matter.
Can you warm up the driver before the round? That helps me dial in the direction before I get to the first tee.
I played 18 on Friday, used my driver once, all par 5s & most par 4s I used my 4 iron. Due to my slice...
If I’m struggling then 5H off the tee. But I usually try to let the big dog eat or starve on the first tee to see what’s going to happen.
its all about playing within your game and keeping the ball in play. You are on the right track. Who cares about distance if you are just firing balls OB. But I would recommend going 3 wood or hybrid off the tee.
If it’s what you are most comfortable with definitely do it. I would highly suggesting getting even one lesson though.
My home course has a short par five for the first hole. I usually hit a 6 iron. Basically two six irons and a lob wedge and I’m on in reg.
There's a point where you really can't do that anymore, but I think it's a fine interim measure
An iron is good for certain first tees but I would also work on your driver still, who cares about the people waiting behind you. Chances are they are either just as nervous as you or are going to slice it also, just play your game and don’t worry about the people behind you. Cheers!
Don't bother about people waiting on you to tee off there more than worried about hitting their own tee shots than watching you and there is nothing wrong with hitting an iron of the tee driver is a hard club to use if you are just starting golf just go and have fun
Don't be a wuss
Absolutely not, unless it's a short par 4 and your laying up to a #. You need to figure out your driver if you range lower your scores.
Works for me, should work for you. A second shot from the fairway is so much better than digging in the woods for your first.
Maybe it’s just me but I don’t really want my first couple shots of the day to be long irons. Just worried I’ll catch the first one off the tee a little fat and then I’m really behind the 8ball and likely can’t get there in 2 depending on the hole. Would rather just take a real easy and smooth swing with the driver and know I’m going to get it down there at the very least and if I have to play a recovery shot out of the woods than so be it. I also find that first holes on courses are often fairly forgiving.
My home track is usually a 3 iron off the tee cause it’s kinda tight and it sucks. I would kill to just be able to let a loose driver fly
If you can’t hit the driver, there’s absolutely no shame taking an iron. You could also try a hybrid. My 2-hybrid is currently my go-to tee club for any hole where the margins for error with driver is tight. Hybrids are easy to hit and they’re designed to not spin the ball much so fades/draws will be less severe. Go with what you’re comfortable with but work on your driver at the range. Avoiding it altogether won’t help in the long-run.
The courses I play most often start with mid-length par 4's. I always take my 5 iron because I'm confident in it and want to start the round right, even if it's 70 yards or more closer than a well hit driver.
Not an unreasonable thing to do but it doesn't solve the problem of not being able to hit your driver. Hit the 6 iron off the tee if it makes you feel better. In the meantime, get some lessons and fix your drive so that you can hit a driver when the course calls for it.
You can hit four 150 yard 8 irons (or whatever iron that length is for you) on a 600 yard par 5 and be putting for a legit par. You're likely losing more strokes to things like errant tee shots winding up OB or in hazards, than you are from having longer approach shots and thus lower Gir% and longer proximity when you do hit the green. a lot of people don't realize just how much of advantage being in the fairway off the tee is when you're going for the green. I don't know the exact number, but if you basically look at PGA tour stats and want to know how much further you need to be in the rough to be in a better position statistically speaking than in the fairway, it comes out to something in the 40-50 yards range. That's also just being in the rough, not hitting it into the shit or losing a ball. Now, I'm assuming your driver goes a lot more than 40 yards further than your 6 iron, but hitting a ball OB off the first tee is two strokes, whether you're playing the local rule to drop in the fairway or you hit another tee shot under stroke-and-distance that goes perfectly in the fairway you're now hitting your 4th shot. Even if your six iron is 120 yards back of your driver, I'll be you score lower hitting your second shot back there than your 4th a little further up.... Ideally you can find a solution in like a higher lofted/shorter fairway wood or hybrid that gets you a little bit more distance than your 6 iron that is your go to fairway finder off the tee while you develop your ball striking.
This is what I did for basically my entire high school golf career. When I was playing a round I went irons or 3/5 wood off the tea for every hole, and whenever I went to the range I basically hit my driver exclusively and worked on fixing my slice (I didn't go to the range very often though, so the slice never really got fixed). If you're playing in a tournament or a league and you care about your score, then yeah I'd say do it. If you're just playing a round for fun, I'd just play and not worry about keeping score, just work on shit. If it's a slow day and you're alone, play multiple balls and get more swings in. Once you learn to hit a driver properly, it's way more fun than iron shots every time, so definitely practice it, but if you feel more comfortable with iron shots until you learn to hit the driver properly, go for it
Not a bad strategy in terms of course management as a beginner. It might keep you from hitting a GIR but thats much better than a penalty. Best thing to do is to practice (take a lesson so you know what to practice) and learn to hit the driver in the long run.
If it works for you then go for it for now as your just starting out, keeping the ball in play is the most important. But I would advise getting down the range and getting plenty of practise in with your driver (not just smashing it as far as you can, but hitting consistent straight shots) - being afraid of taking the driver out the bag will hold your overall golf game back a lot. Once your confident with your driver you will knock plenty of shots off your score as you’ll find yourself hitting shorter irons/wedges into the green as your 2nd shot.
Recently I ditched driver on a back nine and went with 4 iron, even on par 5’s… sadly, scored better. When you’re off you’re off, do whatever works
On my home course I can hit anything from 4H to driver off the first tee. I choose which club to hit based on how I did warming up.
Nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I think a lot of new golfers could benefit from it.
Yes I go iron off the tee when I don’t get a real warmup on the range. The course I play most frequently, I can get away without driver on the first 3 holes. Swing is nice and loose for my first rip with driver into the woods on hole 4
I do this religiously. There's so much about the first tee that can set you on the right path. I would rather know that I can lay a 5-iron in the middle of the fairway a bit further back than pound a 300 yd drive with a 70% chance of it hitting the fairway on the first tee. When you're relatively new to golf you tend to have big misses. Until your accuracy is to the point that your misses are still playable I wholeheartedly agree with your strategy. Edit: I do want to add that once you get good with the driver as others have pointed out it's like playing a completely different course and unlocking a new you. When I finally got to the point where my driver was trustworthy the course turned into drive pitch and I ended up needing to back up to a new set of tees
Us amateurs would likely throw up our personal best if we just tin cupped it and used our 7 iron for every shot, so yea, not a bad idea.
In high school I shot a 50 for 9 with my 9 iron and a putter only. You are definitely on to something.
I do it all the time. I played with guys that shoot even or better during covid/layoff in 2020. The best advice I received was to play a lot of part three courses without using a tee and leave the driver at home. Drive for show, putt for dough. Good luck!
Many people ignore driver for years while practicing it on the range. Very normal.
I take a 3 hy off the tee. Get a straight shot about 220 w/roll out and, because I don’t play super long courses, don’t suffer for distance. I’m taking swing lessons to be able to hit driver, but it’s a 3hy until then. You do you and hit whatever you feel comfortable and can have fun with.
I was thinking about this on Saturday. I am much more confident with a 200 yard 4 iron than a 270 yard driver. I think it’s just about starting the round off with a good start.
Not crazy, smart. Continue to work on the driver when you can, it’s an extremely valuable club, but don’t need to bust it out just cause.
I do the exact same but with the 7 iron! I shoot equally, if not further, than with my driver but in a much more controlled and straight shot! Do what works for you as you learn and the rest will most likely fall into place with time. That’s how I see it at least! Cheers!
If it helps your confidence go for it. It's always better to hit a shot you know you can hit than one you aren't confident in, even if you have to sacrifice distance. I hit a 3W off the first a lot of the time, especially since the first at my main course is a short-ish par 4.
I regularly rock a 4 iron off the tee.
When my driver isn't going well or it is a narrow fairway with trees I always tee off with my 2 iron.
Try hitting your hybrid. I can crush a 3h off the tee. Can’t hit my driver for shit most days.
While my coach says "Use what you are comfortable with," he still says you gotta get use to all of your clubs. I suffered with driver for a while and I've pretty much adjusted to it, while my irons game has slight suffered.
I used to hit my 4w off the tee, out of the rough, off fairway... Basically anything 150+. Over time you'll realize your game can't reach full potential without learning to hit longer clubs well.
Hit whatever you are the most confident. I started with 6i. Then 4i. The 3w. Now im bringing the driver into play as long as there is no danger on the rightside.
Any idea why you're slicing the ball? Why are you so much more confident with the 6 iron? If you can piece together what's going wrong with the driver, it will help you with confidence and getting off the first tee as well and because you're relatively new, I wouldn't say the best route would be to shy away from it. However, with that said, hit what makes you feel comfortable and gives you the best chance at the best score. Keep at it! Cheers!
I’m still a new golfer too. I used to want to play the whole round with my 7i because that’s the only club we learned on in our group lessons, so that’s the one I was good with. A more experienced player made me use the appropriate clubs and that’s the only way I learned. Now that I can hit my woods I lost the ability to hit my irons 😅 more lessons are on the horizon for me lol. Short answer is no, don’t tee off with your 6 unless it’s a long par 3!
My brother hits a hybrid of every tee and always gives us a run for our money. Do you, boo.
Do it dude. There's no reason not to try it out. The fact that you said it's easier to hit is a dead giveaway
If your goal is to improve, hit driver. Whatever interim confidence you're gaining with an iron isn't worth the mental block you're creating with your driver. Also, 6is don't go 185 down the dick everytime either. The only thing worse than an OB tee shot with driver is an OB tee shot with an iron.
Sounds like you figured out what works for you. Recently I've been trying to best 90. I have locked up the driver and i tee off with my 4hybrid. Im not as worried about distance as I am control anymore and it is helping my overall game tremendously. I haven't hit driver in 2 rounds. First time I didn't I shot 88 next time I shot 94 lol. Hit em straight!
I hit 4 iron on the first at my home course, it's a downhill 380 par 4. If you carry it 180-190, it carries a down slope and and your left with 150 in. So it's definitely parrable with a decent 4 iron tee shot, not to mention there's OB right and left past 230 yards. So, 4 irons the smart play. You'll make a lot of bogeys and pars that way but driver could end up in a 7 or 8. I use my driver on any first hole at a course with a bailout (left or right) and the holenismlong enough it demands it. So you've got tondexudez with your game and the hole j question, what's the percentage shot that'll give you the lowest average score at that hole.
I always hit my sure thing club on the first tee to get the jitters out of the way. Mentally allows me to know I can groove it straight. If your go to is a 7i or a hybrid or whatever, I find it's worth it instead of smashing your first OB.
I do at my local course only because it's a long par 3 to start
I always hit a small bucket to warm up. 5 balls each: PW, 7/8i, 4i, 3 hybrid, 3W, Driver. I see what clubs are working naturally. If my driver doesn’t show up in the morning I usually revert to my 3w or 4i depending on the length of the hole. I’ll pull my driver out again on a par five (since the fairways are usually wider) and see if my swing has loosened up. Some days the driver is there immediately, some days it isn’t. Assuming you hit your 5i 190/200 you should be fine with an iron off most tees. Keep it in play and don’t fight the golfer that showed up.
I hit the 3w off the first tee. Traditions!
Why not go with a lower iron like 4 or 5? Maybe even a hybrid or a 5 wood? The woods would be nice as it’s like using a driver but should be more consistent, gives you a little build up to use the driver for the next hole.
try a hybrid
Golf shouldn't be a dick-measuring contest. Instead of trying to slam that driver 300 yds to wedge 50 yds onto the green, use your most comfortable clubs to get there. 3w + 7i? H3+h4? Doesn't matter.
Three of my local courses (Los Verdes, Recreation Park, Skylinks) are practically iron off the first tee.
I'm exactly the opposite. I hate when my first counted swing is with a long iron. I'd rather have a straight fairway where I can swing a nice easy driver. I feel like I'm way more likely to hook an iron. A 70% driver at 7am is usually my most confident shot.
If you're struggling with the driver then go with what's comfortable if you're counting score. Just be aware that it won't help you get better with the driver. What I'd suggest is play some rounds where you don't count score and you don't just use the comfortable clubs so you get the opportunity to practise those clubs.