Ok, I had situation today where I was on the tee of a par 3 and had to hit directly across water. It’s an intimidating setup, the green is narrow there’s a hillside right behind it, the green is butted right up to the water. I just couldn’t get comfortable with the iron in my hand. I hit it fat and splashed it. Trying to think of another way to approach this. I’m wondering if anyone has ever thought of building out a distance system with their driver with partial swings and choking down? I know some people choke down on driver for more control but I’m talking more like a Dave Pelz clock type approach. Just wondering if a 1/2 swing with driver would be more forgiving. Feel free to laugh if you think this is totally stupid.
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I do that on some holes at my course that dogleg. On these holes normal driver would go into or over the trees on the corner. I just swing back 3/4 and swing normal. With that hole with the lake in front surely your first priority is don’t go in the lake. Either lay up or go big.
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I’m intrigued. Have NO idea, but I know just the hole I’m going to try that on! 
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We’ve a par 3, about 180y to the back of the green. You tee off directly into the prevailing wind. When the wind is 20mph sometimes I take the driver with a 3/4 swing (technically, brings its own problems despite me easily being able to hit a nice straight drive on the range). Pro told me years ago the reduced spin from the driver helps in the wind.
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The issue I see is that of maintaining proper sequencing. Its not easy to maintain your normal sequence when you slow things down. Its one thing if you’re a little off with a wedge, the dispersion can still be manageable. But with a driver, a little bit off with the sequence could produce some pretty wild variability. I suppose you could work on it enough to get it right, but that might be a ton of practice, when the time could probably be spent more productively on something else.
Having said that, I’m willing to use a shorter driver swing in some circumstances, particularly when hitting into the wind. Or at least I FEEL like my swing is shorter. But I’m very aware of maintaining my sequence. The problem (or it WOULD be a problem if I was hoping for reduced distance) is that I often hit those drives really solidly. So I tell myself to use THAT swing all the d*** time, and then forget to do it before I get to the next tee.
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I’ll “punch” a driver on some doglegs at times, but almost never on a par 3. It depends on where the best miss is. If it’s better to be right then I might try driver as it usually fades for me. If left is better then I go for another club. Off a tee I would much rather take my chances with an iron, hybrid or 3W though assuming I can hit that yardage. I do like the 460cc forgiveness, but I don’t find it easy to take something off a driver and hit it as straight as I’d like.
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I think a bunted driver on this particular shot is going to be hard to pull off… it doesn’t sound like you have enough landing area to run the ball up to the green…
I think it’s a shot worth learning and having in your bag, but I think you should be confident hitting all your clubs with half swings.
More than anything, this sounds like you set yourself up for failure and needed to step back and focus on what you wanted to do vs the shot you wanted to avoid… if you go into a shot worried you are going to mess up, you are much more likely to mess up!
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I have to agree with @Craigers. If you’re not comfortable with an iron, take a hybrid or 3-wood, plan to hit it over the green (better than splashing it), and make a solid swing. In this kind of situation, make a positive plan to hit the ball a safe distance, and do it.
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Just curious, but why do you think that driver would be the next best choice over the iron? I’m assuming you have a 460cc or so driver so it’s large hitting area, but that is generally a big jump in yardage. Why not a hybrid or fairway wood?
Just curious, but I don’t think you’re crazy as I have a friend that hits driver as often as he can. He can hit driver over 200 like an “average” player, but I’ve seen him choke down and high cut it 150 yds…and hit it inside those of us hitting 8i lol.
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You are right, I am not at all comfortable with this hole. It’s about 170 to carry, there is no landing area in front it’s water right up to the green. The green is about 15 yards deep and there is a hill of weeds right behind the green. Left to right is probably 60 to 70 yards of playable area. The tee box has a slight downgrade that tapers away so the ball is below your feet. For me this hole is a nightmare!
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Is there a way to get a look at this from Google Earth maybe? What hole, what course? Someone might be able to suggest a slightly different strategy that would be more comfortable. But on some holes, there’s no choice beyond hitting a shot, performing.
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I’d prefer 3/4 swing driver, on a tight short-ish hole, over full out 3w.
Yeah, I’ll hit a 3/4 swing driver sometimes. Key is to control it with the backswing but still explode through the ball. The biggest issue is sequencing as others have mentioned, sometimes I pull the 3/4 swing because I don’t take enough turn on the way back.
Really though, it might be better to do some bag gapping analysis. You should be able to drop down to a fairway metal right?
Driver is the straightest club in the bag. Every time I try 3w I hook it uncontrollably. For me 3/4 driver is the way to go.
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I get having tee shots you’re not comfortable with. I have too many at my home course lol. I think if you can figure out how to hit a partial driver reliably then that may be the most comfortable to you. If you need a full swing then maybe find room in the bag for a high loft driver or “thriver”? Just something that you can make a comfortable swing with. For a while I carried a large 13* 3 wood (KZG RBT?) and then I had 14* driver at a shorter length. It was for the long par 3’s and tight dogleg par 4’s at a course I played regularly. I wasn’t too keen on having one club for one or a few holes, but then I started using it more and more as I got comfortable with it.
1 iron and then full send
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I’d think you’d have a difficult time getting the ball to hold the green due to low angle of approach. Better to do that with a longer iron or hybrid so you get a little height on the ball. I have a buddy who uses 3 wood on every tee shot, from 110 yd par 3 on up. He just regulates the backswing length and follow through.
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How easy is to hit that 60 to 70 yards of playable area? Can you play to that side of the whole and be able to lower your score.
This is a par 3 I hate on my course. I usually try aim at the left bunker and hit enough club to reach the bunker.
But over a course of a year when I am not feeling good on the tee I know I can miss as far left as I can hit a ball so I am making sure that I am not putting a ball in the water.
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Unfamiliar with the tee arrangement here, assume women play 212 yards - with the hook I’ve suddenly developed, tee shot will put me out of water danger. Then maybe on the green with another shot. Where I’ll proceed to 3-putt.
Why not 2 putt or even 1 putt? If you struggle with line I use the plumb bob method. If you have poor distance control there is nothing wrong with counting the steps from the your ball to the hole to give you an idea of distance and over time you will get to know how hard to hit for different distances. Good luck with your putting.
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