[David McIntosh]

I don't think the number of times a player hits driver says anything about GCA or indeed the player's appreciation (or lack thereof) of GCA. The two main factors influencing this are the player's ability and equipment technology.

I'm sure some of us have the romantic notion of strategically plotting our way around the course to counter hazards and to find the best position for the next shot using a series of 3-woods, hybrids and long irons off the tee however the player's ability is a severely limiting factor in this regard. Good players can control trajectory far better, lay up to preferred distances or leave better angles into greens and this will (I assume) actually form part of their game plan however some of this strategic element may be beyond higher handicappers on a purely physical basis. They may know or understand how the architect intended for the hole to be played but actually carrying it out is another thing and their focus may be on more fundamental things like making a decent strike or not duffing the ball as opposed to hitting a low flighted stinger to the best possible lay up area because it's the best strategy for the hole.

That follows on to the technology point. As others have mentioned, driver has become as easy, if not easier, than 3-wood to hit. The increased forgiveness of today's drivers means that any player needn't play safe to, say, a narrow fairway as the deviation from an off-centre hit is not as great as it once was. This means the risk-reward ratio is heavily in favour of taking driver as the player is likely to generate greater distance from a club that is easier to hit than the next one down and, even if not hit all that well, it won't go much further off target than the 'safer' option. I know from personal experience that I am more likely to mis-hit a 3-wood off the tee than a driver, can probably hit driver as straight as a 3-wood or hybrid and I usually must weigh up the benefits of taking a club that I'd have to hit out of the screws just to get to the same place as a less than cleanly hit driver. Throw wind into the equation and it often becomes a no brainer. Situations where there isn't a compelling case for driver would include purposely laying up short of a hazard in my driver's landing zone or due to a dogleg or where driver would mean running out of fairway for any reason.

As for the main question, on the courses I play most I would usually hit between 10 and 14 drivers (the courses have 3 and 4 par 3s respectively and wouldn't use driver on any of these) depending on the wind conditions.

[A.G._Crockett]

There are few advantages to growing old.  One, of dubious value, is that club selection from the tee becomes MUCH easier. 

I am, with regret, closer to having to hit driver on par3's than needing to NOT hit driver elsewhere. 

So 14 times a round, almost every round, and on almost every course.

Tempus fugit...

[Ian Mackenzie]

For me, well, it depends:

1. From what tees - Men's or "Championship" (6550 or 6950)?
2. Regular game with my friends or tournament?

We are a par 72 course with four par 3s and four par 5s.
GCA certainly is a factor as, depending on tees:
- I will hit short of some cross bunkers with a 3 wood or hybrid.
- I will guard against rolling into FW bunkers by playing short and away with a 3/4 wood.
- I will hit 3 wood on par 5s (during tournaments) where I can't get home in 2 to guard against a "right block" into the trees/OB

My iron game is better than my tee game (as you can see) .

[Bob Montle]

13 holes.

Why?  Because the driver is the most consistant and accurate club in my bag.   It only averages 215 anyway, so I need all the distance I can get.  And if I want to drop the ball over 200 yds out on a particular side of the fairway the driver is my best bet.

This may be the first time I've disagreed with you, Peter!   I do appreciate wider fairways with tactical thinking required to defeat the hole.

[RJ_Daley]

We have one hole that presents a real strategic option depending on wind direction.  A short par 4 with ponds and lateral stream in consideration both off tee and second approach shot.  But, like other aging players, 215-225 yard good drive averages take much of the choices out of consideration where we do have a few holes where big hitters definitely have that option of driver or something else. 

I think the other interesting variant is which club variety do you have off par 3s throughout the course.  There I have the variety of:

depending on winds and off member tees 6250yards, 7-9I off hole 3,  5I to 3Hi off hole 7,  6-8i off hole 15, and 7-4i off hole 17. 

I love our par 3 variety. 

[David Davis]

Back tees - 7000 yds / Medal tee - 6500 yds / Par 72 - links course with 12 raised greens


Based on no wind (haven't had a day like that this year however)


1. Par 4  3 wood/3 wood
2. Par 5  Driver/3 wood
3. Par 3  6 iron / 8 iron
4. Par 4  Driver/Driver
5. Par 4  Driver/3 wood
6. Par 3  5 iron/5 iron
7. par 4  rescue/rescue
8. par 4  Driver/3 wood
9. par 5  Driver/Driver
10. par 4  Driver/Driver
11. par 5  Driver/3 wood (reachable from yellow, not from white)
12. par 3  8 iron/9 iron
13. par 4  3 wood/3 wood
14. par 5  Driver/Driver
15. par 4  Driver/Driver
16. par 4  Driver/Driver
17. par 3  Rescue/5 iron
18. par 4  Driver/Driver


Back tees:


11x Drivers
2x 3 wood
2x Rescue
1x 5 iron
1x 6 iron
1x 8 iron


Yellow tees:


7x Driver (have to admit that I wouldn't really need to hit driver at all)
6x 3 wood
1x rescue
2x 5 iron
1x 8 iron
1x 9 iron

[Bill Seitz]

The question reminds me of a District Am qualifier in which I once played at Ridge Country Club in Chicago.  Very tight, not very long.  Game plan after my practice round was to hit four drivers, 2 hybrids/irons, and three woods on the rest of the holes.  The results: Four for four fairways with driver.  Two for two fairways with iron/hybrid, and the three woods?  0 for 8.  Should have just hit driver all day.  Missed the cut by one shot.

[Bill_McBride]

The question reminds me of a District Am qualifier in which I once played at Ridge Country Club in Chicago.  Very tight, not very long.  Game plan after my practice round was to hit four drivers, 2 hybrids/irons, and three woods on the rest of the holes.  The results: Four for four fairways with driver.  Two for two fairways with iron/hybrid, and the three woods?  0 for 8.  Should have just hit driver all day.  Missed the cut by one shot.

It's much easier to curve the 3 wood than the driver these days - even if you don't want to!

[John Ezekowitz]

At my home course (6850 yard par 71), I actually hit 3 iron or hybrid on the longest hole, a 570-yard par 5. The hole has a pond right and bunkers left which pinch the landing area at about 240. I can't clear the pond or get home in two from the tees I generally play, so I lay up. This is my second-least favorite hole on the course, and not surprisingly is one of the five that was created after a highway took away five of the original Ross holes.


To answer the original question, I hit ~10-11 drivers a round.

[Jon Wiggett]

I play teeshots at my course as follows:


1. 4 300yards 3 wood
2. 4 380         Driver
3. 3 155         7 iron
4. 4 390         Driver
5. 4 220         3 wood
6. 4 440         Driver
7. 5 500         Driver
8. 3 190         3 iron
9. 5 630         Driver


10 4 270        Driver
11 4 320        3 wood
12 3 110        Wedge
13 5 476        Driver
14 3 130        9 iron
15 5 500        Driver
16 4 420        Driver
17 4 220        3 wood
18 5 480        Driver


The tee shots are a mix of those which require plenty of thought as to where the best place is to the ball for the next shot such as 1,4,5,7,8,11,16&17. Those that require placing such as 2,3,12,14&18. And those where you can open you shoulders and let rip as with 6,9,10,13&15.


I hope the tee shots require the player to think about which course of action to take and that the answer through the playing of the course is a varied one.


Jon

[Wayne_Kozun]

I use my driver from 7-10 times at my home club, Scarboro in Toronto, and I think that having to think about which club you hit off the tee does often have architectural merit.  The reasons for not hitting driver are:


3 - Hole narrows in on the right when playing from more forward tees, use 3W instead.
6 - Par 5 but narrow driving hole with creek on the left and woods on the right.  Use 3W or 3H or driver if confident that day.
7 - Par 3.5 - prefer full shot into green so use 3H or 4H.
12 - There is a creek crossing from about 200-250.  Depending on the tee and wind I may try to go over or lay up and hit 3W or 3H.
15 - Shortish par 4 - prefer full wedge into green.  Hit 3W.
16 - Another par 3.5.  May attempt to drive green if tee is forward and downwind.  Otherwise lay up with 3H or 4H.
17 - From Blue tees a strong drive my go into creek.  From this tee I hit 3W.


I think it is good to make a golfer think about which club to use rather than just "grip it and rip it" on every hole.

[Bill Gayne]

Twelve drivers today and I'm a short hitter. For the longer hitters at my home course I'm guessing they probably hit ten or eleven drivers. There's probably nine holes everyone hits drivers and then there's hole like 14 that I hit four wood and the long hitters go at it with a driver. Sixteen I always hit driver while longer hitters will often hit three wood.

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