Most pro golfers have a go-to club they lean on under pressure, or when it’s important they stay out of trouble off the tee. Spoiler alert: It’s not always driver. Tiger Woods won the 2006 Open Championship at Hoylake without hitting a single driver over the final 54 holes. His chosen club was a 2-iron, which was ideally suited for the dry, firm, windy conditions.
JD Cuban
The temptation is to hit driver, but how many of you really know which long club performs best for you under pressure? Here’s how to find out. Head to the practice range and establish a “fairway” by locating two flags (or markers) about 25 yards apart. Pull out your driver and hit 10 tee shots to this imaginary fairway (above). Tally up how many balls finished in the fairway and repeat the process with your 3-wood and a hybrid or long iron. Compare the numbers. Which club delivered the highest percentage of fairways hit? If one proved substantially better, then that should become your go-to club when you need it most.
If time permits before your next round, repeat this exercise, only hit five balls with each club. Calculate the percentages to see if there’s a clear winner. Always go with the club that gives you the highest chance for success, even if it means sacrificing 20 or more yards off the tee. You’ll have a much easier time hitting the green from the fairway than tall grass. Who knows, you might find driver is best, which would give you more confidence to let it rip under the gun.
Alana Swain teaches at PGA Tour Performance Center at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
