When To Leave The Driver In The Bag

Supposedly, Tiger Woods used his driver only once in winning the 2006 British Open. In its place, he used low irons and fairway woods. I'm not sure exactly sure how many times he used his driver, but it wasn't much, highlighting something I advocate in my golf lessons and golf tips—knowing when to leave the driver in the bag cuts strokes from your score and your golf handicap.

Tiger succeeded at the British Open because he played smart golf. That requires strategically positioning the ball when you have to, which in turn means sometimes using the 3-wood, a hybrid club, or a low iron off the tee. Here are some tips on when to use each.

The 3-Wood

The 3-wood is easier to hit than the driver. It's especially useful when you must hit the fairway or when you want to draw or fade the ball on doglegs. It's also great on holes with tight fairways. Some experienced players use it almost exclusively from the tee. Novices find the 3-wood a great substitute for the driver most of the time.

Since the 3-wood is easier to control than the driver, it's easier to learn to hit a fade or draw with it. You don't have to significantly alter your set-up or your swing. The key to hitting a draw is approaching the ball from inside the target line on an arching motion. With a draw, the club tends to point to the right in a laid-off position at the top. The key to hitting a fade, on the other hand, is approaching the ball from outside the target line. With the fade, the club points to the left in a laid-off position at the top.

Learning to shape your shots with a 3-wood isn't exceptionally hard. All it takes is the right technique, a little visualization, and some practice. Using the 3-wood at the right time can cut your average score—and maybe your golf handicap— by at least a couple of strokes.

Low Irons

If you tend to hit a fade, your low irons will serve you well off the tee. These clubs are good in windy conditions, such as when you're hitting into a crosswind or a strong headwind. You can also use them on short par-4s when you want to hit the fairway. Since you're not turning your wrists over when you swing, the ball won't run as much as with the 3-wood or driver.

The punch-fade shot, for example, is ideal on windy days. It's a low-trajectory shot designed to cut through the wind. It requires a swing path traveling less around and more out-to-in, producing the fade

Start with a slightly open stance and the ball positioned toward the middle of your stance. Keep your back swing upright to encourage a steeper angle of attack while the right arm extends against a bent right wrist through impact. Try not to let your right hand release over your left.

Hybrid Irons

A hybrid club is ideal on holes with tight fairways. They're also good on holes that provide a lot of run. You can use a low, hard draw to position your self where you want to be or combat a strong headwind. You can use it to replace a low iron, if you have a hard time hitting one.

As with a low iron, you hit down and through with a hybrid club, instead of sweeping the ball off the tee, as with a fairway wood. To execute a draw, set-up with the ball slightly back in you stance, which should be closed a bit. Hood the club slightly by pointing the toe at the target.

When you swing, approach the ball from the inside as you usually do when hitting a draw, but stop well short of parallel in your back swing. On the way through the ball, turn your hands over slightly with the right hand resting above the left (for right-handers) and your right wrist staying bent. A flat left wrist and a slightly bent right wrist keys this shot.

While none of us are Tiger Woods, we can still play like him. Knowing when to keep the driver in the bag helped Tiger win the British Open. The same strategy can cut strokes from your scores and slash your golf handicap. Keep this strategy in mind the next time you're on the course.