I use a 16 degree 1 iron to tee off then all the rest of my clubs are irons only, no hybrids or woods , works good for me.😃

Until my last few rounds, I was a driver all day kind of golfer. It was mental. Always felt closer was better, and that mentality would always hurt me when I would play it safe with a 4 iron. Always would be a bad shot. But now that I know that having a comfortable distance in is better than being closer, I have a better mentality playing it safe.

Great video once again James. My motto has always been . Safe on the front nine. Attack the back. It also depends on how i feel at the range in warmups. Keep warm with those Mizunos!!

I’m a big stick guy myself! I Love My Driver!! The only time I pull out an iron on the tee is when I’m force to

Depends on length of hole. Anything longer than 400 yards I need a driver to be capable of getting the green in 2. Under 350 yards, 5w goes 225-230 yards, in between I use a 3w

I like to leave a full shot into the green, so will play backwards from the hole...

James , for me it is a mixt bag. I like to play the first hole safe , it open the round with good result and built confidance, and then it depends of my feeling as I go. Of course I

I’m also playing the TS3 9.5° w/ Tensei AV 55 S. Straightest club in the bag and love to hit it. So, driver all day long. Keep the great videos coming!

Excellent review. Because you're a good player James, your misses with the driver are also likely to be far less destructive than a weekend warrior like me. I've played with so many players who score very well nudging a 4 iron around of the tee.

As a beginning golfer the best club in my bag was my driver. As I became more accomplished it remained my best club. I tried safe layup golf a few times but my inconsistent ball striking made laying up counterproductive. Closer even in the rough was always better from a scoring perspective. Remember the tee shot is the foundation on which your score is built. If you're good with long irons laying up might be a good idea. But being an inveterate slicer I never found laying up useful. Eventually worked my way to even par by playing two+ rounds a day six days a week for three weeks. Playing makes perfect.

James, my last three rounds I've used one length 5 iron off the tee. 86, 82, 84. With roll I'm getting 200 yards. Playing of 12 handicap, I wasn't playing near my handicap, getting into too much trouble. I realized I needed to work on course management to bring my scores back to my handicap. These scores could have had better short game stats but I'd much rather be in this position than playing the ball sideways back onto the fairway. Don't get me wrong if one can consistently hit a driver straight(down the fairway) and not into trouble then great. Mentally it's done the world of good for my game. Hardly ever in the rough, hitting all fairways. Even mishits with the iron keep me in play. Playing each hole as a bogey hole, Birdies and pars a bonus to the score. Par 5 example 5 iron, 6 iron, 9 iron. Easy par. It's great psychologically when nailing each tee shot where you want it to go. Just remember, forget what the big boys are using. And make your normal consistant iron swing. It's great for one's overall game.

Strictly a play safe player,have even taken the driver out of the bag.

There's an example from professional golf that might be interesting. When Jack Nicklaus was older and approaching the end of his professional career he found himself in contention on the last day at the Masters.if my memory serves me right he came to the 17th hole either in the lead or tied for the lead. He chose not to hit driver and instead lay up off the tee. Unfortunately his layup was mishit and he needed to hit three wood to make the green and came up short. He bogeyed that hole and wound up second. Always wondered what would have happened if he had hit driver off the tee instead.

It’s all situational for me, depending on what course I’m playing on and the current conditions. Perfect conditions at my home course, I’ll pull my driver out only twice.

Where I play it’s an American style course so narrow with lots of water. I recently joined and I’ve learned today that the driver off the tee isn’t always an option. Some of the shots need to be dead centre with the driver or play a 3 iron/hybrid and have the space and angle to attack. Just depends where you play. The guy who designed my course wanted to make it the most challenging course in the area. It’s definitely up there. Plenty of shots over water

Most of the courses I play favor Driver off the tee on most holes. That said, I always chart the course with a yardage book (when available) before I play anywhere for the first time. I like to have a game plan before I ever set foot on the course. I have to say, though, that I love playing courses that make me think before pulling out the Big dog. I find I play the best when I am hitting to a spot in the fairway instead of just trying to bomb it. I have 3 clubs I'm totally comfortable with off the tee. Driver, 3Fwy, and my 19* hybd. I admit, I choose Driver whenever I can as I'm a very aggressive player!

I think it's about individual risk/reward depending on player skill. A player who can hit 60% of fairways with their driver has a much different risk/reward than a high handicapper who only hits 12%. Begs the question, what is a good enough % of fairways to warrant generally favoring the driver over playing it safe? Conversely, what is a low enough % of fairways hit that one should generally keep the driver in the bag? So, James, what do you think those percentages are? What would you recommend to your students?

Heck I hit the driver mostly. I hit it pretty far & it leaves the wedge into the 4s & chances for home in 2 on the 5s... I’ll hit whatever is required on some holes where driver is too much. I like your on course stuff. Keep it up!

I only hit my 4 iron @ 170, so I'm more or less "forced" to use driver or dreaded 3-4 hybrid( which isn't actually a playing it safe club due to pulls and flyers :)). Thank the golfing gawds I hit my F7 Cobra driver straight. Fun video James.

Hey James would really love to see you play an entire game of 18. Full golf course blog would be awesome.

It all depends on how I'm swinging, but I like to lay up to a distance where I can play to my strengths, my wedge and short iron play is normally pretty good. Start from the hole and work your way back to the tee before you play the hole, where you want to play the second shot from, the angle, the flatter ground, wind direction etc all effects your 'game-plan' I also think that you should work on a game plan whether your playing the monthly medal or batting a couple of balls around on a summers evening as practice. Great video again James, highlights a part of the game that few think about (imo).

i have been through this many times during my career- remember the days of the 1 iron chaps- it is easy to get into a rut of hitting conservatively even though there is plenty of space and advantage to hitting a driver.....but my recommendation is have a go to shot that you can reliably get on the fairway ideally with a Driver :-) but otherwise long iron or a 3 wood. Work on a having a booming drive as well - especially for par 5s and dog legs where carry is important.

This may sound crazy,but, our group finds it is better to lay back rather that try to get close to the green! We never practice wedge shots and are terrible at them.We get more GIR"s from 130 to 120 than from 50 to 30 yds. With my schedule I play only once a week and never get to a driving range.So,play safe!

Back to joining my local club after being out of the game for 20 years. After playing six rounds in a month and being a member at a tight course... I'm changing my approach and going safe!

I played nine holes a few weeks bag and left the woods in the car to make me pay differently. Enjoyed it but a tough challenge, and makes you think of different ways to play a hole.

I carry a mizuno 2 iron and when my driver is not working I use this a lot. Sometimes I surprise myself with how far it goes off the tee when you catch it correctly and most of the time it's safe out of danger. Most of the time it's only 30 or 40 yards behind where a good drive would have been. So I would definitely say in this instance it's the safer bet.

The course I play has Bermuda rough and you can lose a ball 2 feet off of the fairway. But I still would rather have a 120 yd shot to the green from the rough than a 200 yd shot from the fairway.

depends on the distance between the clubs. iron could still leave you not getting to the green in 2 where as driver would give an average player on long par 4 still a chance to get to the green in regulation

Just started to watch, so, depends on the player ( attack or defensive mined) and course ( tightness, risk or reward worth it, hazards penalties), I tend to go with driver where I can( pretty straight, one of my best clubs) make choices from there. When on form, really go for it, when not play safe try and build a score and confidence

I played tennis and watched Jack Nicklaus. Get your serve into court in the best position possible for the follow up. That is not necessarily a cannon ball down the centre line.

If I use the Driver off the tee, my 2nd shot is a recovery shot. My best round this year came when I left the Driver home. 3W or driving iron for me if I want to score.

As a 17 hc golfer my aim is to keep the ball in play and try to eliminate doubles and worse, my home course is a links so the rough and bunkers are harsh so pat pat in play for me ;)

I carry a 2 iron callaway x18 great club hit it about 5-6 times a round on my course as its tight.hit it about 220-230 yards.

I'm off 11 and tend to select a club off the tee that will give me less than 150 yds in for my 2nd shot to a par 4 and try and plan my 1st 2 shots on par 5's to do the same, though it doesn't always work out though other factors like how I'm playing and the dangers on that hole also go into the mix. Personally I tend to score better if I plot my way round rather than get the driver out on every hole as playing safe normally means if I get it wrong I only tend to drop 1 shot against my hc, where as if it goes pete tong with the big stick I'm looking at a double, which is harder to recover from, so I use a mix of hybrid, 5 and 3 woods as well as the driver off the tee, if there's not much to gain using the big stick, it stays in the bag.

Depends on the course, and how I'm playing, if I'm striking well and the course suits, driver every day, but sometime I just take the the woods out the bag to have more long approaches for practice, love the vids james, keep em coming !!!

Great Video James, for me it's how I feel about the particular shot, I'm not usually one to play it safe, and there isn't a much better feeling than when an aggressive type of shot comes off, or a worse one when playing it safe ends in trouble, I think I'd rather end up in trouble from an aggressive type of shot than from playing it safe

i think if you have the opportunity to plan the course before you go, then you should stick to your plan. Iron or driver off the tee. Nice to see where your game is as they were both quite even.

You just proved, it's the 2nd shot, on a par 4, or the 3rd on a par 5, that really counts. How you get there isn't as relevant.

I'm seeing a difference between your practice swing and your actual swing some of the time! Regardless, you are looking good! Your real swing is looking better and better! Good luck with the swing change! I know how hard it can be to ingrain a change like this... no matter how good it feels. I'm working through a BIG change myself. In my case, the changes feel so much better and natural, I would go so far as to describe it is effortlessly powerful, that you'd think it would be an easy change! NOPE!! I forget to do it all the time! Like you, however, I've committed to making this change and will stick with it even as my handicap climbs in the interim. Good luck James !!

I'd say drive it. Maybe vary tee height to find a low fairway finder.

3 iron off the tee if any question. Always roll safe when in question. Great video

James, would you consider your GAPR2 lol off the tee? It might get you closer to the green and still on the fairway. Something to practice over the winter to see what will work best. I just bought a TaylorMade GAPR 2 lo for those must hit the fairway situations. There are two holes on my home course that narrow at where my drives typically would carry to. Both have OB on the right. Finding the fairway is a priority and avoiding a penalty of the tee a must.

👍🏻 Nice one James!...For me it depends on how I’m swinging that day...Sometimes I can’t miss with the big stick but then other days🤪

I’ll always play the club relevant to the course and conditions (trying to avoid peer pressure with taking driver out of the bag!). My drives are getting longer as my game improves so I may hit other clubs more often, not to play safe but to play well.

Of course, it depends on the hole design. That being said, I say "let the big dog eat." My view is that I can mess up the second shot whether I'm close or further back so as long as I can be in play further down the fairway, I'd just as soon hit driver (if the hole design allows for it; like you said: OB, hazards, doglegs, etc.).

This is good stuff. I’m 50/50 with driver and course is very tight. Makes sense to use iron.

Great video James these are getting better every day. I notice you are using the fairway mat on the flat side, can never understand how people use the grass side. Would love to see a video on the most effective way of using these mats to reduce the effects of when we go back to playing as it lies, usually takes a few weeks to get used to hitting off grass again.

I like hitting my 2iron off the tee! I rather hit a full 7 or 8 iron from the fairway into the green than a 3/4 wedge out off the rough.

ummm, yeah, well. The problem is that when the wheels come off when playing aggressive, I can easily lose 3 strokes or more on a single hole. That makes up for a lot of less stellar scoring with conservative play. At least that's how it is for me as a mid-handicapper. On narrow/scary holes, unless its a long par 4 I almost always t-off with my trusty ping-2 iron, which I only hit off the tee. I hit that club around 240yds and straight. My driver, I can hit around 270yrs but much less consistently.

The tee box is a guaranteed good lie, so I think it's the best place to be aggressive. I'd rather hit driver then 5 iron, than 4 iron then 3 wood or hybrid. Of course, it all depends on the hole.

Surprising a super compentent golfer like this guy didnt use a 2 or 3 iron,easily hed do 220-250 yards. All in all good video

Great video , should be nice to do a few holes with a mid handicap player and see the difference...also using a driving iron . To compare de how bad the misses are ....just purchase a 18 degree 2 iron for those days I loose confidence with my driver due to swing or wind

Just been to try the 919 tours - awesome clubs, will be in my bag soon!

As I've gotten older, the Big Dog is more like your channel mascot. But I've gotten more accurate with it, so it's always in play. My game is now all about wedges and one putts.

I like the idea of playing aggressive or safe, however there are lots of factors to consider, if I play it safe (iron) can I hit it far enough to get my 2nd shot on the green? Most handicap golfers are on an ego trip and like to try and rip it. Nothing better than a long straight drive. My safe option is usually a 3 wood off the tee at least that gives me around 200 yards and can then go at the green.

Traditionally would have been a ‘grip it and rip it’ kinda guy, but as time has gone on, and my game has improved, I’m more ‘thoughtful’ about what to play off the tee. I think that good course management (which is what we’re really talking about here) can be worth several shots a round

I would think that it depends on the shape of the hole and what type of obstacles you may encounter if hitting a driver. Personally, if I knew there was trouble ahead, I would use a 3W or even possibly a 3H or 4H (i don't carry 3i & 4i).

I've always fancied trying to play in the Winter Stableford with a 6 iron wedge and putter to see what difference it makes, but never had the bottle; maybe I'll try it this year !

For me it comes down to how much control i have of my driver that day.. if it's a tight hole I will use an iron hoping to get my par

I wish i played it safe a little more often, but if i am honest i dont always have that discipline. Hoping the p790 udi i added late in the year will help with smarter decisions.

Big stick... my longest iron is a 5 and I don't feel comfortable hitting Irons off tees as at my course the par 3's are long and I hit 15 fairway and hybrid off the tees.

Good video. I am having massive problems with my driving at the moment hence I’m using my two hybrid (16 degrees) off the tee. And it’s been a revelation. I hit it so well That I have decided not to go back to my driver.

It's like everything in life you take some risks if you will get a reward, at other times you play safe so as not to end in trouble, you have to weigh up the Risk vs Reward.

Well I’m a lefty so it’s a bit harder to find a good off the tee iron. My Wilson clubs only go down to 4i. I hit that 220 off the tee and mostly straight. The big stick is an SLDR mini driver that I actually hit off the deck... go figure

Taylor made p790 udi all the way!!!!! Great video by the way 👍

Most of the time I can keep the driver in play. I am old so I can’t hit the ball as far anymore. My issue is the second shot on long par 4 or par 5. If I am too aggressive If I am off line a well protected bunker can lead to a blow up on the hole. So I have to sometimes force myself to do what I can do consistently vs what I can do only occasionally

I generally smash the driver unless it´s a shorter hole where it can run out into trouble or if it´s extremely tight fairways with no safe bailout, then I´ll take 3-wood and only lose about 20-30 yards, but keep it straight. Drivers been working well enough this season though (91% fairways found over last 5 rounds, 79% over the whole year) so the only reason to hit iron off the tee is if it´s a par 3 or I´ve got a bad case of the wobbles. What´s the deal with playing off that little mat on some shots though, and not others? seemed to have improved strike resulting in a better shot when you did use it (I get that it´s to protect the fairway, but then should surely be used on all shots?)

Hi James I would go for an iron or 3 wood rather be short but still on the fairway as against long and on someone else's fairway😀

As I’m a Arizona Golfer......what are those Pad things? Wouldn’t they effect your shots as they raise the ball a little?

Still difference between practice swing and shot swing. More practice required you can do it. I take it you don’t carry a three iron?

It’s Driver for me when I’m swinging good, with the occasional 1 iron or 3 wood, then possibly 21’hybrid if tight fairway, I never use a 4 iron. Really depends on the course and my confidence. Great question tho mate.

At 1:55, Is that a plastic or turf strip you placed behind your ball? I've honestly never seen that before. Great videos.

James playing safe doesnt necessarily mean iron. You may use a 3 wood or hybrid for added distance over your iron.

Great video James! Always driver rip it on the longer holes, but I like your thoughts play it safe sometimes can work on the shorter holes.

I have often wondered why the face on the driver/woods are curved when the irons’ face are completely flat. I think it’s the reason I slice with my driver. And isn’t it why you call the iron shot "safe"?

inconsistent with the big stick. Consistent with the driving iron. easy choice!

My driver is a weapon for me so I tend to use it whenever I can. The second I try to play it safe I tend to overthink it and hit a bad shot. That's why I am more of a club down and go after it guy instead of a club up and swing easy type of player.

My driver is in the bag but it only comes out on the range. I can't hit it consistently. I drive almost solely with my 3 wood. I hit it between 225 to 235 and usually pretty straight.

James, you know that this is the difference with being couth and uncouth. You know it's got to be uncouth every time !

James....what’s your opinion on evnroll putters. Trying to decide between a scotty or evnrol

Play aggressively when it makes sense and put that extra wedge in the bag so you can take advantage of it!

When I’m hitting the driver well my scores are always better but when I’m hitting it bad the 4 iron always keeps me in play and gives me the chance to come out with a decent round. Tee shot accuracy is definitely my weakness.

I am a mix of safe and aggressive. Really good video!

It depends on the day and how your going it's good to attack but not all of the time safe is every good as well👍👍

Nice vid. Imo you should have headed toward the bunker with the four iron on the second hole, making the second shot shorter. Secondly why always try to hit the green in regulation, that's fine if you're trying to play to scratch or better but most of us would be happy to play to a single figure handicap. Anyway, I like your vids, cheers.

This might be a silly question but do you keep your head behind the ball when hitting your mid and long irons, like the driver? Thanks

The difference is, I can hit a 4 iron far. In your case a 4iron still leaves a long shot where as a 4iron for me will leave a wedge into most P4s (my PW being my 145m club as its an M2 iron). Im not bragging im just saying if you can hit the ball a long way already, the "play it safe" option becomes far more viable.

I care more about hitting good shots than my score, driver off the tee ( for me ) means i hit less fairways and have more harder 2nd shots than if i use 2 iron rescue or irons from the tee.

Been playing 3 years can’t use a driver at all and had lessons so I tee off with an iron the only wood in my bag is a 5 wood

I’m gonna say I’ll take the iron James, just more confident knowing I can hit the fairway

This was fun to watch

I'm starting to really like your style of vlog and ideas, so you have a new subscriber - you're welcome! On a similar note to this vlog could you show difference between iron, hybrid, 3 wood and driver on a downwind shot? I think there's sometimes an advantage to using more loft... cheers!

I like hitting driver but I’m so bad at the moment with it that I almost have to use a long iron. Just bought a Mizuno mp-15 3 iron that I will make a little stronger and plan on making it my driving iron.

Still have a game plan - ever I know varies choice on the hole! Are we just boring?

I like good course management play smart shoot for a good score, my mate likes to go the other way but it gets him in more trouble then good.

I actually feel better with the driver than the long iron, so I have more confidence hitting the big stick than playing it safe. The driver is my fairway finder!

If im hitting the driver good I go for it, but if I,m not hitting the driver well that day I go for an old driver iron or 3 wood

My safe game is entirely the right call for me currently.... namely because my driver has multiple personality issues. Lol My irons are far more consistent and I can get distance from the long irons, so it's safe for me until I get my driver under control.

Do our level of skills play a part in our decision? Im a high hcper and I try to play safe most of the time. But at times when my game is really bad, I still get into trouble when playing it safe so makes me wonder I might as well go with the big stick. If you are having an on course class with your high hcpr student, how would you advise him to play?

Would that GAPR sitting in your bag not be the ‘safe’ option over a driver? I have an epic 2 hybrid I use off the tee for safety.