What affects your score more? Driver, woods, irons, wedges, putter... pick only one!

[jjfcpa]

Before you answer this question, I want to suggest a way to determine which one would affect your score the most.

 

In my game, the wedge is the most significant club in my bag.  

 

I could easily swap my driver with another brand that is spec'd the same and it probably wouldn't affect my game at all.  I could easily make up for an distance loss by simply using a wood or iron to make up for the affects of the driver switch.

 

While the putter is a club that I depend on to save me shots, having changed it more than any other club in my bag, my putting stats really haven't changed much.  I'm normally 1.7 to 1.8 putters per hole for a round of golf.

 

My distances with woods and irons do not vary much when I swap these out.  I have 3 sets of irons and 2 sets of woods and I can interchange these with little to no affect.

 

So in my case, my wedges are critical to my game.  I've changed them to 3 or 4 different brands and I see more affect on my game than changing any other club.

 

I don't use set wedges because I wanted to be able to change irons without affecting my wedge performance.  Currently, I'm using the Ping S159 wedges and they are excellent.  

[hammergolf]

2 minutes ago, jjfcpa said:

Before you answer this question, I want to suggest a way to determine which one would affect your score the most.

 

In my game, the wedge is the most significant club in my bag.  

 

I could easily swap my driver with another brand that is spec'd the same and it probably wouldn't affect my game at all.  I could easily make up for an distance loss by simply using a wood or iron to make up for the affects of the driver switch.

 

While the putter is a club that I depend on to save me shots, having changed it more than any other club in my bag, my putting stats really haven't changed much.  I'm normally 1.7 to 1.8 putters per hole for a round of golf.

 

My distances with woods and irons do not vary much when I swap these out.  I have 3 sets of irons and 2 sets of woods and I can interchange these with little to no affect.

 

So in my case, my wedges are critical to my game.  I've changed them to 3 or 4 different brands and I see more affect on my game than changing any other club.

 

I don't use set wedges because I wanted to be able to change irons without affecting my wedge performance.  Currently, I'm using the Ping S159 wedges and they are excellent.  

Like you, my wedge and short game are my strength. However, if I could pick one club to be the best, it would have to be the putter. I’m not a bad putter, but two to four more made putts a round would be huge.

[C_rad]

The driver swing. That is what im struggling now and i used to be a good driver of the golf ball. 

[njdumont]

1 minute ago, C_rad said:

The driver swing. That is what im struggling now and i used to be a good driver of the golf ball. 

Driver is a liability for me, I rarely hit it anymore because it's so unpredictable. I hit 3w very well however, considering replacing the driver with another club.

[stratgolf]

Driver and it's not close.

[Ger21]

Driver. Just dropped it for a mini.

[unskinnybop99]

Putter by a mile. Anybody score a low round on a bad putting day?

[philly2kuk]

I know from experience it’s putting for me. If I’m having a bad round with the putter I don’t play well, as I subconsciously try to get the ball nearer the hole to avoid the issue. After the putter it’s probably tee shots, as a loose drive can put you OB on 10 of the 18 holes at my home course.

[AZBRONCFAN]

Driver affects my score the most. If I hit it well and dont take any penalty shots I'll be 75ish. If I jack 3 OB/ or in the desert all day I can shoot in the 90s. 

Edited July 25 by AZBRONCFAN
Bad spelling

[Ghostwedge]

The correct answer is the player. 

Not driving it well, not hitting greens, not getting up and down, too many 3 putts.  It's all operator errors.

[phizzy30]

This is a no brainer.  I lose the most strokes with driver.  I've always struggled off the tee ever since I was a kid.  My current driver setup is probably the most optimized for my swing as it's fade biased to the max with max ball speed and acceptable dispersion.  I'd like to consider myself decent with irons and so so short game.  Putting is by far the best part of my game.  

Edited July 23 by phizzy30

[Nickb333]

Irons

[Red4282]

This is interesting, would like to see what handicaps are with replies. For me, driver and putter are almost always solid, never going to hurt me too bad. When I look at my best rounds over the last few years its almost ALWAYS, Im on fire with irons and wedges 100-200 yards. 

[Bye]

The 2 clubs that I have changed in the past few years that have made the biggest difference are driver and putter. 
 

With my irons and wedges I know if I keep to a traditional style head with a Dynamic Gold shaft all will be ok regardless of the brand, but I do have a strong preference.

 

I’ve struggled with Driver for years, it improved a few years ago with a shaft change, but changing to my current driver has been transformative. 
 

It’s a close call with the putter, but being in play off the tee more and hitting more fairways is certainly helping. 

 

 

[beluga99]

3 hours ago, unskinnybop99 said:

Putter by a mile. Anybody score a low round on a bad putting day?

I once had 14/18 green (0 birdies and 34 putts from memory).  Driver and irons were excellent.  Shot 76.  

 

Putter for me, as making 6-8 foot putts is huge.  Driving the ball well helps me get in good positions but making the putts helps me go low.

[Red4282]

1 hour ago, beluga99 said:

I once had 14/18 green (0 birdies and 34 putts from memory).  Driver and irons were excellent.  Shot 76.  

 

Putter for me, as making 6-8 foot putts is huge.  Driving the ball well helps me get in good positions but making the putts helps me go low.

This is the interesting conversation… was it truly your putting if you had 30 footers all day? Ive had those rounds before hit a bunch of greens and two putt everything and on the stat paper, irons looked great (gir) putts looked bad… but in reality the proximity to the hole may be bad. 
 

 

[scruffynick]

Probably my driver as I ditched it as it, as I hit it about 3 foot off ground. So most important now without doubt is my 14 degree 3 wood, made my golf much easier.....my putter thou, be knackered without it 😀 

[redshirtgolfer]

Wedges. Had quarterfinals season matchplay yesterday and everything felt horrible. No confidence with the driver (warmup was great), duffed all longer irons (safest clubs for me) and woods were ok. But thanks to my wedges I had 4 one putts (could have been 5) and 3 others were tap ins he gave me. 
 

So pretty clear answer: wedges. 

[Sean289]

A three putt bogey or a three putt double can really kill the momentum but I’m going with driver. Since I picked up the PING G430 Max 10K driver, I’ve given up a touch of distance but I am virtually in play every hole due to its accuracy. It has been a game changer for me. 

[Piter]

Lost balls is the killer and that usually happens with the driver.

[Birdieputt19]

Putting is my Achilles heal. I’ve always been streaky. Can sink a few mid range putts here or there but generally any GIR is a 2 putt. Unless it’s inside 5. Then it’s 75/25. I’ve tried several putters and they will help for a bit but I never really make the long putts that +hcp’s make. Even though I’m about a scratch, the putts just rarely drop. 
 

current average is 31.6 over the last 13 rounds. 93% 2 putt or better, 7% 3 putts

Edited July 23 by Birdieputt19

[Sean289]

22 minutes ago, Birdieputt19 said:

Putting is my Achilles heal. I’ve always been streaky. Can sink a few mid range putts here or there but generally any GIR is a 2 putt. Unless it’s inside 5. Then it’s 75/25. I’ve tried several putters and they will help for a bit but I never really make the long putts that +hcp’s make. Even though I’m about a scratch, the putts just rarely drop. 
 

current average is 31.6 over the last 13 rounds. 93% 2 putt or better, 7% 3 putts

Since you already tried different putters, could you try different putter grips? A different profile, shape, size or grip weight might help you out. 

[Birdieputt19]

6 minutes ago, Sean289 said:

Since you already tried different putters, could you try different putter grips? A different profile, shape, size or grip weight might help you out. 

In terms of gripping the putter, I use to putt with a normal grip but have been left hand low for a long time. When I tuck my right elbow, my stroke is great and I putt well. I’m considering trying out the claw, but need to put a lot of practice into it.

 

I’ve tried super strokes, midsized grips and the thin grips. The thinner ones give me the best feel, so I stick with those.

 

Ive also gone without a sight line almost exclusively. When I practice on the putting green without lining up the putts, I drop long putts, but something about the course gets to me.

 

I’m considering trying a ‘22 phantom x 9.5, but dont know if the long sight line will mess with my head and make me focus on the line rather than speed.

[Sean289]

34 minutes ago, Birdieputt19 said:

In terms of gripping the putter, I use to putt with a normal grip but have been left hand low for a long time. When I tuck my right elbow, my stroke is great and I putt well. I’m considering trying out the claw, but need to put a lot of practice into it.

 

I’ve tried super strokes, midsized grips and the thin grips. The thinner ones give me the best feel, so I stick with those.

 

Ive also gone without a sight line almost exclusively. When I practice on the putting green without lining up the putts, I drop long putts, but something about the course gets to me.

 

I’m considering trying a ‘22 phantom x 9.5, but dont know if the long sight line will mess with my head and make me focus on the line rather than speed.

It’s interesting that you said that because a couple of years ago, I also started to use putters without a sight line or if it has a sight line, I cover it up. I can’t consistently aim well with horizontal lines which are on most putters.
I primarily use blade/Anser style putters but a brief period with the Taylormade DJ Spider Tour Black putter a while back that has no sight lines made me realise that I aim much better with the vertical line of the putter. 

Heck, even Tiger was even doing this since the 90’s. He has a sight dot on the top line and no horizontal line on his putter. 

[azgreg]

Another vote for driver. You can't putt for dough if you don't drive for show.

 

[Birdieputt19]

12 minutes ago, Sean289 said:

It’s interesting that you said that because a couple of years ago, I also started to use putters without a sight line or if it has a sight line, I cover it up. I can’t consistently aim well with horizontal lines which are on most putters.
I primarily use blade/Anser style putters but a brief period with the Taylormade DJ Spider Tour Black putter a while back that has no sight lines made me realise that I aim much better with the vertical line of the putter. 

Heck, even Tiger was even doing this since the 90’s. He has a sight dot on the top line and no horizontal line on his putter. 

I’m left eye dominant, so I feel I can never get the line to match how I set the line on the ball with setting up in the middle of my stance. And trying to move it up causes me to pull everything.
 

My late fall purchase was a Tyne H with a white sight line. I ended up covering it up with electrical tape and I found I wasn’t so fixated on setting up “perfect”. I also found that the horizontal line was to close to the heel on that putter, so I felt extremely uncomfortable with how the putter sat behind the ball and would hit it out of the heel very often.

[tipperi]

48 minutes ago, Birdieputt19 said:

In terms of gripping the putter, I use to putt with a normal grip but have been left hand low for a long time. When I tuck my right elbow, my stroke is great and I putt well. I’m considering trying out the claw, but need to put a lot of practice into it.

 

I’ve tried super strokes, midsized grips and the thin grips. The thinner ones give me the best feel, so I stick with those.

 

Ive also gone without a sight line almost exclusively. When I practice on the putting green without lining up the putts, I drop long putts, but something about the course gets to me.

 

I’m considering trying a ‘22 phantom x 9.5, but dont know if the long sight line will mess with my head and make me focus on the line rather than speed.

This sounds so much like me (not as good a player as you tee to green based on index, i hover around 5-7).

I've always been a solid putter inside of 6', playing partners would suggest I make the ones I "should". Avg 31.8 putts per round, which is really worse than that number considering I hit 7-8 greens and have a solid short game. (1.7 non-GIR, 2.0 GIR)

Like you, the more artistic or athletic my putting is the better.  I almost never make putts outside of 10', maybe 1 every 6-7 rounds.  When I do, its rarely a straight putt and its one I try and hit with feel and using my hands to manipulate the face. As soon as my stroke gets mechanical, or I'm picking lines to hit I'm in trouble. Never want to putt anywhere but first in a scramble because seeing others lines or watching anyone else putt in general does more harm than good. 

Like you, the thinner grips seem to work best. Speed control is better, Currently play a Fastback 1.5 but want something with less to no alignment also.  Have considered the Rahm "naked" Rossie S.  

I had a 9.5 and the first 3 rounds i had it I made everything I looked at, shortly after I was averaging 36+ putts a round and couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

[tipperi]

To answer the OP's question it's always driver for me.

Had been struggling mightily off the tee for about 2 months and my index would've been a runaway train if not for the soft cap.  Climbed all the way up to 9.7 which is the highest it had been in 4-5 years. 

Tee ball sets up everything else, if I can get 8 iron or less in hand and have a sub 160 shot into the par 4's i'll make a boat load of GIR 2 putt Par's and keep the doubles away.  

Finally found a feel off the tee last weekend and posted back to back 77 and 73 with a relatively cold putter.  Both rounds were the best I've hit it off the tee since early spring, handicap now slowly coming back into shape.

Edited July 23 by tipperi

[Birdieputt19]

8 minutes ago, tipperi said:

This sounds so much like me (not as good a player as you tee to green based on index, i hover around 5-7).

I've always been a solid putter inside of 6', playing partners would suggest I make the ones I "should". Avg 31.8 putts per round, which is really worse than that number considering I hit 7-8 greens and have a solid short game. (1.7 non-GIR, 2.0 GIR)

Like you, the more artistic or athletic my putting is the better.  I almost never make putts outside of 10', maybe 1 every 6-7 rounds.  When I do, its rarely a straight putt and its one I try and hit with feel and using my hands to manipulate the face. As soon as my stroke gets mechanical, or I'm picking lines to hit I'm in trouble. Never want to putt anywhere but first in a scramble because seeing others lines or watching anyone else putt in general does more harm than good. 

Like you, the thinner grips seem to work best. Speed control is better, Currently play a Fastback 1.5 but want something with less to no alignment also.  Have considered the Rahm "naked" Rossie S.  

I had a 9.5 and the first 3 rounds i had it I made everything I looked at, shortly after I was averaging 36+ putts a round and couldn't get rid of it fast enough.

That exactly what happened with the Tyne H I bought. Made some insane putts the first few month. 60’, 35’, 25’. But struggled inside 10’. Found a stroke for inside 10’ and started making 90% but they were my 2nd putts since my lag putting was so bad. Now I’m trying to sell it to fund the next “miracle” putter lol

 

I would try the rossie, but I can’t get over the shape. I did try the odyssey eleven 2 falls ago and it was a pretty good putter for me, but was just too flat. So I’m trying to find a middle ground. I’ve seen the Scotty 5.2, and 9.2 and think those would be good options but just can’t stomach the price tags

[slappy78]

I would say driver or wedges depending on the day. 8.1 handicap 

 

I am historically a very good driver of the ball and a below average chipper and putter.

 

As I get older that has shifted, my short game is now a strength and my driver is a little bit of a struggle. Of course that varies from round to round.