Why was/is stenson better with 2W?

[Daniel Eason]

Steep on driver?

[Hawkeye77]

Here's an intersting article, it doesn't address "steep", not sure where you are getting that or if it is "the" reason. Thought he was hitting 3w this week, not 2w.

https://golfanalytics.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/henrik-stenson-loves-his-3-wood-too-much/

[BdaGolfer]

Confidence.

[Daniel Eason]

[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441658299' post='12276964']
Here's an intersting article, it doesn't address "steep", not sure where you are getting that or if it is "the" reason. Thought he was hitting 3w this week, not 2w.

[url="https://golfanalytics.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/henrik-stenson-loves-his-3-wood-too-much/"]https://golfanalytic...-wood-too-much/[/url]
[/quote]

I read this article and was wowed...then realised it was basically a load of paralysis by analysis.

My question was more why technically.

[starsail85]

I believe tee height has a lot to do with it

[SHIVAN]

Did you see him hit that 2i or 3i past Rickie's 3w on one of those last few holes? He kills the ball. Driver probably be too long, or too wild, when 3w is still going to get him 300yds+ and in the right spot.

ETA: In the analysis, it says he uses the driver 33% of the time, and he would gain X by changing to using it more. That is flawed logic. If he stands over a driver on a certain hole and feels uneasy, he may lose strokes, or advantage. Again he hit that 3w by Rickie, and Rickie was quoted as hitting the ball 330yds a few times during that back stretch.

[Hawkeye77]

[quote name='Daniel Eason' timestamp='1441739560' post='12282294']
[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441658299' post='12276964']
Here's an intersting article, it doesn't address "steep", not sure where you are getting that or if it is "the" reason. Thought he was hitting 3w this week, not 2w.

[url="https://golfanalytics.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/henrik-stenson-loves-his-3-wood-too-much/"]https://golfanalytic...-wood-too-much/[/url]
[/quote]

I read this article and was wowed...then realised it was basically a load of paralysis by analysis.

My question was more why technically.
[/quote]

It probably has a lot more to do with the real answer than trying to guess at a random technical answer like "steep".

Sorry to disappoint you with finding an explanation (and actually surprised someone had written such a lengthy article about it), you may find a better one by using Google yourself and seeing what comes up. Good luck.

[Hawkeye77]

[quote name='SHIVAN' timestamp='1441747387' post='12283042']
Did you see him hit that 2i or 3i past Rickie's 3w on one of those last few holes? He kills the ball. Driver probably be too long, or too wild, when 3w is still going to get him 300yds+ and in the right spot.

ETA: In the analysis, it says he uses the driver 33% of the time, and he would gain X by changing to using it more. That is flawed logic. If he stands over a driver on a certain hole and feels uneasy, he may lose strokes, or advantage. Again he hit that 3w by Rickie, and Rickie was quoted as hitting the ball 330yds a few times during that back stretch.
[/quote]

He kills it. Actually surprised at his ability to resist temptation and play smart, but he's a special case with his distance. Also was surprised one of the commentators took just a little bit of a shot at him on one hole, questioning the use, and then he bombs it perfect again and leaves himself a lot closer than many of the guys using driver.

[TravAz]

[quote name='mizunostaffer' timestamp='1441747198' post='12283030']
I believe tee height has a lot to do with it
[/quote]

I'm no Henrik Stenson, but I bag an X2Hot 2deep and an X2Hot Pro driver. I rarely hit the driver past the 2deep when I play them side by side on the same hole. Same shaft in both clubs.Even using tees with markings to control the height, I still am pretty inconsistant on the vertical axis with the deep faced driver. I just feel more comfortable looking down at a compact head behind a ball tee'd up low, and more often than not, I nut the 2 deep. Its usually good for something around 240 carry for me, but can run out upwards of 300, and I feel like it is pretty much point and shoot from an accuracy perspective. Frankly, I shouldn't even own this driver, I just bought it because I got an insane deal on it and figured I was hitting the 2deep so well the driver would have to out-perform it. If there were money on the line, though, I would never choose driver over 2deep on a par 4 under 450y, and if I did choose driver on a hole longer than that it would ba a gamble. Caveat here is I didn't get fit for either club, and may have just lucked into the 2deep fitting me perfectly and not so much with the driver.

Stenson's 3w is interesting - pretty much the WRXer's nightmare. Older model callaway (Diablo Octane Tour) in 13* with the Grafalloy Blue shaft, which retails for like 75$. I did watch a youtube WTB vid of him yesterday and he stated that the driver COR rules did not apply to fairway metals, and it thus had a bigger trampoline effect. I don't believe this to be true, but he does (or did when the video was made), so take it for what its worth.

[DTXgolfer12]

If it works then play it. I bet it's an accuracy issue. If you asked most pros if they could hit 10% more fairways and lose 10 yards i bet most of them would take it.

[kool-aid]

[quote name='TravAz' timestamp='1441751818' post='12283450']
Older model callaway (Diablo Octane Tour) in 13* with the Grafalloy Blue shaft, which retails for like 75$.
[/quote]

I have one of those as my backup 3 wood, but with an old comp NT 85 proto and not a blue.. that club is SUPER long, really not much shorter than driver. 300+ off the tee is not unusual with it on harder/faster fairways.

[TheCityGame]

Here's a video where he talks a little about why he hits his 3W. He also advocates moving the ball forward to promote hitting a draw. Which is pretty much the opposite of [url=http://www.golfwrx.com/181041/ball-position-the-forgotten-fundamental/]general wisdom.[/url]

http://www.golfchannel.com/media/hammer-it-henrik-stenson%E2%80%99s-3-wood-tips/


Hawkeye's post is on point. It shows that it's possible that Stenson is leaving strokes out there by hitting 3W too much. So, I'd say 2 things about that. . .

1) He's dumb. He doesn't realize that he's leaving strokes out there. Dumb in the way that people read articles like that and say things like, "paralysis by analysis" or "there are lies, damned lies, and statistics". Basically, too bothered to try to learn something and want to dismiss it with a cliche.

2) He's not dumb and just rather in tune with his intuition. He knows that a driver on a particular hole might [i]logically[/i] be the best club, but because of his demons/past/sightlines/whatever, he just doesn't feel right with the driver in his hand.

Not to compare my game to a pro's game, but I have holes like that on my course. I've fought a hook for years, and I've basically cured it, but I have some holes on my course that I have such bad memories with that I'll hit my 4W just because it's easier for me to play a fade with it. All I can see on the tee is hooking that driver into the water. I'm probably giving something up by doing that, but I just know what makes me feel better.

You'd THINK that a pro of his caliber would be over such hang-ups, but clearly there's a reason he opts for that 3W.

In searching around, he also mentions that some times he tees it up using turf. I love that idea. I do that when playing winter golf. He mentions the environmental impact of using a tee. Very Swedish consideration.

[Dave D]

he had the full blown driver yips about 10 years ago, literally 70 yards wide with driver, he couldn't bring himself to hit driver when there was a tunnel of fans around the tee box, he couldn't get the image of cracking someone in the head out of his mind, his 3 wood was different though he had confidence with that.

plus he hits it as far as most drivers anyway

[Daniel Eason]

[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441749887' post='12283242']
[quote name='Daniel Eason' timestamp='1441739560' post='12282294']
[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441658299' post='12276964']
Here's an intersting article, it doesn't address "steep", not sure where you are getting that or if it is "the" reason. Thought he was hitting 3w this week, not 2w.

[url="https://golfanalytics.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/henrik-stenson-loves-his-3-wood-too-much/"]https://golfanalytic...-wood-too-much/[/url]
[/quote]

I'm sorry if I sounded condescending

I read this article and was wowed...then realised it was basically a load of paralysis by analysis.

My question was more why technically.
[/quote]

It probably has a lot more to do with the real answer than trying to guess at a random technical answer like "steep".

Sorry to disappoint you with finding an explanation (and actually surprised someone had written such a lengthy article about it), you may find a better one by using Google yourself and seeing what comes up. Good luck.
[/quote]

Sorry if I sounded condescending

[Mob]

Certainly not comparing myself to him in anyway, but my mini-driver is almost as long as my driver, and much more accurate. Many of my playing partners bought one after they saw my results, and almost all of them love this club. We belong to a 1920's club with tree lined fairways, and the confidence to know you have a better chance of hitting the fairway is easily worth 5-10 yards.

[Mob]

Just went on eBay and bought his 3 wood for $35 new in left handed. Cheap experiment. Have a few shafts already that I could put in it, so this could be fun.

[Hawkeye77]

[quote name='Daniel Eason' timestamp='1441811880' post='12287526']
[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441749887' post='12283242']
[quote name='Daniel Eason' timestamp='1441739560' post='12282294']
[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1441658299' post='12276964']
Here's an intersting article, it doesn't address "steep", not sure where you are getting that or if it is "the" reason. Thought he was hitting 3w this week, not 2w.

[url="https://golfanalytics.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/henrik-stenson-loves-his-3-wood-too-much/"]https://golfanalytic...-wood-too-much/[/url]
[/quote]

I'm sorry if I sounded condescending

I read this article and was wowed...then realised it was basically a load of paralysis by analysis.

My question was more why technically.
[/quote]

It probably has a lot more to do with the real answer than trying to guess at a random technical answer like "steep".

Sorry to disappoint you with finding an explanation (and actually surprised someone had written such a lengthy article about it), you may find a better one by using Google yourself and seeing what comes up. Good luck.
[/quote]

Sorry if I sounded condescending
[/quote]

Didn't take it that way, it just seemed like trying to find "the" swing flaw might be a dead end based on what was out there.

[oikos1]

[b] [size=4]"Why was/is stenson better with 2W?"[/size][/b]

If you listen to the old timers, used to be a set of clubs never matched. Sometimes a club just sings to you...

[ccorrada]

Apparently I won an auction for a X2hot 2 deep that I bid on on Monday while watching Stenson bomb his. I played that morning and enjoyed some afternoon beers and found out I won the auction on Thursday. It's got a AD-DI 7X and I'm excited to see how it stacks up to my driver.

[TheCityGame]

[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1442324214' post='12316078']
Apparently I won an auction for a X2hot 2 deep that I bid on on Monday while watching Stenson bomb his. I played that morning and enjoyed some afternoon beers and found out I won the auction on Thursday. It's got a AD-DI 7X and I'm excited to see how it stacks up to my driver.
[/quote]If you would, report back in this thread on your initial impressions.

I say this thread since I'm following it, and I'll forget all about this if it doesn't show up in my feed.

I already play a 12º driver, yet carry plus roll, I tend to get my 4W almost as far. I've considered one of these 2-deeps or SLDR mini's to see if I actually have a "sweet spot" between the two clubs that goes further than either.

Traj is completely difference between the two clubs.

[ccorrada]

[quote name='TheCityGame' timestamp='1442325230' post='12316158']
[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1442324214' post='12316078']
Apparently I won an auction for a X2hot 2 deep that I bid on on Monday while watching Stenson bomb his. I played that morning and enjoyed some afternoon beers and found out I won the auction on Thursday. It's got a AD-DI 7X and I'm excited to see how it stacks up to my driver.
[/quote]If you would, report back in this thread on your initial impressions.

I say this thread since I'm following it, and I'll forget all about this if it doesn't show up in my feed.

I already play a 12º driver, yet carry plus roll, I tend to get my 4W almost as far. I've considered one of these 2-deeps or SLDR mini's to see if I actually have a "sweet spot" between the two clubs that goes further than either.

Traj is completely difference between the two clubs.
[/quote]Will do. If the ADDI doesn't work I've got a Kai'li and a Ahina laying around to put in it.

The problem is I'm striping my driver right now.

[glk]

Or maybe henrik understands that bunker play and scrambling is what is keeping him from being elite LOL. Ballstriking is not his issue. #1 total driving ball striking gir and total strokes gained tee to green. 122nd sand and 60% scrambling. Good putter with 22nd strokes gained putting but could improve on 3 putt avoidance. I think the analysis is looking at a nonissue.

[jpru2001]

[quote name='TheCityGame' timestamp='1442325230' post='12316158']
[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1442324214' post='12316078']
Apparently I won an auction for a X2hot 2 deep that I bid on on Monday while watching Stenson bomb his. I played that morning and enjoyed some afternoon beers and found out I won the auction on Thursday. It's got a AD-DI 7X and I'm excited to see how it stacks up to my driver.
[/quote]If you would, report back in this thread on your initial impressions.

I say this thread since I'm following it, and I'll forget all about this if it doesn't show up in my feed.

I already play a 12º driver, yet carry plus roll, I tend to get my 4W almost as far. I've considered one of these 2-deeps or SLDR mini's to see if I actually have a "sweet spot" between the two clubs that goes further than either.

Traj is completely difference between the two clubs.
[/quote]

my main playing partner...super steep, forward presses all his clubs, probably hitting a 10 degree driver closed down to a 7 with his address and swing, high swing speed, kills a driver when "on" but is very erratic. hits his 3 wood great but is too stubborn to dump the driver. finally convinced him to give a TM mini-driver a try. bombing it from day 1 and has completely changed his game, no longer has his driver in the bag.

[ccorrada]

I have a playing partner who has done the same with the titleist 915 13*.