A serious golf question....

[SiberianDVM]

for a change.

Why, oh why, can I hit a perfect 3 wood shot time after time, and not be able to hit a driver worth a damn? I slice it or pull it at least half the time on the range.

Seriously, this is really starting to piss me off.

Would a strong 3 wood, 13*, in the same brand & shaft as my 3 wood, 15*, be acceptable as a driver? They aren't very expensive, and since I have already spent a bloody fortune trying to find a driver I can consistently hit, I may just buy one for a tryout.

For my next round, I'm either putting the 983K back in the bag and the G2 is going up for sale, or just play the 3 wood off the tee.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

I don't know, Doc, sounds like you've got some sort of mental block going, maybe? Take a break from it for a while, from the driver, and use a 3-wood. There was a time last fall when I used a 3-iron exclusively for driving, stepped up to the 3-wood, then set myself on the path of learning to hit that oversized 400cc monstrosity.

Now I'm using a 430cc head with little trouble.

Sometimes a bit of a break is all you need to let the bad stuff drift away, and let the learning begin again.

[DouginGA]

My sympathies Doc.
You have seen my driving problems, but I am getting back together. I am sticking to hitting the driver but spent about a year and a half using the three wood only off the tee (except par threes).

Two things in particular are getting my driver back on course.
1. Loose grip. really avoiding that get tough, grab it hard, and club the ball to death mentality. Trying with some sucess to get back to a smooth flow "liquid" feel.

2. Kinda in line with that Quiet eye business is that my sight focus is about from the back of the ball to about 2 inches out. Trying to "watch " the contact has really kept me from pulling out of the shot.

I am pulling for you. It can be a battle, cant it?

[ezra76]

I have the opposite problem. Can't hit a 3wood. I've never really understood how a 3w could be easier to hit when the head is like 1/3 the size. Anyway, I've been hitting a lot more fairways by playing my ballflight. I can setup for a fade that moves 10-15 yards left to right about 95% of the time. I recommend working on a simple setup to hit a fade or draw (depending on your flight) and use it whenever you possibly can. I can't believe how much easier it's gotten since I stopped trying to cream the ball right down the middle. I've also just about perfected the "wormburner on purpose" to get it out around 250-260 without driving it through the fairway on dogleg left holes.

[Pa Jayhawk]

If I had to guess, it may have to do with the size of the club head, and may in fact be mental in trying to process the difference. After a year, I am not convinced that I hit my G2 as well as my old TM Firesole. It started to come around towards the end of last year. I tend to lean towards a fade or slice on it right now, when I draw every club in my bag and would draw my Firesole as well. Just seem to have trouble with effectively closing the face. If I don't notice some changes in the next month I may go back? Although I am not willing to give up yet because having not played as much in the winter, this sometimes happens to me in the spring. I still notice occasional fades with my woods, which is common this early in the year. I figure by the time they are consistent, if the driver is not I may go back to the Firesole for a little while. It is still early though

I have also made some grip and swing changes in the last few months that seem to help the rest of my clubs, they may be part of my problem?

[SiberianDVM]

I don't know either. If the weather holds up I will try swinging the 983K again. It's not as long as the G2, but I have been more accurate (or less wild) with it.

[vincel]

Doc, I have been through the exact same thing. For the last 2-3 years I would only hit my 3 wood off the tee because my TM 5r 540 was going everywhere but straight. So I retired it, hit the 3 wood (could hit it 260ish so it wasn't a big deal for most courses). I did some research, and found out about the Cleveland Launcher 460 comp, traded my TM bought a 460 and improved my game enough that I'm thinking about removing the 3 wood from the bag and use the 5 wood when necessary. Good luck and go demo the Launcher.

[SiberianDVM]

260 is a nice big hit with a 3 wood. Eldrick only hits his 280.

I only get 220 with mine; anywhere from 50 (yes, 50) to 250 with the driver in any given direction.

[mont86]

[quote=DouginGA]
Two things in particular are getting my driver back on course.
1. Loose grip. really avoiding that get tough, grab it hard, and club the ball to death mentality. Trying with some sucess to get back to a smooth flow "liquid" feel.
quote]
My biggest problem in the past is the death grip and trying to crush the ball. My best shot are the smooth easy swing, liquid feel if you will.
It is a long slow process to figure all the bugs out.

[DouginGA]

Originally Posted by mont86

It is a long slow process to figure all the bugs out.

Amd worse yet is after figuring out one of the bugs, six months later I am reinfested.

[SiberianDVM]

I have been working on a one plane swing, and I think that may have been too difficult for me with the driver. Last evening I stood a little taller when swinging the big dog, and the shots straightened right up. Who knows if it will last? I'm still selling the G2.

Next Wednesday, a Callaway rep is bringing a car full of clubs to my range for demo. I hope he has a 11.5* driver in regular flex. Although I kinda want a 905.

[Davebud]

I have the Callaway BB 11* and I can pound it, I can hit my son's 5 wood further than most of the clowns at the range hit their drivers. The Higher loft driver is sweet, I have figured out that if I want to hit a lower shot I just move the ball back, maybe an inch and a half and I can hit one that will roll and roll, but if I want to draw or fade the ball I think its the higher loft that is helping me do that.
My problem isn't hitting the driver well, its hitting it well on the course. On the range I can land it within 10 yards of what I am aiming at 7 out of 10 times. On the course that drops to 1 out of 5, during any given round I will hit 2 or 3 excellent drives, 3 or 4 acceptable drives and total crap the rest of the way. Last time out on the back 9 there is this long par 4 with a slight dogleg left, I look down the fairway and pick my spot, bang poked it out to about 8 feet from the marker I was aiming at, and that was the 150 yards to the green pin. I was feeling like Tiger, did not hit another good drive the rest of the back 9.

[ezra76]

If it makes you feel any better, my driver was perhaps the worst I can ever remember today. My slices were horrible, friggin boomarangs. I was slicing everything though, driver was just worse. The only thing I could do is hit wedges today. I'll be hitting the range again this weekend. I swear it's like I go to the range and then play well. I get progressively worse until I go back and straighten my swing and setup out again.

[MisterJJ]

How much do you want for the G2??

Just kidding.

But seriously....

: )

[SiberianDVM]

The G2 is $160 plus shipping. Seriously.