Struggling with my driver

[James M]

Can't seem to get much distance from it, I hit my 3 wood 200 yards and I know my driver is shorter, they either go very high and to the right or when I hit a better one it still goes high but a little further and straight.

Don't really know how to get more distance from it.

 

[Witmaster]

What kind of Driver vs. What kind of Wood?

 

[James M]

What kind of Driver vs. What kind of Wood?

Ping G5 10.5* regular Pro Launch vs Taylor Made 15* V-Steel II regular

 

[Davebud]

My guess

Move the ball back about 1 ball in your stance. Also check that your shoulders are not open, if they are you may be compensating with your swing and that will send them right. I am predicating this on the fact that your driver shaft is slightly longer and has similiar torque aspects.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Kinda need a little more information. You lose distance with the fade and slice that you refered to because of the spin. Although if you hit the ball straight a good part of the time and get 200 yards of your 3w, that leads me to believe that you have at least a somewhat consistent swing. As far as more information, what is the loft of the driver would be my first question, what type of shaft does it have Stiff, Regular flex? What type of shaft? Do you know your swing speed? How do you set up, is the ball in the middle of your stance? If it is move it forward, you want to hit with a ascending angle with the driver. Having it further back or hitting with a descending blow with cause backspin and a ballooning shot. Having to flexible a shaft may do the same.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Move the ball back about 1 ball in your stance. Also check that your shoulders are not open, if they are you may be compensating with your swing and that will send them right. I am predicating this on the fact that your driver shaft is slightly longer and has similiar torque aspects.

Yeah, again, kinda need the ball position he uses. Although this is contrary to what I said, it could be right as well. Having the ball to far back may cause a ballooning shot because of backspin. My first inclination is that he is hitting with a decending blow, but it may be that it is to far forward as well. If it is even with or in front of your front foot, move it back, if it is in the middle of you stance move it forward. Put it even with your left heel roughly.

Also, make sure the ball is tee'd correctly so that the top of the driver cuts the ball in half. If it is tee'd to low it will actually cause you to hit with a decending ball and a ballooning shot, contradictory to what you want.

 

[Davebud]

Good call Jay

That would have been a better way to put it, lining up with heel of front foot, or barely 1/2 a ball back from there.

 

[James M]

I play the ball level with my left foot, as for swing speed I have no idea to be honest.

I've tried teeing the ball half above the driver but it tends to just clip the top of the face not the middle so I've been teeing it down a little.

One thing I tend to do is sway to the right on my back swing as I feel like I need to get behind the ball to get the club square at impact and put some power on it.

 

[Bravo]

One thing I tend to do is sway to the right on my back swing as I feel like I need to get behind the ball to get the club square at impact and put some power on it.

Aha! Now we have something to work with...the creation of power in the golf swing is the result of a very small rotation (not swaying) of the hips combined with a large rotation of the shoulders at the top. The Hogan book illustrates this with two 'ovals' indicating the rotation of hips relative to rotation of shoulders.

I have seen many struggling golfers attempt a repeating swing that consists of a sway of their entire body backward and then a forward sway into impact...this means they are attempting to 'time' this body swaying along with the rotation of the arms and shoulders simultaneously. This will never create any reasonable power.

On another site, before the creation of Shottalk, IrishGolfer and I learned of a technique we call the AssClench that has actually been described (using different name naturally) by Peter Jacobsen and others. In this technique, the golfer is actually tightening the muscles of the lower back and inner thighs at address and keeping them this way while rotating the shoulders back to the top...

When you get to the top, the rotation of your shoulders will lead to a slight rotation of your lower body - not a swaying of your lower body. This large rotation of the shoulders vs. a very small rotation of the hips is called Coil. The larger the differential of shoulder rotation vs. hip rotation - the greater the coil and the greater the creation of power and head speed through the ball at impact...

Try going to the range and clenching your ass (I am not kidding) while rotating your shoulders to a complete turn at the top. Get used to your lower body facing forward quietly and not swaying backward - while at the same time, your shoulders have fully turned to a position where your back is to the target. Similarly, if you rotate your entire body backward, both hips and shoulders, and then rotate it forward - you are 'timing' the swing as described with the 'swaying move' above. This will not create a much power and is very difficult to repeat reliably. The main point is - your upper and lower body can neither be swayed or rotated backward and forward reliably to create power and accuracy. They must be treated as separate parts with the lower body rotating very little and the upper body rotating as much as possible. The sway is death.

Then your first move downward is a rotation/small forward movement of your knees and hips. This leads to a 'whip effect' with your shoulders following. Then, your hands come along last, following your shoulders. This creates the maximum speed at the end of the club - where the clubhead is located...

 

[Woosey]

Would be great if you could capture your swing on video, its a lot easier to analyse

 

[Adam Pettman]

Yep a video will help us analyse and if you decide to get rid of that driver just PM me

 

[Davebud]

I have heard the #'s for coil are

Something to the effect of 45* and 90*, so your hips turn back 45* from the target line and your shoulder come to a right angle, then as you come around and you shift your weight from back to front and accelerate through the ball, you have maximized your lower and upper body to the same goal.

 

[Adam Pettman]

Dave what do you thnk about taking a small breath in (just before you swing) to activate your stomach muscles.If this works its going to add some distance off the tee for me my stomach is the only strong part of my body.

 

[Davebud]

Adam I will have to pay attention to that

I can club the driver, but to be honest with you I am not sure what I do as far as breathing goes. Next time I hit the range, Sunday, I will pay close attention to that and I promise to let you know what my results are.

 

[ezra76]

I was struggling with mine big time today. First 3 holes I was all over the place. Slice, then ballooning draw attempt and back to a slice. I finally decided to choke down a good inch and go with my natural ball flight. Nice little 260yd. fade. Then I pulled 5 wood on the next 2 par 4's for 240yd. draws. I had to hit a 7iron vs. a PW in but a 7 off the fairway is better than trying a low cut 120yds. with a 40yd fade around 2 trees.