Hitting a draw with the Driver

So, I have a nasty problem with the big stick. For years I have played a high cut or when I mess up, a slice with the driver. As much as I mess around at the range with it, I cannot hit a consistent draw with the driver. I try and alter my follow through (i.e. coming around more on my follow through as a swing thought), close my stance, close the face at address, but they either result in a duck hook, or sometimes a still a slice. The things that I can do with my swing with any other club to draw the ball somehow do not apply with the driver in my hand.

I'm wondering if anyone who plays a draw off the tee can give me some tips of drills or adjustments I can try to rid me of this problem (I've tried quite a few, but I'm ready to do just about anything). I have no problem shaping shots with my irons, just the driver.

I know you guys normally like a video and i can work on getting one on here. But, I'm just at a loss and am trying to get some fresh ideas.

Chances are you are coming over the top, in other words your swing path is not far enough in to out. Without seeing your swing, you can probably only say your hands are not coming in enough(while keeping the club fairly level with the hands looking from behind) and you might not be sliding your lower body far enough on the downswing or spinning your hips too early. I am only guessing though, could be a lot of things.

Post a video.

Don't know what swing you got or how it looks, but I'll just throw out some links. There some mentioning of S&T; in these discussions, but it doesn't mean you have to start working on the pattern.

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/thread/40808/stack-n-tilt-with-driver

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/thread/44307/hitting-up-or-down-with-the-driver-in-an-inline-pattern

iacas described his push-draw a few weeks ago, and it goes something like this:

Stand square to the target. Open the clubface slightly. Swing inside to out. If the swing path deviates from the target line more than the open clubface does, the clubface is closed to the swing path and the ball will draw.

This works like a charm for me.

I work with ball more with swing path than manipulation of the club head.  Once I learned that, it became easy to move the ball either way with all of the clubs in my bag.  My natural swing lends to a cut with the driver, but if I want to hit a draw I have to concentrate on really getting inside and shallow.

As everyone mentioned above, just concentrate on your swing path going from inside to out. I have also found it helpful to drop my rear leg back about 2 inches (i.e the front foot is above the rear foot.). It seems to create more room for the club to get on the inside during the takeaway.

I used to have a major problem with slicing my shots years back. I tried every single thing to rectify it, all sorts of grips and the like.

The one simplest lesson in the world I did was just use a towel and keep it under my right arm in the pit. Actually I just imagined something was there. To keep my right arm (back arm) close to my body. Slice fixed in 2 minutes).

So any time I see people with a problem slicing or wanting to draw, I immediately assume its got to do with the backswing. You say you have no trouble shaping a draw with irons. Then I am going to guess that you are trying to do too much off the tee with the driver. maybe trying to hit too hard. Concentrate on keeping your right arm tucked in on the backswing, maybe keep the hands a bit lower too.

I also don't try doing anything fancy with the clubhead when trying to shape the ball. Dropping your back foot slight behind your front is also useful in trying to draw the ball.

Tuck that back arm in! :)

What loft are you playing on your driver, and whats your swing speed?

I think we have the same problem.  I can hit a straight ball or a fade all day with the driver.  When I try and hit a slight draw.....its a no go.  I can't do it.  I have 3 drivers, 9.5*, 10* and a 12*.  All are the same result, no draw.  When I try to draw the ball I get a low pull, duck hook, straight ball, etc, etc.  So resently I started to setup with a slightly open club face in an attempt to come inside/out trying to hit a push/draw.   The straight draw don't work for me : )  The open face push/draw seems to be working but I still have lots of practice to make it consistant.

Thats because youre probably thinking, Release for a draw, so you over-rotate your hands before you get to the ball and snap hook it.

Try to get your hands on a video camera, and video tape your swing, slow the swing down till the club is just comming into the ball. Is the clubhead outside the ball or inside the ball, if its outside your cutting it. If its going in straight, your down the line, and thats the hardest spot to control the ball because you have to be so good with your hands to hit it straight.

I'm playing a 9.5 degree. I would say my swing speed is at or just over 100 mph. I'm thinking about trying that push draw next time i can get to the range (if it ever quits raining in GA). Ross, it is entirely possible i'm giving it a little too much with the driver. I'm probably overswinging, but I have used the headcover drill (same as your towel). I just couldn't get the ball to draw consistently and I dropped the drill. Maybe I should stick with it and hope it works itself into my muscle memory? Thanks to all for what you have got so far, I'll be a busy man next time I hit the range.

My theory is, if your hitting a push fade, keep it, its just as good as a push draw.. The fascination with the draw is overrated.. Many great players played a fade...

The reason i'm trying to draw the ball is more because my fades have turned into slices lately. But, if I could consistently hit a fade, I'd be all for it. It's just been frustrating lately off the tee.

Where do those slices start? Left of target, at the target, right of target?

Left of target - Over the top with a face open to the path but closed to the target line.

At the target - Over the top with a face open to the path but square to the target line.

Right of target - Path could be over the top or square, yet the face is open to the path and the target.

At the target. So i guess that wouldn't even be considered with a fade.

A fade or slice is a ball curving left to right.

A draw or hook is a ball curving right to left.

Variations are defined with pull, push and straight. So yes, you are hitting a fade. It looks to be a straight fade or pull-fade, but a fade none the less.

If you want to hit a draw, fine, but you could just as well play a fade. Lots of players hit a draw with their irons and fade with the driver, I find the fade more reliable and consistent. Your problem probably lies in a swing path going out-in, which could be caused by a number of reasons. If you were able to get the path closer to square, or slightly in-out, you could aim the clubface in close proximity to the path angle and hit shots that curve just a little bit one way.

As always, a video makes things a lot easier to identify and give suggestions on.

Try to get your swing more on plane coming down, You probably have an over the top move slightly. Once you get that fixed, make sure the back of your left hand is flat to the target at impact. If you leave it too open your going to push or slice unless you have an extremely in to out swing which will result in a push draw, which I doubt you will have :). You have to use what works with your swing