Driver Neglect

Many of us here have commented on and lamented the amateur player who spends all or too much time on the practice range exclusively hitting their driver.  It certainly does happen, I've seen and heard more than a handful of guys and gals at the range the last few weeks practicing solely with the big stick.  But has anyone found themselves neglecting the driver to the detriment of their game?  I'm usually a decent driver of the ball, enough distance to play anywhere I want and relatively accurate.  For the last few months I've haven't played many rounds (studying), but would regularly visit the range, as much as 4-6x/week recently.  And I haven't been hitting my driver much-either out of complacency or lack of interest.  I've been interested in ballstriking, so range time has been full of 2 and 3 irons, heck every iron in the bag.  Been making sure to practice some 3/4 and 1/2 wedge shots and also spend time on the putting green.  As a result my last 4 18 hole rounds have been characterized by really solid ballstriking, good approach shots, solid putting, and horrible inconsistency off the tee.  My driver behaved for the first 7 holes this morning, and then it was gone.  Suddenly I was pulling/yanking every driver shot way left, to the point where I didn't know if the problem was swing, alignment, or a combination of both.  I actually switched exclusively to 3 wood off the tee, something I haven't done in over a year and a half.  I was even through 7 holes, had 2 birdies for the round, but still played horribly.

I guess I know the solution, focus on driver for a while-but it's never been an issue before.  I'm probably better at every aspect of the game than I've ever been, but my driving accuracy/consistency is worse than it was 2 years ago when I was around a 13 handicap.  Bleargh.  Any experience or tips?

Right on max power, we stress the mid game and the short game then we often  forget how important gettting off to a good start is. Not only being in the fairway but your head! Start with an attitude and you are junk until you calm down and get it going again. By this time you can be 3-4 strokes off your game. Spread the practice out to all the clubs even if you only hit a dozen drives in practice.

I save the last ten balls from every basket of 50 exclusively for the driver just for that reason.  I usually run through 2 baskets per session, 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more.  I find by the time I get through my wedges to 7 iron, I am pretty loosened up for the driver.  Second basket is from 6 to 3 iron, then end the last ten with the driver again.

I think the best thing to do is get into some sort of a routine.  I always pick my gap wedge to hit balls with.  The first few balls usually only travel about 100 yds.  Then once it starts going correctly I drop down to my SW, which now goes 100 yds.  I then go through my irons in sequence, skipping every other iron.  I either go PW-8-6-4 or 9-7-5-3.  Then hit a few drivers.  Depending on the number of Balls I feel like hitting I then play a few holes in my mind.  Hit a driver off the tee like I would on the first hole, then pick an iron based on how well I hit my drive, then maybe a wedge to the green.

Basically anything you will read will discuss the importance of routine in this game.  Keep messing around until you become comfortable.

I think you guys are right that I need more of a set routine at the range.  I make sure to practice with all different types of clubs, but my approach is a little willy-nilly.  I went golfing this morning with a friend, a nice 9 hole course that you can play twice.  Played through the first time as practice, didn't keep score, hit 3 wood off the tee-and it was about the only thing I was doing right.  Weak ballstriking, timid approach shots and pitches, and a couple real ugly holes.  Didn't keep score the first time through but I figure I was probably 12 over.  I felt my game slipping even further away and decided to snap out of it.  Used driver the second time through, played smart but aggressive with every shot, and shot 3 under (4 birdies and a bogey).  New personal best for 9 holes, and equaled the most birdies in an 18 hole round in only 9 holes.

Absolutely frustrating how much of this game is mental-I didn't get better suddenly in the middle of the day, I just had a better attitude and thought and swung aggressively.  If it wasn't 95 degrees out when I finished I might have played another 9 to see what I could put together for 18 holes.

I find that when my head and upper body moves backwards on my backswing, I tend to get stuck on my right side and my upper body lunges at the ball on the downswing.  I don't know if this is what you're doing (since we can't see your swing), but my shots end up being dead pulls to the left or high weak shots to the right.  When this happens, I usually stand in front of a tree or something stationary and stare at it while making some practice swings.  During these practice swings, I stare at the stationary object to ensure that my head is staying centered throughout my swing.  This allows me to keep my weight centered on my backswing and allows me to move the majority of the weight to my front foot to start my downswing.  Suffice to say, when I do this, I tend not to get stuck anymore.  As I carry over this sensation (of keeping my head still) over to my shots, the quality (CDD--contact, distance and direction) seems to return/improve.

Another drill I try (when the driver is misbehaving) is to hit half or three quarter shots at the range with my driver.  Sometimes I get out of synch with just my driver because I'm trying to mash it straight and long.  By backing off a bit and hitting the ball with a smooth, yet firm swing, I allow the club to do its job instead of trying to force the club to do its job.  Again, I often find that the quality of my drives returns/improves after spending some time doing this drill.

this is why a lot of pros work their way to the driver in a range routine. as do I. start with the easiest club first and work your way to the driver.

I do agree that if you neglect a club, eventually you can have some trouble hitting it. happens to a lot of people and their 3-wood from the fairway. I see a lot of people on the range practice their irons and driver, but hardly see anyone practice their fairway woods. I honestly can say I don't remember the last time seeing someone hitting their fairway wood on the range. it is either driver or 8-iron. for myself, I stress the practicing of my 3-wood more than my driver. I believe it to be a more difficult club to hit. but, that's just me.

kind of weird how your driver went to crap after 7 holes on the course. if your driving was fine the first 7 holes, then something must of happened during the round and not before. maybe you felt a little to confident and started to swing for the fences? I do that sometimes. and a bad drive after a grip it and rip it swing puts me back in check.

That's entirely possible.  First three shots with the driver were solid so I'm guessing I got over confident and/or lazy in my execution.

I almost never practice with my driver.  To me being able to bomb drives just isnt as important to me and being good with the irons, wedges and putter.

Im not sure that Id say its a huge detriment to my game though.  I still hit the ball 230-250 yards with the driver and end up in the fairway half the time.

The aspects of my game which I feel cost me the most strokes are the shortgame and putting, not driving.  If I could stick my wedge shots closer and avoid the 3-putts Id be shooting in the high 70s to low 80s.

well, I only said that because it happens to me. I can get overly confident with my swing and start to do some dumb things. I wouldn't say lazy though.

i have the same problem as the OP as of late.  i've only used driver on maybe 5 holes in the last 5-6 rounds i've played, using a 3W or 2H instead.  with the driver, i either make a smooth easy swing and hit it 210-220 or i speed it up and hit a huge push-fade.  i'm determined to figure my driver out though, since i feel like i'm losing too much distance and making my approach shots harder than they need to be (5i instead of 6 or 7i to the green).  the only good thing about this is i've gotten much better with my long irons and 3W...

The only really solid round I've had with the driver was last Friday when I played 9.  I had been so inconsistent for a month, and was hitting my 3 wood well so I wasn't really even thinking about bringing the driver out anymore.  I decided to forget about all the bad shots I'd been hitting and reset my confidence.  I didn't try to kill any of my tee shots, but I didn't baby them either.  I just thought "be smooth and aggressive"-and trust your shot shape (I aimed left or left-middle and counted on a small fade).  Totally did the trick, and on a relatively short course I birdied every hole I hit driver on.

I can hit my driver straight all day long. I just can't hit it at all long any day. It's like, choose your poison.

I think it was Lee Travino who said, "Drive for show, putt for dough...but if you can't drive, you won't be putting for much dough".  Lee was the Yogi Berra of golf.

If I can hit my long irons and 3 metal good the driver usually isn't a problem. When it is, I grip down a little, flatten out the swing, slow down my take away and just concentrate on a full swing. When that doesn't work I do what you do and go to my 3 metal. Since it is a 12.5* 3 metal it goes almost as far as my driver when hit well.

Personally I don't think I'd let the driver inconsistency bother you. You still seem to score well and I'd bet that the driver thing is just a blip. When it starts to affect the scoring, then its serious. Until then just a inconvience.

Call me crazy, but I don't see where driving has that big of an effect on putting.

If you can't get it in play off the tee you will never score well.  As far as I am concerned one of the most important clubs in the bag, if you are going to be a successful low handicapper you have to be able to launch it off the tee.  I am not happy unless I am hitting it 260-280 on the short grass, and regardless of what I'm hitting 10-12 fairways per round

I've play with guys who's drives aren't more than 220 yds, but the closer to the green they get, the more dangerous they become. Distance is way overrated and accuracy just doesn't seem to get much respect.

I do agree that keeping the ball in play is critical to good scoring.