Jump to content
IGNORED

Harder to fire body with driver than with short irons


Note: This thread is 4204 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

I have been working on really leaving my arms out of the equation and feeling to connection in my left shoulder and firing it through with the body after setting the club at the top. I am making progress with short irons and I have gained much more distance with a real feeling of not even trying to hit it hard, just letting the body fire through and trailing the arms behind.

But

My practice ground is small, and I can't get the same feeling with my driver, it feels different, I got a 6-iron clubhead speed of 90 but my drives reach an average carry of about 250 when I strike it solidly, and whenever I try get that effortless sensation which works with my short irons I don't see any added distance.

What should my clubhead speed be for my driver if it is 90-92 with 6-iron?

I think I must be leaking power with my driver but practicing with my driver is limited to when I can hit a few shots off as a tee shot when no-one is on the course.

Does anyone else think it's easier to get the body firing on short irons than longer clubs? Maybe I should try swing more steeply a I swinging round the body seems to make it harder for me to feel the body firing through.

Thoughts anyone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Much bigger swing arch and impact occurs later in the swing arch so you have to really be patient the longer the club gets and wait on things to happen.  When I swing driver it feels like and eternity before the club arrives back in the hitting zone, because my hips want to fire, but I know that I must be patient or the results won't be good.  The only club in my bag that I have a problem every now and then not completing my backswing is the driver. But at least you are starting to notice this difference whereas most people think there is something wrong with them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by Righty to Lefty

Much bigger swing arch and impact occurs later in the swing arch so you have to really be patient the longer the club gets and wait on things to happen.  When I swing driver it feels like and eternity before the club arrives back in the hitting zone, because my hips want to fire, but I know that I must be patient or the results won't be good.  The only club in my bag that I have a problem every now and then not completing my backswing is the driver. But at least you are starting to notice this difference whereas most people think there is something wrong with them.

So as thought I must be coming out of sync whenever I try and really go at the ball with the driver... So if I want to get from a 250 carry to a 270 carry, I should maybe?

first get my rhythm sorted with the driver with the hip firing at the right moment, and also getting a more consistent contact?

Then once this is good and proper, try other things to add distance while keeping this rhythm solid?

It's hard to get the instinct of really hitting hard out of your mind, maybe some meditative techniques could help this lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites


For me when i am hitting my drives the longest is when i worry about my finish, because i tend to fall backwards away from the target in the downswing. So what i do is focus on my finish alot, i like to feel like i am really extended and stretched in the finish. Though this is for me, i am a flexible guy. The golf pro i go to has the finish were he's straight up and down, fully on his front leg, kinda old school. I like to finish like Rory, i think of were his club is finished, were he looks fully extended. I try to get there. Usually when i do that, i don't hold back, i get a full release and i just pound the ball.

Now going harder or softer at the ball, i don't i have one speed, its easier that way. 95% of the time i don't have to worry about hitting it shorter. My max distance is pretty accurate. I know a lot of people say, find your 100% and go back to 80%, i hate that. I made my swing in such a way were i go 95-99%, and i am totally in balance. This was achieved through working out and working hard on my balance and coordination. Now if i want to tone it down, like this one hole is a par 4, 450 yards, but you have to hit a big sweeping draw to cut the corner and not run through the fairway into a hazard. i know i can get over the trees but only if i hit a high push fade. So what i do is, play the ball way up in my stance, and just try to hit a very high sky ball, it takes about 20-30 yards of the ball, but its a high fade, really a fun shot to play and works well because i can just hit it over the trees that block the corner. If i hit my draw, i would have to aim at the water and draw it around, the draw is to low for the trees. Johnny miller said, don't aim at something you know you would hit it into if you hit it straight.

But as for syncing up your swing, i find that people usually have problems when they have something else going wrong. Like when i fall away from the ball (my head goes backwards), i have to flip at the ball to not slice it and then hold the release to not duck hook it. I've gotten really good at this, but it kills my power. So i worked on getting proper impact position, and finish and this has helped a ton.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You just need to learn the "rythmn" of your driver.  I downloaded a metronome for my Ipod and you will shocked when you hear just how slow a full execution of a driver swing is.  I'll post a vid of an example.  The beautiful thing about it is that once you have your baseline then everyday when you warm up you will know that your timing is the same and not any faster.  Slower is fine so long as you don't decel into impact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnwcseNrPPQ

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by saevel25

For me when i am hitting my drives the longest is when i worry about my finish, because i tend to fall backwards away from the target in the downswing. So what i do is focus on my finish alot, i like to feel like i am really extended and stretched in the finish. Though this is for me, i am a flexible guy. The golf pro i go to has the finish were he's straight up and down, fully on his front leg, kinda old school. I like to finish like Rory, i think of were his club is finished, were he looks fully extended. I try to get there. Usually when i do that, i don't hold back, i get a full release and i just pound the ball.

Now going harder or softer at the ball, i don't i have one speed, its easier that way. 95% of the time i don't have to worry about hitting it shorter. My max distance is pretty accurate. I know a lot of people say, find your 100% and go back to 80%, i hate that. I made my swing in such a way were i go 95-99%, and i am totally in balance. This was achieved through working out and working hard on my balance and coordination. Now if i want to tone it down, like this one hole is a par 4, 450 yards, but you have to hit a big sweeping draw to cut the corner and not run through the fairway into a hazard. i know i can get over the trees but only if i hit a high push fade. So what i do is, play the ball way up in my stance, and just try to hit a very high sky ball, it takes about 20-30 yards of the ball, but its a high fade, really a fun shot to play and works well because i can just hit it over the trees that block the corner. If i hit my draw, i would have to aim at the water and draw it around, the draw is to low for the trees. Johnny miller said, don't aim at something you know you would hit it into if you hit it straight.

But as for syncing up your swing, i find that people usually have problems when they have something else going wrong. Like when i fall away from the ball (my head goes backwards), i have to flip at the ball to not slice it and then hold the release to not duck hook it. I've gotten really good at this, but it kills my power. So i worked on getting proper impact position, and finish and this has helped a ton.

You mention having something else wrong, I think my swing is sound, BUT I have a real problem with distance, I know that I am slightly below Pro average for swing speed (90mph 6-iron tested at American Golf) and this is ok, but it's got to the point where I just need to get more distance, OR deal with the reasons why I let this bother me so much... But when I am in this state of mind where I just hate myself for feeling like I can't get that 270 carry and hence I go into a kind of self destruct mode where my swing goes to shit because I am trying to kill it, it feels like to just swing easy is risking failure, because I know what I need to do, but seeing no improvement when I do get my head straight and fire all my body in sync then gets me pissed again...

I think it is a combination of impatience wanting immediate results and not being fully in control of my ego...

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by Righty to Lefty

You just need to learn the "rythmn" of your driver.  I downloaded a metronome for my Ipod and you will shocked when you hear just how slow a full execution of a driver swing is.  I'll post a vid of an example.  The beautiful thing about it is that once you have your baseline then everyday when you warm up you will know that your timing is the same and not any faster.  Slower is fine so long as you don't decel into impact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnwcseNrPPQ

awesome thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Originally Posted by saevel25

For me when i am hitting my drives the longest is when i worry about my finish, because i tend to fall backwards away from the target in the downswing. So what i do is focus on my finish alot, i like to feel like i am really extended and stretched in the finish.

I've noticed from watching pros that rather than being a definate strike at the ball, the rhythm finds a small pause or slowdown, almost as if we have a rhythm going of

1 .. 2 .. 3 .. 4

1 being the start of the swing, 3 the top and 4 the strike, but Pro rhythm being more like

1 .. 2 .. 3 .. 4 . 4.5

4.5, being the contact with the ball or the release of the trailing clubhead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Note: This thread is 4204 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • Day 6 (7 May 24) - More work in the backyard focused on tempo in addition to setup.  Worked with 6 and 7 irons hitting hard foam balls - used the old MacGregor irons to mix it up a little.   
    • No! lol. But they have to be in the right sequence to play mid-handicap golf or little better. Mostly. And even in that there is range/margin for error in the motions and positions that most normal humans can handle. It helps if you have a decent idea of how a golf club moves around the body like you would any other equipment sports (baseball and hockey might be the closest) After all, fairways are 40 yards wide. Don't overthink it. Be diligent in getting basics right. I will concede that it is harder than it sounds but it certainly is not exact angle/exact position/exact degree of bend/exact speed/exact facial expression, etc, every.... single.... time or the result is horrible death. 
    • Looking to play in the Severna Park Golf league and it got rained out the first three weeks. I know the course is being renovated so it is not in great shape but the location is easy for me and I would love to meet some other golfers in my area. Anyone here in Maryland Annapolis area? 
    • I like to look at the positives.  Overall you are fairly consistent down the center with most shots 20 yards or less off center.  On most fairways that should be in play.  Sure, you had some very short duds, but also if you look there is a good cluster in the 110-125 yard range.  Sure, we would all like to be longer, but knowing your typical shot is more important than trying to hit the 7-Iron 175 Yards.  Just take more club for longer shots and do not worry about it.  Your distances may increase as you improve over time so do not get caught up on that now.
    • Day 552, May 7, 2024 Played nine holes with @NatalieB with irons only from her tees. Didn't really finish out any holes, just hit the irons and approaches and some chips.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...