Driver help

I'm currently hitting a 10.5º Callaway Diablo Octane with the factory regular flex project x shaft. By looking at the ball mark pattern on the face, it appears that I'm hitting the ball hot. Most of the marks are on the top 1/4 of the face and the ball has a very high launch. I know that I'm loosing distance because of this and it also makes my already big slice even bigger. Any recommendations on maybe switching to and 8.5º or using a stiff shaft. Swing speed is usually around 100 and range balls average 235-255 when I can hit em straight. I've tried different ball placement, swing and grip alterations, and address posture, all to no avail. I sometimes think that I might not be hitting the proper shaft/loft combination for my swing. The driver is starting to see more bag time and the 3 wood is taking over lately. Any info is appreciated!

Have you tried teeing the ball lower? A lot of people tee it too high.

I've tried several different tee heights. I've been teeing so that roughly half of the driver sits above the ball.

Let me re-phrase that... so that half of the ball sits above the driver!

That seems to have been the prevailing advice over the last decade but a lot of experts are suggesting that some people would benefit from only having 1/4 or 1/3 of the ball above the top of the driver so it'll sit lower. I find it works for me. Definitely worth giving it a go.

Might work for you, might not.

When testing though, do it on grass with a real tee. When I'm driving from exactly the same height from one of the automatic rubber tees my driving changes completely and throws it off.

I go through a thing each season where I'll hit a pop up during a league outing... what I've found is that when I get too steep with my driver swing I hit it high on the face almost to the point of missing it. What I think you need to do is make sure your take away is very close to the ground for 6-10 inches on your take away and be sure you're sweeping the ball off the tee.

If that doesn't wotk, take a lesson...

so here is an interesting question.  Where is the ideal place on a golf club to impact the ball?  If I tape my driver with impact tape do I want to ball to hit square in the middle of the driver face, slightly higher, slightly lower?

Impact tape is cheap / masking tape works to but not quite as accurate.

A package of impact tape and an afternoon at the range could give you a better idea of ball height.

How far forward to you place the ball in relation to your stance?

Also, a high ball slice means you are hitting the ball with an open club face so you are adding loft and hitting the ball with just a little bit of a deflecting blow.  Changing to a 8.5 degree driver will reduce backspin and increase the issue.

I suggest reviewing your swing and trying to identify the problem.  The slice is the most common fault of golfers and low lofted clubs get the least amount of help in masking it.  (This is why people think they can hit a straight iron but not a straight driver)

Tape the club face and look at ball strikes. You must have a vertical swing(like me) and hit it on the top of the club face. What I do in practice rounds is try and focus on the takeaway and make it low to the ground. I think of it as low and long. Sweep the ball off the tee. Almost think of hunter Mahan. Does a great job of sweeping it. See if that works!

I've read the ideal spot is just above center on the face. I also had the issue of being too high on the face- I switched to a Callaway Octane 'Tour' 9.5 (from an R7 9*). the deeper face and shorter shaft (45.5 instead of 46) helped get me into hitting the sweetspot much more consistently. Use some scotch tape or even baby powder and hit enough balls to get a good sampling to find your tendencies. Even painters tape is a good choice- you can get it in 2" wide rolls- a lot less expensive than those "Impact appliques" they sell at the golf store. But as an above poster described it sounds like either you're a bit steep and hitting down on the ball or it is tee'd a bit high. You need a sweeping motion to lessen the back/side spin that is robbing distance and accuracy.

Clearwater, I normally play the ball slightly behind my lead foot, and I have been told by some to try it out at the toes on my lead foot or even slightly out in front in order to make contact at the lowest point of the swing path. I tend to come way across and pull the ball far left when I do this.

Ray, kcarile, and clearwater, I have tried tape toward the end of the season last year, however didnt get out to practice as much as I would like to find out what makes the impact point better. Weather is starting to get nicer here, won't be too long where I will be on the links 3-4 times a week and at the range at lease once weekly. I will try some different things with the tape to see what works the best.

Ray, I have a major slice issue and if I switched to a tour driver, I'd be doomed! I thought about getting a draw driver or an adjustable to be able to have a closed club face, however most people say dont band-aid an issue that could be solved. I'm pretty sure I can blame that on an out to in swing (played baseball for 15 years), just gotta figure out how to force myself to get a straighter swing path.

Hey JS,

The truth is,,,(and you can see this all day long with people trying out Drivers at Dick's and Golf Galaxy),, buying equipment to mask swing faults like offset drivers, shaft flex, or adjusting loft is only going to go so far. The better option to improving is get some help with your swing then get fitted with the right equipment.

As far as ball position on the driver. For most the standard position is just inside the left heel as most of us have been taught. In this position some people have a tendancy to lean towards their left side which will make your shoulders tilted to the front where your right shoulder is higher than the left. This is a bad position to be in and if you move the ball up to your left toe your going to make it even worse. When you setup to the ball with the Driver make sure your right shoulder is slightly lower than your left. Another issue, in addition to what Clearwater stated about your open clubface adding loft, is your angle of attack may be too steep where your hitting the bottom half of the ball with the top half of the clubface popping it up. In that case teeing the ball lower is just a poor band-aid for the problem. It won't get rid of your glancing blow slice but it might create some cool divots with your driver,,,lol j/k.

For me what has worked in the past to help create a more sweeping shallow swing with the Driver is not to move my ball position forward but instead think of it as moving the center of your body backwards behind the ball.

Try this as a drill or it may work for you in a normal round: Start your setup with the driver behind the ball and put your feet almost together with your toes flaired out and your heels nearly touching. Position the ball right in line with where your heels are touching so it's dead in the middle of your stance. Now take your right foot only, and shift it to the right until your feet are now shoulder width or better apart(or what feels comfortable). When you do this what you should feel is the whole center mass of your body shifting to the right and behind the ball. Now with your weight evenly balanced on both feet and your right shoulder slightly lower than your left your ready to give the ball a sweeping blow with(hopefully) a + AoA.

I use this as a drill on the range and because I've moved my center well behind the ball once I've shifted my right foot back I'll set my Driver 2-3 inches behind the ball and pretend that I'm hitting an imaginary ball thats teed up directly behind the real ball. If anything it will get you hitting the ball more on the bottom of the face and I actually tee it up a bit higher than normal when I do this drill.

That drill might help you bring your ball flight down but I would concentrate more on getting some help with your slice. If you fix that your going to hit the ball a lot more solid and it may straighten out all your trajectory issues!

Good Luck, hit em well!

Thanks Parker. I've watched a lot of videos that basically explained the things you mentioned. Just haven't got out to try them yet (snow on the courses). I took some lessons last year (probably could call it a clinic) with two others, one a total beginner, and the other a low to mid 20's capper like myself. I mentioned to the instructor at the beginning, that my main goal was to try and work out my slice, but since we had the newbie there, the lessons were more tailored to the basic fundamentals. I did learn some really good stuff that I've already been able to apply and it has really helped in certain situations but I expected just a little more out of it. Snow is pretty much melted and its supposed to be in the 40's this weekend so it should be a nice time to get bsck out and try out some of the good pointers I've been taking in. Thanks again!

I had the same problem as I played baseball and fast pitch softball for 30 years and was a pull hitter... the problem we both shared is the first move is throwing the hips and front shoulder to the right, for right handers. You will need to get the feeling of dropping your right shoulder into the slot and swinging from inside out. Think like your hitting the ball over the second baseman and drawing it towards shortstop. It also helps to concentrate on getting the toe of the club to the ball. If you have an impact bag hit the bag with the toe over and over again. Do a lot of hitting with 5-6-7 irons to get the feeling.

Once you begin hitting a consistent draw you're going to have a lot of fun.You can get a piece of pool noodle and put it down just outside your ball at the range so if you're coming over the top you'll hit the noodle. Make yourself hit hooks if you have to and then back off a little till you hit a draw but always aim to the right so you'll be looking inside out.

Also make sure you have a slightly strong grip, if your grip is weak and you're club face is open at the top you'll have to manipulate the club to get it squared up. It's a feeling like you're hitting top spin in tennis...

You can get drivers where you change the face and weighting. I have a Razr fit driver...

If you set these up closed and for draw weighting you'll  hit a lot of ugly pull hooks if you don't correct your swing. I set mine up square or open.

It should read ...the first move is to throw the front shoulder and hip to the left...