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Driving the ball versus hitting irons Big trouble


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All this year I've made a special effort to learn how to hit through the ball with a late hit on my irons. The results have been nothing short of spectacular for me. It is not uncommon for me to dial in some irons within 10 feet from 175 on in.

My fairway woods are even better, where I'm crushing it 250 yds on some par five approaches. I've learned to shift my weight forward coinciding with much steeper ball contact as opposed to the "old way" which was simply swing my arms fast and hitting at the ball.

Now the problem:

I can't hit my driver. I mean really. I played 15 holes last Sunday and didn't hit one fairway, Most, not even close.

I need someone to help me figure out what 2 or three things I must do differently as I swing the driver. I used to hit the driver fairly long (about 240-260) and now its all over the place. You name it, I do it, hooks, slices, chunks mishits truly horrid stuff.

If any of you low handicappers can tell me how you approach your drive differently from your iron play (including fairway woods) it would really be appreciated.  This whole thing is really freaking me out. Prior to this year, I basically used the same swing with all my shots, so this move to learning how to hit irons correctly must have something to do with this.

 

TaylorMade RBZ 3-PW

Titleist wedges 

TaylorMade  woods driver

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let me also say, that as I was getting better with my iron play my drives were slowly getting worse. I reached a breaking point on Sunday where it truly completely fell apart. So one must have a lot to do with the other.

 

TaylorMade RBZ 3-PW

Titleist wedges 

TaylorMade  woods driver

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For me... the hardest thing in golf is to hit irons and the driver great in the same day.  I don't care what anyone says... they are two different swings.

First of all, don't change a thing with your irons.  ;)

When you hit the driver, try to stay behind the ball.  This is my swing thought.  I almost feel like my weight is staying back a little bit.  My driver has been great this year depending on where on the clubface I hit it.  I average around 275 and 245-250 with my 13* 3 wood.

I used to hit down at it like an iron and I would hit it super high with tons of backspin about 240-250.

I currently use a Cobra Bio Cell + set at 8.5* draw.

Stay behind the ball so you can extend your arms through the shot.

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thanks for the reply.

I'll remember to stay behind the ball, lean back a bit (not really, but I know what you mean) and keep my arms straight and extended.

I didn't mention this, but I've been so rattled, I literall hit a hose (i think) on one drive and it traveled about 25 yds to the left. It's the kind of stuff I haven't done in 30 years.

 

TaylorMade RBZ 3-PW

Titleist wedges 

TaylorMade  woods driver

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Everyone is different, but that's just the feeling I get.  When you hit irons with a descending blow, you feel like you "cover" the ball with your chest.  When I try that swing with the driver, I have to short arm it and save it with my hands.  I would even duck hook it.

When I was a double digit handicap, I actually left my driver in the garage before a round.  It saved me about 5 strokes a round!  The driver is my favorite club now and I believe it saves me 5 strokes a round.

I think a lot of pros hit up with the driver about 1.5- 2 degrees.  I would guess most amateurs hit down on it a couple degrees +

Make sure you use impact tape so you know you're hitting it in the sweet spot.  Very important!

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I'm not a teacher or anything.  But went and had my pro look at my swing since my driver is going crazy.  Played 2 rounds this weekend with a 76 and 77 and didn't hit one fairway.  Hitting my irons crisp.  He took a wedge swing, 5 iron swing and a driver swing.  i was setting up the same for all clubs.  He had me work on my set up for my driver.  Stance, ball position and getting behind the ball more at address. Felt really weird like i was leaning way back and ball felt it was 3-4 inches in front of my left foot.  But on video it looked like a perfect set up.   I would have someone look at your set up and see what is going on there first and then look at swing.

Driver: :tmade: R11S (9 degree)
Woods: :tmade: R11 3 (15.5 degree) & 5 (19 degree)
Irons: :tmade: R11 4-AW
Wedges: :tmade: ATV 54 & 60 degree
Putter: :scotty_cameron: 2012 Newport 2
Ball: :titleist: ProV1
Rangefinder: :bushnell: Tour V2

 

 

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Thanks!  this is all good advice. I suspect my setup has a lot to do with it. I will def. use some tape. I'll report back in a week or so as I'm going on vacation later this week.

The funny thing is (actually quite amateurish) is that prior to this year I hit everything with basically the same set up, from say a 9 iron all the way to driver. As a result, I never learned to hit my irons properly, I was getting good contact, but always hitting fairly thin and never ever a divot.

So basically I was playing serviceable golf while hitting my irons the same way as hitting my driver--of course I was not getting any better though.

Boy, If I can get my driver/3 wood working again, I'll be set.... HA!

.

 

TaylorMade RBZ 3-PW

Titleist wedges 

TaylorMade  woods driver

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I used to score fairly decent without my driver, but WITH my driver... it's a different game.  I now have a lot of 40-50 yard shots to get my GIR.  I've actually driven two par 4s for the first time ever.  It makes the game a lot easier.

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A friend of mine told me he had similar problems with his driver. I hadn't played with him in a while. On the first tee I could see what was wrong. I guess as things got worse, the ball kept creeping forward in his stance to the point it was in front of his foot. He always had a fast swing, but it looked like he was shifting his weight before the backswing was complete. He snapped a hook into the trees on the second hole and I told him to move the ball back and slow his swing down. I had him pause at the top of his backswing. With a little more deliberate swing, he was finally starting to hit the fairway. May not be your problem, but it was his.

Driver.......Ping K15 9.5* stiff 3 wood.....Ping K15 16* stiff 5 wood.....Ping K15 19* stiff 4 Hybrid...Cleveland Gliderail 23* stiff 5 - PW......Pinhawk SL GW...........Tommy Armour 52* SW...........Tommy Armour 56* LW...........Tommy Armour 60* FW...........Diamond Tour 68* Putter.......Golfsmith Dyna Mite Ball..........Volvik Vista iV Green Bag..........Bennington Quiet Organizer Shoes.... ..Crocs

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Start a My Swing thread. It is the best thing you can do for your game. Without seeing what your doing, all your will get are educated guesses.

Brian   

 

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Note: This thread is 3503 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!

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