Took the Driver Out of My Bag

[WillieT]

This thread has helped me tremendously - more to analyze what I am doing all through the swing.  Today I went to the range (for $10 I get a couple of buckets of balls and no pressure) to "track" what is happening on the driver face.  With the trusty can of "spray foot powder" I get soon, certain and positive feedback.  Likewise I employed the "empty ball sleeve box" ahead of the tee to make sure I was on the upswing in my drives. I practiced the drives in groups of five - looking at not only the impact zone on the head but also the flights of the shots.  I've attached a couple of photos of the driver head to show how this is a good indicator of where I am hitting the ball in relation to the club. One thing I have found is that I was setting up too close to the ball as a number of drives are off the heel area. A few simple adjustments now has the ball doing a slight fade (starting left, coming back right to middle of target area).  I am looking forward to the next round to see how my score is affected.  

Side note - when I was looking at the pictures more closely, it appears you can see how the ball "wraps" around the top of the club head reflecting the compression we have all seen in the other videos.  As you can see there were some "toe" shots but with each strike I was able to make an adjustment in my stance that afforded me to "learn" where to be to make better contact.  Still more to learn....

[ChetlovesMer]

On 5/6/2019 at 11:18 AM, krupa said:

I haven't carried a driver for years.  When I'm playing all right, I hit my 3W as far as my regular playing partner hits his driver (he's about 20 years older than me, though).  I have tried lessons with different instructors and never got anywhere.  Trying to swing a driver made me hate playing so I took it out of my bag and haven't looked back.  I may never break 90 but the way I play, breaking 100 again is questionable. 

Krupa, Krupa, NOOOOO!!!!!! What are you doing????

There are so many things in this post that make me sad. Firstly, you've tried lessons with different instructors and never gotten anywhere?????? How is this possible? My experience with golf instruction has been to get great improvement both in length and even more so in accuracy, especially with the driver. Did you give the lessons a real chance? Or did you try what the instructor said and it didn't work right away and gave up on it? 

Here's why I ask. Let me start with saying I love hitting driver. I mean I really enjoy it. I'm the guy when there's a 12 foot wide landing area up there 275 yards away and at 200 yards away it's 75 yards wide, I pull driver and truly believe I can hit that 12 foot wide strip. So there's that. Nothing in golf is as satisfying as reaching down to pick up your tee as you scream a drive down the fairway. 

There have been 2 or 3 times in my golfing life that I have lost my ability to hit driver. Developed a snap hook, or a weak fade, or simply can't find the middle of the club face with the ball. Not for a shot or even around, I'm talking about for a several weeks or even months long stretches. Every time I've had this happen I've sought out a teaching pro (Or visited the one I already had.) Anyway, normally what happens is we work on it and for a couple weeks and it actually gets WORSE! But then without fail, I'll be on the driving range one day and "CLICK" oh my God, I think I've got it. Then I go to the course and it doesn't work. But I at least now know it's coming. More practice on what the pro was working on with me and soon every range session is filled with more good shots then bad ones. Then at some point I'll be playing a round and it happens. Everything comes together like magic and all of a sudden that driver which had been such a thorn in my side becomes a true weapon out there on the course.

I go back to the teaching pro. "Check this out". "Yes, you've got it. … maybe just a little more pressure here, a little less here, Here's your swing thought...." It is a beautiful, wonderful thing when it all clicks back into place.  

Don't give up on it. It is such a cool thing to hit great drives. Find a pro that fits your learning style and stick with it. Do you like the techy stuff? Find a pro that teaches off of trackman. Are you a step by step, martial arts style learner? Go find a tathata movement specialist. Are you a feel guy? Look for a teaching pro who's students are barefoot and blind-folded. I'm telling you, any human with average coordination and a reasonable amount of fitness can hit a driver further than any club in his/her bag. They just need to find the right person to teach them how. 

[ohsigmachi]

4 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Here's why I ask. Let me start with saying I love hitting driver. I mean I really enjoy it. I'm the guy when there's a 12 foot wide landing area up there 275 yards away and at 200 yards away it's 75 yards wide, I pull driver and truly believe I can hit that 12 foot wide strip. So there's that. Nothing in golf is as satisfying as reaching down to pick up your tee as you scream a drive down the fairway. 

I guess this may be the real crux of the discussion, I really don't find driving that exhilarating. I'm still a novice, but one part of my game that just seemed to materialize overnight was my PW. I love watching a 110yd shot drop 6ft from the pin and stick. I'd take that over a 250+ drive anyday. Now if only I could get my 60yds and less game to come along for the ride.

16 hours ago, tinker said:

Driver with a big head,on a high tee is the easiest to hit shot. The problem is everyone who stuggles with a driver swings it to hard and out of control. It has become an epidemic in today’s game. 

I don't swing hard at all and even with a a choked up grip still manage a considerable slice. The higher the tee, the worse the slice.

I tee my 5W barely above the grass and can easily hit 210yds straight as an arrow. An easy swing with a choked up grip on a driver will usually net me 185yds and a mild slice off the fairway.

[krupa]

@ChetlovesMer, I appreciate your response and your passion. 

Re: instructors

There aren't a lot around here and 2/4 that I saw just repeated whatever they read in Golf Digest that week.  The other two were better.  One was great (my club's pro) but he got a better offer and left the area.

Additionally, there's a time component at play here.  I have very time consuming outdoor hobbies (bicycling and golf) as well as yard work at home.  So on the days that I decide to golf (versus the other things), I then have to decide if I go to a range (good one is 30+ minutes from my house) or just go play (~3 minutes from my house).  When I first started playing, I put a lot more time in at the range.  Now I just like walking around smacking a ball around.

It is what it is.  I really enjoy golfing on my terms.  That means no scores, no HCI, and no stress.  I'm getting better very very slowly and that's cool with me.  I put a lot of time in to develop my profession skills, I like taking things easy in most other things.

I originally responded to this thread just to let the OP know that the Golfing Police aren't going to get him for not using his driver and that golf can be enjoyable without it.

[billchao]

17 hours ago, WillieT said:

As you can see there were some "toe" shots

Your misses are towards the heel, not the toe. It's an important distinction.

[WillieT]

9 minutes ago, billchao said:

Your misses are towards the heel, not the toe. It's an important distinction.

Many thanks for the correction.  I meant to say the heel and somehow got to thinking toe instead.    

[onthehunt526]

2 hours ago, krupa said:

@ChetlovesMer, I appreciate your response and your passion. 

Re: instructors

There aren't a lot around here and 2/4 that I saw just repeated whatever they read in Golf Digest that week.  The other two were better.  One was great (my club's pro) but he got a better offer and left the area.

Additionally, there's a time component at play here.  I have very time consuming outdoor hobbies (bicycling and golf) as well as yard work at home.  So on the days that I decide to golf (versus the other things), I then have to decide if I go to a range (good one is 30+ minutes from my house) or just go play (~3 minutes from my house).  When I first started playing, I put a lot more time in at the range.  Now I just like walking around smacking a ball around.

It is what it is.  I really enjoy golfing on my terms.  That means no scores, no HCI, and no stress.  I'm getting better very very slowly and that's cool with me.  I put a lot of time in to develop my profession skills, I like taking things easy in most other things.

I originally responded to this thread just to let the OP know that the Golfing Police aren't going to get him for not using his driver and that golf can be enjoyable without it.

That's a good way of putting things. I found in our area, that mainly the pros we have, are mediocre at best. You have to go an hour either to Binghamton or Syracuse to find a good pro. But that's off topic.

PM me @krupa sometime or I think I still have your number. I think I may have a found a more stress-free to hit your driver.

As for my cont'd opinion on this. I think it's okay for a golfer to not hit a Driver on the course while they are trying to figure out an efficient way to hit it. 

This isn't a mental trick this is a feel trick. Swing your driver at the same tempo you swing your best club in the bag whether that's a sand wedge, 8-iron, 5-iron whatever your best club is that your most confident in. Hit a few shots with that favorite club, then switch to the driver with the same tempo, same sort of swing, and make adjustments as necessary, ball position, etc. But keeping the tempo and rhythm of the swing the same as your favorite club.

[krupa]

I guess I have to let @ChetlovesMer and @onthehunt526 know that I think I've changed my tune about the driver.  It's only been about 12 holes (one nine hole round interrupted by storm) but I was hitting my driver pretty well.  not completely under control but good enough to have some good holes and actually some bad holes because all of a sudden I'm at distances from the green that I'm not used to dealing with.

[onthehunt526]

1 hour ago, krupa said:

I guess I have to let @ChetlovesMer and @onthehunt526 know that I think I've changed my tune about the driver.  It's only been about 12 holes (one nine hole round interrupted by storm) but I was hitting my driver pretty well.  not completely under control but good enough to have some good holes and actually some bad holes because all of a sudden I'm at distances from the green that I'm not used to dealing with.

It'll come together, Matt. Like I said when I commented on your GameGolf round, you seem to be getting better. You'll get used to those distances from the green. I think you are not far from breaking 90, my friend.

[Shindig]

3 hours ago, krupa said:

 I'm at distances from the green that I'm not used to dealing with.

What sort of distances?  Maybe this is something I can help you with.

[DrMJG]

Prior to my hiatus from golf for 20 years, I had only played a Persimmon (and a TRUE one, at that). Distance was great but accuracy was iffy (actually, down right awful at times). And, I also used a 2i, when I lost confidence in that hunk of wood from time to time.

So, when I returned to golfing two years ago, I started out with working only on my irons, hybrids and wedges; I put the driver on the back burner a while.  Time came to get the driver back.  Being an older cuss, I went with a senior flex shaft and an older, used  club (Ping G5) and a significant 12º, until I discovered what worked for me. Compared to my older Wilson Persimmon, it seemed to be a real battle ship!  So it took more than a few trips to the range to begin to feel comfortable with it is general.  I also took lessons and much video to study.

I took lessons, and a lot of video, to make sure my driver swing was good and my address and grip were where they needed to be.  I did not use it my first few rounds back at the game. (I used a GX-7, which some one gave me as a gift and which I now use as a 3w). I did not rush putting the driver in the fore until I noticed, at the range, I had become comfortable with speed and set-up for the driver and I was soon hitting 210-230+ off the tee, again; that is solid for me at my age (68) and some lingering physical limitations, as well as  eliminating an off the tee the slice.  

I then took it out for the next round and I will charitably say I did good.  

Now, about 1 year after those days, I am comfortably using the driver.  About 75-80% have solid distance and loft, end up with good roll.  I do sometimes pull more than a draw, and I tend to play my next shots from the left of the fairways.

I do not try to smash a drive; I am not in any long drive contest.  Besides, bad things come to me when I end up pressing.  Funny thing is, I tend to get better ball speeds when I seemingly focus on a smooth easy swing. Accuracy is better, too.

It took over a year, once a week, focusing on the mechanics of the swing, mirror work, hitting the ball at a range before I got to where I do not fear using the club.  It has become a most important weapon for me.  

Do I hit screaming yellow bonkers every now and then? Yea, more than every now and then. Heck, even Tiger and others mess up drives; I just do it with slightly greater occurrence. LOL

You may be ok, for now, to concentrate on other aspects at this time in your game.  But don't give up ad infinitum on the driver.

Thus ends my catechism for today as I need to figure out what the hell I did using my 6i in my last round!

[Waddaplaya]

220 off the tee can be can be sufficient for shooting a good score on the amateur tees. Most amateurs including myself only average 230 off the tee with driver so if you are losing 10 yards and putting it in the fairway it isn't a big deal. I would keep working on learning to hit it but I will say I recently played a super tight course and played irons and woods off of most of the tees and I shot the lowest round of the year so far and had WAY more fun. 

Edited May 20, 2019 by Waddaplaya

[Waddaplaya]

I actually think I am going to start hitting my 3 or 5 wood off the tee when I see any narrow fairways that I would have to play a layup shot with an errant driver shot. 

[Shindig]

3 hours ago, Waddaplaya said:

I actually think I am going to start hitting my 3 or 5 wood off the tee when I see any narrow fairways that I would have to play a layup shot with an errant driver shot. 

Are you more accurate with those clubs?  And how bad of a layup shot are we talking about?  There's a world of difference between "small probability I'd have to chip out sideways" to "I could only advance it 100 yards out of the rough."

[pganapathy]

On ‎5‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 11:12 AM, ohsigmachi said:

So, first lets's just get this out of the way, I'm a novice. Been playing about 10 months and have already gone through three permutations of my bag setup.

From the very beginning I have struggled with the driver, either very low shots in the very beginning or a vicious slice as I developed more swing speed and "correct" setup. 

Recently I just decided to take the driver out, and wait until I was ready for some lessons. I'm just going to let my Adams 5 wood handle all the 220 yd + duties for a while.

And you know what? The last few rounds I've played, almost all of my shots from the tee box have been in the fairway and I rarely find myself trying to "get back on my hole's fairway." I've also lost considerably less balls.

Am I alone in this?

Two very important things you need to look at here.  One, a shorter club, like 5 wood only works on shorter holes/courses.  Otherwise, you are almost setting yourself up to score a bogey unless you get up and down.  Two, is your driver actually set up to your specs.  By which I mean, get yourself fitted.  Please note that some golfers actually need a 12 to 14 degree driver to maximise their distance with the club.  That is one reason some people hit their 3 wood so well.

No, you are not alone.  Most golfers find it easier to hit shorter clubs than longer clubs, purely because control is easier

 

[NZ Golfer]

4 hours ago, Waddaplaya said:

I actually think I am going to start hitting my 3 or 5 wood off the tee when I see any narrow fairways that I would have to play a layup shot with an errant driver shot. 

 Is what I started to do or even when I was having a few issues with the driver the 3w generally makes more fairways for me. distance wise 3w still goes very long for me 250yards+ 

I actually played a round recently without a driver wasn't really a major issue it just meant I needed to play a club up to make the green---- accuracy certainly not as good with the driver for me on average

the Big Boomstick is just that going for as long as possible sometimes trying to get a mental edge over the competition.. but for me, its 20-30yards max more than 3w if its hit well.. not a scoring club

[Waddaplaya]

2 hours ago, Shindig said:

Are you more accurate with those clubs?  And how bad of a layup shot are we talking about?  There's a world of difference between "small probability I'd have to chip out sideways" to "I could only advance it 100 yards out of the rough."

Yes I am more accurate with those clubs. A bad layup shot would be one where I am forced to chip back into the fairway because my driver went left behind some trees. 

[Shindig]

2 hours ago, Waddaplaya said:

Yes I am more accurate with those clubs. A bad layup shot would be one where I am forced to chip back into the fairway because my driver went left behind some trees. 

Was it fit for you?  And how often is the miss behind those trees, and can you adjust your aim with it to bring that big miss out of play, perhaps by putting the right rough into play?