How Do You Practice Driving?

[The Be Boy]

Hi All

Just got a new M5 driver and haven't really hit it much yet.   Took it to the range the other day and couldn't do much with it even when just trying to knock it 100 yards straight.  I know just going to the range and swinging away isn't the best but I've looked at videos of how to hit driver and none of them really focus on how to PRACTICE with it for a complete novice.

 

The couple times I've used it I've just been trying to make contact on the centre of the face.  Can't consistently yet but it has improved a bit. Just been taking half swings and trying to knock it straight.  

 

Cheers for any help 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

[boogielicious]

31 minutes ago, The Be Boy said:

Hi All

Just got a new M5 driver and haven't really hit it much yet.   Took it to the range the other day and couldn't do much with it even when just trying to knock it 100 yards straight.  I know just going to the range and swinging away isn't the best but I've looked at videos of how to hit driver and none of them really focus on how to PRACTICE with it for a complete novice.

 

The couple times I've used it I've just been trying to make contact on the centre of the face.  Can't consistently yet but it has improved a bit. Just been taking half swings and trying to knock it straight.  

 

Cheers for any help 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

I used to just swing hard. That is a bad idea.

Now I tend to start easy. I warm up first without a ball. Then I work on set up then mapping, which is working through where the club should be at different positions.
 

Then I start hitting using easy partial swings such as going to the top, then to A6, then a 50% swing through to A9 or so. The idea is the reinforce where the head, shaft, my hands, hips shoulders etc. should be. I do that for maybe ten swings. If I’m at the range, I also check ball flight and direction. It is not going far, but I was to make sure start direction is correct.

When I move to full swings, they are maybe 60 -70%. My issue is at 100%, my form breaks down. Lastly, I will do 2 or 3 full swings at 90%. Then I move on to something else or go back and work on an issue.

[ChetlovesMer]

 

1. Tee a ball, take the club halfway back, and stop when your hands reach waist height. Then fire through impact as fast as you can.
2. Use your regular tempo and speed. If you can’t find the center of the face? Slow things down. If you are hitting it solid? Make a bigger backswing.
3. Gradually keep increasing your backswing, but only after you can make centered contact at each backswing length you attempt.
4. Don’t cheat! It’s tempting to take it all the way back, but don’t go full throttle until you can make good contact on shorter swings.

It did not invent this drill. I think I got this from Daniel Berger... Anyway, I keep it in my little file of "drills that I like". If I'm really struggling with the driver, this is my go-to drill.

[boogielicious]

6 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

 

1. Tee a ball, take the club halfway back, and stop when your hands reach waist height. Then fire through impact as fast as you can.
2. Use your regular tempo and speed. If you can’t find the center of the face? Slow things down. If you are hitting it solid? Make a bigger backswing.
3. Gradually keep increasing your backswing, but only after you can make centered contact at each backswing length you attempt.
4. Don’t cheat! It’s tempting to take it all the way back, but don’t go full throttle until you can make good contact on shorter swings.

It did not invent this drill. I think I got this from Daniel Berger... Anyway, I keep it in my little file of "drills that I like". If I'm really struggling with the driver, this is my go-to drill.

This is a good one too!

[Patch]

When on the d-range, using the existing yardage markers, I make myself a skinny fairway. Usually skinnier than the actual fairways I play on. 

Then with driver in hand I practice trying to land the ball down range, keeping it in, or near my make shift fairway. 

This allows me to practice distance with some accuracy. If I used the whole width of the d-range, it wouldn't tell me much. 

 

[Vinsk]

Make sure to accelerate faster than the oncoming traffic when merging onto a highway. 

Do not drive in the far left lane if you’re at the limit or less.

Move into the turn lane ( left usually) then slow down. Do not slow down causing everyone behind you to have to slow down then move into lane.

 

[cooke119]

When I go to the range I start with my driver because when you play that is the first club you use. I stretch good first, take multiple practice swings then set up and drive the ball. I watched "How to Hit a Diver" on TST's Swing Thoughts thread. I took notes and before I do anything I read them again to remind myself of what I should be doing. I don't take half swings or anything like that, again when I'm at the range I thinking I'm on the course. I too pick two points to represent a narrow fairway and concentrate on accuracy more then distance, (I don't hit a long ball anyway so....). The video on how to hit a driver really helped me a lot. I don't hit that many drives at first, I switch to my fairway woods because when playing that is the next club that I hit, on a par four or five. Last I go to my irons then wedges, back to driver and so forth. 

I use impact tape to monitor where I'm striking the ball. My miss was usually off the top of the face. A friend recommend a stand a little bit back away for the ball, that helped a lot.

You should post a video of your swing so we can take a look at it and comment.

Best of luck, keep working at it.

[Mr22putt]

7 hours ago, The Be Boy said:

Cheers for any help 

 

You are a novice....go pay for lessons.

You don't have any idea how to swing a club properly....do it now to minimize any bad habits you've already developed.

[dennyjones]

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

Make sure to accelerate faster than the oncoming traffic when merging onto a highway. 

Do not drive in the far left lane if you’re at the limit or less.

Move into the turn lane ( left usually) then slow down. Do not slow down causing everyone behind you to have to slow down then move into lane.

 

You've hit my 3 biggest pet peeves about driving.   We could be friends!   

[Vinsk]

18 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

You've hit my 3 biggest pet peeves about driving.   We could be friends!   

I like you even more......

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Make sure to accelerate faster than the oncoming traffic when merging onto a highway. 

Um, check me if I’m wrong but accelerating into “oncoming” traffic would be bad. It means you are going the wrong way.

[Vinsk]

6 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Um, check me if I’m wrong but accelerating into “oncoming” traffic would be bad. It means you are going the wrong way.

Oh you know what I mean damn it! But ...a little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men...🎶

[boogielicious]

1 minute ago, Vinsk said:

Oh you know what I mean damn it! But ...a little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men...🎶

I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a Florida thing!

[Vinsk]

2 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a Florida thing!

Unfortunately...this is:

[billchao]

4 hours ago, Vinsk said:

the turn lane ( left usually)

Clearly you don’t drive often in NJ 😜

[Vinsk]

34 minutes ago, billchao said:

Clearly you don’t drive often in NJ 😜

Oh I know..I lived in NYC for four years...New Yorkers here have a terrible time understanding left turn lanes and right on red.