Common driver swing problems

[steve617]

I have a couple problems in my swing in the Tee Box. First I have a tendency to raise my head during the swing. I also tend to raise my left foot during my swing.

My golf partner today said he thought I was trying to swing too hard.

Me being a high handicapper I realized I never loosened my grip. I have heard this could be cause me to raise of head. Due to tense.

Thanks for any advice

[gbk56]

I think raising your left foot is okay although I do not do it.

Your swing should be nice and smooth which is hard to do if you try to swing too hard.

Your grip should be loose. I like the analogy of trying to hold a tube of tooth paste with the cap off so that you do not squirt the toothpaste everywhere.

I think that when most people raise their head they get too anxious to see where the ball went. I try to prevent myself from prematurely moving my heaed by trying to watch the club face come in contact with the ball.

[jambalaya]

A slight rise of the left foot is okay. If you pick it up to the point where you are standing on the left toe, it is probably too much. I was looking at this aspect of the swing today viewing many pro's swings. Some kind of roll the front foot to the inside and raise the heel a bit. Some not so much. You can just see the heel come off the ground for some. But it is not a big move.

You say you raise your head which means you are probably raising your entire spine. That is what you should key on rather than the head. The idea is to try to keep the bent over position you had at address. But it is not always that simple. If you are too bent over to begin with you may have to raise up to make room for the club to come through. So me saying to keep the same spine angle throughout the swing may cause other problems. Find out what a good posture is and then try to keep that spine angle.


Can't say I think I ever grip the club so loose that I wouldn't squeeze some toothpaste out of that tube but you need to be relaxed in the wrists and hands. I would say if 10 is the tightest you could grip the club, you want to be at about 5. Some people say less. Experiment a little.

[NI4NI]

I've been told by a local Club Pro to rock on the inside of left foot if I have to versus pivoting during the backswing, as this would keep me more stationary / centered. My guess is the left foot moving also impacts your torso and head which probably also rock back as you set the club, which has you playing catch up on the downswing to get everything together during impact (way too many moving parts to keep track of while focusing on the ball).

As far as the lifting of your head - connect a Gamakatsu SC15 Saltwater Hook to a chain on one end, and on the button of your cap on the other end. Then, place the hook "down under" - guaranteed to keep your head down after only forgetting once (twice if your stubborn).

[mikelz]

I have a couple problems in my swing in the Tee Box. First I have a tendency to raise my head during the swing. I also tend to raise my left foot during my swing.

When I was a really poor driver of the golf ball, I found all sorts of ways to screw it up.

Trying to hit it too hard or far is the cause of all of them. Using up all of my speed on the backswing. Swaying off the ball on the backswing. Using grip pressure equivalent to a stranglehold. Starting with OK grip pressure, then re-gripping it hard before starting down. Don't worry about that left knee and foot. Nicklaus did that his entire career.

[wachesawgolfer]

I agree, don't worry at all about the left foot. Modern teaching assumes everyone can make or should be able to make a full 90 degree chest turn, without raising the left foot, so people keep the foot down and fail to make a full turn. Pennick said just make sure you replace the left foot as your first move in the downswing. Raising up is probably a flexibility issue if it occurs in the backswing and a too quick downswing, if it occurs prior to impact in the downswing.

[Augusta Hacker]

The best advice I ever received for hitting my driver was to try to hit the ball with a 80% swing. What that did for me was to limit my backwing because I was going past parallel. When I limit it, I still get a full shoulder turn and the club is near parallel.....but it feels as though the club shaft is pointing to the sky like a batter in baseball. Thinking about 80% relaxes your swing a little and helps tempo.

Do this, go to a driving range and take 1/4 swings (to 8 oclock in your backswing) with your driver. Concentrate on a proper take away and release. Once you are making good contact and ball flight, go to 1/2 swing (just past 9 oclock) and do the same things as 1/4 swing and now shift your weight thru the swing....last time, go to 3/4 swing where your left arm is straight and parallel with the ground and put all this together.

I do this little drill when I warm up before a round on the range with the driver or any other club. It really helps me groove my swing, and gives me some tempo. I also employ the 1/2 swing as my practice swing to help reinforce it. Works for me, may work for you.

[lynchjo]

I have a couple problems in my swing in the Tee Box. First I have a tendency to raise my head during the swing. I also tend to raise my left foot during my swing.

The only thing the golf ball cares about is what the club face is doing at the impact position...if you can learn to get into the position Lee Trevino is below (notice his hands are ahead of the club face and his left wrist is bowed), you are on your way to becoming a great ball striker!