Can't Drive To Save My Life

[Yanks Fan]

I've been playing a year a half, down to a 15 handicap but can't hit my driver. I tee off with my 4hybrid and hit it out from 170-200 but typically 180ish. Everyone I play with comes up and hits driver and has about an extra 40-80+ yards off the tee. On most par 4's, I will have a long iron or my hybrid in to the green as opposed to short iron for them. I still shoot lower than them most of the time because my short game is pretty good. Best part of my game is probably irons and I really don't miss too many of them so I get excited when I finally get to hit one into the green lol. This lack of distance off the tee is killing me though and I have no idea what to do. I used to play a predictable slice that went maybe 220 if I got lucky but now even when I feel like I "crushed" one, it goes all of 210 which kills me. And I don't even know whether to line up to play a hook, a slice, or if its gonna go straight. So before I make this any longer I need help. Getting more distance off the tee will help my game more than anything right now I feel. I'm debating buying a Medicus Driver to play with and see what happens. Anyone ever use one or have an opinion on its usefulness? Any other options out there for me besides the obvious of lessons? I don't have a video on hand but could get one over the next day or two probably.

[JackLee]

What stance are you using with your driver? Square? Open? Closed?

Are you trying to swing inside-to-inside, or inside-out.

I swing all of my clubs a little inside-out. Using a closed stance with my longer clubs makes an inside-out swing much easier and more consistent.

[Yanks Fan]

What stance are you using with your driver? Square? Open? Closed?

I've tried it all I swear and nothing works. I've hit so many balls with my driver over the past couple months it makes me sick lol. I've tried a square stance and nothing, tried a open and it was terrible, tried a closed and it gave me the best results but still nothing too spectacular. I am trying to swing inside to out but I'm sure some of the swings are inside to inside. I've tried to play a draw hoping it could cure the slice but right now I'm hoping just to make solid contact with ball with my driver.

[picrig]

I can relate somewhat (although I don't have an answer). I've been hitting my short irons and mid irons really well lately, but my drive has fallen off the planet. I used to average ~240. Now I'm down to averaging about 215 off the tee and am almost always playing a slice. Now, a few times a round I'll hit one solid like I use to, and low and behold, I get out there with the gps and I'm in the 245-255 range (where I feel like I should be). I don't know why I can't hit it solid more than 2-4 times per round, though. If I could get rid of the holes with the 175-190 yard drives, it'd shave 3-4 strokes off my handicap instantly.

[Dub]

I'm impressed that you've gotten to a 15....all the while struggling with driver.

Imagine what will happen once you started pounding them out there in play. Your game will explode.

I've struggled like heck with the long ball over the years, too. I've also been fortunate in that there are tons of instructors just a phone call away. I've been even more fortunate that I play with some great golfers who have offered tidbits of help here and there along the way.

Spend $40-80 on a lesson or two. I know it's not fun to hear....but I'll bet they can get you straightened out and even give you a drill or two to focus on.

Driver can be a beast.....very little loft....longest shaft in the bag....standing on a wide open tee box.....pucker factor is high....tension can set in easy.

[kfowler]

You'll need to post as much detail about your ball flight, stance and swing with the driver.

Some thoughts on the Medicus. I had the 7-iron for a while. My issue with it is that it's very difficult to tell where in your swing the club breaks down. They boast about instant feedback but all I could tell was that the club broke at some point. Depending on where it breaks explains where your flaw is. Just keep that in mind.

[ryohazuki222]

Can't chime in about the rest really... but I ended up getting a Momentus Power hitter to test out, and it really helped me the first few times. Now... it's almost as if I got accustomed to the weight because my own driver doesn't feel like a feather anymore after swinging the power hitter (starting out your'd get that weightless sensation.)

Regardless of if it works technically.... without a doubt the power hitter was a good investment for me mentally. Something to go back to when the driver stops working. And a good confidence builder.

[jambalaya]

Have you ever tried hitting a three wood off the tee? Sounds like ball position and possibly plane angle. A lot of problems come about with a driver when you come in too steep. You say you are a good iron player. Maybe you are trying to hit the ball with the driver the way you hit with your irons. Try reading about and watching videos on the fundamentals of the driver swing. I will bet you will find some subtle differences and approaches to help you out.

[wachesawgolfer]

It sounds like your too steep in your swing and coming over the top. Focus on a good setup where you stand tall to the ball and weight towards the rear foot, tilt the spine to the rear, chin up. Now feel the plane of the shoulders and try to turn back keeping the shoulders level. A friend or a video will tell if your breaking down in the turn back and not keeping the shoulders level. I like to put a shaft in the ground next to the driver, same angle, then move left of it so the hosel of the club would touch the shaft. Now swing back so the driver does not hit the shaft in the backswing. This keeps the club outside and extended and makes you complete the backswing with a torso turn which maximises coil and keeps the club on plane. Now simply swing straight down at the top as if to hit the club on the ground behind you so as not to hit the shaft in the downswing. As you swing down focus on keeping the left arm sliding the chest and left wrist flat. You want to feel you are striking the inside rear of the ball to send it off to first base, but your left arm must remained extended, not stiff, and the left wrist flat through impact. If you made a good coil to the top, simply swinging down will transfer the weight to the lead foot and turn the body.

Jan 2009 Golf Magazine profiles Vijays swing which is a great instruction on the swing. Good takeaway and coil and then just swing the left wrist down keeping the shoulders turning on the same level plane.

Take a tee and put it in a paper cup so its high. Hit balls at that height at the range and your groove your swing pretty quick.

[1dayIllBaPro]

I recommend take a lesson, short lesson just for driving.

and read wachesawgolfer's post.

Anyway, driving stance, and swing feel really awkward at frist.
- You will feel your spince tilt away from the target
- ball position next the heel of the front foot which makes right shoulder drop below left shoulder more than normal
- your weight is now 40% front foot, 60% back foot.

If you postion ball next to the front heel, and don't feel you right shoulder drop below than normal, your shoulders are opened.

If you have been struggling with the driver this long, then go take a short lesson, just for driving ...... GOOD LUCK !!!!!

[Yanks Fan]

I'm impressed that you've gotten to a 15....all the while struggling with driver.

Yea that's what I am thinking that once I get some more distance off the tee I can finally start seeing my handicap go down again. I am going to look into some lessons in my area I guess.

You'll need to post as much detail about your ball flight, stance and swing with the driver.

Ok lets see. Typically, my stance will be square to my target, my back foot will usually be about half an inch in front of my front foot so I guess a relative open stance but nothing too big. I've tried closed and it didn't work either. My bal flight, typically, will be a slice, sometimes huge, sometimes nothing major. The ball gets pretty high for a driver as compared to other people I play with but nothing too major imo. I play the ball off my front foot. On my swing, I try to take it away low and slow focusing on the shoulder turn and trying to keep my left arm straightened but not tensed. My grip is pretty strong I must say which doesn't help I don't think. To be honest, even when I hit one good, it doesn't feel good coming off the club face. I can give any more info you need.

Can't chime in about the rest really... but I ended up getting a Momentus Power hitter to test out, and it really helped me the first few times. Now... it's almost as if I got accustomed to the weight because my own driver doesn't feel like a feather anymore after swinging the power hitter (starting out your'd get that weightless sensation.)

I might have to look into that then. I am willing to try anything at this point lol.

Have you ever tried hitting a three wood off the tee? Sounds like ball position and possibly plane angle. A lot of problems come about with a driver when you come in too steep. You say you are a good iron player. Maybe you are trying to hit the ball with the driver the way you hit with your irons. Try reading about and watching videos on the fundamentals of the driver swing. I will bet you will find some subtle differences and approaches to help you out.

I've hit my dads three wood and I can hit it fairly well. I also sometimes hit my 2 hybrid off the tee but I'm not too comfortable with the club yet because I just got it a couple weeks ago and haven't had much time to play with it yet. I've watched 1000 videos and have tried to mimic and use what I learned in them but it just isn't working for me.

It sounds like your too steep in your swing and coming over the top. Focus on a good setup where you stand tall to the ball and weight towards the rear foot, tilt the spine to the rear, chin up. Now feel the plane of the shoulders and try to turn back keeping the shoulders level. A friend or a video will tell if your breaking down in the turn back and not keeping the shoulders level. I like to put a shaft in the ground next to the driver, same angle, then move left of it so the hosel of the club would touch the shaft. Now swing back so the driver does not hit the shaft in the backswing. This keeps the club outside and extended and makes you complete the backswing with a torso turn which maximises coil and keeps the club on plane. Now simply swing straight down at the top as if to hit the club on the ground behind you so as not to hit the shaft in the downswing. As you swing down focus on keeping the left arm sliding the chest and left wrist flat. You want to feel you are striking the inside rear of the ball to send it off to first base, but your left arm must remained extended, not stiff, and the left wrist flat through impact. If you made a good coil to the top, simply swinging down will transfer the weight to the lead foot and turn the body.

It is very possible that I'm coming over the top. In fact, I'd be willing to bet I am. Thanks for info bud. I'll have to try it out.

Btw, I hope to get a video of my swing up tomorrow afternoon for any and all help. Thanks so far guys.

[TMO]

My short answer to this would be to work on your pivot. If you do that right you will get your body in a position to really move through the ball. That's my short answer though. I have a lot of long answers to this. Take a look at my page and if you still have questions let me know.

[bruce]

It sounds to me that your not turning your shoulders,it sounds like an all arm swing,you may think your turning them but i bet your not.When your at the range on your backswing don't let your left arm pass your heart,this will force you too turn your shoulders,it will feel weird at first because it will be new for you and point that left shoulder at the ball also on the backswing,brace off the back leg and presto welcome to power.Make sure on the backswing when you finish your turn you do not lift your arms.You should have plenty of power and your weak slice should be gone completely.Also don't straighten your right leg as your turning back.Hip turn should happen naturally.

[Petden]

I have an idea, since you say you play your irons well, use your strength's. Try larger irons, 2 and 3 irons, and possibly a 1. A 1 irons is VERY long if you can hit it, try that and see what happens

[jambalaya]

I'll throw something else out because it seems to be the root of a lot of my problems but the problems show up on the driver first. I swang the club with a reverse pivot for a long time so sometimes it creeps back into my game. Instead of a rotation straight back and around I start by dipping the front shoulder just a bit. This throws off the plane and causes all kinds of problems from a weak push to a sharp pull to pop ups. Depending on the serverity you come into steep and/or raiseup too soon, come over the top all to compensate for the reverse pivot. When I concentrate on a rotation straight back, spine angle solid, no dip, it really puts me in a better place at the top. That initial move at the pivot means a lot.

As with most problems, golfers seem to be able to compensate much better with the irons. I've seen people with reverse pivot able to play the game pretty well with handicaps like yours or lower. So, check out your pivot.

[Zeph]

Reverse pivot will make most of your shots work, but not the driver. It depends on lots of things of course, but it's easier to get down and through the ball with an iron if you have a reverse pivot. With a driver, maybe tee'ing the ball high will not be good, you'll lose consistency and distance.

Have you experimented with tee height and tested different drivers? For me, some drivers don't work that well.

[jambalaya]

Reverse pivot will make most of your shots work, but not the driver. It depends on lots of things of course, but it's easier to get down and through the ball with a driver if you have a reverse pivot. With a driver, maybe tee'ing the ball high will not be good, you'll lose consistency and distance.

Tee height is a good point. I read and/or was told to tee it up high because the new bigger driver headsrequired us to do so but discovered I was over-doing it. I now have the top of the ball just barely peeking over the top of the driver head at address and it has helped me a lot.

[Zeph]

The drivers are getting smaller heads again now, the sweet spot is also moving higher up on the face. I haven't tested it enough yet, but will be trying to tee my ball somewhere around the top of the driver and half of the ball above. It's also easy to tee it too high, even if you want to tee it half the ball above. Make sure you position the driver at the angle you have at adress when you tee it, also, bend down and look at it from behind, I found that I often tee'd it too high.