Driving help

[screamin chicken]

I have a Callaway sq FT-i 9 degree, and a Callaway X460 9 degree driver, I am having issues not on the range but on any course I play. When I am on the range hitting a bucket I will hit all but maybe 4-5 straight, when I get on the course it will take me about 9 holes before I can fix it. The problem is when the ball climbs to it's highest point (150 marker) it will start going to the right, sometimes a little, but sometimes 40 yards into the woods. I tried my Big Bertha 8 degree and it is just way to low. I have been playing for along time and I shoot in the lower 90's, I also have picked up a bad habit of after I hit the ball I look at my feet positions and my front foot will be pointing down the fairway, and my back foot towards the woods, and I am leaning back from my waist up.
I have hit the Nike Dynmo and I hit it alot better with each ball I hit, I am thinking of just buying the Nike Dynmo str-8 but wanted to ask before I spend the money and have another driver laying around, thanks....

[timtim]

Yes. Spend the money. On lessons.

[timtim]

And maybe a playing lesson where the pro goes out on the course with you. They may see something you are doing that you don't know about.

[sp33d]

Its mental.

If I drove balls down the fairway like I drive balls on the range I'd be in the ranks with PGA pros. But I cant bring it to the course.

Try putting your feet a bit close together (just shoulder width) with a very slight bend in the knees. Nice slow back swing and accelerate through the ball. This is what I revert to if my driving goes bad, its hard to screw up. You might not hit 280+ but 220 plus down the fairway.

But yeah lessons, I would say its not the club.

[OnePutt]

Purchase of a new driver is solving symptoms IMO. I second the lessons, the FT-I is a great driver and you could save some money.

[shankapotamus]

It's the Indian, not the arrow.


BTW, did you try the DYMO on the course or the range.

[umpiremark]

You are definately coming over the top or leaning forward or both. If your feet are that off, your finish must be ugly too. Spend all the money you want on new drivers, LESSONS win. Take some.

[screamin chicken]

Ok I will try some of the things mentioned. Actually when I hit the 220 plus I have good form and I feel the follow through, when I have a bad hit I am off balance andI can tell I did not follow through but more like pulling back. I actually have not hit a str 8 yet just the neutral Dynmo.

[timtim]

You sound convinced that you have a good swing. Ok. Then you need to figure out what you are doing on the course that does not allow your good swing through. All the more reason to have a playing lesson out on the course. This may take some time. You may not find someone who can help you on the first go. For the cost of a new driver, I would think that you could have maybe two or three playing lessons out on the course with two or three different teachers.

It may take hard work to find someone who is willing to help you.

So let me tell you what I recommend, if you are talking to a teacher and they start telling you you need to practice on your short game or play more often or they say..."you know this is a difficult game and even the pros don't hit the fairway everytime"...then RUN AWAY. You are looking for someone who is convinced that they can help you with the specific problem you have, and is as curious as we all are as to what the problem is, and is as interested as you are in finding a solution.

[screamin chicken]

Thanks, I will look in to it....

[squaddie]

Don't buy any new drivers. I did that, buying a Nike Sumo SQ2 square-headed driver, which is supposed to greatly minimize side-spin, and still managed to slice with it.

After more lessons and research I found out why I was coming out over the top, as I was rushing my downswing and also thrusting my right hip forward instead of turning back into my left side. Now I hit my Cobra driver just fine with no slice.

You may want to try swinging a little slower and easier with the driver, concentrating on applying force at the bottom of the swing, rather from the top, and ensure you keep your balance at the same time. Once you start knocking it straight at an easy speed then crank up the juice, but ensure you maximize force at the bottom of the swing, rather than from the top.

[b_lcky]

As stated before, you may be coming over the top with an out to in swing path. However, judging by your feet positions after swinging, I think you may be clearing your hips too early and relying a lot on your hands to catch up to the ball. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you can handle it (i.e. Geoff Ogilvy), but most will find that they leave the club face open at impact.

When you open your hips too early, you are swinging like a baseball player and keeping too much weight on the back leg, hence the awkward feet positions after the swing. At the top of the backswing, try to concentrate on your first motion being a subtle weight shift from your right to your left leg, rather than pointing your belt at the target.

Weight shift --> hip slide --> shoulder turn --> releasing arms through impact.

[Scottydoint]

It isn't the fiddle, but the fiddler.

[screamin chicken]

  b_lcky said:

As stated before, you may be coming over the top with an out to in swing path. However, judging by your feet positions after swinging, I think you may be clearing your hips too early and relying a lot on your hands to catch up to the ball. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you can handle it (i.e. Geoff Ogilvy), but most will find that they leave the club face open at impact.

I do have a baseball swing, and I think that is exactly right I will try that, Thanks....