Not going back to the course till I figure out my Driver

[jambrose]

Well looks like the winter layoff has put a spell on my driver...

Somehow, I now can't hit my driver. I have developed a snap hook (duck hook, whatever you want to call it). Everything is 50-100 yard hooks straight left into the ground. I went to the range today and tried loosening my grip with my right hand (right-handed) and exaggerate as if I am going to throw the club straight out in front of me. If I do that successfully, I crush it but is a nasty slice right. No clue where to go from here, bc I am hitting everything else better than I ever have before including the putter. Played last weekend where I made myself use driver every time, hit a snap hook every time but still was able to shoot 10 over (ended last year around a 12hcp).

So I thought I would post on here and get your alls thoughts. Any advice is much appreciated. Hope everyone is getting plenty of golf in now that the weather seems relatively decent now. Thanks in advance!!!

[canes113]

I feel your pain my friend. I was recently snap hooking the driver too and took a lesson to check it out. I have a draw-biased driver so that didn't help me, but regardless my mechanics were off at impact (i.e. too wristy at impact and low finish). Now I focus on a high finish after impact which gives me a better release and no more snap hooks.

I never hit my hooks into the ground so that might be a result of swinging down on the ball like an iron?

[jamo]

When I start snapping off hooks I just try to go back to basics. Make a clean transition, push the hips forward, and then turn to meet the ball. Just try to thing simple, and be sure not to introduce any compensations.

[Travtex]

I'm doing the pull hook/push fade dance with my driver, lately. At this point, I'm not even sure why I bother... I've been booming my 3w off the tee and ending up in the 230-250 range. My one in ten best driver shots only gain me another ten to twenty yards at best. Think I'm just going to start smacking myself upside the head every time I start pulling the driver out of the bag.

Actually, I might even be -losing- distance with the big stick the way I've been getting it up in the air. That's not counting the 'Where the hell is THAT going' shots that are the majority.

[inthecup]

I am no expert as my handicap indicates. I have been taking some lessons and the simple fact is that the club face is closed at impact.
Now you have to figure out why.

For me when it all goes wrong step one is try to hit the ball with 80% force, especially with the driver.
Two for a snap hook is to make sure I am not coming too far inside and to make sure the swing path goes to the outside.
Increasing the distance of your hands from your body through impact is important. When bringing the club inside out it is hard to turn it over and create the hook.

Relax and have fun, be loose over the ball.

Nice 2-3 yard draw, be the ball.

[J_Bone]

Well looks like the winter layoff has put a spell on my driver...

Something to check; check your right hand at the top of your back swing. I found I was taking my right hand off (not completely) at the top. Then as I went into the down swing I would regrip and close the club face so much I would hit it 100 yard out and to the left and strait down. It was ugly and frustrating.

[HotSauce]

I had the same issue after a lot of short game work. Simply found that my wrists were lagging and I was leaving the clubhead way behind the ball which would in turn drive the ball straight into the ground.

Simply letting my wrists release a bit earlier really helped me.

[Fat Slice]

I am hitting everything else better than I ever have before

This kind of stuck out for me. What kinds of problems did you have before with hybrids/fairway woods/irons that are now seemingly ironed out? Maybe you fixed one problem with a subconscious swing change after the layoff but it is giving you problems with the driver?

To your original post, why not stay on the course and tee off with an iron? You will get more long iron practice, more opportunities to hone your course management skills, and will probably score great all things considered. Just keep your driver out of your bag and, like you say, work that swing out at the range. Man, if my putter were on fire, I'd be ON the golf course no matter what!!!

[Eagle x 4]

Try standing a little bit further from the ball and think about throwing the club out to the right -- not in front of you as you said before.

[James_Black]

had the same problem for a long time.

then something clicked and my driver became the most consistent club in my bag.

If your not confident when your taking your shot 90% of the time you'll mess up

[ohiolefty]

I think the piece of advice that should be offered is: GO SEE A PRO! Actually let a fresh pair of eyes see what you're doing and what's causing your shots.

[jambrose]

[/QUOTE] To your original post, why not stay on the course and tee off with an iron? You will get more long iron practice, more opportunities to hone your course management skills, and will probably score great all things considered. Just keep your driver out of your bag and, like you say, work that swing out at the range. Man, if
my putter were on fire, I'd be ON the golf course no matter what!!![/QUOTE]

I actually have been hitting 3 iron off the tee, but am way behind everyone else I am playing with. I just want to get to the point that no matter what club i pull out of the bag, I am confident in hitting it.

[DaSportsGuy]

I did the exact same thing. This is the second time it's happened to me. Both times I had been hitting the ball perfectly and couldn't be more confident with my driver and the next week I'm duck hooking it 100 yards. When it happens I do it with my Driver, 3 Wood, and Hybrid. Everything else I hit just fine.

Last time it lasted one round, I went back out the next week and was hitting it as I always have. Hopefully that'll happen this time.

And despite my horrible drives, I still managed a 92.