Differences Between Driver Swing and Iron Swing (Driver Swing vs. Iron Swing Master Thread)

[Finn07]

Ive been at the range and have been really trying to strike down on the ball. Ive felt myself getting in the slot alot better and really hitting down well on the ball. Ive noticed that my swing with my driver is starting to get entirely different then my irons. Now my game is actually starting to improve. Is this bad or what?

[zebrasinamerica]

Finn, my approach is to make the same pass at the ball no matter what club i have in my hands. this seems to simplify the game for me and lets me strike the ball in a pretty consistant pattern.

just my .02 not saying what you're doing is good or bad just telling you what i do with my swing.

ZEBRA

[Finn07]

Ideally I would like to do that but something is preventing me from doing so and its driving me nuts, although im hitting some real nice shots so its kind of weird.

[niblick]

The length of the swing could be different, but popular wisdom says your tempo should be pretty consistent one club to the next.

[rembrandt]

The only difference I can see is the irons are to be struck with a downward blow and the divot is in front of the ball. The woods and long irons are pretty much swept off the ground and tee. If you hit down on the woods you could pop it up and hit them fat. If you, at the top of the back swing, start the downward motion driving the butt of the irons at the ball, you will achieve the late hit that is so important. The late uncocking of the wrists is the ideal part of the golf swing that you want!

[ragontona]

Especially these days, modern drivers (like your 454) require a parallel (or even slightly ascending) blow to the ball, for the sheer fact that the sweet spot is higher up on the face now more than ever. As drivers are at 45 or 46 inches, with 400+ cc heads that require longer tees, I've moved away from the "swing every club the same" school of thought when it comes to the driver. I think of it more and more like a specialized stroke, much in the same way that a putting stroke is different than other clubs in your bag.

For me, I set up completely different for the driver -- I put the ball pretty far up in my stance (near my big toe), I ensure that my right shoulder is lower than my left (more than usual), and I definitely think "upswing" through impact. Every other club in my bag (even fairway woods), I hit with a descending blow. You descend with your driver, you may get steep, and that's how skymarks happen.

[iacas]

Especially these days, modern drivers (like your 454) require a parallel (or even slightly ascending) blow to the ball, for the sheer fact that the sweet spot is higher up on the face now more than ever.

The sweet spots on drivers are pretty close to the center of the face. It's more that high contact creates higher launch with less spin. Most amateurs don't get enough "high launch/low spin" normally, so hitting it higher on the face helps.

Tiger Woods has said he continues to hit the ball high on the face because he plays one of the spinniest balls on the PGA Tour - and he likes the control everywhere else - but needs to take spin off his drives. See below for an interesting picture. Red dot = balance point, + = center of clubface. I crammed two diagrams/pictures into one, but I think you can still "read" it.

As drivers are at 45 or 46 inches, with 400+ cc heads that require longer tees, I've moved away from the "swing every club the same" school of thought when it comes to the driver. I think of it more and more like a specialized stroke, much in the same way that a putting stroke is different than other clubs in your bag.

Indeed. Everyone has different strokes. Bunker play is another with a different stroke.

For me, I set up completely different for the driver -- I put the ball pretty far up in my stance (near my big toe), I ensure that my right shoulder is lower than my left (more than usual), and I definitely think "upswing" through impact. Every other club in my bag (even fairway woods), I hit with a descending blow. You descend with your driver, you may get steep, and that's how skymarks happen.

Or at the very least a ballooning ballflight, yes.

[Finn07]

Just as I say my game is improving I pinch a nerve in my neck over the weekend. Figures. Who knows how long Ill be out now.

[cdriver]

Just as I say my game is improving I pinch a nerve in my neck over the weekend. Figures. Who knows how long Ill be out now.

Ouch! Been there, done that. About 4 years ago, I had same problem. Went to a bone cracker to no avail. I was dating a nurse/massage therapist and she worked on it, too. It took about a week before I could swing without flinching and 2 weeks before I could swing without even thinking about it.

I think if I had left it alone, it would have taken two weeks anyway. But, the massages were nice.

[Finn07]

Went to the course today and took my two swings there. Hit the irons great, hit the driver like crap. Weird game we play. Anyway the problem with the driver, which I was fighting in the beginning of the year was that it was going one hundred yards and duck hooking. I believe I was coming too much from the inside today. Short irons struck them great. Mid irons great. Long irons average, some duck hooked on me and the driver was duck hooking. UGH. Still shot 84 though on a tough track but even better was I was 2 over after 12 holes and then blew up.

[sole wolf]

Right or wrong my driver vs Iron swings are different. My driver is more of a baseball swing but it works for me. I am one of the longer hitters of the guys I play with and it has a small draw to it. The only downside is that I can not hit fairway woods at all. I think it is the transition that my swing goes through from the D to the Irons.

I had a 75 yd duck hook for a period this year. I finally fixed it by not turning over my driver on my follow through. Kind of like putting the brakes on at 3/4 follow through. I know this is wrong but it got back my drive for me

[fairwaysngreens]

Should the driver and iron swings be the same, or is the driver swing a bit more flat?

[sonicblue]

The swing itself isn't any different, it's all in the setup. Because of the longer length, your address will be a bit farther from the ball, which will flatten out the swing plane. Also, you want the ball farther toward the target, so the club makes contact on the upward stroke, vs. putting the ball farther back with an iron so your impact is a downward strike. Last note is, because of the wider arc, balance is even more important with a driver, so make sure your stance is solid, balanced and comfortable.

So, the short is, make adjustments in your setup, not your swing, and trust your same swing.

[redvet]

When you swing a golf club you create an arc, because of the difference in the length of clubs from driver to wedge that arc will differ. The swing plane will change because the length and lie angle is "flatter" in comparison to the rest of your clubs.
You shouldn't do anything other than put a nice smooth swing on it, and let the physical properties of the club do what they're designed to do. I see a lot of people try to do something "different" in their drive swing. You will need to change your ball position to some degree with different clubs and that again will have an effect on swing plane aspects however, my advice is, if you have a decent, repeatable swing with for example, one of your your mid-irons, use the same repeatable swing with your driver.
I am sure others will give you more information and advice but keeping the swing side of my golf simple has treated me well over many years.
Happy golfing.

[CusePhil]

Is your driver swing the same as your iron swing? I've heard that some people swing more "around" and flatten their plane, but I just change my ball position and spine tilt. What about you?

[thumper07]

no, my driver swing is alot longer and a little flatter than my iron swing. my irons rarely never make it to parralel while my driver goes slighty beyond.

-matt

[Dent]

My driver swing is completely different, I raise my shoulders, wider stance, straight arms all the way through and just totally different its hard to explain.

[CG031]

My driver swing is completely different, I raise my shoulders, wider stance, straight arms all the way through and just totally different its hard to explain.

Same here.

I also swing harder at my driver, I'll hit it fat if I try to do that with my irons. My Dad has told me numerous times my driver swing looks a ton better then my iron swing. I think my iron swing is way too steep.