Driiver Woes After Layoff

[jambalaya]

Well I have come off the longest golf layoff for me in about eight years. Didn't play for about six months. I wish I could give you something more to go on but I cannot get the ball in the air with the driver. The ball usually just dives down and rolls along the ground mostly to the left (right hander). It is not even a screaming worm burner. I don't make good enough contact for that. I didn't think I could miss that many times that bad even if I tried. No ball came close to hitting the center of the club. I was able to hit some decent iron shots. But no dice on the driver or even a three wood. Just baffling.

Just to add, it is almost like I am smothering the ball. It is a pull more than a hook and just has no flight to it. Just an awful clank when I hit is so apparently way off the mark, probably off the heel but I don't know for sure.

So I did a search on "Driver" and found a lot of discussion about my problem I think. I am pretty sure I am hitting off the heel so I have some things to try now. Should have done that in the first place.

[kilbyman]

Try doing full driver swings at 50% speed and power to practice and work from there. That drill always helps my contact.

[moparman426]

Didn't play for about six months.

Welcome to the Canadian golf season (well, except for BC, but the rest of us despise them for their extended season). When I have trouble getting the ball in the air, I am usually teeing it up too far back in my stance and find myself chopping down at it too much.

[Maxxthedog]

You also might want to go to the range and take a video camera with you. I usually set it up right behind me for 10 swings then facing me for ten swings. Take a look at it when you get home. You can also put something on the face of the club (vaseline) to that you can see exactly where you are hitting it. (this will affect your ball path, but you are not after that right now.)
One other thing, (to kilbymans point) usually when I have consistant trouble that I cannot get away from and I ask someone to watch me, they usually say that I'm swinging way too fast.