Driver troubles

[Shanks A Million]

I generally am a great driver, long and pretty straight. Lately, though, I've been having problems. I have been hitting low bullets that go maybe 220 at best (280 in internet terms, not like my usual 310+ drives ), and the impact feels absolutely dead. The driver I use is more like a tour issue model, it's very unforgiving on mishits, but extremely low spin on center hits, so these mishits can really be bad, some go only about 180. Here's the thing though, there's no twisting feel on these hits.

I am starting to think that I'm teeing it too low, and hitting everything on the bottom of the face. I've been using shorter tees, where as I used to tee it up a mile. The grass at the range is very long, probably more than an inch, so the ball sits just about one inch off the turf. I used to hit the ball a mile in the air too, 17° launch. My fitter told me the shaft was too flexible, and it was kicking on me, so he tipped it, and right away, it was a much better beast at 44". But maybe it's just because it's summer, and the grass is so long, that the tees are just not high enough?

The other option, is that it's an old driver, and perhaps the face is just dead? Is there any way to tell, or any drills you know to deal with this? Until then, it's 3 wood and chicken stick.

[binga7]

Usually you can see where the ball hits on the driver, well i can. I clean it after every shot so i can see it. You could always use masking tape to see impact.

[kennay92]

i bough this impact tape package thing at golf galaxy for like 10 bucks that has a lot in their but also has a booklet that explains what your doing wrong(or right) for all the different spots the ball impacts the face.

[Vance87]

There's no way you're hitting it 220. Like, maybe 130 at most. With a good wind behind you. And concrete for fairways.

[kennay92]

There's no way you're hitting it 220. Like, maybe 130 at most. With a good wind behind you. And concrete for fairways.

ha that was kind of funny, just cause of other post lol

[Shanks A Million]

ha that was kind of funny, just cause of other post lol

What's really sad is that this is the guy who is claiming he hits the ball 280 on average, with a regular shafted 10.5° driver, and a 100 mph swing speed. He's mad because I called him out on that.

Sure, the slowest swinger on the PGA tour is Craig Bowden, who swings 102 mph, and with a 1.484 smash factor averages 261 yards, but surely you get a better smash factor...

[Vance87]

Haha, lighten up dude

[sean_miller]

I generally am a great driver, long and pretty straight. Lately, though, I've been having problems. I have been hitting low bullets that go maybe 220 at best (280 in internet terms, not like my usual 310+ drives

Not sure what a chicken stick is, but have you ever tried a more forgiving driver head. The game of golf is hard enough - you're playing combo irons, so why use a tour driver? There was the odd long one in those yardages you posted (a couple bombs and a couple other decent ones - but 6 out of 10 were not so good) but definitely nothing warranting a non-forgiving driver.

[Stretch]

Chicken stick = 3 iron.

I also think you're probably hitting it on center, but too low on the face. Tee up another 1/4 inch and you'll be booming out your usual 432 yarders again in no time.

[Shanks A Million]

Not sure what a chicken stick is, but have you ever tried a more forgiving driver head. The game of golf is hard enough - you're playing combo irons, so why use a tour driver? There was the odd long one in those yardages you posted (a couple bombs and a couple other decent ones - but 6 out of 10 were not so good) but definitely nothing warranting a non-forgiving driver.

The head is plenty forgiving for me, I hit about 80% of the fairways on a good day. If I'm not finding the center of the face, I'm doing something wrong, and want to know. A more forgiving head will spin way too much, and unlike the supposed bombers here who hit the ball 300 yards, I actually

need the low spin head to even get out to 280, even with my mere 110 mph swing and 260 or so yard average. I'm more concerned with getting the impact higher on the face, near the crown, not the forgiveness.

Chicken stick = 3 iron.

Actually, any long iron, but generally a 1 or 2. Although, back when I had offset irons, it backfired on me. I went to hit a 3 iron off a tee with water left, and hooked the piss out of it, right into the water... Twice. My current 3 iron is very easy to use from the tee.

[Shankapotomus]

Shanks, you know perfectly well how to instantly fix your driver problems! The solution has already been spammed in at least three other threads this week alone so it must be the correct answer!

[Shanks A Million]

Shanks, you know perfectly well how to instantly fix your driver problems! The solution has already been spammed in at least three other threads this week alone so it must be the correct answer!

Bwahahahaha! Thank you, you made my day.

[Shanks A Million]

Well, problem solved. The golf pro at the course fixed it in a few minutes. Same problem as it often is, my plane gets way too steep. It was also causing the bad followthrough, because my arms were too close to my body to release the club. He fixed my posture, and my club path, and everything fell into place fairly quickly.

Today I went out and hit the driver right on the nuts. I put tape on it, took one swing, and I literally could not have even tried to place a ballmark closer to the center of the face. Nice high trajectory, super low spin, good shots were carrying around 250 yards or so (350 in internet distances), and the ones on the absolute center went more like 265 in the air. Amazing. Even the hits off the center flew nicely, even hit some shots that were nearly an inch off the center, but still went about 220 yards.

[Shankapotomus]

Today I went out and hit the driver right on the nuts.

Yeah but was it a 1.5 smash factor?

Sorry, couldn't resist.. it's been an interesting start of the week. Glad to hear you were able to figure it out.. just proves that the fundamentals are essential no matter what our experience.

[Shanks A Million]

Yeah but was it a 1.5 smash factor?

No, my smash factor was 1.8, or course, and I hit it 450, uphill, into the wind. All I had to to was yell POW!

The fundamentals are always important, and no matter how long I, or anyone plays, they need tune ups. Even Tiger and Jack regularly work on grip, setup, and other basics. Because of very wide shoulders and poor flexibility, it's very common for me to get too steep, and my hands to get too shallow. I would say I have to work on getting them back every 4 months or so.

[jamo]

No, my smash factor was 1.8, or course, and I hit it 450, uphill, into the wind. All I had to to was yell POW!

Did you clear that mountain in front of you with a ridiculously high draw?

[Shanks A Million]

Did you clear that mountain in front of you with a ridiculously high draw?

No, low trajectory cut that climbed. When it landed, it had some bits of the Hubble on it.