Hitting irons great, can't keep my driver under control...

[d373rm1ned]

I'm currently hitting my irons great (for me). Accuracy and distance control is acceptable for me right now. Having a problem with consistency with the driver though. Seems to be all over the place now (not one given miss but instead i'll hit 1 low and left and the next high and right). I'm a natural "picker" of the ball and tend to have a shallower swing. Just wondering if anyone can diagnose the problem with the given description (probably not)? I'll try to record some video and post my swings. Thanks.

[imtomtomim]

I go through that a lot and I consider myself a ball striker so it kills me when that happens. It's usually nothing more than alignment and ball position. Make sure the ball is infront of your shoulder. The problem is once in a while, you can get your hands in the right spot and hit it nicely, but it's not gonna happen all the time.

[deronsizemore]

It's tough to diagnose a flaw without video, as you said. If you're like the rest of us amateurs though, I'm sure you like to hit your driver as far as your body and ability will allow. It's just human nature.

With that said, if you're hitting your other clubs OK, I would go out on a limb and guess that you're simply swinging too hard with driver. Try to swing your driver with the exact same speed and tempo that you would your 7 iron. You'll find that your "slow" swing really isn't as slow as it may feel and with it being slightly slower you'll likely make better contact which will send the ball farther that normal anyway. Driver overall is a tough club to hit because it has the least amount of loft, but like I said, if your others are good, driver shouldn't be THAT bad.

Make sure the ball is infront of your shoulder.

In front of your shoulder? Do you mean "in front" as inside your shoulder, away from the target? Or do you mean outside of your shoulder as in toward the target?

A good driver ball position is right at your left armpit (for the right handed golfer). I definitely wouldn't play the ball outside of your left shoulder.

[lhshurdl3r]

Man I'm the exact opposite right now and it's really eating at me... I'm golden with my driver right now but I (literally) can't put even an okay swing on the ball with an iron.

[imtomtomim]

In front of your shoulder? Do you mean "in front" as inside your shoulder, away from the target? Or do you mean outside of your shoulder as in toward the target?

http://iacas.org/asm/fimgs/tiger_hogan_hip_slide.jpg I know this is meant to look at hips, but check out the shoulders at impact. All behind the ball. Think baseball. Are you going to get the ball to the target if the bat is not perpendicular to the target? Do you really want your shaft leaning at impact? I wouldn't, but you know, everyone's got their own mental image.

[deronsizemore]

http://iacas.org/asm/fimgs/tiger_hogan_hip_slide.jpg

Can't really look a those examples in relation to setup position. Unless your stance is unusually wide, you'd never want the ball outside your left shoulder at address. I don't think you'll find one really good golfer who addresses the ball with it outside their shoulder.

Here are a couple examples of a good setup position with driver: http://www.andrewricegolf.com/blog/w...4-1024x680.jpg http://www.golfdigest.com/images/ins...lick_snead.jpg If the ball is placed outside their left shoulder at address, then it's outside of their left foot which is way to far forward.

[No1CeltsFan]

Man I am in the same boat at you.

I am a complete newb to the game. Ive got the bug tho that's for sure. Ive been going to the driving range 4-5 times a week and hope to go out to the course for the first time this Sunday.

Like you I can't hit the driver well. I am a lefty and 7 out of 10 ball that I make good contact with go left. It's a mean slice that I am still figuring out. When I hit my irons very rarely do they go left. MOst times they go straight, maybe 20% of the time they'll go slightly right. I would love to figure out what I am doing wrong. I am considering getting a few lesssons. I can get 3 lessons for just under 200$ locally so hopefully I can get the $ for that soon.

Like someone said above it's hard to get help w/out someone actually there in person or without video. I've been reading online everyday and even though I do what they say, it's hard to know for sure if I am doing it right without another set of eyes. The one thing I did the last time I was at the range and it helped me alot, esp w/the 5 wood, which is my worse club, was holding the club like I would hold a baby. Once I really loosened my grip I noticed I hit alot more balls straight than prior.

[saevel25]

There is different ways to approach the set up, one is to move it from front to back as clubs get progressivly shorter. Another is keep it in one spot, and shorten your stance as your clubs get shorter.

Generally, i like the 2nd approach, i think its easier to implement. I find hitting short irons easier with a shorter stance.

But with the driver, i play it inbetween my heart and armpit, a good reference is to get a shirt with an emblem on the left chest area, and place the ball just left of it. and iron shots would be just to the right of it.

But, for practice, lay two clubs down on the ground in the shape of a cross, or T, and then line the ball up with the end of one of the clubs, there you can check your stance and ball position.