Grip the driver shorter for more accuracy?

[Tho26]

Hi,

I am switching things in my driver swing for about a year now because i don't have a constant flight. It varies from a straight flight to a big slice. most of the time it's a fade!

I hit between 305 and 320 so length is no problem. To get a straighter ballflight does gripping my driver a bit shorter help?

[Ctp722]

I have been doing this over the past 5 rounds or so, I would say it took maybe 10yards most off my drive but much more consistent!

[bunkerputt]

Sure.  If you hit it that far and just want straight, I'd say move up in flex.  If you are already at X, find one with low torque, say 1.6 or so.  I play a 96 gram UST Proforce V2 with torque 1.6, and it is incredibly straight off the tee.  Also getting a driver with more loft helps too.  Mine is 9.5, Dustin Johnson plays 10.5.  It depends how far forward your hands are in front of the clubhead at impact more than anything.  If you want the ball moving left, you probably need to look at your swing and setup.  Going down in flex might get the clubface closed, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Tho26

Hi,

I am switching things in my driver swing for about a year now because i don't have a constant flight. It varies from a straight flight to a big slice. most of the time it's a fade!

I hit between 305 and 320 so length is no problem. To get a straighter ballflight does gripping my driver a bit shorter help?

2.1 handicap with a big slice?

Your iron play must be phenomenal.

Gripping down CAN help with control, but you need to learn how to swing the club correctly IMO.

You're coming over the top to slice it. Work on coming inside-out on your downswing.

[Tho26]

A big slice is a big word maybe. I am slicing it sometimes. But I don't like the fade in my driver shot...I prefer a straight ballflight. I am using a x stiff shaft now I think its a 9.5 degree matrix oz hd6 shaft in the burner superfast 2.0 TP. I love the driver but getting consistent is hard for me.

I think you are right about getting the right swing plane but I don't want to change that much in my swing because 3wood, irons and wedges are really good!

Originally Posted by Kieran123

2.1 handicap with a big slice?

Your iron play must be phenomenal.

Gripping down CAN help with control, but you need to learn how to swing the club correctly IMO.

You're coming over the top to slice it. Work on coming inside-out on your downswing.

[Gioguy21]

well to be honest the superfast has a long shaft anyway so, getting it cut to a regular 'human' length of 44-45" should work for you instead of the spec of 46.75 or whatever it is. if you're swingin it that hard and have an x stiff...with a handi of that low you should be able to control your ballflight or at least be able to fix a portion of your swing that'd give you that 'big' slice of yours. indian, not arrow in this case.

[Shorty]

If you are a 2 handicapper and you say you don't like a fade, I am guessing 2 things 1. It is not a fade 2. You don't play off 2 If a lot of the best players in the world play a fade, why is it no good for you? You say you hit it over 300 with a fade. Sounds like a problem most golfers on the planet would like to have. Also, why don' t you tell us if gripping down gives you more accuracy?

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Tho26

I think you are right about getting the right swing plane but I don't want to change that much in my swing because 3wood, irons and wedges are really good!

Then get used to the fade I guess

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Tho26

Hi,

I am switching things in my driver swing for about a year now because i don't have a constant flight. It varies from a straight flight to a big slice. most of the time it's a fade!

I hit between 305 and 320 so length is no problem. To get a straighter ballflight does gripping my driver a bit shorter help?

Maybe you're swinging too hard or have the wrong driver. I thought my new Callaway X-Tour (new to me at least) was great because it was longer than my G10. I hit too many crooked ones though. I picked up a Mizuno MP-600 slightly used, and even though it's shorter than the G10, I've been hitting more fairways. It's nice to have an 8-iron from the fairway versus a sand wedge from behind a tree. Either way, 305-320 is long. Really long as a typical range, so maybe you're just going after it too hard.

[SouthernILGolfer]

If you shorten your driver shaft, won't that also make it a bit stiffer and probably easier to control?  My older model Taylormade Burner has a 44.5" shaft and I think that is just about the perfect length shaft.  I still choke up on it a bit as with all my clubs as it just feels more comfortable to grip them that way.   I hardly ever slice this driver, my misses are usually the other direction.   It doesnt specify being draw biased but it plays that way.   Maybe because of the shorter shaft and the slightly smaller displacement(420 cc as opposed to 460 cc) probably makes the club overall a bit lighter and easier to hit a hook as opposed to a slice.

[JackLee]

Cutting length off a club without adding weight to the clubhead will make it swing lighter.  This may or may not be a problem for a particular player.

[Tho26]

Originally Posted by Shorty

If you are a 2 handicapper and you say you don't like a fade, I am guessing 2 things

1. It is not a fade

2. You don't play off 2

If a lot of the best players in the world play a fade, why is it no good for you?

You say you hit it over 300 with a fade.

Sounds like a problem most golfers on the planet would like to have.

Also, why don' t you tell us if gripping down gives you more accuracy?

I know it's a fade, and it's not that I can't live with it but I can't change it to a draw or a straighter ballflight. I can do that with my irons but for some reason it won't work with my driver. I had a couple of drivers and I couldn't do it with any of them. So maybe I have to deal with and just play the driver the way I am playing it right now but I was just asking if someone has any experience with grip the driver shorter over a longer period of time before I start trying it.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Tho26

I know it's a fade, and it's not that I can't live with it but I can't change it to a draw or a straighter ballflight. I can do that with my irons but for some reason it won't work with my driver. I had a couple of drivers and I couldn't do it with any of them. So maybe I have to deal with and just play the driver the way I am playing it right now but I was just asking if someone has any experience with grip the driver shorter over a longer period of time before I start trying it.

Can you draw it when you need to? Being a 2 handicap, drawing a driver should not be an issue.
Even I can do it, but mostly I turn them into duck hooks or pushes

To hit a draw you need to swing in to out

[Tho26]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

Can you draw it when you need to? Being a 2 handicap, drawing a driver should not be an issue.

Even I can do it, but mostly I turn them into duck hooks or pushes

To hit a draw you need to swing in to out

I know that I need to swing in to out at a draw...but for some reason drawing a driver is hard for me...And I think I am not the only one with a low handicap that has a problem like that. If I could do every type of shot I would be a scratch player or better than that;)!

[JackLee]

Originally Posted by Tho26

I know that I need to swing in to out at a draw...but for some reason drawing a driver is hard for me...And I think I am not the only one with a low handicap that has a problem like that. If I could do every type of shot I would be a scratch player or better than that;)!

You could experiment with a closed stance, if you have not already done so.  That makes it easier to swing inside-out.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Tho26

I know that I need to swing in to out at a draw...but for some reason drawing a driver is hard for me...And I think I am not the only one with a low handicap that has a problem like that. If I could do every type of shot I would be a scratch player or better than that;)!

I personally have never met a 2 handicap that couldn't draw a driver.

Either way, I would go get a lesson with a pro and work on your driver

[ChrisSP]

Just a thought, but as far as you hit the ball, my guess is that your hips are probably really fast through the ball, especially with a driver and the extra speed you generate with that club. Typically when the hips are faster than the arms, the ball is going to the right and when the arms outrace the hips, the result is going to be shots that go left. Do you tend to hit the slice or miss to the right when you really try to hammer it? if so, I would bet that your lower body motion is not in sync with your arm swing and you end up with the club face open at impact.

[Tho26]

Think you are right. And I think I have a hard time closing my clubface in my downswing. The clubface of the superfast 2.0 tp is quite open normally I think. Maybe I need to slow down my swing and hit it 20 yards less......