Driver Help!!!

[THollenden]

Hey All,

I recently been playing more and I am about to stop bowling because its getting expensive and plus i am about to become a father. that was the greatest xmas gift i got. the driver issue i am having is that i am standing up and topping the ball and sending it off to the right. its not sharp to the right but more like a right turn. i was wondering is there anything i can do to help me fix that issue? the drive i have is a walter hagen from dicks. i think it is to light for more. when i went to demo day here is nc i picked up the R11 and i was hitting straighter and more solid. could it be the driver weight or something else?

[Ernest Jones]

Obviously a good swing is FAR more important than any one piece of equipment you are using, however, I would consider spending a little cash on 1) a decent second hand driver - you can spend as little as 40$ if your going second hand 2) the best putter you can reasonably afford, and by best I mean the one that feels the best when you putt.

I won't offer any mechanics advice or drills - I suck and wouldn't want to steer you wrong.

Good luck.

PS I'm pretty sure that golf is infinitely more expensive than bowling.

[inthehole]

My advice to you is that your current driver is likely way too long.      Many of us have shortened our drivers - myself, I've cut 1.25" off mine & regripped it - makes it so much easier to hit the sweet spot consistently.    Distance lost is negligible when you start actually hitting fairways consistently.     As your current driver isn't an expensive one, take it out to the garage, grab your hacksaw & lop an inch off and slap a cheap grip back on it - if it's still too long, repeat in 1/4" increments.     I bet my hat you'll hit far better with a shortened driver ...

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by inthehole

My advice to you is that your current driver is likely way too long.      Many of us have shortened our drivers - myself, I've cut 1.25" off mine & regripped it - makes it so much easier to hit the sweet spot consistently.    Distance lost is negligible when you start actually hitting fairways consistently.     As your current driver isn't an expensive one, take it out to the garage, grab your hacksaw & lop an inch off and slap a cheap grip back on it - if it's still too long, repeat in 1/4" increments.     I bet my hat you'll hit far better with a shortened driver ...

That is good advice too, or just choke up until you find what works for you.

[THollenden]

thanks guys. i was using my father in laws clubs for awhile before i got my own. his was shorter and i still had the same issue but it was as bad. he club was had alittle weight to it. even when i go to golf smith and try out the clubs they have out for demo. i dont think it to long or short.

bowling is really expensive. some of balls alone 300 and bags start out at 100. you only buy gear pro shops but with golf you buy gear at golf stores

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by THollenden

bowling is really expensive. some of balls alone 300 and bags start out at 100. you only buy gear pro shops but with golf you buy gear at golf stores

Yeah, I guess it didn't occur to me that a serious bowler would be buying his own ball(s), shoes and whatnot just like a golfer. I've only ever rented whenever I've gone bowling.

[THollenden]

it can. i have my own gear. my driving it the only real issue i have. my iron and short are getting better since i have only been play about 4 months or so. just wish i could my driving.

[awmgolfer]

I have always struggled with my drives, would start out straight and then peel off to the right. My 3 wood and up though are fine, can hit a draw or a fade with most of them when I want but the driver just has killed me. Many times I would be lucky to hit 200 yards. I eventually just stopped using the driver and my handicap started dropping. About half way through last season I decided it was time to get it fixed and recorded myself a number of times and found the issue, out to in. I worked hard to fix it but with short practice times due to coaching I struggled in fixing it, working on it over winter now. However, I tried gripping down around an inch to a little more then an inch and right away it improved. Not a permanent fix as I do want to fix the flaw but I know that is probably going to be part of the final fix. As others have said, try choking down and see if it does help.

[R11driver]

I think there are way too many variables to be able to answer your question. Like how tall are you, how long is the driver, what flex is the shaft, what loft is the driver, what's your swing like, etc. If you have a golf store near you with launch monitor equipment, they may also have someone there that can analyze your swing for $20 or $30 bucks. If you can find someone to video tape you hitting some balls and post it here, you may get some advice.

[THollenden]

thats a good idea. i went to the range and thats the guys there were telling. maybe the flex, too short or too long. well is its too short, how can they fix that? i know too long they can cut off some of the length to make it right.

[badfish74]

Are you swinging on plane?  I am notorious for that big sweeping slice where it starts off looking good and just makes a right hand turn, not only with the driver, but all my clubs.  I have been working on staying on plane and the other day at the range I did not hit a single shot like that.  My misses to the right were all pushed that way which for me is a marked improvement.

[THollenden]

i am not sure what you mean,bad?

[JohnQVegas]

Originally Posted by inthehole

My advice to you is that your current driver is likely way too long.      Many of us have shortened our drivers - myself, I've cut 1.25" off mine & regripped it - makes it so much easier to hit the sweet spot consistently.    Distance lost is negligible when you start actually hitting fairways consistently.     As your current driver isn't an expensive one, take it out to the garage, grab your hacksaw & lop an inch off and slap a cheap grip back on it - if it's still too long, repeat in 1/4" increments.     I bet my hat you'll hit far better with a shortened driver ...

The problem with cutting it down is that it makes the shaft stiffer...so if he's already hitting it off to the right, assuming he's a right handed golfer, he's going to have to get more clubhead speed to keep the clubface square.

[moparman426]

Originally Posted by JohnQVegas

The problem with cutting it down is that it makes the shaft stiffer...so if he's already hitting it off to the right, assuming he's a right handed golfer, he's going to have to get more clubhead speed to keep the clubface square.

Huh?  Butt trimming the shaft has negligible effect on shaft stiffness.  They are designed to be trimmed to length.  It will however, change the swing weight of the club.

Find your comfortable swing setup.  Straight spine, flex in the hips, knees, etc....well balanced.  Swing away.  Generally, impacts too close to the hosel indicate a club that is too long, and toed shots would be too short of a club.  Obviously, any type of unintentional body movement will have an effect on the impact zones as well, so maintaining a good repeatable rhythm is key here..  This is a general guideline for club length.

THollended, if it is infact too short, an extension can be epoxied into the butt end to make it longer.  Any reputable shop can do this, and they should be able to remove your current grip and reinstall it, if you so choose.

[moparman426]

Also, is this a 460cc driver?  How high are you teeing up the ball?

[THollenden]

i am pretty sure its not a 460cc driver. it says 10.5 on the bottom of the head. its a walter hagen driver from dicks

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by moparman426

Huh?  Butt trimming the shaft has negligible effect on shaft stiffness.  They are designed to be trimmed to length.  It will however, change the swing weight of the club.

Find your comfortable swing setup.  Straight spine, flex in the hips, knees, etc....well balanced.  Swing away.  Generally, impacts too close to the hosel indicate a club that is too long, and toed shots would be too short of a club.  Obviously, any type of unintentional body movement will have an effect on the impact zones as well, so maintaining a good repeatable rhythm is key here..  This is a general guideline for club length.

THollended, if it is infact too short, an extension can be epoxied into the butt end to make it longer.  Any reputable shop can do this, and they should be able to remove your current grip and reinstall it, if you so choose

Cutting the shaft down can make the shaft a little stiffer, but you may or may not notice. The swing weight will change, about 9 - 11 grams per inch you cut.