Help - Do I need a Driver change ?

[Carnoustie_Stokie]

I'm currently using a Mizuno MP-001 10.5 degree driver but I'm slicing terrible, its just a big arc out towards the right - thinking of changing to a different driver with a different shaft - will this help or do I need to sort my swing out first ? Do I need to learn to hit this driver correctly before I move onto another driver/shaft ?

I play off 24 so I aint the best golfer, but I have a good swing, I just find it hard to score and out of bounds 3, 5 and 7 off the tee isnt helping me at the moment.I dont tend to slice my irons.

[elivate]

I was seriously thinking about changing my driver earlier this year because I was losing a ton of strokes due to poor tee shots. I stuck with it and worked on my swing at the range and I am now hitting my driver better than ever.

I think you should really take a look at your swing first and try to work it out, a new driver is not a magic cure for mistakes in your swing... It is quite possible that you don't have the perfect shaft or driver and a trip to a golf store that has a launch monitor might be useful, but if you are not swinging properly then you are not going to get the most out of the money you spend on the new club...

One thing I really noticed early on was that I was way past parallel on my back swing and this was making it very hard to square the club face at impact. I slowed my tempo a bit and stopped my back swing at parallel and started hitting the ball very straight. At first I lost a fair bit of distance but after many trips to the range I am now able to stop at parallel and still generate good club head speed because I can accelerate the club through the ball and strike it with a square club face... And I have also learned how to properly shift my weight throughout the swing, I think this is the biggest improvement and has added a lot of distance to my drives... I have never been happier with my driver... Now if I could only putt

Hope this helps...

Good Luck!

[Carnoustie_Stokie]

Thanks, thats sound advice, I think I will go for a lesson first.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I know it's not as fun but lessons are usually more beneficial than an equipment change. However, make sure the driver is fitted for you, ie the right shaft.

[Carnoustie_Stokie]

How do I get the right shaft ?

[jmhunter]

Just a guess, go to a fitter?

[elivate]

How do I get the right shaft ?

Just a guess, go to a fitter?

Yes, a proper fitting session with a club fitter should give you shaft options... stiffness, kick point, length, weight etc...

[beung]

Rarely will a shaft effect the ball flight left or right, especially if the deviation from the center is extreme.

Different shafts options are used to control the height of the ball in the air not how far left or right it goes. The shaft can effect distance by controling launch angle and spin rates and altering them depending on your swing speed.

That is not to say that a shaft couldn't effect the the lateral direction of the ball but face angle and swing path has more effect then the shaft.

A shaft with less torque can reduce side spin on the ball but the low torque shafts tend to be very stiff, very unforgiving and hard to hit for most golfers. Now with today's new larger heads torque plays a big part because the larger heads put more torgue force on the shaft - this is the main selling point of the new Epic shaft, it still has flex but better resists the twisting forces caused by the head.

[lamebums]

I'm currently using a Mizuno MP-001 10.5 degree driver but I'm slicing terrible, its just a big arc out towards the right - thinking of changing to a different driver with a different shaft - will this help or do I need to sort my swing out first ? Do I need to learn to hit this driver correctly before I move onto another driver/shaft ?

I am thinking you've got the clubface open at impact, causing the slice. I'm ruling out an outside-in if you don't slice your irons. Try closing the clubface off at address and see what happens. If that works, adjust your grip accordingly.

If you pull your shots after closing the clubface off, then it is an outside-in. If your driving is that bad, stick it in the bag and tee off with your 3 iron. I did that once after hitting four consecutive shots out of bounds (two left, two right), and was 2 over for the next 5 holes.