Driver woes cutting across.

[jshots]

My last few rounds have been awesome, I've shot some of my best golf ever and have hit close to 80% of my fairways. The problem is that I am not using my driver, I use a 2 hybrid off all tee boxes where I need length. I hit it wonderfully (along with all of the rest of my irons right now), and the courses I play are short enough that I still never have more than a mid iron in to the green. Many people tell me that I should just forget the driver, but in my opinion that is stupid. I want to shoot the best golf possible and am losing distance by not hitting driver.

For as long as I remember I have completely sucked with my driver, occasionally I go through rounds where I hit it well but they are rare. I have always had a problem with an out to in swing path and I believe that is still the problem due to the way it feels like my shoulders and arms are coming through to quickly. And it makes sense as my misses are usually straight pulls or slices that start on target.

I feel like I am really close to playing some really great golf, possibly even par, maybe even better with the exception of a few things. One of which is my driver. What is so strange to me is how well I hit every club up until I get to my long ones, 3 wood and driver. And then with those 2 clubs I'm not even close. My bad shots go so far out of play that I cannot comfortably hit one off of any teebox.

What is it that a proper driver swing should feel like? What muscles am I initiating first and how should my core, hips, shoulders, arms, and wrists feel as I get on an inside path into a proper driver swing? What is the difference between my irons and driver that is causing me to hit my driver so poorly.

[14ledo81]

When you figure it out, let me know.  I feel I am in the same boat as you.  I have had times when I hit the driver well, and I can score so much better.  Not to mention the game is more fun.  The other day when I was at the range, I had planned on working on my full swing for a while, and then short game on the practice green.  I had such a poor time with the Driver that I did not even feel like working on my short game.  It is very frustrating and discouraging.  I am certain I am hitting with a slight outside in.  My ball generally start straight or a bit to the right, so it seems like my club face is fine.  Just knowing that I need to swing more inside out is not helping me.  No matter how hard I try, I keep swiping across the ball with no compression.  My iron play is not great, but I can usually get pin high from inside of 200 yards.  I probably hit 50% of greens from 100 to 150, and maybe 15% from 150 to 200.  I know this area of my game, as well as my short game, needs work, but until I figure out my driving, I have little desire to work on anything else.

Just wanted to add that my bad shots with the Driver still usually end up in the right rough. Depending on the hole layout I will still have a look at the green.  The problem is they are ballooning, and flying way to short.

[TheWhiteOwl]

I was like you for a long time, I made good contact with the ball with my irons but the driver was a lost cause.  Funny thing was that I could stripe my 3 iron and out drive most of my friends with their weak slices off the tee box. I recently decided to shorten my driver from the 46" to 44".  It was amazing how different the driver felt.  In the past I would choke down a couple of inches but the feel was still awkward.  With the shorter length I was able to make a better more controlled swing.  Nice things started to happen.  I began hearing the smashing sound indicative of solid driver contact and was able to control my fade and hit a running push draw.  With the shorter shaft length my confidence grew and occasionally when I really felt good about my swing while playing a round I could let it rip.  I have hit further drives now than I ever did with the longer shafted drivers.  That was a cure for me.

[alexander19]

I as well have the same problem. I currently have been shooting low 80's but I want to get into the 70's. My irons along with putting have been terrific this year but my driver has been very eratic. I have been using my 2 hybrid off the tee and can hit it about 240. With the 3 wood and driver I never know whats going to happen. My miss with the driver use to be a duck hook but I fixed that. My misses off the tee are now a slice or a blocked shot to the right. I have been tweaking my swing by having a better hip turn instead of slide but for some reason it's not working with my driver or 3 wood. I am not sure if its mental or its my swing when it comes to the driver. I recently put a 83g diamana white board on my titleist 910 d2. The first time I crushed it down the middle almost every hole but ever since that I have been very inconsistent. I would love to hear some swing thoughts by people who use to push/block there driver.

[hammerhead]

I was having the same exact problem. Slicing it right and blocking it right. I was at the range the other night trying to work it out ( to no avail) Then the Golf instructor who had been watching me came out and told me that my backswing and my decent was to steep causing me to not close the club head. He had me bring the club back slower and flatter ( a below my shoulder to get the feel of it).

I started hitting really hard draws that way and he said that was what he wanted to see. he wanted to change my muscle memory and get me to start to swing inside out. He then had me bring the club back even with my shoulder and it didnt  feel as awkward . I started to pound the ball straighter than I ever have and really long. The next day at league It was the best I have ever drove the ball. Dead straight and ave of 260. I was usually around 235- 250.

I even drove a 322 par 4 with a little help from the wind but it was by far the best drive I have ever hit. Even the guys asked who are you and what did you do with Paul. That sure felt good. Hard to believe I have been fighting this for years and maybe fixed it in 10 minutes.

P.S. It sure is nice to be friends with the driving range owner

[jshots]

Well I believe I'm on to something but not entirely sure. I hit balls for an hour and a half today almost strictly with driver and really focused on how things felt.

I believe that when I initiate my downswing I start turning too quickly with my upper body, and everything turns at the same time and i feel like that results in my plane getting angled left aka out to in swing.

I really focused on feeling my right obliques stretch after I start my downswing and almost letting that stretching of my obliques sort of initiate my shoulders turning back to the ball. I was making more solid contact with the ball and driving the club straight through it rather than across it and the ball was going straight.

I wish I had a good camera to look at things with.