Driver vs. Hybrid

[Isitthegenes]

This is a bit of a two part question, one to do just with my driver, the other a quirk I noticed today out on the range.

This year, I changed drivers and bought a Callaway Diablo Octane driver with regular flex.  My driver was from an independent local manufacturer/shop and is at least 10 years old.  It was time to upgrade.

I've struggled with the push slice, something that happened even before the upgrade.

Normally, when I'm addressing the ball, I focus on getting the clubhead square as I take my grip (Vardon grip, still working on keeping the grip into the fingers and not the palm).  When I've taken this address approach, I've always felt the like my hands are in front of the ball.  I also try to keep the ball lined up a ball width inside my front foot.

Today, though, I experimented with keeping the shaft perpendicular to my body, putting my hands what felt like more even if not slightly behind the ball.  Taking this approach turned the clubhead slightly closed (from my vantage point) at address.  However, I felt like I was striking the ball better, with far fewer and (on a mishit) far less severe push slice.  If anything, I was hooking the ball more often than slicing, with most of the shots a nice fade.

My question on this is whether that makes sense - it's getting me better results from the perspective that I'm slicing less, it seems, but is it really a long term solution?  Is it something that could point me towards a flaw in my swing to correct?

(For some perspective on my swing, I have it posted here - though I realize it's not the best video, so a better one will be coming in the near future)

The second question came when I switched to my 3 hybrid - also new to me, as I've never owned hybrids before buying the Adams A3OS set (which I would definitely recommend as a good priced set of irons for game improvement).

When I was hitting the hybrid, I was able to hit the hybrid off the deck about the same distance as my good strokes with my driver.  This seems really odd to me and gets me thinking I should just tee off the deck with the hybrid.  One factor I thought could be affecting this is that today I had to hit off mats due to heavy rains earlier in the day, but even then, it seems a bit odd.

Any thoughts or feedback would be great!  I've just started playing again this year after a 3 year hiatus and have gone from mid 50's my first couple times out down to mid-upper 40's on 9 holes.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by Isitthegenes

This is a bit of a two part question, one to do just with my driver, the other a quirk I noticed today out on the range.

This year, I changed drivers and bought a Callaway Diablo Octane driver with regular flex.  My driver was from an independent local manufacturer/shop and is at least 10 years old.  It was time to upgrade.

I've struggled with the push slice, something that happened even before the upgrade.

Normally, when I'm addressing the ball, I focus on getting the clubhead square as I take my grip (Vardon grip, still working on keeping the grip into the fingers and not the palm).  When I've taken this address approach, I've always felt the like my hands are in front of the ball.  I also try to keep the ball lined up a ball width inside my front foot.

Today, though, I experimented with keeping the shaft perpendicular to my body, putting my hands what felt like more even if not slightly behind the ball.  Taking this approach turned the clubhead slightly closed (from my vantage point) at address.  However, I felt like I was striking the ball better, with far fewer and (on a mishit) far less severe push slice.  If anything, I was hooking the ball more often than slicing, with most of the shots a nice fade.

My question on this is whether that makes sense - it's getting me better results from the perspective that I'm slicing less, it seems, but is it really a long term solution?  Is it something that could point me towards a flaw in my swing to correct?

Get your hands behind the ball.  And be certain that due to the ball appearing to be so far forward in your stance, that you aren't opening your stance in an unconscious effort to "reach" the ball.  I have to make it a point to check myself to be sure that I have my feet/knees/hips/chest/shoulders lined up parallel left of my target, or just slightly closed.  I think you are setting yourself up for the push slice by having your hands ahead of the ball.

(from http://www.andrewricegolf.com/2011/08/getting-more-out-of-your-driver/ )

As for the hybrid.... a slice with the driver typically won't go as far as a draw.  And without a good impact condition your are probably not hitting the ball in the center of the driver face.  Thus you are losing yards.

The hybrid, having more loft and being shorter, is going to be easier to hit in the middle of the face and kekp it straight.  I think once you get your driver set-up correct, have an in-to-out (or in-to-square) swing with your driver, you will straighten out the ball flight and most likely gain yards.  You might try gripping down with the driver to shorten the playing length, gaining more control and letting you find the middle of the face more often.  Considering this driver is 46" long stock, I would try gripping down 1.5" to 2".

[Isitthegenes]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

Get your hands behind the ball.  And be certain that due to the ball appearing to be so far forward in your stance, that you aren't opening your stance in an unconscious effort to "reach" the ball.  I have to make it a point to check myself to be sure that I have my feet/knees/hips/chest/shoulders lined up parallel left of my target, or just slightly closed.  I think you are setting yourself up for the push slice by having your hands ahead of the ball.

As for the hybrid.... a slice with the driver typically won't go as far as a draw.  And without a good impact condition your are probably not hitting the ball in the center of the driver face.  Thus you are losing yards.

The hybrid, having more loft and being shorter, is going to be easier to hit in the middle of the face and kekp it straight.  I think once you get your driver set-up correct, have an in-to-out (or in-to-square) swing with your driver, you will straighten out the ball flight and most likely gain yards.  You might try gripping down with the driver to shorten the playing length, gaining more control and letting you find the middle of the face more often.  Considering this driver is 46" long stock, I would try gripping down 1.5" to 2".

It sounds like, by what you're saying, is that I should still keep the shaft perpendicular, but turn the shaft so the club face is square - the first part of this did get my hands slightly behind the ball at address.

I think the suggestion of choking down is a good one - I'm not overly tall (6' 1") and never had a club with this length.  Combining both of these with working on keeping my weight forward will make a big difference.

I'm likely heading out to play this weekend, so will pick one thing to focus on for improvement - and if I'm all over the place, just might stick with the hybrid off the tee until I get back to the range.