Pop-up drives

[Alohaed]

Hi,

     Warm comfortable weather here in NYC, decided to go to the range. Here's my driver problem. I switched out their rubber tee for the higher one I bought from there. Not only my drives are sky high moon shots, some of them hit the bottom of the upper range deck above me. Also notice when playing, many times my drives goes high, only around 20 - 30 yards. I have the ball position at my left heel. From watching golf channel, my right shoulder is lower than left, therefore spine tilted down right. AND, according to Bubba Watson and other driver segments I watched, had the tee very high, not the norm(top half of ball above driver head. I understand it's not good not seeing a video of my swing, yet any ideas as to my problem? Swing too steep, should I shallow it? The tee, ball position? I have no problem taking lessons, yet would like to experiment with different suggestions from you all in hopes of saving me money.

Ed

[Lihu]

6 minutes ago, Alohaed said:

Hi,

     Warm comfortable weather here in NYC, decided to go to the range. Here's my driver problem. I switched out their rubber tee for the higher one I bought from there. Not only my drives are sky high moon shots, some of them hit the bottom of the upper range deck above me. Also notice when playing, many times my drives goes high, only around 20 - 30 yards. I have the ball position at my left heel. From watching golf channel, my right shoulder is lower than left, therefore spine tilted down right. AND, according to Bubba Watson and other driver segments I watched, had the tee very high, not the norm(top half of ball above driver head. I understand it's not good not seeing a video of my swing, yet any ideas as to my problem? Swing too steep, should I shallow it? The tee, ball position? I have no problem taking lessons, yet would like to experiment with different suggestions from you all in hopes of saving me money.

Ed

 

Where on the face (or crown) are you hitting?

[Alohaed]

Have no idea. I guess next time at the range, I will spray some foot spray on the face to tell.

[Kalnoky]

I *believe* hitting down on the ball causes driver pop-ups. 

[JxQx]

If it were me I would just tee the ball down a bit lower.

[iacas]

16 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

I *believe* hitting down on the ball causes driver pop-ups. 

Yep. Far more likely to pop it up hitting down (and usually left) on the ball than you are hitting it on the upswing.

1 minute ago, JxQx said:

If it were me I would just tee the ball down a bit lower.

That is more likely to be a band-aid, not the true fix.

[MrDC]

At address make sure the handle of the club is pointing at your belt buckle, don't press the hands forward, and during the downswing don't let your head move towards the target, pick a spot on the ground about where your head is at address and consider that the line of scrimmage, you can't let your head pass that line until the ball is away, but that rule doesn't apply for rest of your body!

[Alohaed]

Cool. Thanks all. I will play with my swing plane. Unfortunately not too soon. Back to cold weather again. Maybe next week, temps low to upper 40s. Hopefully!

[Ks golf]

Hitting down steeply with the driver is what usually causes the sky shots. People who have this problem swing the club almost like a sand wedge. 

[roamin]

14 hours ago, Ks golf said:

Hitting down steeply with the driver is what usually causes the sky shots. People who have this problem swing the club almost like a sand wedge. 

I call it my, "One Wedge". It's normally good for about 50-60 yards. Although I've done it swinging up on the ball as well.

Used to have a tendency to get cocky after a few good drives and swing a bit too hard and would catch the ball on the edge of where the face and crown meet. Lots of battle scars on the driver. 

Edited January 6, 2017 by roamin
I can't type or spell.

[madmike75]

Your problem could be caused by a few issues. Here are a couple of things that could be causing your problems. Teeing the ball to high. To much knee flex in your swing which can lead to dipping in the down swing also having the ball to far forward in your stance can also cause your problem. You could also be lunging at the ball with your upper body and not staying behind the ball with your driver. (very common fault I see in some of my students)   

[Hatchman]

On 1/4/2017 at 3:33 PM, Alohaed said:

I switched out their rubber tee for the higher one I bought from there.

Can you insert a tee peg in the center of the original range rubber tees?  If so, rather than replacing to a higher rubber tee (insertables at our club also) I fit for a tee inserted into the rubber as ours are designed to accommodate this.  Yours may not.   But if so, you may be able to acquire a shorter par 3 tee for example to try and fit for the correct ball set up height with your club.  Then work on the swing with your instructor, if you have one, if your still having problems with steepness or hitting down too much at the ball.

[Alohaed]

Ya know, I never thought of that. Very interesting. I've always wondered how I can use a real tee at the range, and since their rubber tees are hollow, it makes sense. How stable it will be, is another story. Thanks Hatchman!  

[Phil McGleno]

5 hours ago, madmike75 said:

Your problem could be caused by a few issues. Here are a couple of things that could be causing your problems. Teeing the ball to high. To much knee flex in your swing which can lead to dipping in the down swing also having the ball to far forward in your stance can also cause your problem. You could also be lunging at the ball with your upper body and not staying behind the ball with your driver. (very common fault I see in some of my students)   

Did you mean ball too far back in your stance-Ball too far forward keeps you Behind the Ball even more.

[Hatchman]

4 hours ago, Alohaed said:

Ya know, I never thought of that. Very interesting. I've always wondered how I can use a real tee at the range, and since their rubber tees are hollow, it makes sense. How stable it will be, is another story. Thanks Hatchman!  

its actually pretty stable.  And the tee stay put most of the time as the rubber absorbs the shock.   Unless you tee it really, really high ;).  Cheers.

[Golfingdad]

7 hours ago, Hatchman said:

Can you insert a tee peg in the center of the original range rubber tees?  If so, rather than replacing to a higher rubber tee (insertables at our club also) I fit for a tee inserted into the rubber as ours are designed to accommodate this.  Yours may not.   But if so, you may be able to acquire a shorter par 3 tee for example to try and fit for the correct ball set up height with your club.

Even if not, you can wedge one between the outside of the rubber tee and the hole in the mat.  I've had to do that before.

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My band aid suggestion would be to move the ball further forward.  If you're at the left heel now, try the left toe.  It also wouldn't hurt to experiment with tee height.