jaw1978

Over the years, I realized that there is no one right way to do anything. I've spoken with touring pros to weekend hackers, and everyone has their own opinion that works for them. I think your spine angle looks quite a bit better at impact with your weight more centered. If that seems to work, I would forget the "balls of your feet" approach and do what works for you. Would any teaching pro tell Furyk is swing is ideal? No way, but it works for him. I'm sure you are like I am though and want the technical "right answer" to this, but the problem is you'll get 50 right answers from folks on here because they use what works for them; it may not work for you. Hit 'em straight fellow Socal golfer!

And I agree with all the course management quotes. 300+ does not guarantee the golfer is any good. I've been owned by plenty of 245 yard knockers to realize that getting the ball in the hole doesn't happen off the tee.

[QUOTE=Fraser;197343]Isn't that like saying there's no way a 30 handicap player could get a hole in one, or two putt every green? Hitting a one off 300yrd drive isn't rocket science, you basically just need a lot of strength... QUOTE] I stand corrected to some extent. But hitting it 300 doesn't have a lot to do with strength. I'm a pretty lanky 6'0 and won't admit to being very strong or very limber. For some reason the ball just goes far for me. I have a heck of a time hitting a 45 yard flip wedge though, so I share your short game problems. I do think anyone can get a hole in one. I've had none and I know there are thousands of 70 year old grandmas that have rolled one in. Holes in one come in many forms though. You don't need to pure a shot to get an ace, but you do need to strike the ball pretty pure and with a lot of clubhead speed to hit it 300+. I agree that it can happen at times, but I've played thousands of rounds of golf with some big, strong dudes that are 90s golfers, and I can't think of a specific time where I remember them going deep. Even when they bomb it by their own admission, it's generally shy of 300. But I concede that it can and does happen. If given the betting opportunity, I would take the 20 handicapper getting a hole in one before he stripes it 300 (left, right, straight, or otherwise). I only speak from my experiece though, which isn't always perfect data. :)

Hard to diagnose without seeing, but sometimes pushes are caused by a slide to your left rather than a turn. To eliminate the slide, swing with feet together to promote the turn. You can't slide with your feet together or you fall down. Feet together drill cures many ills and cuts out some moving pieces that shouldn't be moving. Just a thought...

Used to hit driver off the deck, but with my low spin/low launch Hi-bore XL Tour, it is a complete no go unless I have to keep the ball 5 feet off the deck for some reason. I carry a 13 degree Titleist 980 with a steel x-stiff shaft that keeps the driver off the deck temptation in check.

I think it is instructive how golf salespeople react when I ask for an x shaft. They give me a little eye roll and hand me the club. Same thing happened yesterday at a Ping demo day. After asking for the x and getting the standard "sure that's what you need" look, the guy said that nearly every time someone asks for that shaft, it isn't the one for them. Apparently, everyone thinks their clubhead speed is 120+. I won't say that I hit my drives straight all the time, but I do hit them long (sometimes a long way OB). But I can probably count on one hand the number of "I hit my drives 300 yards" guys that have rolled it past 275 when I was paired with them. I really think that guys think if they caught it really well and they swung hard, it must have gone 300. Not happening. I play a lot of tournament golf, and probably only 20% of my competitors hit it 300+ and there is no way a 15+ handicap will hit it 300 without some cart path involvement.