Didn't want to derail the other thread so I figured I'd start a new one.

I am just really starting to get serious about golf but I feel like I have the opposite problem of most young golfers. I am pretty good on the greens and getting more and more consistent with my irons but for the life of me I cant swing a driver!

I had been using a cheapo golfmate brand that I picked up at Academy for 20 bucks about 5 years ago. It was super light and if I made decent contact I felt like it didn't have enough weight to really launch the ball. It was also damn near caved in from topping balls and the shaft flexed like a wet noodle.

I just got my RBZ2 in the mail and got one with a stiff shaft. I took it to the range and had a dumb grin on my face because that club added at least 50 yards to my drives. I was blown away! I love the way it swings and when I make solid contact I actually feel rewarded but I still can't swing with any consistency. I played the good ole Hearne Muni course today and I think at least half of my drives sliced hard right generally into a pine tree or the next fairway. I had a few decent hits but the wind was whipping and never got much distance. Any tips to using a driver more consistently?

In my experience, a big slice normnally means your upper body trails your lower body, which translates to: you aren't turning your hips enough.

Flatten out your swing.


[This message has been edited by Sugarlandag09 (edited 8/20/2014 5:22p).]

Slice:

1.) club face isnt square at impact
2.) oustide to in swing path

Whatever you do don't swing like Matt Kuchar (pictured above). Flattening the swing is a band aid. Post a video lets take a look.

Also the Kuchar thing is kind of a joke. I can't stand to watch him swing a golf club.

I am no expert (mid 90s), but I cured my driver slice by rotating my left hand several degrees. It basically forces the clubhead square earlier in the downswing, and a little experimentation taught me the most effective left hand position. This probably wont help an outside to in swing, but it helped me.

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Any tips to using a driver more consistently?

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In my experience there are two paths to solving swing faults.

1. Read the internet and magazines, improperly diagnose your problems, take incorrect solutions out onto the range, try a hundred different things, have a day where you're trying something random and you happen to have good timing, convince yourself that you've solved the problem, take that swing thought to the course, play like garbage, get frustrated, start reading more articles, incorrectly pick a new swing fault scapegoat, repeat these steps several times, finally get frustrated and get lessons, actually see results.

2. Just get lessons from the beginning.


I've learned this lesson over and over again. Just get a lesson and save yourself a lot of agony. Self-diagnosis is usually just a recipe for frustration for me.

What bagger05 said^

Yup, get lessons.

And start by shortening your backswing significantly and practice making punch shots- drive thru the ball at your target.

1. hips probably clearing too early
2. feet probably above ankles at impact
3. probably swinging too hard causing 1 and 2
4. and causing you to come over the top
5. probably best to have someone look at your swing... a video on here would be cheaper than a lesson and more fun for us

Post a video

Are you breathing in, or breathing out when you hit?

Also, do you look at the ball, or your club head when you're lined up?




[This message has been edited by AgGrad99 (edited 8/21/2014 9:00a).]

So what you're saying is to learn your lesson and get lessons? F that. I choose the pound balls until I give up the game.

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And start by shortening your backswing significantly and practice making punch shots- drive thru the ball at your target

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I took lessons, which helped tremendously with my irons. As for my driver, we didn't focus on that during my lessons but he did suggest shortening my backswing until I get consistant. I have been doing this and am not getting long drives, but they are going right down the center of the fairway the majority of the time.

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2. feet probably above ankles at impact

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Yes, do not flip upside down at impact.

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2. feet probably above ankles at impact


Yes, do not flip upside down at impact.

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I'm sitting at my desk laughing like an idiot.

Played this afternoon, wish somebody had told me not to flip a long time ago, all is now well!

No! If you didn't pay for lessons, you have no business playing!
Seriously though, what helped your driving, and please tell me what shape the Hearne course is in....my Dad grew up there so we try to play there everh now and then.

Honestly, I think my biggest problem is over doing it. When I try and crank it I have no control. Today I played Bryan and I was quite a bit better than before. I think slowing down and not trying to kill it will be the keys for me.

Hearne is in pretty good shape. Decent grass from all the rain. They aireorated the greens last week so they are pretty sandy right now.

It can be many things really when hitting a slice/hook. It could be hitting the wrong flex of the shaft also. Hitting a slice could simply mean the club face being left open, or swinging out to in. If it's a push then the club head could just be open a little to much with a in to out swing.
I've been getting lessons from Rick at the campus course and one thing I am focusing on more is finishing my swing towards my target and and not leaving the club head open because it was causing me to have many pushes instead of having a draw which I like having more.
Hope I helped

I flattened my swing yesterday, also tried to keep a better swing rhythm. It helped greatly when I pulled it off, but it is a change I need to keep thinking about so I don't slide back to my old bad habits.

Sean Foley has some extra time.