Driver is killing me - Help!

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By Dave D

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  • 19 Replies
  1. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    The swing is supposed to be the same for all clubs. Right? This is what I keep trying to tell myself, but it's not working. I'm a former single-digit player that now has a hard time getting into the 80's with regularity, and it's all due to the driver. I hit my irons very well (2 iron or 17° hybrid on up). Even the 3 wood works decent. It's not out of the ordinary for me to shoot 84 even though I lost 10 strokes off the tee shot. The strange part about the driver is that there is no middle ground. I either hit a beauty down the middle or the ball is lost (yesterday one was ob on the opposite side of the hole next to the one I was playing).

    I have a 909D3 driver that was fitted by an advanced Titleist fitter last year. The only thing I can think of is that the grip is smaller than all my other grips. Perhaps that is making it hard for me to properly come through? Then again, it's probably all in my head.

    Any suggestions? Could it really be as simple as the grip being too small? I probably should just leave the driver at home so I won't be tempted to use on a reachable par 5 or long par 4. 

  2. David L

    David L
    fort collins, CO

    When you aren't hitting it well is it a slice or a hook you hit? Tucking your elbow, body coming through to fast, not transfering your weight, not hitting the ball in the center of the clubface? You might have to take a lesson to figure it out or just go to the range as much as possible. My putting has been horrible lately, so I have started to go to the putting green every other night. I'm sure it will come back to you. Good luck.
  3. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    Every club except my driver is usually a little draw on every shot. If I do miss with an iron, it's usually a little left due to a slight pull. The driver, however, is a huge slice when I miss, often accompanied by a push. My feeling is that I'm either sliding (hence the push) and/or I'm not releasing my hands (the slice). It's just so strange why it only happens with the driver. Love this game!

    I mentioned the grips because I'm 6'5" with pretty big hands. My driver grip is smaller than every other club in the bag. My normal grip is 3 extra wraps, but I think the driver needs more because the shaft is thinner. Unfortunately, you can't demo a club with a larger grip, so I can't try it without re-gripping my driver.

    BTW, I've pounded balls at the range a lot, and I can usually get things straightened out. However, I can't seem to replicate that back on the course. It's really frustrating. Maybe I should go back to nothing but 2-irons (or hybrids). I have plenty of length (220 carry with a 3 iron), but I'd like to take advantage of that with my driver.

  4. Quintin H

    Quintin H
    Morehead, KY

    Give that driver to a friend (smile)

    When you hit one great, remember how you did it and just do that (smile again)

    the D3 is made to play the ball a little more forward in your stance.

    If you want to keep the ball back, try the 983K or 907D1, I don't know(never seen) a 909D2 or DComp, but they are probably designed to be played a little back from the D3.

    I have 909D3, but I use 983K because with the D3 I keep forgetting and play the ball back, and I get slices and pushes. When I remember to play the ball forward I hit it nice.

  5. My instant reaction is that if your hitting everything great with your irons and hybrids, then not with the driver, your grip is too small. If you slice the drive with a small grip , your right hand comes too far over the grip as their is not enough room for it to sit comfortably on the grip. If you get a larger grip, your right hand (I'm presuming your right handed) will stay more on the right side of the grip, which will allow you to get rid of the slice and bomb them down the middle again. hope this helps, and good luck!!

  6. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    Thanks. I've been think the small grip forces me to hold on too tight, and that is preventing me from releasing properly. I think it's time to drop the club off for a re-grip.

  7. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Yep. I have a mid size grip and it works nicely on all my clubs. Actually, I have read that if you want to eliminate the possibility of hooking, you go to a larger grip. Here's something to think about - when you hit your fairway woods or irons, you tend to swing with a slower tempo? What actually causes a slice besides not releasing is an outside-in swing path because one goes "over the top" - if you swing too hard, your arms take over and you hit over the top.
  8. Jakes D

    Jakes D
    somerset west, 0

    Get all your clubs grip with the same grip and the same size by a pro that knows what he is doing to the size of your hands or what you like in size. this take the grip size issue out of the mix. The D3 for your handicap is the wrong club. again, get fitted with the right driver, shaft and swingweight. once you have this sorted, you can then sort out the swing. does not hel if you question the grip, the club etc. sort this out and then work on the swing. I believe in custom fitting to ensure there is no question in the mind regarding the tools. then you sort our the swing. With respect. any person with a handicap who try and teach another player must fix their own problems. if you struggle with the swing, dont wast time, go find a pro to help you solve the problem.

  9. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    My D3 and Titleist irons were fitted by one of the few advanced Titleist fitters in Mass. - he was just on the cover of a local PGA mag for being one of the best fitters around. He actually recommended midsize grips, but I was concerned because my old irons grips were perfect with 2 wraps. Turns out, my local shop uses thick tape so 2 wraps was closer to midsize. 2 wraps from Titleist is 1/32 smaller than what I had. Based on me now hitting most fairways with new grips, I'm guessing that 1/32 meant something because the change was immediate. Btw, I never did buy the "those are the wrong clubs for your handicap" statement. Get fitted and go with what works.
  10. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    For the other guy that made the statement about taking advice from someone with a handicap (Jakes)... I would say someone with a handicap of 10 or less generally has a sound golf swing. Lest we forget that golf pros have exceptional distance (300+ yards) and high swing speeds (115+ mph). Someone who hits a driver 220 yards has to have an exceptional short game to score pars on the 400+ yard par 4s. I can go on a 2200 yard 9 hole executive course and break par but play to a 10 handicap on a 6400 yard regulation course. If someone is getting the same distance as a PGA pro but carries a 10 handicap, then that person needs a lot of work on the short game. Even the PGA pros occasionally snap hook or slice and a few of them use the driver sparingly. They even occasionally shoot in the 80s for 18 holes too.
  11. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    I roger up to "go with what works" My current setup is 13 deg loft draw driver senior flex, 7 wood R flex, persimmon 10 wood steel shaft R flex (from Louisville Golf), 25 hybrid S flex, 6-PW S flex, Vokey Spin Milled 54-60-64, chipping iron and putter. I have a 3 wood but need to tweak it (too long) and I just got the 25H (which appears to be working well so far). The mixed flexes work like a champ. I actually get a lower trajectory with the draw driver than a standard 10.5 deg r flex neutral driver. I also have a 34H (persimmon) mainly for show; I use it as an alternate to the lofted wood and the 6 iron if I go to a course with par 3s longer than 180 yards. From 1972-2003 (and I didn't play much between 1993-2003 with two 3 year absences), I used 3-4 persimmon woods, 2-PW, Dual Wedge. In fact, I broke 90 in 1975 using 3-4 wood,3-5-7-9 irons and dual wedge. My dad handed down his X-31 iron set to me in 1979 and I used that up through 2006. I was never able to hit a driver and could average 260 yards with a 3 wood. When I took up golf again in 2006, I found out I could no longer hit long irons and found out that I fared much better with a 7 wood and lofted fairway wood vs a 3-5 iron. I also have been carrying a 34H of one form or another since then. My issue with the 3 wood or 5 wood is the trajectory was too high and I actually can hit the snot out of a 7 wood. I had a 980 F 3 wood that I generally got about 190 yards with; however, I traded it along with some other clubs for one of my Vokey wedges. From 2007 through 2010, I had been using a 10.5 degree driver neutral face (Cobra X Speed for a year and that was a gift, Ping G2 with 44" r flex). The Cobra was stiff and I could hit it dead straight but the distance wasn't that good (about 210). With the Ping G2, my best shot was a power fade that would go 240 yards or so. My current driver turns that so-called power fade into a dead straight shot 240 yards average (I swing smoother) and I recently hit 270 yards with a so-called "old man" driver. I also got into clubmaking at the beginning of 2009 and found out that I had been playing with ill-fitting irons at least since 2006. Basically up until 2005 I had been 5'11 3/4" and for some odd reason my height (as measured on an insurance physical) was 6'1". My current wrist to floor height is 35.5" The Ping charts say I should be hitting yellow dot lie angle. I had to make my 6 iron 62.5 deg and my 7 iron 63 deg to make them hit properly (standard lie for a 6 is 61 deg and for a 7 is 62.5). Everything from the 8 iron down is .5 deg upright (the LW and XW are 65 deg la). Recently I upgraded my irons to Ping Eye 2 green dot (initially got the 8 and PW from the bargain bin at Golf Mart and first trip to golf course was so successful that I got the 6,7,9 irons from e-Bay). A trip to the demo days confirmed (with a G15) that green dot is correct for me (yellow dot produced a small fade). I'm getting used to hitting the 6 and 7 irons but I have been so spoiled with the 10 wood that I'll keep it in the bag until the two irons become automatic. It is a mixed flex bag but it works well. I've approached breaking par on the shorter courses and play to a 10 handicap on a standard 6100 yard par 72 course.
  12. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    "Go with what works"

    Prior to having twins, I was a single-digit handicapper. Unfortunately, I went from playing several times a week to 3-4 times a year. After 8 years, I'm getting back to playing more, and I recently replaced my 13yo DCI 962 irons with 710 MBs. Some people told me that "I could never hit MBs" because my handicap is over a 4. All I know is that I learned on blades, and I was fitted by a top fitter and tried AP2s, CBs, and MBs. In the end the MBs had the best numbers, and they were the most consistent distance-wise. As a bonus, they looked and felt the best for me, so I went with them even though it certainly wasn't what I thought I would end up with. After thinking about it, however, I wasn't as concerned. All I need to do is look at the worn grooves on my DCIs (right in the middle), and I remembered the year I played with only 2-PW, 52, 56, and 60. Generally shot within 2-3 strokes either side of 80 every time. My misses are rarely the toe shots where cavity backs help the most (my iron misses are an occasional pull). Plus, I know it's the driver that's killing me -- hence this post.

    Now that my driver is straightening out more, I'm looking forward to where my scores will go when I have 120 yards in on a 400 yard hole instead of 180 or so. Going for it on par 5s again will be fun as well.

  13. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    In regards to "going with what works," I just acquired a set of Titleist DCI 981 irons 4-GW (Dynamic Gold Sensi-core shafts) and was amazed that I was hitting a 5 iron half-arsed and was NAILING the 6 and 7 irons. I believe all I have to do to make the 4 iron hit properly is bend it upright one degree and to make the 5 iron hit properly is bend it half degree. The 6-GW pretty much match the lie angles on a set of Lynx Black Cats that I experimented with about 6 months ago (shot 2 over par on that golf game despite being short on distance vs my Snake Eyes irons). I've been struggling with the 5-7 irons for about 5 years now; however, I have been using a combination of either a 5H or lofted wood and a 34 hybrid. I've been playing to a 10 handicap for 2 years now and the big reason is I have a scratch golfer short game. I learned how to play golf in the good ole days with 3-4 persimmon woods, 2-PW and dual wedge. I even carried a 1 iron in the mid 1980s and could hit it 260. My short game was mediocre at best and I generally shot in the mid 90s. For 25 years I played with a set of X-31 Staff irons that my dad bought new in 1967. In fact, I played with laminate 3-4 woods, 3-5-7-9 irons and a Haig Ultra Dual Wedge and broke 90 for the first time in 1975. I will say one thing about the DCIs: they have much better feel than quite a few game improvement irons (I had a set of GT3, Snake Eyes Q3I, Eye 2). I like the DCIs so much that I put my Eye 2 irons on Craig's List. The thing about "someone with over a 4 handicap not being able to play MBs" is bunk, basically. Someone with a 20 handicap may hit flawless irons but his/her wood game or short game may be a total disaster. I see quite a few that struggle to hit a fairway wood off the ground. I also see a LOT of golfers that have pathetic short games but can drive a ball 300 yards or more. Also knew of a club champ who had a 0 handicap but could hit a 5 iron only 150 yards (I caddied for him a couple times in HS).

  14. You're body is obviously ahead of the ball for you to push-slice it. Check your left knee and your weight shift, try not to slide forward. When you come down, drop it in the slot and clear your hips. The swing should be a circular motion. Hope this helps.

  15. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    Your motion on the downswing should be hips, then shoulders and then uncock wrist. Firing of the hips makes the weight shift just about automatic. Your wrists should still be set when your hands are about ready to pass your rear leg. Got a beautiful tip from a teaching pro at allexperts.com - "palm down, palm up drill". Your front arm should rotate palm down on the backswing and be palm up on the follow thru. You can do this by holding your arm at shoulder height and rotating (left arm for righties). Keep your head behind the ball until you make contact.
  16. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    Several lessons and videos make me pretty sure it wasn't my swing. It was my release. Every other club (3 wood on down) is pretty consistent. I think in the end it came down to my grip being too small. The small grip had me holding on for dear life, resulting in problems releasing the club. Then it snowballed as I tried to compensate for it.

    Last week, I re-griped my driver with a midsize grip, and now my drives are much more consistent. Before, my heal pad was covering most of the nail on my two middle fingers. Now, those two fingers are just touching the heal pad, and my grip pressure is much lighter. As a result, I find it easier to release like all my other clubs.

    The lesson for me is never specify grip size in terms of extra wraps. Always use measurements (+3/64" or +1/16"). For example, I have a old set of irons griped by a local shop with 2 extra wraps, and those grips are larger than grips done by Titleist with 3 wraps. This is with the same shaft and same grip. 

  17. Hi Dave , good to hear your driver is back in business, hopefully now the handicap will start to come down . Good luck man and keep me informed on how you get on !!! Sean

  18. Dave D

    Dave D
    Scituate, MA

    Yes, I'm so looking forward to getting back into the single digits. Prior to making the switch, I was averaging around 90 with the vast majority of lost strokes being off the tee. I've only had two rounds with the new grips, but the results are promising (82 and 78). Amazing what being around the fairway can do for you. Penalty strokes and punches back to fairway add up.

  19. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    I read your post and your driver issue is similar to mine. Just a few days ago I was swinging my driver great and hitting fairways without any problems. I also was hitting the ball further than normal. 24 hours later it was like some one flipped a light switch. When I was hitting the ball great I was visualizing more of a around my body swing with the feeling that my right shoulder was just lagging a little bit behind as I made ball contact. The results was a nice long draw. The last two days I have lost that "feel" and have struggled to keep the ball in the fairway. Most of my shots are left with a strong draw bordering on a hook or a push straight right. I too think that the grips on my driver seem smaller than my irons. I just wish I could re-create that more of around my body swing (horizontal) than the more up right vertical swing that just robs me of distance and accuracy. I do plan to spend a lot of range time in the next few days to see if I find it again.
  20. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Carl T said:

    I read your post and your driver issue is similar to mine. Just a few days ago I was swinging my driver great and hitting fairways without any problems. I also was hitting the ball further than normal. 24 hours later it was like some one flipped a light switch. When I was hitting the ball great I was visualizing more of a around my body swing with the feeling that my right shoulder was just lagging a little bit behind as I made ball contact. The results was a nice long draw. The last two days I have lost that "feel" and have struggled to keep the ball in the fairway. Most of my shots are left with a strong draw bordering on a hook or a push straight right. I too think that the grips on my driver seem smaller than my irons. I just wish I could re-create that more of around my body swing (horizontal) than the more up right vertical swing that just robs me of distance and accuracy. I do plan to spend a lot of range time in the next few days to see if I find it again.
    I found it again and this was repeatable. Maybe it might help you. First I don't believe the driver and fairway clubs are swung the same as your irons and hybrids. I say this in the sense that the driver swing is much flatter and horizontal around your body and the irons are steeper and more verticle. With that said I found that when I addressed the ball I was too close to the ball to get the full extension of my arms on the down swing and follow through. I am only talking a ball width in set up but for me it was the difference in about 25 yards and a slight draw in line with my target. When I do block or hit a high fade/slice I am coming into the ball too steep and over the top. To correct this I just take the club back low and slow to the ground with the club head out side my hands for as long as possible and make a figure 8 on the down swing letting my right shoulder lag behind the ball at impact.I played one of my best rounds in weeks yesterday with the ball set up just a little further out and it worked all day long. Hope this helps.

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