Driver head adjustment?

J

jdpjamesp

Q-School Graduate
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www.jdpalmer.co.uk
Had a good hit with my RBZ Stage 2 at the range yesterday. When I actually made contact with the ball in the middle of the face it was starting on target but then bananaing right. I understand this is to do with the club face pointing right of target (open) at the point of impact. So how much difference would closing the club face a couple of degrees actually make in this instance? Obviously a more permanent fix is to try and close the face more through the swing, but until I've got the hang of that I don't want to end up on Morecambe High Street off the tee each time.
Whilst I'm at it, I can also increase the lie angle slightly I believe. What difference will this make? I'm 6'5" so would increasing the lie be a good or a bad idea (in theory!).
 
Your slice isn't necessarily caused by the head being open to the target. The issue is it is open in relation to your swing path. This video completely cured my slice issues.

[video=youtube;i3YN_o7ultw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3YN_o7ultw[/video]
 
jdpjamesp said:
Had a good hit with my RBZ Stage 2 at the range yesterday. When I actually made contact with the ball in the middle of the face it was starting on target but then bananaing right. I understand this is to do with the club face pointing right of target (open) at the point of impact. So how much difference would closing the club face a couple of degrees actually make in this instance? Obviously a more permanent fix is to try and close the face more through the swing, but until I've got the hang of that I don't want to end up on Morecambe High Street off the tee each time.
Whilst I'm at it, I can also increase the lie angle slightly I believe. What difference will this make? I'm 6'5" so would increasing the lie be a good or a bad idea (in theory!).
Click to expand...

That's the 'old' presumption!

The 'new' (though it was written up in 1968!) ball flight laws state that 85%+ of the starting flight is down to the direction the clubface is pointing - in this case 'square' (well ever so slightly LEFT of the target because of that <15%). The shape - banana-ing right - is caused by the swing path- in your case quite severely out-to-in (as per Woody's 'club-face open to the swing path')

As previously posted, Bob's Headcover drill will almost certainly which of the many possible faults can cause that! It's a great drill (t least, I think so) as it simply solves the problem, without having to identify, isolate, correct and groove the specific fault. We amateurs haven't got the sort of time required to do that sort of stuff!

While adjusting the head might improve things slightly, it's not going to correct a big slice for 2 reasons. 1: There's almost certainly not enough adjustment to do it! 2: Closing the club-face by adjustment is often countered by you opening it at address anyway! Offset heads normally work better for that, as the offset means that there is a fraction more time for the player to get the club-face square - though in the case of a big slice caused by an in-to-out swing, that often means that the ball simply starts left, and has slightly less slice, so the problem (including huge loss of distance) isn't actually solved!
 
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jdpjamesp said:
How do I position the head covers?
Click to expand...

Rear one about 6 inches right of target line; front one about 6 inches left of it. Adjust if you keep hitting them - or as the swing gets less o-2-i!

Headcovers are ideal as 1. You've normally got a couple anyway and 2. They are soft and won't damage the club (or people) if hit!
 
I think the idea that people have regarding adjustable drivers is totally wrong. Adjustable drivers give us the opportunity to tweak a driver to our swing to increase consistency, it never has been and never will be an answer to swing problems.
 
The people who say the problem is with the swingpath are spot on, it is out to in relation to the face angle. Also, setting the face closed has exactly the same effect as holding the club with a stronger grip. The problem with setting the head closed is that, when you grip the club, you unconsciously weaken your grip so that the club looks the same in your hands.
 
MadAdey said:
Adjustable drivers give us the opportunity to tweak a driver to our swing to increase consistency
Click to expand...

Absolutely spot on Ade.
When I first got my Covert Driver, I was hitting the odd one with a massive cut. Never knew when it was going to come in, and always took me by surprise.
After a couple of weeks I adjusted the head and now hit everything with a massive cut.
No more nasty surprises.

;)
 
Stupid game this golf lark. :rofl:

Good practise session today. So to make sure my ball doesn't banana right I've got to feel like I'm hitting the ball to the right and that way my swing path doesn't stray out to in. It almost feels like aim right to go left.

Couple of sweet shots carried just under 200 yards. Very pleased with that. Now to hit the course with it tomorrow.

Pre-emptive FORE!!!!!!!!
 
jdpjamesp said:
Stupid game this golf lark. :rofl:

Good practise session today. So to make sure my ball doesn't banana right I've got to feel like I'm hitting the ball to the right and that way my swing path doesn't stray out to in. It almost feels like aim right to go left.

Couple of sweet shots carried just under 200 yards. Very pleased with that. Now to hit the course with it tomorrow.

Pre-emptive FORE!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Is that something you have worked out yourself or advice you have been given from a lesson?
 
Kind of a combination for now. MrsP had kittens at the thought of shelling out for lessons but one of the Pros made a couple of suggestions when walking past.
Do need to get a set of lessons booked, but that will have to wait for next year. In the mean time the ball goes closer to where I want it to.
 
The subconscious golf mind works in mysterious ways. My bad show has always been to miss left, my natural shot is a draw, but then I would pull it too.

Someone on here told me to aim down the left half and play for a fade. Stopped me from missing left too often.
 
See what happens on the course tomorrow and then perhaps get a single one off lesson. It sounds like you may be getting yourself tied mentally in knots and it may help just playing without swing thoughts tomorrow. If not I'm sure a pro will tweak you in a matter of minuttes
 
Driving went reasonably well. Got a new sky mark on my driver though and it's a doozy. Gutted about that. Been focussing on my driver so much this week though that I struggled with iron play.
Will definitely look at lessons in the new year.
 
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