Driver problem

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ellissmith

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Hi I'm having problems striking the ball consistently with my driver. Three or four times a round I'm skying the ball. I'm using a 50 mm castle tee (orange) so could it be that it's too high for my swing? Previously I used the 39 mm castle tees (pink), but with those I kept hitting the ground first. With the orange ones I hover the club and try to keep it steady level with the ball. Also I've tried positioning the ball further forward, but then it seems more likely to slice. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. My handicap is 28.
 
You're swinging your driver too steeply into the ball. You need to swing flatter into the ball. Not only will it stop you skying the ball but you should see an increase in distance.
 
ellissmith said:
Hi I'm having problems striking the ball consistently with my driver. Three or four times a round I'm skying the ball. I'm using a 50 mm castle tee (orange) so could it be that it's too high for my swing? Previously I used the 39 mm castle tees (pink), but with those I kept hitting the ground first. With the orange ones I hover the club and try to keep it steady level with the ball. Also I've tried positioning the ball further forward, but then it seems more likely to slice. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. My handicap is 28.
Click to expand...

I would suggest that it's more likely that you are swaying rather than turning which is causing the problem. However, have you had any advice from a pro with regards to your set-up and address? If this (address and set-up) isn't consistent then it may explain why you skying it/not skying it, isn't consistent. Have a look at the video on the link below which will explain and may help too.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kNTU--85mkY

As no one has seen your swing or you skying the ball we can't say for sure what the cause or the fix is. However we can suggest possibles that "might" help.

Hope the video helps you.
 
I used to sky the ball a lot when I started playing. Straightened my leading arm and the problem went away for me.

You can buy an proper sleeve that goes over your elbow locking the arm straight-ish. I improvised by taking a 2L coke bottle, cutting the ends off and sliding that over my arm. Worked a treat and even played practice rounds wearing it! Obviously when you are used to how the arm should feel particularly in the backswing you can lose the bottle:)




 
Simply and arguably the best solution is simply get a lesson from a PGA pro and follow their advice and drills. Far better than second guessing unless of course you want to put a video up so we could actually see what's happening
 
If you are skying and hitting the ground first (even when the tees are different), it's not the tees that are causing it, but your general inconsistency - not unreasonable for a 28-capper.

Been a while since Homer's standard (but again, totally reasonable) response, but if it's just the Driver that is causing problems, you could simply be looking for where it's going to go a bit early. I'd suggest you concentrate on a single dimple during the swing and make sure you are still looking at the ground where the tee is/was after you strike it.

Balance could also be an issue; swing hard tends to pull you towards the ball, which can cause those symptoms.

Stick with the Orange tees - or even possibly go to the even longer wooden ones. High Tee normally means longer Drives.
 
Thanks, I'll have a look at the video and consider having another lesson. The assistant professional I saw last time told me to widen my stance and lean more to the right. I may have let the stance become narrower but not sure why the wider stance would help.
 
ellissmith said:
Thanks, I'll have a look at the video and consider having another lesson. The assistant professional I saw last time told me to widen my stance and lean more to the right. I may have let the stance become narrower but not sure why the wider stance would help.
Click to expand...

Tends to reduce swaying, and gives more stability (better balance?). Too wide restricts the coil though, so all a case of optimising your particular swing! He's the guy to listen too btw, not a bunch if internet guessers! :rolleyes:
 
ellissmith said:
Thanks, I'll have a look at the video and consider having another lesson. The assistant professional I saw last time told me to widen my stance and lean more to the right. I may have let the stance become narrower but not sure why the wider stance would help.
Click to expand...

if AP said the stance (with driver) needed widening would guess a good reason he mentioned it. driver longest club in the bag, with usually the longest swing & the club everyone is trying to move the quickest through impact - to do that you do need a stable base to turn around, so good balance, which with any swing is really important to a good outcome.
but you also require the upper body/shoulders/chest/torso to turn over the hips/legs into the right hip socket - not an upper body/lower body to sway laterally to the right away from the ball.

a sound guide with the driver stance is for the 'inside' (not outside) of the feet width to equal the shoulder width. the driver also having the 'widest stance' through the bag.

with the wider stance & the ball position being the furthest forwards means the upper body also has the largest secondary spine tilt (spine tilt away from target as well as the forward leaning spine tilt)
this is the correct way to think of that 'lean to the right you mentioned'. not really a lean -the secondary spine tilt- more a result of the right hand being lower on the handle than the left which with the wider driver stance (wider than the rest of the clubs stance width) & the furthest forwards ball position.

means you get this necessary 'secondary tilt' - not so much a 'lean to the right' as that may encourage too much weight on the right leg which itself often times encourages a steep swing as the weight then stays to the right on the downswing.

do you tend to hit a bunch of fat shots through the irons, with some slice direction or pulls going on direction wise?

the swing maybes is a little ways too narrow going back - more of a hands & arms operating independently from the chest rotation/turn - means then it's often times a narrow steep pick up & then also returns too steep to impact with weight still too much on the right leg.

takeaway/backswing needs to be a chest rotation/shoulder turn that's connected & also more of the engine that transports the arm/still hands/club away from the ball, as that gives you the best opportunity for good natural width to the top, & it's then also a ways easier to have a connected timed sequence through the whole swing motion.

[video=youtube_share;5tLX1W1YTe4]http://youtu.be/5tLX1W1YTe4[/video]
 
it could be that now your stance width is okay, could be that the takeaway isn't largely arms/hands dominated & you're getting to the top in reasonable shape.

but could be that transition & the downswing happens with the hands/arms club & upper body+head moving first laterally left, (instead of the lower body initiating transition with the head staying back)
so the head is on top of or even front of the ball as the swing starts down which will mean you come into the ball a good ways too steep so impact happens off the crown of the club or very top of the face.

have a look at this vid & do a bunch of practice at range from the address starting position you see here. hopefully it will mean you start getting a ways better contacts.

once you are getting better contacts, when you get into this position with the club head opposite the sternum at address so some 4" behind the ball, then just keep sternum & head where it is but move the clubhead up to the ball by allowing the slight turning under of the right shoulder to move arms/hands/club head so its then directly behind the ball while your head/sternum (chest center) stays where they are that 4 or inches behind the ball but now the club is in a normal position directly behind the ball - as you do this make sure the shoulders stay 'square' & parallel to the ball target line, be careful not to do this by moving your head forwards & aligning your shoulders to point left.

[video=youtube_share;lnopJFvTa3Q]http://youtu.be/lnopJFvTa3Q[/video]
 
Search in you tube for "how to bomb your driver" (at work so can't post a link). Teaches you the K Bomb technique which has helped me a lot. I combine this with a real feeling of drawing the club head back low and slow. Used it last couple weeks and works a treat. Hope it helps.
 
bobmac said:
I'd of thought a wider stance would encourage a sway.
Click to expand...

Cheers Bob. I tend to sway a bit on occasion, more so since I widened my stance for the driver in an effort to add distance. never attributed the increase in sway with the stance. I try going back to my narrow stance fro a bit, see what happens.
 
Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I'll think about applying the connected takeaway each time as well as keeping my eyes on the ball logo. I believe the correct angle of spine tilt will help with this. Obviously a trip to the range and another lesson may also be necessary!
 
bobmac said:
...
I'd of thought a wider stance would encourage a sway.
Click to expand...

Only if too wide according to he guy who stated it - to someone that was already swaying and was noticeably too narrow!

But the guy giving the advice wasn't PGA trained. And he had just rushed back from being the top Europen points scorer in a rained soaked Ryder Cup; got to be World #1 a bit later too, but went downhill for a long time since then. So what did he know! :whistle:

I guess I should have included 'up to a point'! :rolleyes:
 
1. esmithis skies the ball somethimes.
2. if he moves the ball forward, he slices.
3. he sometimes hits the ground before the ball.

1. That tells me he swings above plane which means he is steep into the ball.
2. He slices if the ball is further forward which means he is out to in and doesnt/cant release the club for fear of it going left. (Swingpath left)
3. He sways and keeps his weight on his back foot causing him to hit the ground before the ball or reverse pivot causing the same divot before the ball.

And you tell him to widen the stance to reduce a sway. :mad:
Stand with your feet together and try and sway.

But then we don't know anything as we haven't seen the swing and I cant really help much as the OP ignored my question.
Never mind, Merry Christmas
 
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