How's my driving?

[Teeshot]

Hi guys- some time ago I signed in here to ask advice on drivers etc.
It's been a while, I have moved county and actually joined a club!

I upgraded my irons first, having tried some I went for Taylormade R7 draw irons which have helped me hugely.
Secondly I got a Taylormade Rosso Morza Corza putter (which is fairly new, but also helping my game) but I want to know what changes to my driving will help improve my slice.
I sarted out with a 10.5 degree standard flex but thought the shaft was a bit whippy.
My next driver ( RAM FX9) has a stiff shaft, but 9.5 degree loft.
"I" think I have a fast swing, and am reluctant to go back to a standard shaft but a low handicap golfer I was on a stag do with suggested this, but to slow my swing down.
This to me seems wrong, but I am willing to try it if it helps me.
Maybe I swing TOO hard?
Anyway I was thinking of a 10.5, stiff shafted SuperQuad- any thoughts?
Cheers all,
Neil

 

[haplesshacker]

You'll hear it a lot on here. Especially when starting out. Slow the swing down and only backswing 75%. It does work. That's how I took 8 shots off my average last weekend. Also didn't use a driver. Wouldn't recommend anything less than 11 degrees or so for a beginner either. But that's just my view.

 

[Adjani]

Tempo is just as, if not more important than speed, work on a nice smooth tempo.

 

[Herbie]

I agree with the above but will add that if you have been playing a while and are having consistant trouble with a slice rather than fade you need to get someone to look at you as a slice is not a club orientated problem but more a problem of your shot. See a good pro or a friend who is a competent golfer to help you out, otherwise you could be spending on clubs till the cows come home.

 

[Cernunnos]

Teeshot, lessons are the only real solution to slicing the ball. Slowing down a swing will certainly help, what's the point of hitting it 280 - 300 yards if the ball isn't on the short stuff or even on the course.

The problem with your swing is has its evidence in the fact you are covering up a problem with draw bias irons.Now you could simply carry on in this vein & get yourself a draw bias driver, though increassing the loft of your driver is also not neceaarily the ideal solution either, as by increasing backspin to decrease sidespin, & its sidespin that is the problem & the devils own work in yours, mine & many other players swings. What you will find with high loft & launch driver is the faster that swing is the more backspin & in-fact you will actually attain less distance off the tee as your launch angle will not be in the optimal window.

Get the slice sorted out as far as swing is concerned as its likely that coming through it'll be an over the top cut swing going on. once you've sorted out that then get yourself properly fitted for a driver, it might be that 9.5 degrees is the right loft, or it might be 10.5 degrees, or any other combination.

I know where you are coming from with feeling regular shafts are too whippy but sometimes it can be a necessary evil. Now something that may be of interest is that drivers fitted with Proforce V2 shafts tend to be on the firmer side or regular,so a driver with one of these may help the feel & confidence, but before any of this.

1.do as your mate says & slow the swing down a little, at least for the time being.

2. Get some lessons & explain to the coach one of your priorities is with the driver.

3.Have a proper fitting for driver (some places are better than others)

 

[Tommo21]

Just go a get some tuition. I’ve been playing for 35 years and I still go to a very good coach and it beggars belief the amount of people who go to him with faults that others induce. Sometimes, rather than go spend £20 or £30, we listen to others before hand.

The only money you should be spending right now is on tuition.

 

[jeffc]

spot on tomo

players slice - not irons,drivers etc

 

[USER1999]

In theory the whippier the shaft, the more power it will have, so you should play the whippiest that you can control. If you are not hitting the fairways, maybe the shaft is too whippy, but a shaft that is too bendy will hook. If you slice, a stiff shaft will only make it worse.

 

[Cernunnos]

Touque in a shaft is the main problem for slice players... Actually, for any player. & the limper a shaft is the more likelyhood of twist/touque, which will act to open the face, increasing the probability of a slice or just a fade.

Finding the balance between a shaft for promoting draw but resisting the face coming open is a tricky one, especially for players with fairly high clubhead speeds. So yes in theory a more whippy shaft can mean more draw, but if the players swingspeed is such that touque of a shaft becomes a problem, then stiffness actually needs to be stepped up, or alternatively start messing with the kickpoint of the shaft.

Things were so much easier with steel shafts.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd advocate lessons and curing the slice. With better swing mechanics you will have a wider choice of shaft flexes which will suit your new swing and tempo

 

[viscount17]

Touque in a shaft is the main problem for slice players... Actually, for any player. & the limper a shaft is the more likelyhood of twist/touque, which will act to open the face, increasing the probability of a slice or just a fade.

you can outswing a shaft. I was 'put on the clock' with my old driver and anything faster than 72 mph clubhead speed promoted a slice - it was much too 'soft'. (Ben Sayers M7)

I now have two drivers, (r7 draw, 11.5* regular and a G5, 10.5* stiff). I hit both best and longest when I don't try to take the skin off (optimum swing speed is around 88-90) although I can use more ooopmh with the G5. Played yesterday using the r7, over 27 holes I hit 81% FIR and outhit my partners (off 14 and 18) everytime by up to 50 yards (ok I was hitting well, they weren't and distance is a somewhat meaningless statistic).

That said I do feel somewhat constricted by having to swing at less than full out - I would love to find a club that I can really let rip with.

 

[USER1999]

More important would be to find a swing you could let rip with. I find mine breaks down if I really try to whack it. It is the old adage of swinging within yourself to hit further. Hit better, not faster.

 

[Teeshot]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I am ringing the pro for a lesson on Thursday- fingers crossed!
Oh, I have been hitting 250yds(ish) and putting them on fairways more often than not- the thing I forgot to mention is I have to aim out right (remember I am a lefty
The annoying thing is if all that effort was condensed into a straighter drive I'd be around 300 on some of my drives, I have managed this on a couple of flukes.