I'm a wimp - lost confidence and so hiding the driver

[barrybridges]

I'm feeling really bad for myself - I've started playing rounds of golf without a driver in my bag. Or even a 3 wood and 5 wood, too.

No matter what I do, I just can't hit my driver straight. Every shot is a slice. I can correct it to an extent, but even then it's still noticeable and barely controllable.

I started putting my driver away and playing my 20 hybrid from the tee, and found I was hitting it further and almost almost dead straight. My stats have improved and - within my playing group - am usually furthest off the tee.

The problem is, I feel like a fraud and know I need to tackle the driver, because I can't play every tee shot with a hybrid. I'm wimping out and taking the easy route.

So, my question is - how should I tackle the driver? Is it worth taking specific lessons? At what point is it worth getting custom fit for a driver? I'm playing with a very cheap off-the-shelf Masters driver which obviously wasn't custom fit, but I don't want to blame that. At the same time, is it worth getting custom fit until I've had specific lessons?

I'm wussing out and am actually scared to use my driver. When I use it, I lose it. What I bin it, I play so much better.

 

[Oddsocks]

What spec is the bug dog baz, I remember you had a pretty quick swing and with the hc drop I simply could b te case that it's not man enough

 

[FairwayDodger]

Most important thing is where the ball goes, not what club you used to get it there so don't feel like a wimp - I often take 3 wood off the tee to (try to) keep it in play. That said, there are going to be some holes where you'll need the extra distance possible with a driver....

 

[Heidi]

I've banished clubs before! My 5 iron has just come out of the sin bin after a year's ban...it was replaced by a 7 wood.
I started using it on Sunday and today - and its behaving again!

You just need to have a look to see whats causing the slice - otherwise you could end up going round with a hybrid and a putter - and nothing else!

 

[pokerjoke]

Nothing wrong with dropping the driver.
Was quite surprised about the 3 and 5 wood.
I never use a driver,have just learnt to hit my 3 wood further.
Just learn to hit the club you decide on better.
On the fairways better than the rough.
The only thing i really sruggle on is really long Par 5s into the wind.

 

[DaveM]

Nowt wrong with using the hybrid off the tee. Keep it on the fairway. There is no hole made where playing safe, will not give you at lest a put for par.

Just think about it. Take say a six iron on a par five. Three hits will still leave you a pitch and put for par. You could get down to single figures just playing like that.

 

[One Planer]

My driving has always been "iffy" at best but I've been putting alot of work into it lately and seeing some reward.

Even when it doesn't behave I still take it out with me. My reason being I cant try and fix the problem if the club is sat in the garage.

 

[Monty_Brown]

If you can get a swing video up here, it would probably be posisble for someone knowledegable than me to see if there's a significant swing issue that's causing it.

A whippy shaft would usually tend to slice, so if your swing has speeded up, that could also be contributing.

 

[barrybridges]

Thanks for your replies.

I do have a quick swing, but it's slowed down a lot since Oddsocks saw me play last!

My irons are fine, but off the tee with a driver and it's at least 50 yards to the right.

I can correct it with errors, if that makes sense: by positioning the ball almost outside the left foot, and turning my grip over to close the clubface, but this is fixing a fault with a fault and still doesn't do it.

I'll try and uploading a swing so you can see what I'm doing.

 

[SharkAttack]

I know of two golfers one +2 and the other +3 handicappers one hit a 3 wood from the tee and the other a 4 wood. Now if they can get handicaps like that and not be able to hit drivers off the tee, why should you need to hit one?

Shark

 

[Dave B]

Barry you shouldn't be making any compensations otherwise you'll never rectify the fault and before you know it the compensations will creep into the rest of your game and then you'll have more problems than you started with.

My advice would be to go back to basics, checking tee height, ball position stance and posture. Address the ball and make a low controlled takeaway, making sure that the club stays behind the ball as you start the take away. Make sure you do a full shoulder rotation and at the top pause and then accelerate smoothly through the downswing following through to your final position.

A higher lofted driver, 11.5-12.5 degree will also be more forgiving