New driver and lost distance

[philsh]

Hello all, I'm using a wilson superlight dxi driver and I've lost alot of distance compared to my old ancient driver. Its just a cheap starter one. With the wilson I've played about 5-6 rounds and hit about 400odd range balls with it. lost about 40yards or so with the new driver. I was gonna book a lesson or two but was wondering if that would help or will it be the driver? I had a custom fitting for it so the shaft etc should be fine. I'm hitting the rest of the clubs as good as ever just can't use this driver. It starting to pee me off now

 

[RGDave]

I've just swapped drivers and I can't hit mine for toffee.

It'll be you. Maybe you are setting up to it in a weird way, I remember going from 1996 Big Bertha 250cc to 2006 Callaway FT-3 and it took me ages to get the set up right.

Where's it coming off the face? Is it going high or low?

Just because modern drivers have a huge face doesn't mean the sweet spot is bigger....just more forgiving off-centre.

 

[philsh]

Yeah its going high and to the right. I've tried lowering the tee height and it still goes high. Alot of the time its fading to the right or has a big time hook. Even when I get it right its still short on distance. Looks like i'll have to book a lesson or two. As far as I know im hitting it in the middle of the face.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sounds like tempo and trying too hit it too hard. Reign it back in and swing smoothly. If you got the club fitted and it persists then go and get a lesson so you don't ingrain a developing fault

 

[RGDave]

Yeah its going high and to the right. I've tried lowering the tee height and it still goes high. Alot of the time its fading to the right or has a big time hook. Even when I get it right its still short on distance. Looks like i'll have to book a lesson or two. As far as I know im hitting it in the middle of the face.

Not that I can really advise, the mixture of either push right or hook left is a symptom I had until a few weeks back. It came back last game to really mess with my mind. Going lower with the tee is rarely an answer with modern drivers. Some folks hit it sweet of a low-ish tee, but they are catching it spot on the bottom of the swing - it can work.

Have you tried teeing it high, tilting way to the right and not driving your hips through the ball, trying to turn over the left leg? (That's probably not the correct expression...)

Generally speaking, if you get in front of the ball, you'll hit a lot of pushes and hooks.

Someone will be along soon enough to help properly!

 

[philsh]

Not that I can really advise, the mixture of either push right or hook left is a symptom I had until a few weeks back. It came back last game to really mess with my mind. Going lower with the tee is rarely an answer with modern drivers. Some folks hit it sweet of a low-ish tee, but they are catching it spot on the bottom of the swing - it can work.

Have you tried teeing it high, tilting way to the right and not driving your hips through the ball, trying to turn over the left leg? (That's probably not the correct expression...)

Generally speaking, if you get in front of the ball, you'll hit a lot of pushes and hooks.

Someone will be along soon enough to help properly!

When I use a high tee the ball just goes very very very high and about 80-100yards. It must be something I'm doing when pick the driver up strange. Hope a lesson sorts it.

 

[RGDave]

When I use a high tee the ball just goes very very very high and about 80-100yards. It must be something I'm doing when pick the driver up strange. Hope a lesson sorts it.

The old pitching wood shot.

There's only one way to hit this shot. A lesson will fix this.

 

[philsh]

Pitching wood shot haha. A lesson is much cheaper than a driver

 

[fundy]

Sorry but if I had a custom fit for a driver and lost 40 yards then Id be taking it back and asking for an explanation/refit. At the end of the day if the numbers are correct they clearly havent sold you the correct club!

 

[Foxholer]

Sorry but if I had a custom fit for a driver and lost 40 yards then Id be taking it back and asking for an explanation/refit. At the end of the day if the numbers are correct they clearly havent sold you the correct club!

<br>
<br>
Yep. I'd certainly be querying the 'fit'. Did you take your existing/previous Driver along to it?<br>
<br>
Lot of assumptions about what 'custom fit' is too. Reputable fitters will sort any problems out pretty fast, even if it means accepting a return. That said, if you are comfy with it and 'going for it' more than you should, then high fades with loss of distance can result.<br><br>A flowing swing at your optimum tempo is what's required.&nbsp;Can be hard work to find and maintain though!<br>

 

[philsh]

Yep. I'd certainly be querying the 'fit'. Did you take your existing/previous Driver along to it?

Lot of assumptions about what 'custom fit' is too. Reputable fitters will sort any problems out pretty fast, even if it means accepting a return.

No I didn't take my driver. The fitting was done in the wilson factory in Irvine by a fella who used to fit the wilson tour pros. My old driver was a steal shaft and I got it when I was about 14. Couple of lessons should sort it I hope.

 

[RGDave]

No I didn't take my driver. The fitting was done in the wilson factory in Irvine by a fella who used to fit the wilson tour pros. My old driver was a steal shaft and I got it when I was about 14. Couple of lessons should sort it I hope.

I think a lesson is the logical step.

I spend far too long () reading/learning about drivers, not so much shafts, but lofts and swing speeds. I do this, because as a slow swing player, I need the best loft to get the best results.

Looking at the facts 1) You got your old driver when your were 14. 2) You've been fitted for Wilson by Wilson. 2) The shots you are talking about are NOT the club.

What you are going through, I've been going through for 2-3 months, pitching wood/skyed drives, all the bad stuff.

Stick with it, a few adjustments will sort you out.

Good luck.

 

[JustOne]

Has your new driver got a stiffer shaft than your old one?

 

[G1BB0]

I would say have a lesson without a doubt.

I was prone to hitting high drives (even the occasional divot) by being to steep with my downswing. Lesson Friday had me not only swinging on better plane but a much longer backswing and faster clubspeed. 2 range sessions and today I measured 2 at 270yds and on the fairway. 4 others were just a tad shorter and I wasnt trying to skin the ball either. Thats with a 12 degree regular G10 (who needs stiff low lofted drivers eh!!). I still ballsed up a couple but its early days.

good luck and keep us updated.

 

[philsh]

played 15 today but was playing 3/4 balls at times. Anyway the first 4 holes the driver was bad. The good old pitching wood shot im a master at it now haha. On the 5th I took 5mins cleared my head. I noticed that I was tilting the driver head up to make it straight if that makes sense. I thought why not just hit the way the club was sitting naturally. I did that and rolled the wrists a wee bit and got most of the distance back. Gonna play again in the morning if the weathers good and then look to book a lesson for later on in the week. I also slowed my swing right down so all in all pleased with the outing. As a bonus also found a few golf balls about time the course paid me some back for the amount I lose

 

[philsh]

Has your new driver got a stiffer shaft than your old one?

I'm not sure what shaft the old driver had it was just steel and a cheap starter set. This one is a standard wilson driver shaft. He said at the fitting I was border line in shaft types but the computor was showing I was better with the standard shaft and flex.

 

[G1BB0]

Might well be down to slowing down the swing speed. I had a cobra hs9 and if I tried to leather it then crap distance, ballooned fight. easy swing and it went pretty bloody decently!

Glad you may have found a solution.

 

[RGDave]

Has your new driver got a stiffer shaft than your old one?

J - have you been on the juice mate?

It's going 80-100 yards on a bad one.

I'll bet I could even hit any driver from the tour players bags more than that.

Not straight, and probably daisy cutting, but....

 

[philsh]

Might well be down to slowing down the swing speed. I had a cobra hs9 and if I tried to leather it then crap distance, ballooned fight. easy swing and it went pretty bloody decently!

Glad you may have found a solution.

I hope its the solution. I've used a cobra driver a few times and loved it. Easy to hit far.

 

[slicer79]

40 yards sounds like a huge distance loss for a fitted driver