The dreaded driver... those who struggle?

[Dasit]

I wanted to hit my driver longer so I took lessons with a fairly expensive coach.

He told me I needed to play a draw, that was the key to distance, and over a few lessons we worked on my swing to get a draw.

My irons were lovely, crisp contact and an extra 10 yards carry...


My driver on the other hand, the previous year has been a horror show, duck hooks and massive pushes, with very little in between.
Has actually got to the point where I have no enjoyment hitting my driver, I stand over the ball, tense up and can't take the club back.

 

[Roops]

Ok, before you go and sink a load of money into lessons just ask yourself a few questons first. Do pretty much all of my other clubs go straight ? If they do then I wouldn't bother with lessons.

You can be fairly sure that the swing is fairly ok, go to a good fitter and have a proper fitting. I was the same, using hand me downs, spares, 2nd hand etc. all with the same results, wild most of the time, with the ocassional humdinger.

At the fitting I find that I am delivering the club pretty much on a zero path with the face a touch open, with any of the drivers I had used that was just never going to work. To try and stop the inevitable "power fade" I was manipulating the club face, so could get them straight but along with everything else in between. So we try a number of heads and shafts and eventually plump for an M4 with an Accra M4/360T shaft. It's a beautiful combo. and is now a joy to stand on the tee thinking, yup this is going down the middle and it does. I still get the club face open ocassionally if I get it stuck behind me (even then it's still in play, not off the planet), but generally it is straight or a tiny fade. Modern equipment and shafts are a huge step forward, don't give up on the driver. A properly suited and fitted one is a beautiful thing to use.

 

[dronfield]

I abondened the driver some time ago - just use a TM Aeroburner mini driver. 43.5" shaft, 14 degree loft (you can buy a 12 degree model).

Feels a lot more manageable/comfortable, and certainly long enough for the courses i play.

You can prob find one relatively cheap on Ebay.

Hope this helps.

Rich

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Everytime I step up to hit a drive, I wonder where it is going and what kind of day I will have with it and some days are terrible, last game was in the trees 9 times and that's not uncommon for me. Always thinking I can hit that long straight one down the middle of the fairway.

Do I persist, yes as I would hate it even more if I hit 5 wood and then didn't hit a peach.

 

[Grant85]

I am amazed at the great days I can have with my 3 wood and yet struggle to get my driver in play.

Almost to the point that there must be a case for having a 13 degree 400 cc 43 inch shafted club.

I remember Taylor Made doing a mini driver a few years ago, but not aware of anything similar or current on the market.

 

[patricks148]

Everytime I step up to hit a drive, I wonder where it is going and what kind of day I will have with it and some days are terrible, last game was in the trees 9 times and that's not uncommon for me. Always thinking I can hit that long straight one down the middle of the fairway.

Do I persist, yes as I would hate it even more if I hit 5 wood and then didn't hit a peach.[/QUOTE
]i know of a sure fire tip that will guarantee to keep you out the tree's with the driver

 

[patricks148]

I am amazed at the great days I can have with my 3 wood and yet struggle to get my driver in play.

Almost to the point that there must be a case for having a 13 degree 400 cc 43 inch shafted club.

I remember Taylor Made doing a mini driver a few years ago, but not aware of anything similar or current on the market.

Xhot pro and Xhot 2 pro 3 deep is what you want, still some knocking about, even had one in the golf centre in Inversneck last week.

came in 12.5 and 14.5 i think, when was fitted for my Xhot pro driver when they came out i tried that and it went the same distance as the driver

 

[Deleted member 21258]

i know of a sure fire tip that will guarantee to keep you out the tree's with the driver

I have grown to like links courses, as the ball slices back to the fairway rather than hitting a tree

 

[Grant85]

Xhot pro and Xhot 2 pro 3 deep is what you want, still some knocking about, even had one in the golf centre in Inversneck last week.

came in 12.5 and 14.5 i think, when was fitted for my Xhot pro driver when they came out i tried that and it went the same distance as the driver

I've made a good bit of progress recently, so not quite at that stage yet, and got some lessons to have.

Also, it does feel rather like it would be giving up if I totally got rid of a Driver. The enjoyment of hitting a sweet drive up the middle is still a big attraction.

My current 3 wood is a very reliable club for me and so is a suitable plan B, especially if I am holding onto a score and for shorter / tighter par 4s.
Our 17 & 18 are long par 4s, but with generous fairways, so usually going to be worth hitting the big stick.

 

[IanM]

Played the Cornish Festival in September. A windy day at St Enodoc I played the 3 wood to keep it in play... kept on with this through the winter and have scored much better.

Spent an hour on a Simulator on Sunday to test my driver, it was only a bit longer but miles less consistent... now that is messing with my head!

 

[Piece]

I've always been a poor driver of the ball. Until recently.

I started to use the three wood instead and hit it very well. But I always wanted that extra yardage and kudos of nailing a big drive. After chewing the fat for a bit, I searched for a driver shaft that matches my 3 wood. Found it. Bingo. Lovely feel and delivery through the ball. The expensively fitted shaft I had from PG all those years ago has been replaced by something that I feel is good rather than the numbers says it should be good. Six years hindsight is a wonderful thing - it was too boardy. To use a cricket analogy, the new shaft has a great bat balance and large middle, whereas the fitted old one had a bat sweet spot the size of thimble it felt.

I've also changed how I'm trying to hit the driver. Rather than draw, that often turns into a block or a snappy hook, I've been practising hit a soft fade. So far, it has been a massive improvement in consistency for me.

 

[OLgolfer]

Some good and predictable replies. Some fall into the camp of taking lessons, other it’s all about a proper fitting driver.

As the OP, I can add a bit more to my driver woes... my irons and swing I’m very happy with. Been having lessons for last few years and am really pleased where it’s got to.

I have a 3 wood that is my go to club off the tee and it’s 14 degree so slightly stronger, but I’m not happy that I’m giving up yard and can’t hit my driver.

My miss will either be a massive power slice OB or a horrible low hooking shot which goes into the first cut.

I think I’m a bit like henrik Stenson in that I hit down on my woods. He is known for this which might explain why the 3 wood is successful but the driver not.

Love the idea of a smaller headed driver, say 430cc and perhaps a shorter shaft, but I’m not prepared to pay mega money on a thought experiment..! Need to get some time with a fitter.

Ultimately I want to be good with a driver...