The dreaded driver... those who struggle?

[OLgolfer]

I’ll admit it... I hate my driver, I hate everything about it. I struggle hitting the driver and have little confidence with it.

So what do I do..?

Generally I’ll play 3 wood or 2 iron off the tee, which works much better, but I feel like I’m giving up yards.

What do you guys do who really struggle with the driver..?

3 wood only..?
Lower lofted 3 wood..?
Smaller headed driver..?
Persist with the driver..?

Keen to hear the different options

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Try different drivers. Not being glib, I went through a few and could barely control any of them. Each tee shot was random. My current one is solid though. Shaft seems a bit shorter so I find it easier to swing, less out of control. My longest with this club may be shorter than my longest with a previous driver but my days of 3 off the tee are largely gone.

You have to look down at your driver and have confidence. You don't so get rid of it.

If you can afford it get fitted, if not try to find a 2nd hand place that has a trial area. AG often has 2nd hand drivers and will let you hit them into a net. Use them.

Another thing that works for me is to have a few key points to remember when hitting driver. I took them from a lesson I had. They are back to basic points, perhaps a bit mechanical, but it keeps me steady and the ball largely in play.

Good luck, driver can do your head in, mess up your round. Drivers and putters can be equally destructive.

 

[JayB]

I was the same, hated it and had no confidence at all in the driver.

I decided to purchase a slightly shorter shaft and although I’ve only played 2 rounds with it I’ve been so much more consistent and haven’t lost any noticeable distance.

Lessons are the way forward but until I get the time I’m quite happy with the current result

 

[Dando]

I’ll admit it... I hate my driver, I hate everything about it. I struggle hitting the driver and have little confidence with it.

So what do I do..?

Generally I’ll play 3 wood or 2 iron off the tee, which works much better, but I feel like I’m giving up yards.

What do you guys do who really struggle with the driver..?

3 wood only..?
Lower lofted 3 wood..?
Smaller headed driver..?
Persist with the driver..?

Keen to hear the different options

Learn to play out of the rough, trees etc. It’s worked for me

 

[OLgolfer]

Learn to play out of the rough, trees etc. It’s worked for me

I’ll take that now. It’s the constant OB and lost balls that gets so boring

 

[Wolf]

My driver is the bane of my life one day its one fire and makes scoring easy, however most of the time I battle round because my driving is gash. Weirdly it used to be my strength when I used to play but since starting again few months back its horrendous, I literally have no idea if it's going to go straight, right or left..

It's a lot of work on the range for me ironing out the flaw that I know is the issue but that doesn't make it any easier to get right bloody game.

At moment my go to is the 3 wood for tight holes and I've put a slitghly shorter shaft in driver that is minimising the risks.

 

[fundy]

lessons, shorter driver shaft, less loft, more loft, different shaft, 3 wood, hybrid, 3 iron, 4 iron 5 iron you name it Ill try and have tried anything and everything

if tomorrow was a friendly hit I expect Id hit 8 or 10 drivers in a round, if it was a medal Id be amazed if I hit more than a handful and might not hit it at all

 

[Ads749r]

What's you club delivery like on it. Do you feel like you hit down of up on it. I used to spray it everywhere when I used to feel like I was hitting down on it now I feel I hit up on it I don't swing as hard and it bloomming flies. Only takes one shot to get that confidence back.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Simple answer is to get a lesson and learn how to hit a driver properly and from there find a driver/shaft combination that works for you and practice.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Learn to play out of the rough, trees etc. It’s worked for me

It’s more fun isn’t it...makes you feel like Seve

 

[GOLFER1994]

I really am struggling with driver and have done since coming back to the game last summer. I currently don't hit anything longer than a 5 iron of the tee and although thats fine as is working, when we are back onto competition tees it makes a few of the longer holes more difficult! I think a lesson is seriously needed when this weather starts to improve.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

I used to have a real love hate relationship with mine. 3 of 13 drives would be blinders, long and straight and 10 would be a horror show.

I forgot everything I had been told, went to the range and just kept making adjustments regardless of how it looked and felt. Gripping down definitely helped a lot. Anyone who plays with me now will say I play it way too far forward and I have no doubt it’s essentially a patch on a patch in a patch but my driver now is by far the most favourite club in the bag. Missed 1 fairway last time out.

 

[Paulsearle1405]

I used to struggle with a big slice. Got rid of my driver & purchased a mini driver which I had some success with then felt a bit more confident so bought a new driver and got it shortened the same length as my mini driver. The big difference was I now make sure I swing from the inside with my driver. I have done this for about a year and it performs brilliantly.

I can't remember the last time I hit a big slice. My bad shot is a straight push but can normally rectorfy on the next hole.

I know Mark Crossfield is like marmite but I used a bit of his advise and have not looked back.

Just gotta sort out the rest of my game lol

 

[micklson66]

I just hit it harder

 

[SocketRocket]

The driver i s the most unforgiving club in the bag due to its lower loft and longer shaft. Lower loft creates more sidespin when the ball is cut so if you struggle with your driver then you need to work out how to improve impact conditions, either take lessons or work out how DPlane works.

 

[Bxm Foxy]

I always find it strange when people say the Driver is the most difficult club in the bag. I honestly find it one of the easiest. Huge head, can't miss, find the slightly higher lofted drivers suit me. I can honestly say, I'd find golf quite a boring game If I didn't tee it up, and give it a rip with the driver.

 

[Orikoru]

I struggled badly with the driver for the first half of last year. So I bought a different driver. Problem solved, I love it now.

 

[Orikoru]

I always find it strange when people say the Driver is the most difficult club in the bag. I honestly find it one of the easiest. Huge head, can't miss, find the slightly higher lofted drivers suit me. I can honestly say, I'd find golf quite a boring game If I didn't tee it up, and give it a rip with the driver.

Agree with this as well. The face is huge, so when you find the driver you like, it really does feel like you can hardly miss. Like others, I play with a bit more loft as it's more forgiving - used to be 12°, with current driver it's just 11° as that's as high as it goes.

 

[Fabia999]

I massively struggled with my 10.5 driver. I changed it to a 12 degree driver with a 55ish gram shaft. I found the lighter shaft and the more loft very useful. I now hit them well, sometimes a bit too lofty so my next driver I will look at 11 degrees.

 

[patricks148]

i used to be a very straight driver, hardly missed a fairway and people always admired my draw. wasn't a good iron player and changed my swing from flat to more upright, ruined my driving. A draw is nice but when it goes wrong the ball can go anywhere, Big Block right or pulls and Hooks. My pro now has me hitting a fade off the tee, its been a revelation. one side of the fairway taken out of play and i can be far more aggressive with the driver than before. Changed my thought process too, i always thought the draw was the shot on a links course mine in particular, but found i ban now hit at the trouble and it misses it right and is now often not a problem