Why can't I just leave the driver in the car? Persist or let it best me

chris1976x

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Ok, kinda new to golf, newish, started learning to play 2 summers ago not played too much this last year due to my wife giving birth to twins, but now they are 10 months old I am able to sneak out from time to time and get some practice in at the range. But when I manage to find time and someone to get a few games in with I am thinking I may just have to give up with the driver which really bugs me! I just can't seem to fix my mega smothered hook problem!
When I started out I used to have a big high slice, probably like 99% of newbies. I worked on my outside to in swing and also my over the top swing, when I say work on it I mean really work on it, I was hitting about 100 drives a day and using the zepp to try correct things. I went through a really sweet period where I was hitting drive straight or with a slight draw, in fact I found the driver my most reliable club for a while. But now I can't get the ball off the ground hardly. It is just getting worse, i used to hit an Taylor made areo burner, it had started creeping in then, then the titanium head split right down the middle probably simply due to hitting 100 drives a day for a year, so I bought a cobra king as a few months earlier I was at American golf long drive comp and was hitting a few months rent and they went very nicely indeed, also with being adjustable unthought I might be able to fix it by adjusting club to fade and moving weight to back of club. Didn't work, club is on the most fade possible setting with weight at the back I still get smothered hooks. Unless really throw my hands so far out on the follow through almost like a cover drive cricket shot.
I aren't really wanting to ask advice on how to fix it unless you know of a tip that help get me get my swingath more on plane and stop me getting my weight so far forward all the time.
Really just asking opinion, if you have a club that has become a liability is it better to just ignore it or is the only way to get to anhalf decent standard to just keep on using it?
Thing is, I'm never gonna be a pro, I do naturally generate fast club speed since I am quite tall with kinda long arms, so if I played sensible golf most of the courses I have ever played would actually never need a driver to make the green in 2 with irons as long as it's not over 420 yards (2 5 irons) but also I'll never probably hit the green from 200+ yards with a 5iron where u can get pretty close from sub 150 yards of which the driver is needed.

I dunno, I will probably just keep using it against my better judgment, thanks for reading this, although I appear to be answering my own questions as I go along, probably just have to get a pro to take look at my swing.
 

Slab

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I took my driver out for last weekend’s golf just because I’m slicing it too much just now (lovely fade pre a wrist injury but post healing I can’t hit it without losing balls) hasn’t stopped me working on the driver at the range until I fix it but I don’t want it spoiling the social/comp rounds until its sorted, so out it goes but gotta keep at it so it can go back in otherwise it’s just wasted money
 

bobmac

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I aren't really wanting to ask advice on how to fix it unless you know of a tip that help get me get my swingath more on plane and stop me getting my weight so far forward all the time.

If you are hitting it low and left I would guess your clubface is closed at impact and it may not be your swing path at all.
Have you had your grip checked at all, it may be to strong?
 

Ndw7

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My driver used to be my best club, but recently its getting me in trouble and ruining my scores as I'm not in holes from the start. For the first time in 3 years, I went up the club to practice rather than hitting the range, and hit 3 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 iron, and driver off the holes I normally just blindly hit driver on.

The results were enough for me to not even look at my driver for my past 2 rounds and I've scored far better for it. Rather than hitting a driver in to trouble, I've been hitting 3 wood, 4 hybrid, or 5 iron off the tee. What I've found is that I'm in play for more often, I'm still reaching par 5's in 3 (albeit 3 wood, 5 iron, wedge), and I'm even getting closer to our 2 long par 4's in 2. One is 450 yards and very uphill stroke index 1. Previously I would hit driver into the trees. Chip out. Hit an iron. Pitch. then god knows what. But hitting these clubs off the tee more, has given me more confidence in hitting them off the fairway. So last round on this hole, I hit 3 wood, 4 hybrid to the front edge. Also out stroke index 2. Another 450 yard par 4 always into a strong wind. 3 wood, 5 iron over the back when I usually struggle to get on in 3!

Anyway. Sorry for going on. Leave the driver in the house and work on it in the background until your comfortable with it. The truth is, there'll always be strokes gained when you're hitting it closer to the hole from the tee with driver, but when it's not in play it's more destructive in my opinion.
 

Curls

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Played against a 19 h/c a couple of weeks back and he blocked every drive high and right into the clag. For 6 holes he either lost a ball or had to pick up cos he was out of the hole before getting sight of the green. On the 7th hole he took a 5 wood and absolutely nailed the thing, low and straight about 200 yards. If I was his partner I would have taken the driver off him.

Played a local course Monday and paired up with another singleton on the 4th, very nice fella and only starting on his golfing journey. Off 26 and he ripped his drive passed mine regularly (former batsman = natural power), but after that his shot selection was brutal. I asked if he wanted advice and he said gladly, after that I talked him round the course and I'd be surprised if he doesn't lose 10 shots before the season is out. I'd say he chose the wrong shot/club 80% of the time and he had no idea how to read a long putt, he reckoned he 3 putted 6 times a round and towards the end he was lagging things dead.

Moral of the story? Go see if you can find a lower handicap player willing to take you round and essentialy caddy for you. If it really is your driver causing mayhem they'll soon put you right. Long term if you're going to score well you do need to either have decent length or at worst be very straight. You'll always be hamstrung if you have neither.

If you want to get a lot better - find a good pro and get lessons.
 

jmf1488

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I know many golfer who do the same thing. Admit defeat in there heads and think of every solution other than learn how to hit it properly.

If you cant figure it out yourself what you are doing wrong, then pay for someone else to look at it for you. Get yourself a lesson and practise.

If you have a comp to play then fair enough to leave the driver out of the bag but if your going round with your mates or yourself then hit the driver every hole and get it fixed.

Dont be scared.
 

pinberry

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There is this common misconception that the swing with other clubs is better than the driver. Not true! The reason why many people feel they hit it straighter with a 3/5wood or 4 iron is simple physics. Those clubs hit it shorter and for the same parameters (club face vs path) will generate less lateral dispersion. Also, the higher loft helps in further reducing lateral dispersion. However, the swing is still the same.

There is some benefit, however, for higher handicappers to keep the driver in the bag. Their swing is just too wild and the dispersion with the driver becomes unmanageable. Using a wood or iron instead makes sense.

Overall, as jmf suggested, get a lesson and let the big dog eat as often as you can!
 
D

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Golf without a driver, would not be worth playing for me.

Sounds like clubface is massively closed at impact, this normally leads to a duck hook, low and left. Clubface control and strike is king and perhaps you have a high in to out path swing. Check strike. Weaken grip, feel like you are cutting across the ball with an open clubface, feel that the back of your left hand is facing to the right as you look down the fairway at impact or more to the sky(assuming RH), slow the swing down to feel it better if necessary.
 

ScienceBoy

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I turned my driver from the worst club in my bag to the best with one simple solution.

I got worse at everything else to the point the driver was better...
 

Canary_Yellow

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I use my driver more than I should, essentially because belting one out of the middle is the best feeling in golf and I play for fun :)

I did leave it in the car for a while when I was really struggling, and missing out on hitting it well made me enjoy golf less. So I worked on it until I could make it work again.

You’ll get there, keep working at it. Have a lesson if needs be, a pro will spot an issue that causes something as extreme as a low hook very quickly.
 

GOLFER1994

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Played against a 19 h/c a couple of weeks back and he blocked every drive high and right into the clag. For 6 holes he either lost a ball or had to pick up cos he was out of the hole before getting sight of the green. On the 7th hole he took a 5 wood and absolutely nailed the thing, low and straight about 200 yards. If I was his partner I would have taken the driver off him.

Played a local course Monday and paired up with another singleton on the 4th, very nice fella and only starting on his golfing journey. Off 26 and he ripped his drive passed mine regularly (former batsman = natural power), but after that his shot selection was brutal. I asked if he wanted advice and he said gladly, after that I talked him round the course and I'd be surprised if he doesn't lose 10 shots before the season is out. I'd say he chose the wrong shot/club 80% of the time and he had no idea how to read a long putt, he reckoned he 3 putted 6 times a round and towards the end he was lagging things dead.

Moral of the story? Go see if you can find a lower handicap player willing to take you round and essentialy caddy for you. If it really is your driver causing mayhem they'll soon put you right. Long term if you're going to score well you do need to either have decent length or at worst be very straight. You'll always be hamstrung if you have neither.

If you want to get a lot better - find a good pro and get lessons.

Difference between a good and a very good golfer! Love going out with a low handicapper and letting them share their tips and advice as we go round the course. Never hurts to get that second opinion and see the course in a different light
 

Rlburnside

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My driver used to be my best club, but recently its getting me in trouble and ruining my scores as I'm not in holes from the start. For the first time in 3 years, I went up the club to practice rather than hitting the range, and hit 3 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 iron, and driver off the holes I normally just blindly hit driver on.

The results were enough for me to not even look at my driver for my past 2 rounds and I've scored far better for it. Rather than hitting a driver in to trouble, I've been hitting 3 wood, 4 hybrid, or 5 iron off the tee. What I've found is that I'm in play for more often, I'm still reaching par 5's in 3 (albeit 3 wood, 5 iron, wedge), and I'm even getting closer to our 2 long par 4's in 2. One is 450 yards and very uphill stroke index 1. Previously I would hit driver into the trees. Chip out. Hit an iron. Pitch. then god knows what. But hitting these clubs off the tee more, has given me more confidence in hitting them off the fairway. So last round on this hole, I hit 3 wood, 4 hybrid to the front edge. Also out stroke index 2. Another 450 yard par 4 always into a strong wind. 3 wood, 5 iron over the back when I usually struggle to get on in 3!

Anyway. Sorry for going on. Leave the driver in the house and work on it in the background until your comfortable with it. The truth is, there'll always be strokes gained when you're hitting it closer to the hole from the tee with driver, but when it's not in play it's more destructive in my opinion.

Blimey two 450 yard par fours sounds a tough challenge.
 

HomerJSimpson

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If the driver is costing too many shots then as a handicap golfer, it makes sense to try and keep the ball in play. Easier to score from where the mowers go than from deep rough and trees. If I was the OP I'd simply be a getting a lesson for the driver. It does make a difference if you can hit it and use the extra distance you can get. In essence it's a balancing act between finding what works in terms of making the best score and using all the clubs and giving yourself the best options
 
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