Why do we struggle with driving the ball?

kid2

kid2

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Played this morning and was 5 over gross on the front 9 and i was 10 over gross on the back.....So i finished 1 under which after having a 9 week layoff was a bit of a buzz.....

I spent 4 hours yesterday practicing at the club with my 8 iron through to wedges and putting and was hitting the ball very well....Thing is i can practically make the ball talk with my 3 wood and a good wallop with it for me is close to 215 mtrs.....
Its the driver where i struggle.....I know i sang its praises a few weeks ago in a post but it just aint happening with it for me...Its obviously something small that i doing in my set up as when i do catch one right it really flies...I loose a good few balls to the right but when i do manage to turn my hands into the ball i catch it perfect.....
I just wonder would a fade biased driver fight you naturally turning your hands through impact....


If my driving was straighter this morning i think i would have brought in a stupid score! :(
 
It seems like a confidence thing then if 3 wood is flying, your drivers still young so wouldnt change. keep practicing and it will come. Equally take the 3 wood off the tee
 
I had a fitting last week and it was identified that when addressing the ball my right shoulder was dipping inwards putting my shoulders out of alignement which has the effect of pushing everything right, this was amplified using a fade biased driver.

The good news was that the cure was dead easy, address the ball and then pull my right shoulder back inline and everything is back to normal, nice and straight. This simple alignment issue causes an out to in swing path and a beautiful fade. Moving the shoulder back creates a neutral/inside swing path and the ball goes straight.

I also get the feeling that bringing my shoulders back on plane has also changed my release as I feel as if my swing plane has changed very slightly.
 
Dave B said:
I had a fitting last week and it was identified that when addressing the ball my right shoulder was dipping inwards putting my shoulders out of alignement which has the effect of pushing everything right, this was amplified using a fade biased driver.

The good news was that the cure was dead easy, address the ball and then pull my right shoulder back inline and everything is back to normal, nice and straight. This simple alignment issue causes an out to in swing path and a beautiful fade. Moving the shoulder back creates a neutral/inside swing path and the ball goes straight.

I also get the feeling that bringing my shoulders back on plane has also changed my release as I feel as if my swing plane has changed very slightly.
Click to expand...




You wouldnt have a pic Dave would you?.....I know that its something small as i can go from hitting the ball out of the screws during a round to hitting it like an ass in the same round.
 
I don't understand why you carry a driver?

On the basis of your other statements you would be playing to 3 or so without it in the bag - just leave it in the car!
 
Kid

I don't have a picture but all you need to do next time you play is address the ball as normal and ask one of your fellow players to do an alignment check by placing a club across your chest while you are in the address position.

My problem is that my feet and hips were correct but my shoulders/chest were out of alignment, pointing to the right of the target. To get the club back inline during the swing the natural tendancy is to swing out to in which imparts fade/slice spin on the ball. It is one of the biggest faults in golf however it can creep into your swing without you realising it.

By correcting the shoulder/chest alignment by simply pulling the shoulder back an inch puts everything else back on-line and gives you a neutral or more in to out swing path than when you right shoulder is forward, (assuming you are right handed).

This video explains it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPE7IlUqMNQ
 
duncan mackie said:
I don't understand why you carry a driver?

On the basis of your other statements you would be playing to 3 or so without it in the bag - just leave it in the car!
Click to expand...


Because i do like hitting it....Especially when i have the room just in case it goes pear shaped......Funny thing is that the hole that i do have room on i seem to hit it nice and straight....

And i cant argue with your second statement because it has been said to me more than once to play without one
as i dont really need it....
But it does put a grin on my face every now and again which is why i dont want to give up on it.
 
Dave B said:
Kid

I don't have a picture but all you need to do next time you play is address the ball as normal and ask one of your fellow players to do an alignment check by placing a club across your chest while you are in the address position.

My problem is that my feet and hips were correct but my shoulders/chest were out of alignment, pointing to the right of the target. To get the club back inline during the swing the natural tendancy is to swing out to in which imparts fade/slice spin on the ball. It is one of the biggest faults in golf however it can creep into your swing without you realising it.

By correcting the shoulder/chest alignment by simply pulling the shoulder back an inch puts everything else back on-line and gives you a neutral or more in to out swing path than when you right shoulder is forward, (assuming you are right handed).

This video explains it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPE7IlUqMNQ
Click to expand...




:thup:
 
My post should have said shoulders pointing to the left of the target, which left both me and the club face open at impact. Moving the right shoulder back in-line brings the swing path in and squares the club face at impact.
 
Your problem may be due to you relying on wrist rotation to square the clubface. This relies on perfect timing which may work great sometimes but when your timing is out a little will create all sorts of problems.

Maybe you should try taking your wrists out of it and look to squaring the clubface through rotation and extension.
 
SocketRocket said:
Your problem may be due to you relying on wrist rotation to square the clubface. This relies on perfect timing which may work great sometimes but when your timing is out a little will create all sorts of problems.

Maybe you should try taking your wrists out of it and look to squaring the clubface through rotation and extension.
Click to expand...


Think your on the button Pal.....My divots with my irons are nearly always crescent shaped which if im right means that my swing path is in-square-in....
If im swinging that way with the driver then it probably all does hinge on timing.
 
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