Hovering Driver

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Keefer

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Just curious how many hover their driver at address. I know Nicklaus did it and Dufner, Kuchar and Bubba Watson come to mind as well. Kuchar does it with all his clubs I believe. What are some of the benefits to not grounding your driver at address? I've never done it, but am thinking about trying it.

Had one of my best driving rounds in awhile on Wednesday, then on Friday had one of the worst. Like night and day. I'm thinking rhythm, tempo and grip pressue might be more consistent with hovering.
 
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magicmarker

magicmarker

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I hover with the driver, because I never intend to hit the ground with it. I dont think it matters too much though, just preference.
 
K

Keefer

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Just trying it in the house I seem to be more smooth on the takeaway with hovering. It does make sense if for nothing else just aligning the impact point on the face seems to be a good idea. Watching the Solheim Cup this weekend and some of the women seem to hover.
 
curtisj76

curtisj76

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Brian has one of his golf.com videos where he talks about the benefit of it. I'd do a search for Kuchar and you will find it on there.
 
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blehnhard

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Who Says Golfers aren't Stupid?

I can remember doing a 4 spot qualifying for a Senior Tour event back in 97 I believe (near St Louis) and decided to "hover" for all my shots during the practice round. Worked well enough that I used it for the qualifier (66 - low round) and for the tournament that week (68 in the pro am and a top 25 finish for the week).

Why am I not doing it now?

Bruce
 
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dlam

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I prefer to hover my driver and 3 wood when I trying to draw the ball. When I fade i tend to keep the driver head in motion and waggle before I take it away.
 
K

Keefer

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Have yet to take the hovering to the course, but I've done a few practice swings at home and may have had an epiphany.

I've had great success recently employing a subtle LCT (lagging clubhead takeaway) with everything except the driver. LCT's benefits include getting on your right side with a smooth shift, relaxed smooth takeway (less tension), more forward swing bottom ect., etc..

However, the biggest benefit for me may be that it keeps the club from getting sucked inside too soon. In other words it (LCT) makes the backswing more up than around, thus more on plane for my swing.

And that may be the real reason I'm hitting it more solid and straighter. Why LCT doesn't seem to work as well for the driver I don't know. But practicing hovering the driver and then taking my backswing I notice the club does go more up than around which is where it goes if I take a traditional low to the ground takway.

So, just maybe LCT and hovering for me anyway gets the club more outside my hands and up, rather than inside my hands and around, thus more on plane and better all around golf shots.

Epiphany real or imagined I won't know until I take it to the course. But the theory seems sound IMO.
 
K

Keefer

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Hovering the driver debut was a success. Also took it back a little outside my hands and had a very solid driving day. Seems to take the left side out of play. Hovering didn't work so well for the irons so I'll continue with LCT for the irons and fairway woods and hovering the driver. The driver swing is a different animal evidently. That's OK I can handle having two swings. Shot an 82 (39-43) with a birdie on the 1st hole on a very saturated golf course. :)
 
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