What should I do to fix driver....

[jbrunk]

I think I have "mastered" the full roll swivel for my irons and 3-wood as I have been really hitting the ball solid and straight. I am unable to hit driver consistently and am hooking the ball a good 40 yards from my initial direction. I do swing out to right field a lot, so I have been working on NHA a little. It seems like if I swing fast at all with the driver, I am going to snap hook it. I have 2 questions:

1. Why can't I hit driver? It is because it is so much lighter?

2. How quickly should I go to NHA pattern (specifically, the more open clubface idea) after spending 2-3 months learning to not let the clubface open a la NSA? I am terrified at the proposition of swinging more left with a more open clubface and my heel shots returning.

On the other hand, I guess I could just keep hitting 3 wood and my hybrid off of every tee, but that gets boring.

Please help...................

 

[Brian Manzella]

Great Question....

Sounds like you ARE swinging a little too much to the right.

A Path of 6° inside-out and a 2° open face will produce a decent 15° 3-wood shot—in some cases an EXCELLENT 3-wood shot.

But that path/clubface would "deloft" the Driver by 4° and even if you got it in the air, the ball would hook a bunch.

First thing might be look at your Drive. You may be able to play with something more open.

If your equipment is fine, the next step is simply moving the ball more forward, and swiveling TOWARD the plane, instead of the target.

ALSO....The Driver Set-up is VERY important compared to the rest of the clubs in the set.

Can you hit the driver off of the ground?

 

[jbrunk]

Sounds like you ARE swinging a little too much to the right.

A Path of 6° inside-out and a 2° open face will produce a decent 15° 3-wood shot—in some cases an EXCELLENT 3-wood shot.

But that path/clubface would "deloft" the Driver by 4° and even if you got it in the air, the ball would hook a bunch.

First thing might be look at your Drive. You may be able to play with something more open.

If your equipment is fine, the next step is simply moving the ball more forward, and swiveling TOWARD the plane, instead of the target.

ALSO....The Driver Set-up is VERY important compared to the rest of the clubs in the set.

Can you hit the driver off of the ground?

I spent some time the other day on a golf analyzer which told me I was coming from the inside at anywhere from 7-10 degrees. At 100 mph this was producing 30-45 yard draws/hooks on the monitor. I have always known that I swing inside out a lot. I know how to fix it as well (NHA), but you told me a month ago that more up and less around creates more difficulty in squaring the face consistently. Assuming I interpreted that comment correctly, that is where my apprehension comes from in trying to apply the principles of NHA.

Maybe I should just use NHA for driver at this point?

BTW,
No way I can hit driver off the ground.

My driver set up is a Titleist 905 S 8.5 degree stiff graffaloy shaft. I think the face is .25 degrees open. Swing speed is 98-102 mph. I play the ball off left heel, maybe 1 inch forward of that.

 

[birdie_man]

Interesting post Brian....

1. If your equipment is fine, the next step is simply moving the ball more forward, and swiveling TOWARD the plane, instead of the target.

2. ALSO....The Driver Set-up is VERY important compared to the rest of the clubs in the set.

Can you hit the driver off of the ground?

1. Toward the plane??? and 2. Why?

-Paul

[EDIT] Ok I get #2......off the ground vs. on a tee. (which changes things)

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Your're hooking it off the earth because you are so inside/out at the ball.

You need to get more "up" in the backswing so that on the downswing you won't go "out." Make sense?

Try this:

next time you are trying to hit the driver i want you to make sure you setup with your hands DEAD MIDDLE OF YOUR BODY. Make some swings where like the only thing you changes was your hand position.

 

[Brian Manzella]

DRIVER SECRETS!

Jimmy's advice about "mid-body" hands is a good one. But, as you saw, not the be-all and end-all.

The SECRET to hitting a driver well is twofold:

1. Get (and be) as far behinfd the ball as you can.

2. Hit the ball with a shallow as approach as possible.

In your case, you need 1 more;

3. The CLUBHEAD MUST EXIT THE BALL shallow as well. And always a "click" behind the hips.

 

[jbrunk]

Jimmy's advice about "mid-body" hands is a good one. But, as you saw, not the be-all and end-all.

The SECRET to hitting a driver well is twofold:

1. Get (and be) as far behinfd the ball as you can.

2. Hit the ball with a shallow as approach as possible.

In your case, you need 1 more;

3. The CLUBHEAD MUST EXIT THE BALL shallow as well. And always a "click" behind the hips.

1. At setup or impact, or both?

2. I think this is a good time for me to ask for clarification on NHA. It seems as though up the wall, down the wall causes a steeper angle of attack. If I am too steep with up the wall, down the wall does that mean that I am not leading with hips, hands and clubhead? Is the hips first the cause of the shallow angle of attack?

3. Hips and belt buckle as far way from the ball as possible?????

 

[jbrunk]

Things are coming together

I have used Jim's advice about mid body hands, and NHA, the driver is drawing about 5 yards instead of 20 on some really deep swings. I am still dead set on learning at least a little fade, but this is so much better of a feel than swinging so far right.


Very cool. Thanks Jim and Brian.