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What to do when your ability to hit a driver disappers?


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So, up until 2 weeks ago I was hitting my driver average/above average. I was getting 280 carry, with a little fade. On a Friday morning round, it was perfect. low ball flight on a windy day, hit 12/14 fairways, etc. Saturday morning comes along and I CAN'T HIT IT IN THE FAIRWAY TO SAVE MY LIFE. I was hitting slices, off the heel and 40 yards, pulling. I chalked it up to a bad day.

Fast forward to last weekend and I, again, can't hit a thing so I kept it in the bag for the back 9 while I hit my hybrid off the tee. (Would've hit 3W but I hated my current one, so I have a new one coming today).

I have an event coming up next weekend and I don't even know if I am going to bring it with me because of the recent struggles. I play tomorrow and on Monday, so I am hoping I can figure it out one of those days, but anyone have any suggestions on steps to take to just get back to normal swings with the driver, be it physical or mental? I don't really feel like I am over-thinking it or trying too hard, it just won't work.

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Check your setup. When this happens to me it's usually something stupid like ball position has drifted.

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That's just golf. You're a 6.7 and one day ago you were 12/14 fairways. Unless you got hit by a bus or were really hung over... nothing has changed. Sometimes we are just "off". If it becomes the new norm , then go see a coach.. otherwise 1 or 2 bad days is normal. This isn't your job/life.. You're an amateur.

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I'll paraphrase Monte, and just say... Us Ams really tend to have insanely unrealistic expectations and outlooks. The pro average distance to hole on a 150 yard approach, is say something like, 25-30ft. Many of us think we somehow deserve to stick our GIR shots in tight for these <8ft birdie putts or something. That's not reality. Most pro's have an outlook of their game on the scale of 12-18 months... Many of us judge our skill round to round.... or even shot to shot!! It's crazy. I think just 1 or 2 bad days is 100% the normal, and even happens to guys who play it for a living. Some days Tiger can't buy a fairway, and other days he's hitting 70%+. The more you think and stress over it, the more it becomes self fulfilling.

 

 

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You usually hit it well, but you're letting two bad days completely crumble you? It's mental. You're distracted from what you usually do by something that doesn't usually happen (at least, from what you've said). You need to think about what you usually do, instead of what went wrong, and do that. If you don't know what you usually do, now's the time to figure it out.

Alternatively, you could get drunk, get two large buckets of balls, and try to kill all of them.

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The hardest thing in the world is to ignore the temptation to "correct" something. You have a normal swing that produces good results normally. Not always, but normally. Use that normal swing. And if that doesn't work the first time, do it again the next chance you get. If you think you need swing changes, do that work on the range.

 

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Not a low handicapper, but that is only one reason to reach for the Mortons for my following thoughts. No stranger, by definition, to 'those' days. 280? No, not me, but relatively speaking, yet I am not a relativist or absolutist, but can only assert such in a hypocritical way - darn limits of language - I understand and am confident that I feel your pain but closer to the tee box when so experienced.

For me, two interrelated things complicated by a third: inconsistent grip, problematic transition, and tempo too fast for control. Knowing is one thing but I am cursed with knowing one thing - and forgetting it at times - and doing another, so there is that of the former for it gives me hope even if the associated behavior is not immediately forthcoming. If it were not for hope, there would be no golf industry and surely fewer inspiring stories.

Hang in there, ZacA215. At 6.7, you know, but will forget at times - my excuse, but I am blaming it on age and going cognitively dim for doing so much housework (note: wife ain't buying the latter) - and at those times having someone knowledgeable of swing dynamics observe you may provide information as good as knowing what to do: knowing one's tendencies when misses are prevalent. One does not get to your skill level and maintain it, I would imagine, with the thinking that past is prologue. And knowing that will help you through this time, painful as it is. Look to your experience and the deviation around your scores; it may provide you an element of comfort.

Old Cuss

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As first poster said alignment or did your SS change. Maybe since you are struggling with driver you might of gotten a bit quicker? Wanting to like figure it out and not on purpose having a quicker take away?

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Something that eventually dawned on me was, especially if I've had success with a particular swing, when things go wrong, it's far more likely the execution that's to blame, not the methodology. When caution creeps in, execution gets worse. And it's my experience that the execution is not going to get better until the caution is gone. In that light, a few drunken buckets may be just the ticket. (I'm sure there are alternative approaches to regaining one's daring do.)

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Usually start playing PPOB golf with the driver. Strangely, it works... sometimes.

 

Cause is usually that I've started to drift in my ball position.

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Well, I took all the advice to heart, truly. Went into my round this morning with a very optimistic outlook and just focusing on my own swing and being relaxed.

Hit a couple good drives and then right back to nowhere close to the fairway. Hit two OB and took out the 3W the rest of the day with much better results.

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This is highly confusing and inaccurate.

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Review your fundamentals - grip, setup, aim for starters. Have someone take a pic so you can be sure and rule out some of the noise. If you have some swing keys - focus on those. Absent all of that grab a quick lesson? Someone may be able to see the little thing that is off in your normal swing. That doesn't work - badminton.

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Not sure how either is the case. Pros face and swing path are nearly identical every swing. Every degree off on either factor effects the direction of the ball. Every yard the ball travels is a greater chance of getting in trouble directly or for next shot.

 

Take 100 swings with driver and odds tell you you will have less playable shots than if you use a pw.

It is pretty basic math

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Go to the range and work it out..... you're overreacting!

 

Your swing is there its just hiding in the weeds a little and a nice range sesh will fix everything... oh and a cup of herb tea w/honey.

 

This is a prime example of the golfers struggle. Happens to everybody. But the first thing is not worry, overreact, get upset.... once you fix your swing look back at how you mentally reacted and see that it was not the right approach and next time it happens respond more calm inwardly and find the humor in the game and the enjoy the adventure of getting it back my friend... golf is a mental sport and less physical.

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Yes a pitching wedge will have less dispersion than a driver...and it will take at least 2 pitching wedges to get to the same place as a decent drive, which is also basic math. There is a reason why the best players at each level generally hit the ball a significant distance. Go take a look at Mark Broadie material.

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OP if I am struggling off the tee, I generally tee the ball down and commit to a flatter flight.

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Cobra Aerojet (14.5), Tensei CK Pro White 70TX

TSi2 (18, A1), Tensei AV Raw White 85TX

U85 (22), X100

i210 (5-UW), X100

Glide 3.0 (54.12SS, 60.06TS)

35” Daddy Long Legs

Srixon Z-Star XV

 

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I'd like to welcome Ian Baker-Finch to WRX.

 

You're brain is getting in the way. Now you are likely trying to guide the clubhead into the ball and worrying about the result. Pick a target and swing 100%.

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I know when I go from hitting it great to WTF with the driver, I can still take an easy swing and still bump it 250 down the fairway to get it around the course. Whatever causes my driver swing to occasionally go away is something to do with hitting it hard. Haven't figured out exactly what, but some related to getting after it.

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It really helps to have some idea about your swing and what causes issues for your particular swing.

 

Usually if I'm struggling with my driver, I will video my swing and see what's going on. Typically my driver struggles are either setup/grip related and/or not turning properly in the backswing. Either one of those set off a chain of bad motions and it almost never ceases to amaze me when I'm struggling with the driver I can video tape it and those things appear on video.

 

I also know that I have a very upward attack angle with the driver. This usually means that I hit my driver better than I hit my irons, particularly my mid and short irons. But years ago when my AoA was steep (and conversely I hit my irons great), I always knew that there was going to be more inconsistency off the tee until I altered my AoA permanently (yes, many golfers can hit it great off the tee with a steep AoA, but many cannot hit it consistently with a steep AoA...I was one of those people).

 

Personally, I would bring the driver with you. It's a big club to have in your bag and you only get 14 of them. If I were in your position, I would identify what my issues are when I am not hitting the driver well and go back to work on those and be diligent about it. In all likelihood, if you can't fix those issues you were not likely to play well anyway. But the other bad scenario would be to swing it great and not have the driver and lose valuable strokes because you were too afraid to carry the driver.

 

You're always going to have your bad rounds of tournament golf because you simply don't have it. But not taking advantage of when you 'have it' is probably the most frustrating thing a golfer can do.

 

 

RH

 

 

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