Unable to visualize how driver swing should work … realization at Arcadia Bluffs

[bigolherschel]

I played Arcadia Bluffs this past weekend (absolutely unbelievable) as well as Stoatin Brae and Stonehedge South (both fun as well). I had a great time with ballstriking (excluding the driver) and a brutal weekend of putting (several four putts, many many three putts). 
 

My problem: while I have such an “image” of my iron swing (easy back and nice follow through) I feel like with the driver I look like Bryson with my arms out protruding in a really exposed, too unnatural setup (not sure how to explain it) and a serious inconsistency in hitting the ball. I have no “slot” or natural motion. I can’t picture how the in-to-out type swing would work with driver (I fight a slice and try for a draw) when you’re coming up into the ball with a positive angle of attack. It feels like when coming “up” I am finishing my swing and it’s heading back over my shoulder already for the follow through (ie, out to in). For what it’s worth, I love my irons with an extra inch of length in them… my driver is actually an inch shorter than average. I haven’t done any lie adjustment with the driver, but I feel like there is an idea there to make it feel more like my iron swing. I am not sure which way to set it (flatter or more upright?). Any other ideas or swing thoughts to try? 

[tthomasgolfer605]

Are you trying to sole the driver flat on the ground? If so, you have to accept the fact that a driver for a lot of people will sit close to 15 degrees toe up. 

[Ri_Redneck]

Do this.

 

1. Take your favorite iron and your driver. Have someone hold them so they can give them to you randomly. Close your eyes and have them hand you a club to swing. Make a few easy swings and then have them hand you the other. Make a few easy swings with it and then randomly repeat the process a few more times. Do the clubs feel the same? If not, the driver needs to be reweighted. If they feel the same, then you can move to the next step.

 

2. Take your favorite iron and your driver. Hit a few balls with your iron and then hit a few with your driver, teeing the ball only 2" ahead of where you had the ball placed with your iron and make THE SAME SWING as you did with the iron. DON'T try to hit up on the ball. MANY MANY golfers think they need to swing the driver different from their irons and they DO NOT!!!! It is the same swing with different ball placement. You need to have a positive AoA with the driver, but it should only be done by placing the ball further forward in your swing arc. I see MANY golfers placing the ball 6-7" or more forward when hitting their driver and it makes them have to swing completely different. It should only be teed 2" in front of where you play a long iron. FWs should be no more than 1/2" in front of long iron ball placement.

 

Lastly, I see many golfers that take a MUCH wider stance with the driver and FWs than they do with their irons. Stance width difference, on full shots, should be very small between PW & driver. Mine is no more that 3".

 

BT 

[Snarkesor]

On 9/16/2021 at 7:00 PM, bigolherschel said:

I played Arcadia Bluffs this past weekend (absolutely unbelievable) as well as Stoatin Brae and Stonehedge South (both fun as well). I had a great time with ballstriking (excluding the driver) and a brutal weekend of putting (several four putts, many many three putts). 
 

My problem: while I have such an “image” of my iron swing (easy back and nice follow through) I feel like with the driver I look like Bryson with my arms out protruding in a really exposed, too unnatural setup (not sure how to explain it) and a serious inconsistency in hitting the ball. I have no “slot” or natural motion. I can’t picture how the in-to-out type swing would work with driver (I fight a slice and try for a draw) when you’re coming up into the ball with a positive angle of attack. It feels like when coming “up” I am finishing my swing and it’s heading back over my shoulder already for the follow through (ie, out to in). For what it’s worth, I love my irons with an extra inch of length in them… my driver is actually an inch shorter than average. I haven’t done any lie adjustment with the driver, but I feel like there is an idea there to make it feel more like my iron swing. I am not sure which way to set it (flatter or more upright?). Any other ideas or swing thoughts to try? 

For the image of the club path still working out while it's past the low point it might help to think of a hoola hoop spun right on its axis.

[bigolherschel]

On 9/17/2021 at 4:29 PM, Ri_Redneck said:

Do this.

 

1. Take your favorite iron and your driver. Have someone hold them so they can give them to you randomly. Close your eyes and have them hand you a club to swing. Make a few easy swings and then have them hand you the other. Make a few easy swings with it and then randomly repeat the process a few more times. Do the clubs feel the same? If not, the driver needs to be reweighted. If they feel the same, then you can move to the next step.

 

2. Take your favorite iron and your driver. Hit a few balls with your iron and then hit a few with your driver, teeing the ball only 2" ahead of where you had the ball placed with your iron and make THE SAME SWING as you did with the iron. DON'T try to hit up on the ball. MANY MANY golfers think they need to swing the driver different from their irons and they DO NOT!!!! It is the same swing with different ball placement. You need to have a positive AoA with the driver, but it should only be done by placing the ball further forward in your swing arc. I see MANY golfers placing the ball 6-7" or more forward when hitting their driver and it makes them have to swing completely different. It should only be teed 2" in front of where you play a long iron. FWs should be no more than 1/2" in front of long iron ball placement.

 

Lastly, I see many golfers that take a MUCH wider stance with the driver and FWs than they do with their irons. Stance width difference, on full shots, should be very small between PW & driver. Mine is no more that 3".

 

BT 

My man, thank you so much. 
 

I really love my irons, but I believe I love them because they’re heavy and stay “on plane” if that makes sense. Pretty heavy shafts, extra inch of length, etc. I was playing a 45g shaft prior in the driver and it felt like a feather. Thought about adding weight to the driver head even after switching to a 65g shaft and now I think I will. I’m a “feel” player with irons and full swing wedges… not a lot going on in my brain. 
 

Also, I am the exact player you’re describing who tries to “hit up” at the driver… and I always have a sensation that I’m lined up wrong. My primary miss is a “top” so it makes sense if I’m putting the ball too far forward that I’m coming up too much and essentially clipping the ball with the bottom of the face (or nearly the bottom of the club). Thank you again. 

[Ri_Redneck]

On 9/22/2021 at 9:37 AM, bigolherschel said:

My man, thank you so much. 
 

I really love my irons, but I believe I love them because they’re heavy and stay “on plane” if that makes sense. Pretty heavy shafts, extra inch of length, etc. I was playing a 45g shaft prior in the driver and it felt like a feather. Thought about adding weight to the driver head even after switching to a 65g shaft and now I think I will. I’m a “feel” player with irons and full swing wedges… not a lot going on in my brain. 
 

Also, I am the exact player you’re describing who tries to “hit up” at the driver… and I always have a sensation that I’m lined up wrong. My primary miss is a “top” so it makes sense if I’m putting the ball too far forward that I’m coming up too much and essentially clipping the ball with the bottom of the face (or nearly the bottom of the club). Thank you again. 

My pleasure Big O. I hope everything works out well for you.

 

BTW, I prefer my clubs to feel heavy also. Even though I use graphite in my irons, I keep them over 110g and MOI them at 3050 +/-. I always stay in the 75g range with driver shafts except for my long driver (47.5") in which I had to use a HZRDUS Yellow 65 TX on to keep the MOI in the proper range.

 

Good luck!

 

BT