Weird ball flight with my driver

[Bruiser47]

I got fitted about a year ago for the sim 2 max driver with the 6.5 Hazrdus black smoke rdx shaft. If i hit the driver well it’s about 275-290 but there are times where I hit it and it only goes about 250 with not much roll and the ball seems to “fall out of the sky” when I was fitted my spin rate numbers were around the 2500-2700 range if I’m not mistaken. Could the weather be causing this issue or is it because the spin is to low? Wondering what I should look for since I’m getting re fitted next week. I also have the sim 2 max 3 wood with the same set up and haven’t noticed this happening.

[Valtiel]

Being able to reproduce the shot on a launch monitor is the best way to go because it could be several things. A super low spinning shot will normally run out a bunch so the lack of roll points away from that. A few questions for more detail:

1) What does the trajectory look like? High, low, any curvature?
2) What was your strike location? If you don't know for sure then you should get some athletes foot spray and apply a thin layer to the face before the shot to see exactly where the ball is striking.
3) Do you have a normal miss?
4) How do you normally play your driver e.g. tee height, angle of attack, preferred shot shape etc etc

The most common cause of the random short ball that falls out of the sky (aside from anything physically wrong with the head) is a low strike that spins up too much. You'll normally see a lower initial launch followed by a rise to a higher apex and then a steep descent with little/no roll. That initial lower launch may also be masked if you're trying to hit up on the ball and you catch it low in the process. 

[Kale_m]

Did you flat spot the face? 
 

i have done it. Ball hits that spot and it has zero spin. Just falls out of the sky like a dead duck. Turns out I dented the face. Was fine if I didn’t hit that part kid the face

[bladehunter]

I’d bet on a crack developing or like khale said she’s gone flat.    Don’t do like me and keep hitting it for 2 months and ruin your driver confidence.   I’m just climbing out of that hole after my Epic speed  TD head went. 

[Bruiser47]

43 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

Being able to reproduce the shot on a launch monitor is the best way to go because it could be several things. A super low spinning shot will normally run out a bunch so the lack of roll points away from that. A few questions for more detail:

1) What does the trajectory look like? High, low, any curvature?
2) What was your strike location? If you don't know for sure then you should get some athletes foot spray and apply a thin layer to the face before the shot to see exactly where the ball is striking.
3) Do you have a normal miss?
4) How do you normally play your driver e.g. tee height, angle of attack, preferred shot shape etc etc

The most common cause of the random short ball that falls out of the sky (aside from anything physically wrong with the head) is a low strike that spins up too much. You'll normally see a lower initial launch followed by a rise to a higher apex and then a steep descent with little/no roll. That initial lower launch may also be masked if you're trying to hit up on the ball and you catch it low in the process. 

Thanks for the info, it generally happens with a pretty straight ball flight. My miss is normally a push which it doesn’t happen then. My normal shot shape is pretty straight or a very small fade. Ball flight I would say is mid to high but closer to the mid if I had to pick one. It also happens when I feel I have made decent contact. I’ve never had a driver do this is what’s weird to me. 

[Bruiser47]

38 minutes ago, Kale_m said:

Did you flat spot the face? 
 

i have done it. Ball hits that spot and it has zero spin. Just falls out of the sky like a dead duck. Turns out I dented the face. Was fine if I didn’t hit that part kid the face

I have no clue but I will check on that. I thought it was just me seeing it until my buddy started talking about how weird it is. Looks like a great ball and then just falls once it hits its apex. 

[Bruiser47]

35 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

I’d bet on a crack developing or like khale said she’s gone flat.    Don’t do like me and keep hitting it for 2 months and ruin your driver confidence.   I’m just climbing out of that hole after my Epic speed  TD head went. 

I’m going to take a deeper look for sure. I just thought of this but at one point I was constantly having to tighten up the club head, definitely more than normal. I wonder if that has something to do with it.  

[Jeff58]

While the cause might be equipment-related, a very common cause of a “knuckle ball” is the combination of delofting the club and hitting high on the face. Even more common if you have a steep angle of attack with your irons.

 

If that’s the case, changing equipment in an attempt to guard against it would be self-defeating, since the majority of your drives would then have too high a spin rate.

[Valtiel]

11 minutes ago, Jeff58 said:

While the cause might be equipment-related, a very common cause of a “knuckle ball” is the combination of delofting the club and hitting high on the face. Even more common if you have a steep angle of attack with your irons.

 

If that’s the case, changing equipment in an attempt to guard against it would be self-defeating, since the majority of your drives would then have too high a spin rate.

I think the problem is the roll out. Delofting + high strike knuckleball = lots of roll unless he's hitting into a swamp. Assuming decent strikes and delivery + the speed to produce 270-290 drives, i'm leaning towards what the others saif above about a potential face failuire/deformation. 

[Bruiser47]

Not sure if this matters but maybe it could be my swing? I did change it up. I use to be really inside to out and hit a draw. I changed to hitting the straight or fade ball flight by not being so in side out. Doing this helped me hit more fairways, lost a little distance though. If anything, I will say when it happens it would be a high ball strike over a low. 

[Jeff58]

35 minutes ago, Bruiser47 said:

Not sure if this matters but maybe it could be my swing? I did change it up. I use to be really inside to out and hit a draw. I changed to hitting the straight or fade ball flight by not being so in side out. Doing this helped me hit more fairways, lost a little distance though. If anything, I will say when it happens it would be a high ball strike over a low. 

A “telltale” that can be used if you don’t have a launch monitor that displays impact location is to spray the driver face with Dr. Scholls foot powder. If you produce the intended/unintended result, the impact location will be visible.

[bladehunter]

Just hit someone else’s driver for 2-3 minutes.  You should  feel the difference even if It’s  not an optimum fit.  That dead duck ball is most likely a flat face in my experience . They sometimes start out minor , and it can be frustrating to pinpoint.  What uiu don’t want to do is keep hitting it , swinging harder trying to make it “ go”.  You’ll  get into a bad pattern or rut.   Get to a store to hit a different head or test with someone else’s  driver and figure it out asap . It will be easy to see side by side. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by bladehunter

[mgoblue83]

Most likely not enough ball speed and spin on those shots. It could be because of swing inconsistencies (most likely), weather (cold), or something wrong with the equipment (unlikely). 

 

My guess is that at times you are swinging slower than you think combined with lower temps outside this time of year. Is your 275-290 a confirmed carry distance on a reliable launch monitor or is that the total distance when the course is playing dry and fast?

 

Your shaft is very stout and you very likely are loading it just enough on some swings and not quite enough on others. It may be a difference of 2-3 mph but it's enough to have drastically different ball flights. 

[Bruiser47]

13 hours ago, mgoblue83 said:

Most likely not enough ball speed and spin on those shots. It could be because of swing inconsistencies (most likely), weather (cold), or something wrong with the equipment (unlikely). 

 

My guess is that at times you are swinging slower than you think combined with lower temps outside this time of year. Is your 275-290 a confirmed carry distance on a reliable launch monitor or is that the total distance when the course is playing dry and fast?

 

Your shaft is very stout and you very likely are loading it just enough on some swings and not quite enough on others. It may be a difference of 2-3 mph but it's enough to have drastically different ball flights. 

Now that you say this it actually makes sense. I would say my swing speed is definitely slower without my “draw swing” I also don’t really go after it unless it’s a really wide fairway. I’d say when I stay inside to out I probably swing 5-10 mph faster. I get fitted on Tuesday so I’ll kinda play around with my swing both ways to see if there is a difference. The 275-290 is my total distance not carry for what it’s worth and is say with my new swing it’s generally closer to the 275 mark. Thanks for the info 

[Stuart_G]

On 1/27/2022 at 10:59 PM, Bruiser47 said:

It also happens when I feel I have made decent contact.

 

With modern driver's you really can't rely on feel to tell you the quality of the impact location.  Use the foot powder spray next time you go to the range.