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Date Posted: 16:33:34 03/05/09 Thu
Author: David Lake
Subject: Re: Problems with the driver
In reply to: JohnC 's message, "Problems with the driver" on 16:21:26 03/05/09 Thu

John,

You are sliding your hips forward through impact which will eliminate any chance of hitting our driver effectively. This is especially true if you are moving the ball forward in your stance - our driver is not designed for a forward ball position. To hit a driver with your highest degree of power and control you must completely eliminate any forward swaying motion through impact.

Read through the post started by Carlos Thomas "The Adventure begins" which is located a few posts below this one. He was having the same problem as you initially but after a few range sessions now says that the driver is his favorite club.

David Lake

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Replies:

[> [> Re: Problems with the driver -- Carlos Tomas (A Work in Progress), 09:07:14 03/06/09 Fri

As I mentioned in the thread David alluded to, I'm making good progress with the driver. In a lesson yesterday with my instructor, he asked me to tell him what I thought I was doing to swing the driver. I try to boil everything down to a feeling, so during the swing I don't have to think about anything. So it was a bit of a struggle to put it into words.

When I set up to the ball with the driver, the correct feeling is that I'm reaching for the ball a little bit. I crouch my legs and stick my butt out. At least, that's the feeling I want to have at address. I also want to feel like I'm leaning on the insides of my feet and pushing my legs out, creating a coiled feeling. The ball is 2 inches forward of the center of my stance. I sole the club at the exact center of my stance, then tilt my shoulders to the right (I swing right-handed) to move the club face directly behind the ball. This makes sure my shoulders are aligned with the target line, and it also promotes staying behind the ball during the swing.

During the entire swing I try to keep my head perfectly still and my legs feeling coiled. I take the club back with a rotation of my upper body. The feeling is that I'm taking the club behind me, rather than over my shoulders.

When I get to the top of the backswing, my wrists hinge naturally as a result of gravity. My ribcage and back feel like they're really stretched. The downswing is merely a rotation of my upper body towards the target. The only thing I think about is keeping my head still. The feeling is that my head is at the top of an axis my upper body is rotating around. To make sure my shoulders continue the rotation, I try to get the feeling I'm covering the ball with my right shoulder. My wrists unhinge naturally as a result of centrifugal force. Putting the ball 2 inches in front of center allows the time and distance for my wrists to unhinge fully. When I have the ball in the center of my stance I always get a fade. But 2 inches forward gives me much better results. Through the impact area and afterwards, I try to get the felling that my arms are fully extended, almost as if they might pull out of my shoulder sockets.

I don't always hit the ball in the center of the club face. But when I do, it feels like the ball isn't really there. I hear a satisfying clicking sound. And when I look up, the ball is going mostly straight, if not perfectly straight, with a pleasing trajectory and excellent distance. My best drives on the practice range go around 275-280. An average is probably around 240-250 at the moment.

I realize that's a lot to say about a single swing. But as I said before, I don't think about anything. I just go with the feelings. I always begin my practices with the driver and hope that the confidence will eventually effect the other clubs.


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[> [> [> Explain a little more please -- JohnC, 16:15:52 03/06/09 Fri

At set-up your right shoulder is lower than your left?
How upright is your upper body? Would you consider it more upright than bent over?
I'm confused by "I'm leaning on the insides of my feet and pushing my legs out".
What do you mean by "I try to get the feeling I'm covering the ball with my right shoulder." ?
I played a round today and would say I had two good drives and one decent one. Most of the rest were low. I think one problem is that I've been overswinging, trying to get it somewhere with my arms. I also need to extend my arms through and past the impact zone.
Thanks for your feedback. I'm playing again tommorow and will try what you're saying.


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[> [> [> [> Today was much better -- JohnC (progress), 19:05:04 03/07/09 Sat

Carlos' suggestions helped a lot.
Today's round started out with me having the longest drive of the foursome. I was not able to go to the range before the round so that was incredible.
I was getting much higher trajectory today. The thing that helped the most was placing the clubhead in the center of my stance, about two inches behind the ball, then tilting my shoulders to the right putting the face right behind the ball. This helped me keep my head behind the ball which gave me trajectory and helped prevent sliding. I still pushed some shots but the fade was gone. This was totally different from previous attempts.
The 5 & 7 woods are great, particularly the 7. The 7 wood is my favorite club for long par 3's.
Still working on the wedges, but I've spent more time working on the driver. The sand wedge is great from the fairway or the beach. I'm hitting the lob wedge fat most times.
My score was terrible today but that was due to my putting. I three putted most of the greens.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Explain a little more please -- Carlos Tomas (Not An Expert), 09:10:21 03/08/09 Sun

I'm probably the worst person to ask for advice. My game is hardly expert enough for anything I say to be given any sort of credence. That said, I'll do my best to explain to you what I do.

To get the crouch position, from a straight standing position, feet shoulder width apart, I bend my knees until I feel like I'm just trying to sit down. My weight is evenly distributed between toes and heels. From there I arch my back a little until my butt is sticking out. My back is still straight upright. Gripping a club, I extend my arms straight out in front of me until the club head is pointing at the horizon and the line of the club and my arms is a straight line. Keeping my arms and club stiff and straight I bend at the waist, keeping my legs and butt in their crouched position, until I sole the club on the ground in the center of my stance. That's the correct distance from the ball.

If I'm using one of the irons, the club face is already just behind the ball and my shoulders are already aligned with the target line. If the club is the driver or one of the woods, I tilt my shoulders to the right, still keeping my arms and club straight. The shoulders, arms, and club move in one piece. This moves the club face forward a couple of inches to be right behind the ball. My right shoulder is lower than my left and my shoulders should be still aligned with the target line. Before I swing, though, I relax my arms and hands to remove all tension. For the gravity hinging of the wrists at the top of the back swing and the centrifugal force unhinging of the wrists during the down swing there can be no tension in the arms and hands at all.

I use the traditional finger grip, so the club grip is wedged in my fingers and I don't have to consciously try to hold on. The beauty of this for me is that it allows me to relax my hands so there is no tension in my hands or forearms. If I do this correctly, I don't have to think about my arms or hands at all during the swing.

Right before I swing I roll my ankles towards each other so that the weight is on the insides of my feet, still evenly distributed between toes and heels. The sensation is that I'm pushing my feet and legs outwards and wedging myself in. This plus the crouch creates a coiled feeling in my lower body. I want to feel that I'm maintaining this position throughout the swing until after impact.

The down swing is a rotation of the upper body towards the target over the solid foundation of the coiled lower body. The arms are moved by this rotation. One of my tendencies is to slow the rotation so that my arms get ahead of my upper body, leaving the club face open because my wrists don't unhinge completely. This, of course, causes a fade or slice. To counter this, I try to get the feeling that I'm striking, or covering, the ball with my right shoulder. This keeps my shoulders moving through impact giving the wrists the opportunity to unhinge as they should.

This swing works with all the clubs, irons and woods. The only difference is the swing plane due to the lie angle of the clubs. I'm far from perfect at this, but getting better every time I practice. Does it translate to the course? I sure hope so.

I figure I'm in phase 3 of the physical skill learning process:

Phase 1: Know what you have to do to swing correctly.
Phase 2: Be able to feel the correct swing so you don't have to think about it.
Phase 3: Practice the hell out of it at the driving range until you can successfully repeat the swing with sufficient frequency.
Phase 4: Repeat the swing under pressure, that is, out on the course, away from the relative safety of the practice range.


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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Explain a little more please -- JohnC (got it, thanks!), 16:36:25 03/08/09 Sun

good explanation and it makes sense. I was amazed how much better it was working yesterday.


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