Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

[30yearlayoff]

I have a Cally Tour FT3, 10*, NVS 65 S and R7 TP with Fuji 757 S.

I hit both of these drivers very high. Most of my playing partners tell me I would be getting 25-40 yards more distance if I could get the ball flight down.

I'm happy with my iron trajectory. No matter how hard I work on the driver, I can't get the flight down with these drivers.

Would a 8* driver and different shaft make a difference????

[Mox]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

First of all - get on a launch monitor with your current drivers and a clubfitter or teaching pro.

Don't guess on shafts or loft. It might be something as simple as teeing the ball too low (yes - low) and thus hitting down on the ball, inducing backspin that will cause the ball to balloon.

It could also be an open clubface at impact.

Get on a launch monitor or a Trackman and you will be a lot closer to solving your problem.

[bill reed]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

hi
how high to you tee the ball, if you tee the ball low you tend to hit the ball high, the big headed drivers have to use the big 3 or 4 inch tees or the ball flys way to high with a 2 inch tee. also if to far forward you could be catching the ball to much on the upshot.
bill

[BrianW]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I agree with the others. Make sure you tee the ball high and 2.5 inches inside left heel, spine angled slightly back. Sweep the ball on the upswing and try and catch it midway on the club face.

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

Yes, and equipment change will make a difference. However, it may not be the difference you expect.

If you're ballooning: You're hitting with too much spin. A distance ball or lower loft are the recommended equipment changes. It could be a negative angle of attack (guilty here) adding a ton of spin.

If you're not ballooning: Your spin is in a playable range. Please note there is a difference between playable and optimal. Missing short of the green is playable, but not optimal. You could try less loft which, all things being equal, will lower your trajectory and lower your spin. If you're on the high side of playable, this will yield more distance. If you're on the low side of playable, you may lose distance by not having enough spin at the lower loft. A guy I play with (and who uses my shop) has created a driver that barely enters the realm of playable spin. He can't hit range balls with an accurate distance (they don't spin enough), and can't play Top Flites (same reason). So a reasonable test of playability would be to go to a range that has full-flight balls, but of the distance variety. (Don't go to the range with ProV1's for this test).

Beyond this, everyone has given very good setup and swing advice.

[supasta8]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I hit the ball really high with about a 5-10 yard draw. But I am getting great distance out of it 280+. I am using a Titleist 983K 8.5 loft with Fujikara Speeder Stiff flex. Should I go with a stiffer shaft as well as a lower loft?

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I hit the ball really high with about a 5-10 yard draw. But I am getting great distance out of it 280+. I am using a Titleist 983K 8.5 loft with Fujikara Speeder Stiff flex. Should I go with a stiffer shaft as well as a lower loft?

I love these questions.

I drive a Volkswagen Jetta and it handles nicely with good gas mileage. Should I lower it and change the tires and supercharge it?

What are you looking for? More distance? Less height? More height? Less distance? More control? Lower scores? A date with Scarlett Johansen?

To optimize driver distance, you need a launch monitor. Some folks will tell you they're snake oil, I'll tell you that watching ball flight tells you nothing about spin and less about ball speed.

Supasta, give me your ball speed, your launch angle, and your spin rate, and I'll tell you if there's more distance to be had. If I can get your clubhead speed as well, you may find a simple driver change = more distance.

[Mox]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

What are you looking for? More distance? Less height? More height? Less distance? More control? Lower scores? A date with Scarlett Johansen?

I'll take that date, if nobody else wants it.

[BrianW]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I hit the ball really high with about a 5-10 yard draw. But I am getting great distance out of it 280+. I am using a Titleist 983K 8.5 loft with Fujikara Speeder Stiff flex. Should I go with a stiffer shaft as well as a lower loft?

I'll take that distance if nobody else wants it

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I'll take that distance if nobody else wants it

I've already got it.

I can set up a date with Meg Ryan as well, if that's your thing.

[BrianW]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I've already got it.

I can set up a date with Meg Ryan as well, if that's your thing.

Nah! at my age I will settle for 280+ Yards off the tee and a regular pint of Bathems best bitter any day.

[Started2k3]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I'll take that distance if nobody else wants it

It is all yours ... Why would I want to be 20 yds shorter?

[kurkoot]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I had the same problem, with a taylormade burner 9.5, pro force stiff flex 75g shaft. I changed the shaft to fujikura 70g x-stiff, and the flight appear to be a bit lower.

Also, I changed the ball I was using, from TaylorMade Red, to a Srixon ball. The guy at the pro shop said, the ball makes a huge difference, in ball flight.

hope this helps.

[supasta8]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

I guess I am find with distance, a little more control would be great. I just want it to go lower. I hit my driver as high as I hit my low irons! And that is not good into the wind. I don't do dates, but I'd take a ZJ from here.

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting driver too high....equipment change will help?

The most effective way to effect trajectory is to go with less loft.

If you don't want to (as spin is tightly tied to loft) then tip-stiff shafts should be your M.O.