Driver Trajectory??

[golfseeker]

I have two drivers, a Callaway Fusion with 10.5 degree of loft and a regular shaft (green Adila NV) and I have a MacGregor with the same specs but the shaft is a Fujikara. I hit both about 220 yards (I am a senior) with a slight draw but they land soft with little roll. I think the trajectory is too high. The ball does not take off in a penetrating trajectory but seems to take off more like a seven iron but of course the distance is further. Would changing the shaft on one of the clubs to one that has a higher kick point be better. Or should I try to get fitted by a professional? I hate to spend any more money on the drivers as I just use that club for about 14 times a round.

[bloodredsun]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

The Aldila NV shaft you already have has one of the highest kickpoints around so I doubt changing shafts would make much difference especially if you have the same issue with both drivers.

Roll is determined mainly by the firmness of the ground but also on the landing angle of the ball. I seem to remember reading that if the landing angle of the ball is greater than 42 degrees, there is little or no roll.

Without knowing your swing speed, the only way is for you to go a try out some lower lofted drivers to see if they give you more distance.

[miffin]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

i have this same problem. I am using a 12 degree at the moment only because I get on great with the rest of the club. But I also use a 10.5 at times and the trajectory is no different. I remember a few years ago that I had a Big Bertha 9 degree but had the same ball flight. So we must be doing a similar thing wrong.

[golfseeker]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

I tend to believe now that I have a swing problem. As I recall one of my golfing buddies (who played on a college golf team many years ago and is very good golfer) tried my Callaway driver at a driving range early this past summer. He hit several balls (with my club) and it took off with a low penetrating flight, a slight draw (it is draw biased) and went almost 300 yards each time. Maybe my age is catching up with me and I am just losing swing speed because of that. I am the same age as Jack Nicklaus.

I also noticed that when I play the ball about 2 inches inside my left heel (I am right handed) with a very long tee I still pick the ball off the tee with out disturbing the tee. In other words, I am hitting the ball at or near the bottom of the club face. I rarely break a tee. This indicates to me that my club face is already aimed up towards the sky and thus giving significantly more loft to the 10.5 degree loft. I would guess that my launch angle is close to 20 degrees. So I need to find out why that is happening. I do have a swing speed indicator that says my swing speed is about 105 miles per hour. So swing speed does not appear to be a big issue.

[LowPost42]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

There's a few factors at play here.

First, for shaft bending, if you do not 'sustain the lag', then reshafting to a different kick point is pointless (pardon the play on words), as all the bending is finished before impact.

Second, by hitting up on the ball but low on the face, you're working with less effective loft - as much as 2°. So a 10 becomes an 8 low on the face, and with less spin. You may get a higher trajectory but more distance to hit the ball on the middle-to-upper part of the face.

[bloodredsun]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

Golfseeker, if your avatar is actually a picture of you and it's a fair represention of your swing then your underlying problem appears to be that you have a tendency to throw your hands at the ball with a slightly flippy motion. You can see this from the relative position of your club head which is much further forward than would be seen with quieter hands.

I know this well as it's my main swing flaw. When I'm not concentrating on hitting with quiet hands, I hit the ball with a "picking" stroke that fires it into the skies. Picking can also lead to woods coming off the low part of the face as the hands have shortened the swing with the flip.

I would guess that your bad strokes are blocks to the right with the occasional snap hook in long irons/woods. If this is true then you should speak to a pro about drills to quieten your hands.

[mashe]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

My tee used to last a whole round. Hitting "up" on the ball does not help transfering the weight to the left side properly.

I found just by "thinking" hitting "down and out" towards the ball, I can clip the tee. By doing so, the weight is transfered to the left side much better and the impact sound is more crisp. I also think the ball flight is a bit lower. Hope this helps.

[Mox]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

High/Low trajectory can depend on everything from the ball, tee height, loft, ball placement in stance, swing speed, shaft flex and kickpoints to quality of contact with the ball (in your case hitting off the bottom of the club face).

It's not easy to say without getting in front of a launch monitor.

[BrianW]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

Try teeing high and hovering the club above the ground at address. Teeing lower is a false way of creating a lower flight as it encourages a steeper swing plane and more backspin. Try and hit the ball while leaving the tee untouched.

[msklar92]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

golfseeker - is that logo a picture of you at impact?

[miffin]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

I do not quite understand this. Do you mean move your left hip backwards?

[golfseeker]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

golfseeker - is that logo a picture of you at impact?

Yes, it is...I can see the left wrist breaking down. I am considering getting the swing glove or perhaps something stiff to put into the backside of the glove. Anyone try that?

[BrianW]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

Yes, it is...I can see the left wrist breaking down. I am considering getting the swing glove or perhaps something stiff to put into the backside of the glove. Anyone try that?

Try sliding a hair comb under your watch strap so it supports the back of your left hand

[GreeBoman]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

leaving the tee in the ground is not a bad thing at all
You should be hitting the ball "on the up" with a driver...it all depends on how you are doing it.
If you are scouping (breaking down of impact wrist) then you are basically lobbing the ball into the air.

As was said, if you chop down on the ball it will pop up and go nowhere also.

Try some tape on the face (or talc on the ball, etc) to see where on the face you are hitting the ball.

Try a much slower swing and concentrate on hitting the ball with your hands before the clubhead, just to ingrain the correct feeling.

10.5 shouldnt be giving you any height issues.
How far do you hit the rest of your clubs?
Another question, is there much difference between how far you hit your fairway woods from the Tee versus the fairway?

[golfseeker]

Re: Driver Trajectory??

Try sliding a hair comb under your watch strap so it supports the back of your left hand

I used a 6 inch piece of aluminum with a velco strap around my wrist and that really helped. Thanks for your tip Brian....
golfseeker.

PS..unfortunately our weather here in the Texas is bad right now and it does not look good for this weekend. More snow and ice. I will try to swinging indoors until the weather improves. I can usually plan through the winter when conditions are favorable.