Help with Ball Flight - Driver

[PensacolaWahoo]

Hello All -

I'm sure this is a question that's been addressed here before, but I'm going to ask anyways. I've begun driving the ball very consistently in the 225 yard range. My issue is with the ball flight. I tee the ball up about 2 inches inside my left toe and take what some would consider a narrow stance - about shoulder width apart. Any wider and I seem to have trouble getting a good shoulder turn. I have an oversized 10.5 club head and tee the ball up so that the top of the club face is aligned just past the halfway point on the ball. About 1/4 or so of the ball is about the clubhead. I'm hitting the ball pretty straight but my ball flight is extremely high. I'm getting more carry than I ever have - it is essentially all carry as the ball is stopping almost instantly, but feel like I'm losing distance due to height. I've played with ball position and even tried teeing the ball lower, but I seem to catch the lower part of the face then and the shots aren't as hot. I'm definitely catching the ball on the upswing. Starting to wonder if I should simply go down to an 8.5 or 9 and see if I can hit it straight. Any thoughts?

[james.welsh]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

What's the problem?

If you hit it that far it's more than average. If you want to hit it farther, hitting it lower may do more harm than good. There's a trade-off of distance and the launch angle. The slower the ball speed off the face the higher the launch angle needs to be in order to go the maximum distance. Obviously the ball won't go anywhere if it goes straight up or straight horizontally either. There's a cool on-line simulator that shows this. You enter ball speed and back spin and it shows the resulting distance and trajectory. It's all math.

Basically, you need to hit the ball faster to make the ball bounce off the club face faster. That's it in a nutshell.

http://www.ecs.syr.edu/centers/simfluid/red/golf.html

[PensacolaWahoo]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

What's the problem?

Seriously? How bout the 380-420 yard par 4's and 500+ par 5's.

I can't hit 170 yard approach shots very well. I'd love a few more 8 and 9 iron's into greens. And I'm the short driver amongst my friends.

And, yes, I'm sure 225 is not an exaggeration, unless both courses I play at are completely full of ****. Some go 200 - some go 240. 220-225 7 times in 10. I don't understand how anyone with a decent golf swing isn't hitting a driver 220 pretty easily. I consider that mediocre/short. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to get that - but always looking for more. It's just that the ball seems to really sky up in the air - not a total balloon - but it seems awfully high to me. Into the wind it kills me.

Just can't seem to keep it down and get any kind of solid contact.

[james.welsh]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

Check the link I sent. Change the spin factor Hit simulate. You will see what happens when too much back spin occurs. It will balloon. Too much side spin you get a slice or hook.

Watch Tiger (or anyone else for that matter at the next tournament. Tape it. Then tape your swing. Compare how fast theirs is and how slow yours (and mine) is. That is the sad truth as to why you hit it 220 yds and Tiger hits it 340.

Apparently Charles Howell III hits a 6 iron over 200 yards.

[Stillhacken]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

I understand your problem.
There is an optimal trajectory.
Most golf stores have flight moniters now days.
I would get checked on one before I made any moves in the driver department.
If you swith to a lower lofted driver you might lose accuracy and distance.
Or you could just be hitting to much on the upswing. Move the ball back a little while at the range.
If that dont help try the swing moniters.

[LowPost42]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

"You're definitely hitting the ball on the upswing". Have you verified this by tape or launch monitor?

What driver are you hitting? Roll on most drivers make it so that only the dead center of the face is true loft. Higher is higher lofted, lower is lower lofted. Amazing but true.

At a 225 yard average, your contact must be spotty at best (ie missing the sweetspot); OR your swing speed is very slow. Speaking of which, what is your swingspeed (measured)?

A good fitting will go a long way to maximizing your distance.

[Sumosid]

Re: Help with Ball Flight - Driver

If I were you, I would have someone look at your impact position. Sometimes we are swatters and don't even know it until someone points it out. I am guessing from the post that you are athletic and can swing the club at a decent clip say 95-105 mph and that you are playing with a stiff shaft driver. How is your ball flight with your irons, are you getting high trajectory there as well with shorter distance?

If you are all the above, have a look a Greg or Jeff Manns website. they have some great tips on stopping this distance robber.

I speak from experience. I went to a lesson and learned that my club was getting ahead of my hands before impact. With a few tips and a lot of practice I have cured myself and I have picked up A LOT of distance particularly with my irons. My driver is 50 yards longer!!! I don't mean to come across as bragging, what I mean to point out is that getting the basics nailed down will help you acheive the distance that you are fully capable of.