driver no ability to lift off of ground?

[xiggy]

well guys for a while now i can hit my irons fine...hit my 5w fine...

so when i hit with my nike sasquatch..i used to be able to hit around 225yards very straight and very smoothly ..im only 15 years old so not too big of muscles lol ...ne ways when i hit my driver..now i hit a draw (to left)...but it also curves down very quickly and just colllides with the ground...i just dont understand what would cause me to do that...now if i force the club over the top of my head more in my backswing it goes straighter but still very low and less of a diving effect...please help guys!

[bulldog2k]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

Ok - someone more knowledgable than me will please correct me, but the swerve downwards is caused by putting topspin on the ball as you strike it. The 'draw' may suggest you are closing the face of the club a little and swinging the club a little too much inside

Things to try;

(1) Swing slower - as John Jacobs said, "The slower you swing, the further it goes."

(2) Concentrate on a long, low, smooth takeaway - you're trying to 'sweep' the ball away off the tee - and speaking of which, tee it high - half the ball should be visible above the face of the club at address

(3) Make sure the ball is positioned correctly - opposite the big toe (it goes without saying to ensure all other alignment and positioning is correct too )

(4) Tilt your spine slightly away from the ball at address

[bill reed]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

hi bulldog
i have to agree with your 4 points and say all 4 will help anyones game and i would add hit your drives at 80/90% power and not flat out at 100%.
bill

[Mox]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

Sounds like a closed clubface to me.

Do you have a very "strong" grip, like this?



That can have a tendency to close the clubface at impact.

If the club face is closed at impact, the loft of the club is lowered significantly and the ball stays down low.
Depending on your swing path, it will also hook more or less violently.

Try a weaker grip.



I would actually - unlike bulldog above - NOT recommend having the ball as far forward in your stance as your big toe. More like an inch to an inch and a half inside the left heel.
Putting the ball too far forward in your stance will put it at a later point in your swing where the club head is no longer square, and your swingpath is moving back to the inside.

[xiggy]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

guys thank you all for first off your amazing amount of facts you put up there for me...and yes i do tend to think that i put the ball too far forward in my stance....because it feels like i have to stretch to reach it..so today ill go out on a hole with my driver and try these things! (print them out lol)..and i think my grip has always been a bit to strong on my driver...so ill try to calm that down.....also about tilting the spine away...how much would you say...just a little bit past what normally would be putting your head over the center like in an iron swing?...thanks guys!

[BrianW]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

You are severely hooking the ball with a closed clubface. Hooks effectively deloft the clubface and generate a low ball flight, the more severe the hook the more the ball will dive.

You will need to find out why you are hooking the ball: As mentioned an over strong grip can be a cause, rotating your wrists too much can be another, check your alignment in that your shoulders are not pointing right.

[xiggy]

Re: driver no ability to lift off of ground?

thanks guys i figured out my problem and now hit my drives fine...i just tilt my spine...and swing the club in a very low path like you should with a driver..i love it when its easy to make a second shot land near the green !