Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!! :)

[SurlyScarab]

Hey all. So, a while back when I first started I, like most, had a lot of trouble with my driver so it stayed in the bag and I used a 3 Iron off the tee. It was so frustrating. A friend eventually suggested I try a 3 Wood. Well I couldn't hit that either and it sat in the bag with the driver. Recently I got determined to hit that 3 Wood and with a little practice I can hit it about 65-70% of the time at the driving range.

My question is, would it be a mistake to buy a new driver and get started working on hitting it as well?

The one I have is 10 years old and 10.5 loft and I think it will just frustrate me compared to a driver with newer, more forgiving technology with a higher loft. I've kinda got my eye on a SQ Sumo2 5900. The reviews look pretty good and there is a clearance at a local shop and they are selling em at a great price.

Thoughts??

[rotator]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Hi Surley,

You did not comment on how you hit your other clubs.

As for the new driver, make sure you get the right flex as well as the loft. I believe the Sumo and other Nike drivers are available in 11 and 13 degrees. Most casual golfers would do well to play with these higher lofted drivers.

The sale may be terrific, but it will not be a good idea to get stuck with another club you can not use. If you are not capable of getting good swings with a stiff shaft, for instance, the club will be a source of more frustration.

Ted

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Hey there Rotator. Thanks for responding!

I hit them well enough.. I know from looking at other threads that most people have far more info about their swings than I do. I'm going to go see about a fitting and some lessons in a little bit here so I should have some more info then. With my Irons, when I calm down, clear my head and swing naturally they fly straight in the direction my body is aiming (now if only I would aim my body in the right direction...). I could stand some more consistency but I'm cool with how I'm hitting those (not counting the 3 and 4) at this point.

With my 3 wood the most common problem when I don't totally shank is a the biggest hook ever. I'm talking Caddyshack 2 here. I've good a good idea where it comes from. I close the club all the time. I'm not sure where it came from but my brain loves for the club to be closed to the point where sometimes I catch myself closing it a bit at the top of my backswing. That's obviously no bueno and I'm getting better with that.

I'm starting to wonder if I should forget the driver for a while longer until I get pretty good with my 3 Wood...

Oh yeah, and I hear you loud and clear about the deal. It wouldn't be a deal at all if it weren't the right club for me.

[rotator]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

If you are closing the 3 wood, you can well imagine what that does to the driver face. You will be closing that face down from 10.5 to what, so you have no chance of hitting a decent drive. With the 3 wood, the loft lets you get away with the hook, but you may not get the driver airborne and if you do, you will be making damaging (to your swing) compensations. It may not even be the old driver which is causing you grief. It could be the closing of the face.

If one has a sound swing, he should be able to hit just about any driver, including old models. It may not be optimum, and it may take a few swings to adjust, but really, he would hit decent shots.

I'd say hold off on that driver purchase, until you get the lesson and the instructor sees and corrects your swing. Then, you may be able to live with the old driver for a while, until another deal comes along. Look, there are sales all the time, preseason, end of season, close-outs, an such.

Regarding the hook, other than the fact you are closing the face, your path may be off as well, ie. closed face and square path = starting straight and then hooking, closed face and out to in path = starting left and hooking further left (depending on the extent of closed face and path), closed face and in to out path = starting right and drawing or hooking (also, depending).

Ted

[miffin]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Don't go on what you fancy. I have made that mistake lots of times. Go along to a place where they will let you try a few drivers. I fancied the same driver as you. Went to try it and could not get on with it at all. Then I tried a Ping and wow!!!

Bri

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Yeah, you guys are totally right. I wanted it because it was a good sale, it had good reviews and, to be honest, because it looks all cool and it's Nike and endorsed by Tiger None of that has anything to do with what I would really be buying it for... to hit golf balls far and straight!

So I'm holding off on upgrading until I can hit my old one. Then when I've got that handled I'll shop around for what works best for me.

Thanks!

Of course, this doesn't exactly satiate my buy-new-stuff desire...

[BrianW]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Yeah, you guys are totally right. I wanted it because it was a good sale, it had good reviews and, to be honest, because it looks all cool and it's Nike and endorsed by Tiger None of that has anything to do with what I would really be buying it for... to hit golf balls far and straight!

So I'm holding off on upgrading until I can hit my old one. Then when I've got that handled I'll shop around for what works best for me.

Thanks!

Of course, this doesn't exactly satiate my buy-new-stuff desire...

Satisfy it with a few new golf lessons

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Good call Brian!

[canadian_man_44]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Have you ever thought of cutting back a little on the back swing and maybe slowing the swing down a little? I've found that relaxing and taking a slower swing works great when I'm having driver issues. As well, I've also incorporated some of the 3/4 limited turn "Don Trahan" swing and I find it helps when having accuracy issues. I would do this over the past few years when experiencing these issues, but just lately I happened to do a google search which accidentally, more then anything, led me to Trahan's site. I've taken an interest in his swing because of lower back issues as well as one bad knee that can give me issues after playing 18. I've been watching the videos and am going to try the swing at the range, hopefully this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes as it may be something that could also help your driver.

[miffin]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Where is Trahans site then?

Bri

[LowPost42]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Tons of great advice so far, here's my $0.02:

If you're absolutely crushing a club you're demoing and you're going to pull the trigger, take home the club you were crushing. Don't order a new one.

Canadian man makes a good point about slowing down the swing and see what happens - you could be overpowering a weak shaft.

Some vitals would be good - swing speed (aka clubhead speed), launch angle (if known), tempo (takeaway to impact), ball speed, where you release the club... to name a few.

[canadian_man_44]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Where is Trahans site then?

Bri

www.peakperformancegolfswing.com

Click on the FREE VIDEOS link at the top, put in your email and you'll get a video everyday for 10 days. After they're done you'll probably want to unsubscribe from the site as Don likes to send a couple extra emails everyday, but, watch the videos. Maybe you'll get something from them that will help.

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Looking to get started with Drivers - Need Advice!!

Thanks guys! I basically took everyone's advice I slowed down my swing which helped me realize that I was doing some really funky stuff that is not part of my golf swing. So I kept it slow, let muscle memory take over and I am well on my way to crushing my driver I'm not there yet but I've definitely improved and even hit a perfect* shot from time to time.

I'm going to hold off on actually replacing my old driver until I work out my swing but I did get some new irons and I totally insisted on taking home the ones I was actually hitting and not some set from the back. I would have liked to get fully fitted clubs but maybe next time.

I am going to be taking a few lessons starting next week and will be back with my vitals - swing speed, launch angle, tempo, ball speed, and whatever else they can squeeze from the videos - and I'm pretty sure I'll get the actual videos themselves.

So thanks for all the help! I'll check back in soon.

*I'm sure the shots weren't actually perfect but they were definitely exactly what I am trying to achieve at the moment. The shots that I would see/hear guys hit at the range and stand in awe as I saw that ball fly!