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  1. #1
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    Default My Quest for Total Driving Improvement (and a lower cap!)

    Driver has always been my weakest club in terms of consistency and I have recently come to a low point where something needs to change. I've tried all sorts of drivers over the years (looking for a quick fix) - even no driver for a while! However I really want to have more confidence off the tee and I don't want to avoid playing a driver anymore.

    If I'm honest with myself I would be lucky to hit 3-4 fairways a round on average (most of those with my 4 wood) and I can't remember the last time I hit 50% of fairways in single round. My home course pretty severely punishes you for missing fairways which is killing my handicap as generally my irons and short game are much better than my current 17.6 cap would suggest. My previous low of 11 was when I was a member of a more open course (less trees) which did not punish my errant tee shots.

    Therefore I am setting a short term goal over the next 3 months to vastly improve my game off the tee and particularly improve my driver. I feel that even if I could average 50% fairways off the tee I would likely shave 4-5 shots off my cap by virtue of less recovery shots per round.

    My current assessment of why I am poor off the tee:
    1. Swing Tendancies
    I tend to get quite far inside on my backswing and then flip it at impact (not good for consistency when hitting a driver). I think I get away with it with my irons but it shows more in my driving. I do try to counteract this with a wider takeaway and smoother transition but old habits return fast.

    2. Confidence
    As with anything if you suck at it for a long period of time you lose confidence leading to even worse performance. This has led to quite a bit of anxiety off the tee. I feel much more settled on second shots. I need to turn this around.

    I do have a coach who I will see to make some technical swing changes and to work on the mental aspects but I'm not looking to rebuild my swing from the ground up either. This post is more for me to track my journey and keep me accountable to progress. I'll keep my fairway stats for each round moving forward so I can track the progress and report back.

    I wondered if anyone has been in a similar situation and turned their driving around to make it a strength of their game? If so what what worked for you?
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  2. #26
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by thecollective View Post
    D-type M4 $329 less 15%, perfect for you


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Voice inside the head is still dominating the do it, don't do it argument re: not spending money on Golf Clubs but it is quite tempting.
    Under$100 Jetspeed is still going well for the limited amount I play.
    Hit Them Well or Hit Them Often

    W.I.T.B


  3. #27

    Default

    That shorter backswing is something I find helps too. Sometimes I can see the club head in the corner of my left eye and often the shot ends up being inaccurate. On the next tee I make a point of reducing it and most times it goes pretty straight. I'm working on trying to do this every time now, which was probably behind my better driving last weekend. Playing again Sunday so I'll try to do this again and see how I go.

  4. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by thecollective View Post
    D-type M4 $329 less 15%, perfect for you


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Checked the site today and only Lefty available.
    Hit Them Well or Hit Them Often

    W.I.T.B


  5. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hatchman View Post
    Checked the site today and only Lefty available.
    I’ve got a 10.5* D type M4 right handed
    Taylormade M1 16' 430 10.5* Attas G7s
    Taylormade M1 17' 460 10.5* Rogue 125msi 60s
    Callaway Epic Sub Zero 9* Rogue 125msi 60x
    Titleist 917 D2 9.5* Rogue 125msi 70s
    Cobra King LTD AD MT 7s
    Taylormade M2 15* Speeder Pro 73s
    Taylormade SLDR 19* Matrix HD7s
    Titleist 716 AP2 5-PW KBS Tour V X stiff
    Cleveland 588 Rotex 2.0 Raw Wedges 50* 54* 60* KBS Hi Rev
    Callaway MD3 64* PM Grind
    Taylormade Spider Si 35" Slant Neck

  6. #30
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    Default

    So I played a quick 9 holes today at Thaxted focusing on those things noted in my lesson. Result was 4 of 7 fairways and more importantly 6 of 7 effective drives. I don't think I have ever hit this many fairways in 9 holes at Thaxted so definitely some encouraging signs.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  7. #31

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    Nice one. I focused on trying to reduce the backswing today and it worked a treat. I only hit 3 fairways but other than a hook left on the first of the day they all went more or less straight (a few ran out of fairway) and were all in a position that allowed a normal second shot. Also hit my longest drive to date at 271m. Maybe I should try this approach with all the other clubs as well and see if I get any improvement in striking.

  8. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    So I played a quick 9 holes today at Thaxted focusing on those things noted in my lesson. Result was 4 of 7 fairways and more importantly 6 of 7 effective drives. I don't think I have ever hit this many fairways in 9 holes at Thaxted so definitely some encouraging signs.
    That's because I wasn't there lol

  9. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by nadg63 View Post
    That's because I wasn't there lol
    Don't worry I still missed the first fairway as usual 😅
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  10. #34
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    Default

    Reasonable day today at Thaxted without being amazing. Driving was a little varied. 6 of 14 fairways hit. I think I reverted to my old habits a little but it wasn't all over the course which was good. I need to keep actively focused on the wide takeaway or I automatically take it back too far inside. Lesson learnt is I still need more reps on the range to ingrain good habits.Score: 1 Birdie, 4 Pars, 12 bogeys, 2 doubles, 1 Triple. Total 88 for 36 (20/16) points.
    Last edited by Flavzz; 20th September 2020 at 02:44 PM.

  11. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    Reasonable day today at Thaxted without being amazing. Driving was a little varied. 6 of 14 fairways hit. I think I reverted to my old habits a little but it wasn't all over the course which was good. I need to keep actively focused on the wide takeaway or I automatically take it back too far inside. Lesson learnt is I still need more reps on the range to ingrain good habits.Score: 1 Birdie, 4 Pars, 12 bogeys, 2 doubles, 1 Triple. Total 88 for 36 (20/16) points.
    What caused the doubles & triple? Was it missed fairways?

  12. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobsYourUncle View Post
    What caused the doubles & triple? Was it missed fairways?
    The first double I flew the green on an approach shot, chipped then 3 putted. The triple was an errant 4 wood off the tee into hazard then a few average approaches. The second double (on the index 1 last hole no less was due to a big hook off the tee, had to chip out but to be honest was mostly due to poor approach shots from there. Overall I'd say my driving didn't severely impact my round one way or the other. My irons weren't quite on today and were more of a factor.
    Last edited by Flavzz; 21st September 2020 at 08:38 AM.

  13. #37
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    Default

    Over due for an update on the progress with the Big Dog.
    Hit Them Well or Hit Them Often

    W.I.T.B


  14. #38
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    Default

    I've been waiting to get a few more rounds under my belt.

    Ive had a couple rounds of 6 fairways but that's about the best I've had. My progress has been slow due to a few reasons. I sabotaged my gains after my lesson by getting the G410. I was starting to show good progress with the Answer driver but in typical ho fashion I jumped on the 410 when I had the chance. The Anser has a regular shaft in it and the G410 has a stiff Ventus Red in it which I like but has altered my tempo. I haven't played the past 2 weeks either due to work and family commitments. Hoping to get some reps in and collect a bit more data over the next month.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  15. #39
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    A few more rounds worth of data to share so thought it might be worth an update.

    My last 6 rounds
    8 of 14
    6 of 14
    7 of 14
    6 of 14
    9 of 14
    10 of 14

    I'm happy to see some progress considering I started this journey with only 3-4 fairways on average per round.

    My miss tendencies are still left and I seem to struggle under pressure and hit hooks when I need to hit a fairway coming down the last few holes. I'll be working on strategies to overcome this.

    I've settled for the moment in the Tensei orange stiff shaft in the driver. It has a nice swing weight to it and is not overly firm. My M5 fairway has also been good for me and is long off the tee.

    I've been working on alignment mostly and just focussing on keeping balanced throughout the swing. Also trying to stay loose rather than tense up over the ball which I previously did often.

    Next short term goal is to break 10+ fairways in a round. Will report back in another month.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  16. #40
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    Thats a great improvement Flavzz makes a round much more enjoyable walking down the fairway (so I am told anyway)

  17. #41
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    Thanks CC. It's a strange feeling hitting off the short grass.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  18. #42
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    Default

    I've not had many comp rounds lately but have been putting in some work on the range to try and reduce the left ball. I've been working on face to path, ie path more right to left across the ball (or at least what feels like it to me) and face slightly open. It's a very strange feeling for me to see the ball go from left to right. It's early days but hoping this might help my accuracy off the tee. Will ramp up my comp rounds over the next month and report back with my progress.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  19. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    I've not had many comp rounds lately but have been putting in some work on the range to try and reduce the left ball. I've been working on face to path, ie path more right to left across the ball (or at least what feels like it to me) and face slightly open. It's a very strange feeling for me to see the ball go from left to right. It's early days but hoping this might help my accuracy off the tee. Will ramp up my comp rounds over the next month and report back with my progress.
    Is your left ball a straight pull?

  20. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daves View Post
    Is your left ball a straight pull?
    My typical miss is a hook or a block so not typically a straight pull. My normal shot shape is a draw. My swing is quite inside and I tend to flip the hands at impact in order to square the club face.

  21. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    A few more rounds worth of data to share so thought it might be worth an update.

    My last 6 rounds
    8 of 14
    6 of 14
    7 of 14
    6 of 14
    9 of 14
    10 of 14

    I'm happy to see some progress considering I started this journey with only 3-4 fairways on average per round.

    My miss tendencies are still left and I seem to struggle under pressure and hit hooks when I need to hit a fairway coming down the last few holes. I'll be working on strategies to overcome this.

    I've settled for the moment in the Tensei orange stiff shaft in the driver. It has a nice swing weight to it and is not overly firm. My M5 fairway has also been good for me and is long off the tee.

    I've been working on alignment mostly and just focussing on keeping balanced throughout the swing. Also trying to stay loose rather than tense up over the ball which I previously did often.

    Next short term goal is to break 10+ fairways in a round. Will report back in another month.
    Too much thinking going on ....................

  22. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    My typical miss is a hook or a block so not typically a straight pull. My normal shot shape is a draw. My swing is quite inside and I tend to flip the hands at impact in order to square the club face.
    OK, a pull is a transition/tempo issue, for me at least.

    I have a mate who has the same problem you describe. He was a rep Hockey Player and takes it way inside with a flip/flick. I try to get him to swing more upright. Set the club at the horizontal before taking it up, not back. He does OK fro a while but soon reverts. I get him to aim way right to try an allow for it. But he tends to set the back foot back (closed) and only makes it worst. He also gets quick at times and add a pull to the equation just to make it harder! He is a 20 handicapper who should be playing off low teens if he can calm/fix it. Slow it right down is probably my best tip and work/build back from there.

  23. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by nadg63 View Post
    Too much thinking going on ....................
    When I'm on the course I do need to take a page out of the Nadge school of golf book and just get up and hit the ball.

    Quote Originally Posted by Daves View Post
    OK, a pull is a transition/tempo issue, for me at least.

    I have a mate who has the same problem you describe. He was a rep Hockey Player and takes it way inside with a flip/flick. I try to get him to swing more upright. Set the club at the horizontal before taking it up, not back. He does OK fro a while but soon reverts. I get him to aim way right to try an allow for it. But he tends to set the back foot back (closed) and only makes it worst. He also gets quick at times and add a pull to the equation just to make it harder! He is a 20 handicapper who should be playing off low teens if he can calm/fix it. Slow it right down is probably my best tip and work/build back from there.
    Thanks Daves, I tend to work on keeping it wider going back. Likewise I do aim right but I'm getting sick of that hence why I'm trying to learn to hit fades. Hoping that this should help straighten out my natural swing over time.
    Last edited by Flavzz; 31st January 2021 at 10:30 AM.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  24. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flavzz View Post
    When I'm on the course I do need to take a page out of the Nadge school of golf book and just get up and hit the ball.
    Queue the circus theme.
    Once you go yellow, you will never go back

  25. #49
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    Spent some time on the 7th hole this afternoon between showers just hitting drivers. I was contending with a strong 30kph wind off the right which accentuated my normal right to left shape.

    Hit 25 balls from the blue tees.
    11 of 25 fairways.
    17 of 25 effective.
    All misses were left of the fairway.

    Part way through I realised most of my strikes were off the toe. I reset my ball at address off the left of centre turbulator on the G410 which really helped centre my strikes. Hopefully I can translate this into some slightly better performance in the comp tomorrow.
    WITB
    Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 65g S
    5 Wood: Ping G425 w Tensei Orange AV Raw 75g S
    4 hybrid: Ping G w Alta R
    Irons: 5-PW Ping i210 w PX LZ 5.5
    Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 50-10*, SM8 58-10*
    Putter: 2022 Bettinardi BB-8W, 35 inch
    Bag: Jones Original Carry Bag

  26. #50
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    If your striking a lot from the toe you may be reaching too much at address.
    Check how many hand spaces from the butt end of you club to your gut. Any more than 2 hands and your reaching. This is promoting a repeating toe strike.

    While we’re on the subject of hands make sure you have 1/2”- 1” of grip free from your left hand palm pad to the end of the grip. There is always a tendency for the hands to creep up the grip resulting in the LH palm pad to sit on the butt und of the grip. Result is loss of shape at the top of the swing (club drops past parallel). To recover the hands throw back out. Pulls and toe strikes can come from this too. Speaking from plenty of experience.
    Hit Them Well or Hit Them Often

    W.I.T.B



 

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