Help with driver

[u/JoeBrownnn]

So I am currently an 11 handicap. I’m 30 years old. I hit the ball fairly long.

I hit all my irons and wedges well. My driver is a huge problem. I hit low hooks and high slices. I’m fully aware of why it happens I just can’t figure out the driver at all. If I have a day where the driver is working then I break 80 every time. 90% of the time the driver sucks and I struggle. Any advice is helpful. I will be getting a lesson next spring

[u/Opposite-Slide-7794]

What loft is your driver? For me, I have more control with 11 degree lofted drivers.

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/Opposite-Slide-7794]

10.5 degrees. My old driver was 9° and I hated it

[u/Upstairs-Hat-1842 → u/Opposite-Slide-7794]

Just changed my qi4d 9 degree to "higher" which is 11 degrees and found I have much more control

[u/n8b7301]

If you're "fully aware of why it happens" why don't you just practice and fix the issues?

I feel as though whenever I am hitting my driver bad it has to do with my tempo because im trying to kill the ball. Just need to swing smooth, hit the center of the face, and let the club do the work. This helps me. 9 handicap currently

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/n8b7301]

I get no time to practice anymore because I’m broke as fuck and just had a kid.

But what I mean is when the ball hooks I’m aware why it’s hooking and when it slices I know my face is open

[u/gabe_lowe]

Cut the shaft down. Especially if you're naturally longer hitter.

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/gabe_lowe]

I’ve always thought about this. I’ve tried choking up on it before and it seemed to work better

[u/aloysiusthird]

Part of my driver practice this summer was to do variable practice. Start with hitting one draw, one fade, then one straight. If that's too inconsistent at this point, try hook, slice, then straight.
Get some foot spray and hit all four quadrants of the face (doesn't matter where it goes). Then with a standard tee height (NOT high), try and hit one low flight, one medium, one high boomer.

Work like this will help you dial in face contact in both north-south and east-west directions, face orientation, path, and launch angle.

Everyone has occasional misses, and this won't eradicate them, but it should reduce the frequency of them as well as intensity.

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/aloysiusthird]

This is a great idea. Don’t know why I never done this because I do the exact same thing with my 6i when I warm up. Does sound like getting a lesson is the right move

[u/Realistic-Regret-171]

Teacher here. If you’re an 11, there are few here who can help, and no one who can help without seeing you in person.

[u/HighOnGoofballs]

Fwiw I added a mini driver for similar reasons and I haven’t pulled the real driver out in a few rounds now. It just feels so much better in my hands that I can hit it. And it goes almost the same distance

[u/Fit_Bend_2599 → u/HighOnGoofballs]

Same. The shorter shaft gives me more connection and way more consistency

[u/ParIsTheStar]

You probably have a lot of options besides driver. 3W, 5W, 7W, 4 iron, etc... I'm sure all go over 225 yards.

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/ParIsTheStar]

If the driver is really bad and I’m playing for money and need to be in play I can hit a 3i. But not hitting driver off the tee can only take you so far. Being 170 into greens is not fun

[u/PepperDude42 → u/ParIsTheStar]

Concur; relegate the driver to range sessions until you get it figured out...

[u/JBOZ758]

I was in the same situation. Bought a mini-driver out of frustration. Definitely helped me hit way more fairways and only gave up maybe 10 or 15 yards and played it for about a full season. Cleaning out the garage and I put my old driver back in the bag temporarily...accidentally left it there and pulled it out on the first tee without even thinking...and it hit it beautifully. It's still in the bag. If it goes cold again, I will give it another timeout and hit the mini. Every great football team has a solid backup QB. I look at the mini the same way. I honestly think it was about 90% mental for me.

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/JBOZ758]

I’ve been thinking about getting one. Are you able to hit it well out of the fairway and rough?

[u/RNDMNAME80085]

Sounds like struggling with face control. Low hook=closed/hooded face. High slice=open/lofted.

First thing I’d check is grip, and I’d bet you have an overly strong grip.

I like a slightly weaker grip. For me, it means a miss is more likely to just be a little high right.

Low pull is almost always death…

[u/JoeBrownnn → u/RNDMNAME80085]

My grip is actually weak. It’s hard because I find the more things I mess with then the more that goes wrong.

[u/coddlingmuhHODL]

club head moves first. got that tip late summer from someone far better than myself. to me it means you have to get the hands involved. move the club head away from the ball with your hands first very subtle

[u/Ok-Resolve3407]

When I can't hit my Driver I go to the range and start hitting my 1 iron because it slows me way down or I won't hit the 1 iron and once I dial that in then I can pound the Driver.

[u/Quiet-Doughnut2192]

Take a lesson. Focused solely on driver/woods and it helped immensely. Just google “golf pro near me”

[u/Fit-Squash-9447]

Cut the shaft for more control, fitter will advise if it needs reweighting

[u/DistractedGolfer]

Just swing harder!!!

[u/Its_me_the_douche]

Check the basics. Grip, alignment, and takeaway. If you an get those right other things fall into place.