Driving the ball too high. Losing distance?

Question

I just started to change my swing when I am driving the ball so that I hit the ball straight. Now when I am hitting straight I can tell by the sound of the driver hitting the ball I am hitting in the right spot of the club but my farthest drive the last time I played was 180 yards. I'm a lot stronger than my friend but he out drives me by 60 yards. I've tried teeing the ball lower and moving the ball more towards my back foot but nothing has worked. Any ideas what I am doing wrong? I have a 460cc, 9.5 degree driver.

Answer 1

Your not creating enough club head speed. Use your wrists a lil more see if that helps

Answer 2

Just my opinion here, it sounds like you might be hitting down on the ball with your driver. That is 100% correct procedure for irons, but this creates extra backspin, a higher flight, and less distance than you should be seeing when using driver.

Try to flatten out your contact with this club. Widen your stance just a little, and start out directly away from the ball for the first foot or so of your backswing. Both changes should help.Good luck.

Answer 3

When you play make sure your stance is just on the inside of the left heel.

When you tee up (the standard) height what people go by with the driver is that half the ball is at the top of the drivers face.

If you are still hitting too high it could be the club - although you have a 9.5degree you might need 9degree or 8.5degree

This isn't strickly true because the shaft can make a difference and mainly the "kickpoint" on the driver. If your club has a lower kickpoint then this is going to get the ball up higher.

Therefore you would still get away with a 9.5degree driver, but it would need a higher kickpoint

Answer 4

you are lowering your shoulder too much

Answer 5

On your follow through, make sure your shoulders are parallel to make sure your not "dipping" under the ball to help it up.

Also, forward press your hands at address so that all of your left hand is in front of the ball.

This should give you a lower straighter ball flight with more distance.

Answer 6

strength is only one of several determining factors in distance.  The primary factors are clubhead speed at contact and the actual contact itself.