driver issues

Question
Hi.

I am just getting back into golf after a long Canadian winter. I was a 7 handicap last year but am pretty rusty so far this spring. I have had 1 round that is respectable (83) while the others are mostly 90+. I am disgusted.

Short game is good. Driving is my main issue. I can play 9holes without hitting a fairway.

I am playing with a taylor made R7 460cc 9.5 degree stiff set to 'draw'. My swing speed is 104 mph. When I was playing well last season my ball flight was a slight fade but I'd like to draw the ball. Last year, I hit the ball solidly but I tended to hit only 4-5 fairways per round.

This season, I am all over the fairway (and woods) but I tend to miss right. I have the ball moved up as far as  I can just inside my left foot. My left hand is strong to show three knuckles. At address, I line the ball up towards the toe because I tend to hit a lot of balls off the heel. My ball flight is too low.

I videotaped my swing and it seems as though I am bringing the club inside on the take-away. My shaft is horizantal and down the target line at the top of my swing but due to a lack of shoulder flexibility my hands don't get very high. I have a lot of wrist cock.

Due to my years of martial arts training, I suspect my hips are too quick. Is there such thing as too much hip rotation on the backswing? I tend to have a lot.

Anyway, my swing is not working. I am always in the rough or worse and my distance is poor. I have lost 20 - 30 yrds from last year.

Any uggestions besides giving up golf?

Answer
Hi there and thank you for asking.  I would love to tell you to just give up this god forsaken game but we all know we wont.  And the good news is, your problem is pretty way to fix, from what you have told me.  Of course I cant be 100% sure without giving you a private lesson, and even then... however just try the couple of things I will mention and hopefully something will click.

It seems from your descriptions of your swing, you are swinging from way inside the ball and doing a "chase move" to the right, while holding onto the clubface, meaning the ball will go right of the intended target line but wont draw back too much.  Some of us all this a shove or an "anti-left" swing, and this is a basic problem of losing confidence in your full swing and just letting it go.

There are a couple of keys you should practice on the range and feel comfortable with and then it should be all good.  During the WHOLE swing, try to keep more weight on the heels of your feet.  This will prevent the chase move more, ESPECIALLY during impact and the post-impact times.  This should straighten out your initial ball flight.

Now this may still cause your ball to go SLIGHTLY right but that's ok... you can just aim a little more left and it will be a nice straight push which you can live with.  However if you still want to draw the ball, your strong grip is fine, but you will have to start releasing and rotating the clubface a little earlier, not harder... so feel like you are rolling the grip closed at the start of the downswing instead of during impact, and then you will have a much better chance of drawing or even hooking the ball.

And yes, there is such a thing as too much hips for anything... we want to minimize hip rotation on the backswing, depending on your flexibility of course, and gradually release it on the forward swing.  Also focus on the finishing the club around your shoulders all the way, do not stop it.  And by around I mean try to keep your hands at or below the level of your head on the follow through and finish.  Your ball flight is low because you have such a strong grip and you probably shove your hands down into the ball at impact, again, in that "anti-left" motion.

Also, please go to

http://answerway.com/profile.php?expid=Dathaeus

and click on "View My Public FAQS!" in the Golf section, and
in particular for your issue, please read:

- Physics of moment of impact in golf...
- Basic Ball Flights & Causes...
- Swing Plane Drills...

If you need more help and advice after reading the FAQs,
please send me the following info and I can help you further:

(at the same link
http://answerway.com/profile.php?expid=Dathaeus
and click on "Ask Me a Direct Question" in the Golf section)

- Current/Best Ever Handicap
- Distance hit with driver, 5 iron, SW
- Avg putts per round
- Avg and preferred ball flight depending on club
- Tournament experience if any
- Hours you do/can dedicate to golf improvement every week

Thanks and good luck!