Backspin on Drives

[tsunami]

I never seem to get any roll on my drives. In fact, on damp fairways I have plugged the ball many times only to have it bounce back on me leaving quite a hole. Any tips/help would be appreciated as I feel I'm losing 10-15 yards on my drives.

[jvincent]

First comment, all drives need some amount of backspin to keep the ball in the air.

If you're getting too much to the point of never getting any roll and probably a ballooning ball flight you are probably hitting down on the ball instead of coming at it flat or slightly on the upswing, which is preferred for the driver.

[tsunami]

Thanks for the quick response. So how do I hit it flat or on the upswing. Do I move the ball forward or back in my stance. Ballooning ball flight is a good description. People standing behind me after I hit usually comment on how far they think the ball is going but when we get up to the ball there surprise at how little distance I actually get.

[KickerOfElves]

Except in the case of a badly topped drive (that will immediately hit the ground and go 30yds at the most) every shot off of the driver face will have have backspin, it's just depends on how much. jvincent is correct that a certain amount of backspin is necessary but too much is detrimental to distance.

[jvincent]

Moving the ball forward in your stance should help.

More importantly make sure you are staying behind the ball through impact. If you move forward or are tilted forward you will have a tendency to hit down on it.

[tsunami]

Thanks. I hope to get out to the range today so I'll see what happens.

[dan_670_12]

i had this problem but for me i think it was that my driver had way to much flex and loft. I had a 10.5 degree driver with a senior shaft and now i have a 9.5 with a shaft between stiff and x stiff and im hitting it way farther.

[Wknd_Warrior]

One of the things I've noticed after moving to a modern driver is it's a bit easier to hit it too high. I'll second staying behind the ball or whatever contributes to a proper angle of decent, or lack thereof, off of the tee.

[Powerdraw]

todays drivers and pro trajectory is hit it high, let it fly mentality...the objective seems to be carry yardages alot more important than roll.

[Big Johnny69]

todays drivers and pro trajectory is hit it high, let it fly mentality...the objective seems to be carry yardages alot more important than roll.

Think about that for a second, you are on a hole and its 260 yds to carry a hazard, but you know that you can only carry the ball 230 but your driver goes 260 total. Lets you know to lay up short of the hazard. Some people think they hit their driver 280 yds so when they end up in a hazard they wonder why. 280 total is not the same as 280 carry. That's why the pros are all about carry yardages now. If they know they can carry something, it doesn't usually matters where the ball ends up after that, usually its safe. It allows them better course management.