Woods

[Duffer]

I am a second year golfer with a dillema. I hit my 5 wood between 190 and 210 hitting 8/10 fairways. I hit my 3 wood between 200 and 220 hittng 5/10 fairways. My driver travels between 150 and 200 (many skyballs) and hitts 3/10 fairways. I usually leave the driver in the bag. I have two questions:

1. how can i improve my longer woods? will this come with time?

2. How can i prevent skyballs with the driver?

Roch

[The Shtick]

2 quick points:

--- tee the ball lower;
--- put the ball further forward in your stance.

Make sure that you do these first before trying to change your swing, etc.

[Ty Webb]

I used my 5 wood exclusively for 2 years and now use my 3 wood or driver. I would suggest doing the same until you gain some confidence. In my opinion, it is better to hit 180 into a fairway than 210 into the woods. Perhaps, others can comment?

I believe skyballs (not to be confused with blue balls) are caused by hitting down with a descending blow. Practice hitting the ball on the upswing. This can be done by hitting balls on an uphill slope.

Ty

[el tigre]

I believe skyballs (not to be confused with blue balls) are caused by hitting down with a descending blow.

Absolutely NOT true!! Skyballs are caused by having the clubface make contact with the ball BELOW the ball's equator. Following The Schtick's advice will help correct that.

When the ball is on a tee, then 9 times out 10 the reason for a skyball is that the ball is teed up too high. I would check that out first. Moving the ball forward can also help, because the ideal contact position is slightly forward of the bottom of your swing arc. For most people, that is in line with the heel of your front foot for fairway woods.

With the distances you are hitting your fairway woods, there is no reason to take the driver out of the bag except on long par 4s or to negotiate hazards on certain holes.

[Ty Webb]

Found some supporting documentation:

http://www.ritson-sole.com/golftips/2003/february03.htm

Not disagreeing with you all, but was told this many times.

Ty

[el tigre]

As stated in the article, many golfers who "come over the top" have an "armsy" swing. The tend to "flip" their wrists just prior to impact in order to correct for the steep angle of attack and get the ball airborne. When the ball is on a tee, this often results in the clubhead going under the ball and voila - a pop-up to the second baseman!

This is not hitting the ball with a descending blow - it is still hitting below the equator of the ball. The pro's solution - a longer, flatter backswing - is designed to keep the wrists from "flipping" the clubhead under the ball.

If this is your problem, then chances are you are doing this with all your clubs off the tee and not just the driver.

[natgolfer]

Skyballs are caused by having the clubface make contact with the ball BELOW the ball's equator.

Absolutely not true! Your line.

Whether the arc of my swing is descending, ascending or parallel to the ground at impact, if the centre of my driver's clubface contacts the ball, the ball is NOT going to sky. The trajectory may be a little lower, or higher for the first two, but that is not a sky. If I tee the ball up very high, play it forward in my stance and swing up on it, the ball will fly quite high, but this also, is not a sky. I played with a young golf scholarship type in the spring who hit his driver as high as my pitching wedge, 300 yards. Not a sky. I can hit my 8* driver over the tall spruce tree on #15 at Greensmere by altering my setup and swing, but it is not a sky.

You sky a shot when the top edge of the club head contacts the ball below the equator. A skied ball leave a mark on the top of the club head. Quite likely a descending clubhead with a ball teed too high for that kind of arc, will result in a skied shot, but it is not the only way. A ball will not sky if the surface of the ball when compressed, contacts only the surface of the clubface.

[el tigre]

You sky a shot when the top edge of the club head contacts the ball below the equator

Gee, I thought that's what I said. Sounds so much better coming from you, though.

Quite likely a descending clubhead with a ball teed too high for that kind of arc, will result in skied shot

Golf balls are round. It is virtually impossible to strike a round object BELOW its equator with a DESCENDING blow. At some point prior to impact, the clubhead's trajectory must be altered to be either parallel or ascending in order to strike a ball below its equator. Which is exactly the point I was trying to make with Ty.

I can hit my 8* driver over the tall spruce tree on #15 at Greensmere by altering my setup and swing

Impressive. Please, regale us with more stories of your exceptional golfing prowess - we can never get enough!

[natgolfer]

Impressive. Please, regale us with more stories of your exceptional golfing prowess - we can never get enough!

It really does not take a lot of golfing prowess to open the face of a club and play the ball forward in the stance, in order to play a high shot. In fact, any 20 handicapper can do it, and if you want to learn the skill, then maybe you should head on down to Hazeldean Rd., and get some "World Class instruction."

My intent was to illustrate a point, not to boast about a skill that most any golfer can perform with ease, however, because it was your incorrect perception that it was boastful that caused the drippingly sarcastic reply, I can forgive you. It's not the first mistake that you have made.

Since you enjoy stories about my golfing prowess, read on. Greensmere #16, last year. Duck hook into the trees on the left, hit provisional, lose first ball. Hit fourth into trees on the right-unplayable. Hit sixth into the water, drop another and hit it into the bunker. Blasted out 40 feet from the hole. So how did I score a 10? Made the forty footer. And, yes, I'm bragging about it.

I checked for a "cold shoulder" smilie, as my gift to you, but could not find one, so I have made up my own. #!&# #\!

[Curious George]

Maybe its just me, but I didn't think he was being sarcastic. I personally DO (no sarcasm) enjoy hearing great shot stories, and it gives others a chance to learn.

That said, a new thread....

[Chieflongtee]

It's an old battle between the 2. It started in another thread under "rules"

[Ty Webb]

I suggest they hook up, have a few brews and demonstrate their trick shots.

[el tigre]

It's an old battle between the 2. It started in another thread under "rules"

Yeah Andre, you're right. I'm just tired of him attacking everything I say, even when he seems to agree with it?

I didn't think he was being sarcastic

Actually, I was. Great shot stories are fine where appropriate and/or when solicited, and I think starting a thread about them is a great idea.

But I believe the purpose of this thread was to give Duffer some help and advice on playing his driver off the tee - and that's what The Schtick, Ty Webb and I were trying to do. As for natgolfer - well, who knows?

[Kilroy]

Ahem.
How about a group hug
Or not, but take the bickering elsewhere.

Just an opinion:
I have re-read this thread and it looks to me as though this is just a misunderstanding
The "absolutely not true" quote refered to " believe skyballs ... are caused by hitting down with a descending blow" ... not to the statement natgolfer connected it to "Skyballs are caused by having the clubface make contact with the ball BELOW the ball's equator" which natgolfer obviously agreed with. See, It's all good!

I for one found natgolfer's description to be informative, and a good example of when one may choose to try a shot like that, once you learn how to do it as described. He did not seem to me to be bragging at all, but that's just me.

[Curious George]

That's the thing about email/cybernet...the whole tone is lost, and its easy for negativity to creep in.