Driver recomendations - cure a bad slice

[iggsplode]

so i bought a ping rapture off these boards at the beginning of the season, and as much as i like it, i find it's too difficult for me to use, im still farily amatuerish and i slice this baby like crazy.. it's killing my game when i lose up to a 7 strokes from lost tee shots alone. sometimes im seeing this go further right than forward sometimes.

im not slicing any of my other clubs, well, at least not as bad to the point im overly concerned about it. im wondering what i should be looking for in a suitable driver. i want something that i can rely on that if i mis-hit it im still going to get some distance off. also, what flex shaft should i be looking for? everything ive ever used has been stiff and have been told that if i plan on playing to become decent, which i am, a stiff flex is the way to go.

i've been told to look at some of the new clevland hibore's as well as taylormade stuff, but i dunno what exactly.. any help would be greatly appreciated..

[Chieflongtee]

Get an offset closed face driver. I have one you can try.

[iggsplode]

thx chieflongtee, ive considered that before.. but ive always thought using an offset driver as not being the solution to the problem but more as just masking it.. id rather work with something a little more controlable and try to eliminate my slice.

[spackler]

If you want to fix the problem, spend the money you would've spent on a new driver on lessons.

[iggsplode]

If you want to fix the problem, spend the money you would've spent on a new driver on lessons.

already in the plans for the winter. planning on booking a 5 session block once i identify a suitable teacher. either way, i still dont think next year im going to be good enough to be consistent with this driver. i need something geared more towards a novice that will let me find my ball after a mis-hit as opposed to hoping it didnt hit someone two fairways over.

[Chieflongtee]

Spackler knows best

Having said that take a look at your existing clubs especially your irons. They all have some amount of offset. Offset is not a bad thing per say. If you ever learn to draw the ball then you can readjust your aim with an offset club.Tiger was playing with offset clubs as an amateur.


Ok then you do not want offset. So you will have to get you something draw bias with a closed face .

Since we are on the topic just know that unless you make dramatic changes in your swing you will be a fader/slicer for the rest of your golfing career. Nothing wrong with that as it is your natural ball flight handed out to you by mother nature.

I have played with enough goold golfers and all have a tendency to miss one way or another. (hook/draw slice/fade)

Now I also know some very good players who have been playing regular shafts all their life. If you read enough on golf shafts on numerous forums and here you'll find out that stiff is not necessarily a good thing unless you got a high swing speed or very fast hands.

I once sold a Wishon driver to a friend. It was hand picked by W himself and was 2-3 closed face. My friend could not hit it without slicing the ball. I then got an offset and boom his drives were sailing down the fairway and often times drawing.

Unless you are willing to work hard on your swing I would suggest the quick fix.It will make the game a lot more enjoyable.

You should have a consolation though. You are not the only one with drivers woes:
http://forum.ottawagolf.com/forumdisplay.php?f=77

[goley]

You slice the ball because your clubface is open at impact relative to the direction you are swing the club. An offset driver will give you that extra split second to square the face. There are also lots of drivers that have a non offset but have the face closed 2 degrees or more at address. Your best bet is to find a teach that can help you control the face better and then you will b on your way to better golf. A good instructor will also be able to help you find the club that is right for you. Good luck

[jason72]

I had your problem exactly last year. Before you go out and change clubs I would really recommend talking to some of the guys here and get a good recommedation for a teacher. It has helped my game by shaving off the extra strokes like you are mentioning and when I am having a bad day I at least now have an idea where I have regressed back to. You will probably find that your existing driver will get better and the irons will follow as well. Just my 2 cents on worked for me.

[iggsplode]

thx for the input guys.. think i will stick it out for the year.. at least until i get an instructor to help me out over the winter to see what im doing right and doing wrong. im just so fed up and intimidated by this driver i consider keeping it in my bag so much now.

[jvincent]

The Rapture drivers are almost 46" long IIRC.

No offense, but I'm a 7 handicap and I wouldn't even try to hit a driver that long. It's just too hard to control. Take at least 1.5" off the end of the club and I bet you hit it a lot better.

If like most beginners you are a chronic slicer, then lessons are a good idea too.

[iggsplode]

The Rapture drivers are almost 46" long IIRC.

No offense, but I'm a 7 handicap and I wouldn't even try to hit a driver that long. It's just too hard to control. Take at least 1.5" off the end of the club and I bet you hit it a lot better.

If like most beginners you are a chronic slicer, then lessons are a good idea too.

jvincent, no offense taken whatsoever.. in fact, you've actually commented/acknowledged the point i was trying to get at.. it IS a difficult driver to use, especially for my skill level. i know i need lessons, etc. to get better, and i will this winter, it's been planned for quite some time. however, i've been saying all along that the driver is far too difficult for me to control. i make nice shots with it from time to time, but the bad shots are really bad. i was warned of it before hand by some friends and various reviews, but wanted to try it anyways.

as for slicing, i dont slice anything else on my bag, not with any sort of regularity anymore that i would in any way consider myself a chronic sliver. ive made huge strides this season in becoming a decent golfer.. i was a hack for the past 3 or 4 years and only played golf with the guys for fun.. i decided this year to take it seriously. i started the season shooting my usually 120+ with all kinds of problems that i acknowledged and subsequently worked on. alot. at the end of the season and roughly 30 rounds later i now shoot on average around 100 and even shot 95 last weekend for my best round ever, exceeding the goal i set for myself back in may. my big problem, like most days this year, was my driver failed me(or i failed my driver, however you want to look at it). i know i had a 90 round in me on sunday, everything else i was hitting was gravy, but the driver was putting me in tough spots on at least half the holes i used it on... this is the main reasoning behind wanting a different, more forgiving/controllable driver, but not offset or open/closed faced, because I dont think i need it.


sorry for the rant, but im really working on my game hard, and trying to get whats right for me to help me get better.

[jvincent]

i make nice shots with it from time to time, but the bad shots are really bad.

This is the problem with driver marketing these days. They make the clubs longer so every once in a while you hit a good one that goes longer than ever. As you are seeing the downside is you will miss a lot more unless you've got the skill to control it.

[Marcos]

The eye opener for me was going to a high trajectory driver with a V2 shaft.I had quite a few drivers in the past and could not hit them straight most of the time but since getting this TM Burner Ht, I have been more consistent. It makes sense using a higher lofted club that it is easier to hit and straighter and i have more confidence in it. All of the people I play with cant get over the difference it has made in my game. I actually gave up on drivers last year at the end of the season and went to a 15 deg. wood off the tee and thats wen i noticed i was hitting more fairways.So i tried a few drivers this year and noticed that the only one i really hit well was the high trajectory model. One less thing to worry about. Give it a try.

[KDMcC]

As far as I could see, you didn't say what the loft was on the Rapture you bought was? I did notice a comment from you in another thread saying you'd borrowed a buddy's 8.5° driver and liked it. I'm wondering whether you've just got a club without enough loft for your swing?

I can tell you that I had a 9.5° R7 that I was hitting well. I saw the Golftown Rapture clearout a few weeks back and decided to check it out (never can have enough toys). I hit a 9 ° Rapture in the store but didn't like the ball flight (too low) - although I did like the way the club felt. I was actually looking for something with a higher loft. I ordered the 10.5° Rapture and have only had it out a few times but so far I've been VERY pleased with it (typically hitting it 20 yds further than the R7).

The length of the club hasn't proven to be an issue for me but I am 6'2" tall so the extra inch on the shaft may be less of an issue for me than for someone shorter

[iggsplode]

The eye opener for me was going to a high trajectory driver with a V2 shaft.I had quite a few drivers in the past and could not hit them straight most of the time but since getting this TM Burner Ht, I have been more consistent. It makes sense using a higher lofted club that it is easier to hit and straighter and i have more confidence in it. All of the people I play with cant get over the difference it has made in my game. I actually gave up on drivers last year at the end of the season and went to a 15 deg. wood off the tee and thats wen i noticed i was hitting more fairways.So i tried a few drivers this year and noticed that the only one i really hit well was the high trajectory model. One less thing to worry about. Give it a try.

hey marcos, sounds like you were in the same boat as me. i can well imagine that id be able to easily shave a few more strokes off my game if i can get my drives to put me in a good spot off the tee.

my 2 wilson fybrids have the UST V2 shaft on them and i love those clubs. i find them so easy to hit and ive been told that that particular shaft is a huge reason those clubs are as good as they are. i had even wondered for a while a month or so ago what it would be like it i fitted my rapture with one of those shafts.. i dont know much about reshafting clubs at all so i dont know what the consequeneces, etc would be.. but it has crossed my mind a number of times.

your burner is using a 10.5 degree loft? ive thought about switching to something with a higher loft... my rapture is 9 degrees. im just afraid im going to end up with something that's going to put the ball a mile into the air.

thx for the suggestion! gonna go to GT today and talk to them for some input.

[iggsplode]

As far as I could see, you didn't say what the loft was on the Rapture you bought was? I did notice a comment from you in another thread saying you'd borrowed a buddy's 8.5° driver and liked it. I'm wondering whether you've just got a club without enough loft for your swing?

I can tell you that I had a 9.5° R7 that I was hitting well. I saw the Golftown Rapture clearout a few weeks back and decided to check it out (never can have enough toys). I hit a 9 ° Rapture in the store but didn't like the ball flight (too low) - although I did like the way the club felt. I was actually looking for something with a higher loft. I ordered the 10.5° Rapture and have only had it out a few times but so far I've been VERY pleased with it (typically hitting it 20 yds further than the R7).

The length of the club hasn't proven to be an issue for me but I am 6'2" tall so the extra inch on the shaft may be less of an issue for me than for someone shorter

hey KDMcC, my rapture is the 9 degree model.. i had never tried out the 10.5 as i bought mine used. you would be correct on the lower loft.. my buddy has a ping G2 with an 8.5 degree loft.. and i hit it fairly well the limited time i spent with it (maybe used it 15 times or so) but was really happy with how i was hitting it which is what got me thinking i needed a lower lofted driver. you may very well be right that the lofting is just too low for me to hit successfully, but how does lofting and sidespin relate to one another? i always thought the lofting would just make my tee shots low, which isn't really what im fighting as i can get the ball in the air reasonably well.. it's just where it goes from there that's the problem. :p

nice to see you having success with the 10.5.. i may try one out today to see if i notice any real difference. the rapture has a great feel to it, i WANT to like it so bad.. but it's at the point that i have 0 confidence in it..

[Chieflongtee]

Here is what you do not want to hear. The less loft the more sidesppin. Also clubs have tolerances which means you could also end up with an open face driver. The problem is still your swing though.
Here is how I would evaluate you without ever seeing you hitting a golf ball.

Driver: slice
3 wood: Slice but a little less or blocks to the rgiht and the occasional pull.
5 wood: same as 3 wood but less pronounced
3-4 irons: same as 3-5 wood
5 iron: most misses to the right but not much sidespin movement
6 irons: same
7 iron: getting straighter
8 iron: even more straighter
9 on dowen: pretty straight and the occasional pull and block

Been there done that.
Am I right in my assessment?

[Weazl]

You assesses me bang on!!!

[Marcos]

My driver is probably a 12 to 13 deg. loft i have been told so it is much easier to hit.
My son turned me on to the V2 shafts as he was fitted for one this spring and it made a huge,huge difference off the tee. I think you need to experiment with some combos and see what works for you. We all swing differently and its just a matter of seeing what works for you. You will get a lot of advice on this forum and from other stores but the best way is to get fitted and see once and for all what is best for you.Good luck with your search and keep us posted.

hey marcos, sounds like you were in the same boat as me. i can well imagine that id be able to easily shave a few more strokes off my game if i can get my drives to put me in a good spot off the tee.

my 2 wilson fybrids have the UST V2 shaft on them and i love those clubs. i find them so easy to hit and ive been told that that particular shaft is a huge reason those clubs are as good as they are. i had even wondered for a while a month or so ago what it would be like it i fitted my rapture with one of those shafts.. i dont know much about reshafting clubs at all so i dont know what the consequeneces, etc would be.. but it has crossed my mind a number of times.

your burner is using a 10.5 degree loft? ive thought about switching to something with a higher loft... my rapture is 9 degrees. im just afraid im going to end up with something that's going to put the ball a mile into the air.

thx for the suggestion! gonna go to GT today and talk to them for some input.

[KDMcC]

..but how does lofting and sidespin relate to one another? ..

Depending on your swingpath, you will impart a certain amount of both backspin and side spin to the ball at impact. If you have a good swingpath, the amount of sidespin will be minimal and the ball will fly relatively straight. Generally, a higher lofted driver will give you more backspin (much like a higher lofted iron....you probably hit your 9 iron straighter than your 4 iron).

A person with a good swing is more likely to be successful with a lower lofted driver because they launch the ball with more backspin than sidespin. It sounds like you have more of an outside-in swing (based on your slice). If you were hitting your buddy's driver well, you're capable of putting a good swing on the ball but maybe not with the consistency you'd like at this point.

If you like the feel of the club and can hit it in the air, perhaps consider a couple lessons over the winter to tune up your swing (probably cheaper than another driver).

[iggsplode]

Here is what you do not want to hear. The less loft the more sidesppin. Also clubs have tolerances which means you could also end up with an open face driver. The problem is still your swing though.
Here is how I would evaluate you without ever seeing you hitting a golf ball.

Driver: slice
3 wood: Slice but a little less or blocks to the rgiht and the occasional pull.
5 wood: same as 3 wood but less pronounced
3-4 irons: same as 3-5 wood
5 iron: most misses to the right but not much sidespin movement
6 irons: same
7 iron: getting straighter
8 iron: even more straighter
9 on dowen: pretty straight and the occasional pull and block

Been there done that.
Am I right in my assessment?

well, sort of right i guess. i really dont have many problems with any of my irons.. well, not very often at least. my only real gripe is i dont get the distance off my longer irons that id like to get. 6-w i have total confidence when making a shot.. doesnt mean i make it, but i dont expect it to be sliced or pulled, but of course, does happen from time to time. i dont use a 5w i use a fairway hybrid.. thats not so bad.. my biggest problem with that is topping it. ive never used woods before this year so it's still a learning process, but when i do hit it i hit it fairly well. my 3w i slice a bit, but same sort of deal as the hybrid.. lack of practice. i may have hit a 3w/5w 10 times in my life each..

My driver is probably a 12 to 13 deg. loft i have been told so it is much easier to hit.
My son turned me on to the V2 shafts as he was fitted for one this spring and it made a huge,huge difference off the tee. I think you need to experiment with some combos and see what works for you. We all swing differently and its just a matter of seeing what works for you. You will get a lot of advice on this forum and from other stores but the best way is to get fitted and see once and for all what is best for you.Good luck with your search and keep us posted.

went to GT yesterday and tried out a TM Burner r flex and s flex. started with the regular and hit it fairly well, but as iw armed up and my swing speed increaed the stiff was going further and straighter. i also tried the Cleveland Monster XLS yellow stiff.. SO loud.. but towards the end of my session i was smacking it long and reasonable straight.. i was havign a much easier time putting the 10.5 degree lofts into the air as expected.

i am gonna give this time before i jump into something new. take a few lessons, etc. prolly wait until i do take some lessons before i look for soemthing new.

Depending on your swingpath, you will impart a certain amount of both backspin and side spin to the ball at impact. If you have a good swingpath, the amount of sidespin will be minimal and the ball will fly relatively straight. Generally, a higher lofted driver will give you more backspin (much like a higher lofted iron....you probably hit your 9 iron straighter than your 4 iron).

A person with a good swing is more likely to be successful with a lower lofted driver because they launch the ball with more backspin than sidespin. It sounds like you have more of an outside-in swing (based on your slice). If you were hitting your buddy's driver well, you're capable of putting a good swing on the ball but maybe not with the consistency you'd like at this point.

If you like the feel of the club and can hit it in the air, perhaps consider a couple lessons over the winter to tune up your swing (probably cheaper than another driver).

i dont doubt that it is my swing path that's the problem.. not for a second. i wish i could practice more than what i can to figure it out.

i do find i can get the driver in the air.. just not overly high and i have had a few mis-hits that stay inches above the ground.. when i do hit it what i feel is well i dont get a ton of height on it.. and not overly long. even on my best drives i find myself 30 yards shorter than my friends.

how much impact does a shaft have on the driver? i do believe that this was reshafted with an Aldila VS Proto by you 60 as opposed to the 65 that you can get stock with it from Ping. would this make much of an impact? i know when i tried the Rapture at GT months ago it had a different shaft than what mine does. would reshafting make much of a difference? how easy is it to sell an old shaft pulled from a club?

[triplets]

Take some lessons, better yet get the inside approach gadget and it cure that slice as it cured mine, now I draw the ball.

[bobcat 2]

Buy an "orange whip" driver length. It will give you the feel of making a full turn and a proper downswing. Anything will do though, I especially like a long mop handle. Just unscrew it and swing. Due to its weight and length you will not come over the top and really swing back and through really get hinged at the top, which to me is the key, a full turn and fully hinged at the top. From there the downswing is easy because everything that went before is right. Golf is hard for many reasons but not least of which is the club is so light it is too easy to yank it back, lift it and throw your arms at the ball. Using a longer heavier item to swing gives you the tempo and feel of a "swing" and you can see the handle is swinging inside ti inside. I do it 10 minutes a day, its fun.