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Hovering driver head

I rest it as well. I tried hovering once and it didn't feel right
 
I do, and it works for me, it's more of a waggle thing for me. Keeps me loose and not thinking as much.
 
I can see both sides to this.

I can see where hovering for some is good to create just enough of a firm grip. To allow a smooth take away along with no ground interference. and to allow a free waggle and stay loose. And also eliminate a possible fatty.

But I can also see the downsides. Too much grip and tension, uncertaintly in guessing how high the club is and having to hold it there and also worry you will bring it back to the same spot all which can further add to tension, another variable, and not staying loose. And conversly to the fatty may actually lead to the possible topper just the same.

So every one of the posistives also has a negative flipside for either way. Some will to do it and find the posistives while others will experience the negatives. Which means for them they will find the positives in grounding it instead. I think its whatever way one is more comfy at doing for any of us is what counts most.
 
tgtt said:
I did it for awhile. Buddies noticed that as I constantly regripped, like Sergio, I would start my backswing as the club tested on the ground before I had a solid handle on the club. It was causing the club head to turn. I don't hover anymore but did to break that habit.
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I had a buddy that was re-gripping just as he started his backswing. Awfulest shanks you've ever seen. I noticed it and told him. He had no clue.

It took a conscience effort to stop but it fixed his driving almost immediately.


I have another buddu who "hovers" his driver, but with a major forward press. Its an ugly back and thru swing, but he finds a lot of fairways.
 
Jman said:
Tell me about it...

Wait, we're talking drivers? :alien:

I don't, I've oft considered trying it longer term as I think it would keep me more loose and tension free, but, as of now I do not.
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Yes I should have said I meant with the driver really...
 
I do it. The purpose behind it, as I understand it, is to make you less inclined to snatch the club back as you start your backswing. Because there's constant tension, but no more than necessary, holding up the club, you're never totally relaxed, which makes it easier to have a smooth takeaway than if you're totally relaxed. That's how I look at it.
 
Tried it and didn't like it. Just feels wrong to me.
 
I've tried it with my drive and don't like it. But I'm forced to do it with almost all my wedges because I tend to drag them on the backswing, causing them to catch on the grass and give me a hitch. Since you have to hover on bunker shots or from hazards, I just got used it with almost all wedges and when I stopped thinking about it, I was fine.
 
Had a very good driving round today, after I remembered to do it! I only hit half the fairways, but I was killing my drives today, and the misses were manageable, nothing penal.
 
Ive never tried and to be honest ive never thought of trying on the course either, maybe I might have to.
 
Smallville said:
Had a very good driving round today, after I remembered to do it! I only hit half the fairways, but I was killing my drives today, and the misses were manageable, nothing penal.
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This continues to work, and now that I am making sure I am doing it, I think it will be easier to keep doing it without thinking about it.
 
Thedoswells said:
Does anyone do this like e.g. Matt Kuchar?
ive tried and it makes me more tense so I can't put a good swing on it.
a friend of mine also about a 12 hcp swears by it...
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I actually do this on all shots (as I'm a bit of a digger)... was struggling with fat shots a few years back, and read a tip from the golden bear in a golf mag... may not be the pinnacle of good form... but it works for me
 
IceyShanks said:
I do, and it works for me, it's more of a waggle thing for me. Keeps me loose and not thinking as much.
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Yep, I agree with this post, I have always hovered as it relaxes my swing and I know that the face angle has not changed by resting the driver on the ground. It is a confidence thing.
 
I worked on this today at the range.

I first started with my driver, and then I tried it with my 3W and hybrid. The results were very impressive. Contact was much more solid, and everything was on a much better path.

Even on shots from the turf the contact seemed much better over all when I was hovering over the ball.

Not sure what the reasoning is behind it is, but it definitely worked for me. I'm going to keep working on this.
 
Tried it, but it felt very strange. I may try it with a waggle as Icey said.
 
Not with my driver/woods/hybrid, but I always hover my irons
 
I only hover when hitting from a hazard, normal shots I lightly ground the club.
 
I hover with my driver. I feel like I get though the ball better when I do. I started doing it because Jack Nicklaus did it.
 
I hover the driver. It's not so much to help you stay loose as it is more of a way to provide consistent tension and grip pressure. When the club is place on the ground, some golfers will relax their grip. Then, at takeaway, the tighten their grip. I used to ground my driver. But, after seeing how successful Nicklaus and Norman were, I tried it out and had more consistency.
 
staticline said:
I hover the driver. It's not so much to help you stay loose as it is more of a way to provide consistent tension and grip pressure. When the club is place on the ground, some golfers will relax their grip. Then, at takeaway, the tighten their grip. I used to ground my driver. But, after seeing how successful Nicklaus and Norman were, I tried it out and had more consistency.
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Think I may give it another try then thanks
 
I tried this years ago and it felt really weird. Never realized so many people did it. Thinking I might give it another go.
 
I do this all the time, and since doing it I have seen more consistent shots on the center of the face than anytime before. Kc720 pushed me to do this because I was always popping the ball up alot and hitting on top of the face. This has really helped me.
 
Another hovering day, another very good driving day. Hit 8 of 12 fairways today, and my misses, which were more severe than they have been lately, were in nice spots.
 
I tried this for a short time, but found it to be less consistent for me. I found better consistency by ground the driver head several inches behind the ball. This allows more time for me to close the club face before impact and allows me to have a positive angle of attack.

Before I fought a major slice and was 0/14 fairways some rounds. This new method for me combined with a heavier x-stiff shaft has improved my drives to between 10/14 and 12/14 FIR with mis-hits being close to the fairway. It has also improved my distance with my average jumping from 220 to 250 and my longest marked/confirmed drive being 276 now.
 
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