How to find the center of the driver face?

badolds

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I am usually out on the toe of the driver so I line up on the heel to compensate. Saturday at my lesson I was hitting weak fades off of the heel and no matter how much I tried to compensate everything was heel side. Yesterday I went to the driving range and my normal toe side miss was back.

How do you keep it in the center?
 
I have to set up with the ball out towards the toe and that will get me back to center when I swing. I sometimes find myself reaching for the ball to much at setup.
 
I wish i knew the clear simple answer for that one. i suppose its only a product of a repeatable good swing vs an inconstant one. Though i do suppose its very common for folks to repeat a swing with regularity while being a bit toe or heel sided too.
 
IMO, too much lateral movement of the hips and not maintaining spine angle are the biggest contributors to inconsistent contact with the driver. As we age and we lose flexibility in our hamstrings and hip flexors(and everywhere else!) it gets a lot tougher to maintain spine angle. A age 54, I have to stretch a few days a week just to be able to keep my body flexible enough to maintain spine angle through impact. 15 years ago I didn’t have to stretch at all.
 
I think Tahoebum is spot on with the causes.

An easy drill to self correct involves using tees to make a gate to swing through:

impact-drill-lg.jpg
 
I wish I knew. Lately my misses have been equal opportunity. Some off the toe and some off the heel. It feels, looks and goes so darn awesome when I do find it.
 
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Found the center better at my lesson today. He changed the way I addressed the ball. I hope it stays this way for a while!!
 
It's amazing how shortening the shaft 1/2"-1" can help you strike the driver more solidly, often increasing overall distance via the solid contact.
 
It's amazing how shortening the shaft 1/2"-1" can help you strike the driver more solidly, often increasing overall distance via the solid contact.

Very true for me. I haven’t played a driver over 44.5” ever which means every OEM driver has to be shortened to fit me.
 
I've heard about some better golfers shortening drivers to 44" and getting 1) improved ball speed; 2) tighter shot dispersion. 45" - 45.5" is too long for most people. I know I couldn't get more than 205 yds with my GBB Epic. When I cut the shaft I gained 20 yds. carry
 
I've heard about some better golfers shortening drivers to 44" and getting 1) improved ball speed; 2) tighter shot dispersion. 45" - 45.5" is too long for most people. I know I couldn't get more than 205 yds with my GBB Epic. When I cut the shaft I gained 20 yds. carry

Same here. Shorter shaft = more center face hits = longer and straighter.
 
Have you tried giving the club to @Canadan? That’s about the only way I’d ever find the center. ?
 
IMO, too much lateral movement of the hips and not maintaining spine angle are the biggest contributors to inconsistent contact with the driver. As we age and we lose flexibility in our hamstrings and hip flexors(and everywhere else!) it gets a lot tougher to maintain spine angle. A age 54, I have to stretch a few days a week just to be able to keep my body flexible enough to maintain spine angle through impact. 15 years ago I didn’t have to stretch at all.
I agree and have been taught alot of what you mention via instruction. But im always inventing new flaws...lol

I often joke when on the first tee especially if i hadnt had much a chance of stretching and loosening up........sometimes as single there can be an openning right away. This can be a blesing or a curse. A blessing cause im not waiting an hr to play or a curse because I have to run and its like "go get your clubs and everything and get to the tee". No stretching , no lossening up. but rush to the car, get my clubs and cart and rush to join a shorthanded group at the tee... You get there and out of breath and heart is pumping and unrelaxed, and after you hit its like ..........."ooh i think i just broke two ribs and pulled four muscles" . You hit a poor one and so now uyou got to rush a bit to go find the ball and hit again,etc...it can take a couple holes to calm down a bit. lol

There have been times i passed on the quick offer just for this reason. Id rather wait and go loosen up and swing and putt a bit. But when there is no good chance I will get out again for a solid hr or more I have to at those times jump on the quick offer and hence stuck with the rushing and stiffness and all.
 
Perfect timing on this thread as i am dealing with this now. I tend to be more towards the heel side. I am going to try gripping way down for a bit but searching for a shoter shaft to try out.
 
Perfect timing on this thread as i am dealing with this now. I tend to be more towards the heel side. I am going to try gripping way down for a bit but searching for a shoter shaft to try out.

I hate the heel. dead weak fades. What happens if you line up on the toe at address?
 
I hate the heel. dead weak fades. What happens if you line up on the toe at address?

Just started that last week will work on that again at my lesson Friday. How did he change how you addressed the ball?
 
When I was a kid, I was bitching to the club pro where I was playing about hitting the ball off the toe.

He didn't even look at me, just said "stand closer to the damn ball".
 
I hover at address and would set my grip and distance from the ball while hovering. He had me set the club on the ground behind the tee'd up ball in the center of the clubface and then set my grip and feet. I then lift the club up to ball and start my backswing. When I lift the club up to the ball it appears toward the heel to my eye. I know most golfers do not hover at address so I am not sure if this applies.
 
Perfect timing on this thread as i am dealing with this now. I tend to be more towards the heel side. I am going to try gripping way down for a bit but searching for a shoter shaft to try out.

I am not an instructor or anything close, but sometimes I tend to hit it towards the heal. I have found if I just back up a little -as in addressing the ball a little further away, it solves my problem.
 
I am usually out on the toe of the driver so I line up on the heel to compensate. Saturday at my lesson I was hitting weak fades off of the heel and no matter how much I tried to compensate everything was heel side. Yesterday I went to the driving range and my normal toe side miss was back.

How do you keep it in the center?

I’m no help. I dunno if I’ve ever hit the center of the clubface with driver.
 
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