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Aiming the Driver - today's stupidest question!

Simulate your impact, and look down and see the face; is it square?

So what I mean is that if I get into my impact position of hips open 45*, shoulders 30* and get the handle over my left shoe with about 10* of right tilt to hit up on it (I feel like I'm about ready to extend up), then I look down at the driver and make sure I'm gripping it so that the face points down range. Don't regrip it, then go back to SetUp. [Check all of this in a mirror vs. a video of your swing.] What does the face look like then? It should look pretty closed, or maybe for you, if you release it a bit early or shut it down differently, it could look open....
 
It sounds like everyone has pretty much the same idea, and it's just a case of climbing outside my head and going for it. I went to the range at lunchtime today and hit dozens of drivers trying everything out. Apparently my Trackman dispersion went down from 40 to just under 30 so I obviously did something right. Although oddly enough my main misses were straight left with only a couple big carving slices. Alignment is definitely the key I think - thanks everyone!
 
TrueMotionMatt said:
Simulate your impact, and look down and see the face; is it square?

So what I mean is that if I get into my impact position of hips open 45*, shoulders 30* and get the handle over my left shoe with about 10* of right tilt to hit up on it (I feel like I'm about ready to extend up), then I look down at the driver and make sure I'm gripping it so that the face points down range. Don't regrip it, then go back to SetUp. [Check all of this in a mirror vs. a video of your swing.] What does the face look like then? It should look pretty closed, or maybe for you, if you release it a bit early or shut it down differently, it could look open....
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That is a fantastic idea, something I've never even thought of doing before. I know that the big high right comes from an open clubface, I know often the millisecond I hit the ball that it's slicing just because of how my hands feel. I'll be trying that for sure tomorrow. That is great advice though, appreciate it (y)
 
HarlettoScara said:
That is a fantastic idea, something I've never even thought of doing before. I know that the big high right comes from an open clubface, I know often the millisecond I hit the ball that it's slicing just because of how my hands feel. I'll be trying that for sure tomorrow. That is great advice though, appreciate it (y)
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Every now and then I come up with some good stuff. 😂
 
Snickerdog said:
For me I find a line and bring it back to the ball, I find a point about 2-4 feet in front of the ball and that is my aim point now. Set the driver behind the ball and then set my feet and shoulders.
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That's how I do it also, but where I aim usually has nothing to do with where the ball eventually ends up. If I could just get a consistent swing that'd be great.
 
TrueMotionMatt said:
Every now and then I come up with some good stuff. 😂
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One other thing. You really have to consider ball flight laws with the driver. When you hit up on it, that pushes path left. So a “natural” flight of a driver if your feet align with ball line is going to be a left to right shot for rightie.

Depending on your Angle of Attack AoA, you may have a path left because you hit up on the ball, so your feet might have to aim further right.
 
Snowman said:
That's how I do it also, but where I aim usually has nothing to do with where the ball eventually ends up. If I could just get a consistent swing that'd be great.
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Shush!! I've been ignoring the elephant in the room about my swing :LOL:


TrueMotionMatt said:
One other thing. You really have to consider ball flight laws with the driver. When you hit up on it, that pushes path left. So a “natural” flight of a driver if your feet align with ball line is going to be a left to right shot for rightie.

Depending on your Angle of Attack AoA, you may have a path left because you hit up on the ball, so your feet might have to aim further right.
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Now, every day is a school day! I've been working on the spine tilt a little to try and get a better AoA and hit up on the ball. All these little things that just compound the problem.

So....impact position, think about aiming slightly further to the right and swing away. Nothing to it :LOL:
 
Bernoulli said:
No such thing as a stupid question Rob. Or so they tell me. I try to align the clubface before my feet hips or shoulders.
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Ooft John, I felt very stupid at the range yesterday tying myself in knots trying to second guess everything I'd ever learned about a golf swing!
 
HarlettoScara said:
Ooft John, I felt very stupid at the range yesterday tying myself in knots trying to second guess everything I'd ever learned about a golf swing!
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Yes, I can honestly say that this game has made me feel stupid many times.
 
Bernoulli said:
Yes, I can honestly say that this game has made me feel stupid many times.
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Ditto....and many more times in the future I would imagine :LOL:
 
I never attempt to aim the driver during the swing.

Will pick my line, adjust to a point 1-3 feet in front of ball with the head and then align my body. Trying to align to my target with my body by looking left and then position club always gets me off line to start.

That spot is now second base on a baseball diamond and ill swing to impact the actual second baseman positioned between 1st and 2nd finishing the swing to my intended target. If I want to attempt a little more draw or fade, I'll adjust the infield position I go for.

Helps keep me moving to my left side and reducing opportunities for my OTT nemesis.
 
I just started doing this with great results:

I pick a spot on the tee box about 40" in front where I think I will be teeing the ball up, and then rest the head of my driver on that spot. I then stand behind the driver and line the driver shaft up with my target area and put the tee in the ground under my grip. That gives me an imaginary line from my tee to the spot that I had rested my driver head on, pointing straight at my target area. I then set up to this line. My backswing is just inside the imaginary line, my swing stays on the inside of the line and down towards the target. The result has been a mostly on target strike, with a nice draw.

Unfortunately, winter has now taken over so I will hopefully continue this next year.
 
jpotas said:
I just started doing this with great results:

I pick a spot on the tee box about 40" in front where I think I will be teeing the ball up, and then rest the head of my driver on that spot. I then stand behind the driver and line the driver shaft up with my target area and put the tee in the ground under my grip. That gives me an imaginary line from my tee to the spot that I had rested my driver head on, pointing straight at my target area. I then set up to this line. My backswing is just inside the imaginary line, my swing stays on the inside of the line and down towards the target. The result has been a mostly on target strike, with a nice draw.

Unfortunately, winter has now taken over so I will hopefully continue this next year.
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You had me at “mostly on target” I would pay good money for that at the moment!
 
I’m the last person that should comment here but I just try and make sure that my shoulders, hips (I’ve heard they don’t lie) and feet are aligned, in line with where I want the ball to go...
 
I just checked my drivers and none look open when resting on a flat surface....Ping G10, G20, G400Max, TM R1, recent Callaway Big Bertha. I'm wondering if the sole design on the Cobra is such that it sits a little open on a flat surface because in comparing the G400Max to the SZ I don't see any difference except maybe the SZ has a slightly more curved face, and I may be seeing things too. See pics below.
 

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GolfLivesMatter said:
I just checked my drivers and none look open when resting on a flat surface....Ping G10, G20, G400Max, TM R1, recent Callaway Big Bertha. I'm wondering if the sole design on the Cobra is such that it sits a little open on a flat surface because in comparing the G400Max to the SZ I don't see any difference except maybe the SZ has a slightly more curved face, and I may be seeing things too. See pics below.
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This is the SZ Xtreme sat absolutely flat on the ground, with the shaft running straight up.

Am I imagining things, or does it sit open? If nobody else sees it them I'm clearly losing the plot!!

SZ.jpg
 
HarlettoScara said:
This is the SZ Xtreme sat absolutely flat on the ground, with the shaft running straight up.

Am I imagining things, or does it sit open? If nobody else sees it them I'm clearly losing the plot!!

View attachment 8980885
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It’s an optical illusion Rob. Your mind is playing tricks on you. I suggest you have a couple pints and look at it again. 🤣🤣

And, of course, I’m only kidding. That does appear to be open.
 
Since I always play with a blue line on my ball that I use for to align my putts; I have recently turned to using it to line my shots of the tee and it works very well for me
 
OITW said:
if you hold it open it’l be open lol
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Hahahaha, that's the thing mate, I'm really not! It's sitting flat on the ground with everything completely vertical, has been playing tricks with me continually and now I can't unsee it :ROFLMAO:
 
Bernoulli said:
It’s an optical illusion Rob. Your mind is playing tricks on you. I suggest you have a couple pints and look at it again. 🤣🤣

And, of course, I’m only kidding. That does appear to be open.
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The way this week has gone John, I'll be doing precisely that! 🍻
 
HarlettoScara said:
This is the SZ Xtreme sat absolutely flat on the ground, with the shaft running straight up.

Am I imagining things, or does it sit open? If nobody else sees it them I'm clearly losing the plot!!

View attachment 8980885
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My bet is the sole design is such that it has a curvature to rest this way. I don't have any other answer! Lol.
 
I found this youtube video helpful.

 
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