I tried S/T for driver but just didn't work. But I kept hearing in the back of my head Tom S. saying one swing for ALL clubs. I tried my own way for the driver and got moderate results, some in the fairway and some not. Not satisfied with "some". So I visited the school where Tom added some driver videos and I thought I'd try S/T again for driver, works so well with the iron it has to be my implementation of S/T for the driver. I think the hardest part of the driver is the club being long makes the feel so different.
Here's what I did to use S/T for the driver.
Reviewed Tom's video's on the driver.
Went to Dicks Sporting Goods and got a bag of golf nerf balls for practice, actually the flight is realistic of my general direction. If I'm off I usually slice and see that in my yard. The balls only go about 20-30 yards but very accurate and I can practice often.
Closed up my stance. My way was wide, but wide was keeping me from bringing my hips to the target.
KEEP eyes on the ball - really helped me
Biggest thing was probably changing my grip. I was 10 fingers but i thought I'd try the "overlap" style. Guess what - really helped. I think for me the overlap helped with keeping the face more square at impact point than 10 fingers. This also helped with the irons also.
Have to start the hole in the fairway to give yourself a decent chance so the driver is sooooo important.
Tom Miller
Well played, @tom miller! I really like the way you are intelligently and methodically going about this, testing slight adjustments without reengineering your swing to see if any benefits can be gained. You are certainly on a great track!
Played 18 yesterday, scored 90. Front 9 eye was focused in FRONT of ball, 5 out 7 fairways, misses where slight left as I'm a lefty. But just not comfortable so I went back to focus on ball. Hitting the fairways pretty well, just have to work on bringing the hips through on the downswing and follow through as even the ones in the fairway have a slight spin causing a small slice, so I losing some yardage because of the spin.
Just wanted to add a modification to step 4 above. Not sure why I tried this but instead of really focusing on the ball, I would line the club up on the ball, but just before I start the "takeaway move" I moved my focus about 6 inches in FRONT of the ball. Straight as an arrow. Even when I swing with all I have, it's straight. Usually swinging hard causes an open face thus a slice. Not now. This was practicing in my yard but the golf "nerf balls" are really indicative of the ball flight on the range or course.
Hi Handicapper Here—-S/T was mostly working except with my Driver. So, last Sunday, being as impatient a golfer as I am, I dusted off my old driver swing. Had fair success but my irons went absolutely the wrong way. Shot a 108. It threw Everything off. Yesterday I went back to the failsafe. Lesson 2.8. 100 balls of getting that feel back. Maybe 20% of them using the 2.8 drill with my Driver. Tom would not be surprised. 2.8 worked for my Driver and on a fuller swing I was straight, just a little fade. To adjust moved the ball a little farther up in my stance. That did the trick. Morale to the story? S/T can and does work. You just have to stick with it for every club.
Well said, @tom miller!! Thanks for posting.
While it may take a little longer to get comfortable with the longer clubs, it does all come together and the vast majority of folks will hit the ball longer and straighter than they did previously. A big part of that process is eliminating the thought of "hitting up on the ball", as this erroneous advice has caused many an amateur significant issues with their driver. (Believe it or not the PGA Tour average with the driver is actually minus (e.g.: downward) 1.3 degrees - nearly level but slightly down nonetheless!)
Very encouraging indeed! Thanks for the insight!