New Driver or New Swing?

[ill]

I stopped at a Golf Galaxy the other day to check out the new Ping G Driver and maybe the G30. I have a TM R1 that I can't seem to hit and was hoping to get something a little more forgiving.

The salesman there took me to the screen to hit a couple balls and immediately said something about my grip being wrong and that I was standing too far from the ball, which could be what is causing my massive slice/fade. This comes off as an easy fix that I just need to engrave into my game.

Also, he told me to get Ben Hogan's book. Gonna do that...

He then handed me a Callaway XR16 driver to try and I hit a slight fade. I have never hit a fade. I don't know how much I was messing with my stance and all that during the swing, but the computer said it was a fade.

So I am faced with the question:

do I buy this driver and see what I can do with it AND fix my swing?

or do I just try to fix my swing through lessons and play with the settings on my R1 until I get it right?

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I stopped at a Golf Galaxy the other day to check out the new Ping G Driver and maybe the G30. I have a TM R1 that I can't seem to hit and was hoping to get something a little more forgiving.

The salesman there took me to the screen to hit a couple balls and immediately said something about my grip being wrong and that I was standing too far from the ball, which could be what is causing my massive slice/fade. This comes off as an easy fix that I just need to engrave into my game.

Also, he told me to get Ben Hogan's book. Gonna do that...

He then handed me a Callaway XR16 driver to try and I hit a slight fade. I have never hit a fade. I don't know how much I was messing with my stance and all that during the swing, but the computer said it was a fade.

So I am faced with the question:

do I buy this driver and see what I can do with it AND fix my swing?

or do I just try to fix my swing through lessons and play with the settings on my R1 until I get it right?

If you enjoy playing golf and want to go to another scoring level and the tee ball is preventing you from doing that...I'd get the lessons.

I was in a similar boat about 7/8 years ago...my nice 260+ yd draw had turned into an ugly hook...that might go 200 yds, but was not in play enough to break 90. I finally had enough and got a lesson...the fix was surprisingly easy, but it still took about 10-15 large buckets to get "over" it.

 

[ill]

I mean, hitting into a net for 15 minutes with the sales guy gave me enough to think that I definitely could use a lesson and I am planning on doing that regardless.

I just don't think now is the best time to buy a driver if I am doing that.

 

[fknhippie]

I'm not a great golfer, but I know a shitty carpenter doesn't get better by getting a new hammer. Lessons first, who knows, your current driver might be good enough to keep using.

 

[ill]

I'm not a great golfer, but I know a shitty carpenter doesn't get better by getting a new hammer. Lessons first, who knows, your current driver might be good enough to keep using.

that's my thought. There are times when I hit it really well, but I am pretty sure most of my problem is coming from my swing, not the club.

Plus the fucking thing has more adjustments then my truck, so I should STILL be able to set it to fit my swing if I can't fix the latter.

 

[NEhomer]

You can change your swing without lesson. What you have to do is to do things differently. If you have a slice, you're cutting across the target line.

Stop doing that.

 

[NEhomer]

 

[ill]

You can change your swing without lesson. What you have to do is to do things differently. If you have a slice, you're cutting across the target line.

Stop doing that.

and I think I am cutting across the target line because I am standing too far away from the ball. But I needed someone to tell me that, thus a lesson is needed.

 

[NEhomer]

and I think I am cutting across the target line because I am standing too far away from the ball. But I needed someone to tell me that, thus a lesson is needed.

Maybe, and I'm not putting down the notion of a lesson. Just suggesting that if you keep hitting slices while you keep doing the same thing over and over, well, you'll keep slicing over and over.

Distance from the ball may be a factor but there are others that produce a cut as well.

Good luck with it and by all means, take a lesson but you might try some self discovery too.

 

[ill]

Maybe, and I'm not putting down the notion of a lesson. Just suggesting that if you keep hitting slices while you keep doing the same thing over and over, well, you'll keep slicing over and over.

Distance from the ball may be a factor but there are others that produce a cut as well.

Good luck with it and by all means, take a lesson but you might try some self discovery too.

I have been going the self-discovery route for the last few years, but I think I am missing the obvious cause. I don't know why any of my friends don't say something or try to correct me if they are seeing something. I guess that is part of etiquette on the course. No one is there for a lesson.

I just can't tweak my grip anymore and think that will work. It's definitely something else.

 

[fknhippie]

I have been going the self-discovery route for the last few years, but I think I am missing the obvious cause. I don't know why any of my friends don't say something or try to correct me if they are seeing something. I guess that is part of etiquette on the course. No one is there for a lesson.

I just can't tweak my grip anymore and think that will work. It's definitely something else.

I tried fixing my swing by myself as well and it never worked for long. Took a lesson and found out most of my issues were on the first part of the backswing...fuck up there and you'll never have a good swing.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Also, you need hybrid clubs.

 

[ill]

I tried fixing my swing by myself as well and it never worked for long. Took a lesson and found out most of my issues were on the first part of the backswing...fuck up there and you'll never have a good swing.

and that's some shit that I think is pretty difficult to identify on your own.

My dad was always trying to get me to adjust my grip, saying my grip was too open, which led to my hands opening up. I know it has to be something else.

 

[ill]

Also, you need hybrid clubs.

can't find that cat reading the paper meme for hybrid clubs. Bummed.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Maybe, and I'm not putting down the notion of a lesson. Just suggesting that if you keep hitting slices while you keep doing the same thing over and over, well, you'll keep slicing over and over.

Distance from the ball may be a factor but there are others that produce a cut as well.

Good luck with it and by all means, take a lesson but you might try some self discovery too.

There are a lot of bad golf instructors out there and I've run into a couple...unless you are totally new to golf or have fucked up fundamentals across the board, a good instructor will generally have the fix in one lesson.

From my experience, it literally takes 100s maybe even 1000s of swings to really ingrain a swing change. They really don't even have to be hitting ball...properly executed air swings are fine. That said, most of the time will be spent trying to ingrain the change.

 

[TheStarOne]

all day long....swing fix .........grip is the first fix......distance from the ball is a big deal........stance is a big deal.......tempo is a big deal

It doesn't matter what kind of driver you have.......if there are basic fundamental flaws in your setup.

I was always taught, by watching golf videos, a house is built by, starting with a good foundation.

driving ranges are the place for experimenting.........not playing a golf course.

And watch golf instruction videos, before taking lessons.........

 

[ill]

all day long....swing fix .........grip is the first fix......distance from the ball is a big deal........stance is a big deal.......tempo is a big deal

It doesn't matter what kind of driver you have.......if there are basic fundamental flaws in your setup.

I was always taught, by watching golf videos, a house is built by, starting with a good foundation.

driving ranges are the place for experimenting.........not playing a golf course.

And watch golf instruction videos, before taking lessons.........

why do you us so many unnecessary commas?

 

[TheStarOne]

why do you us so many unnecessary commas?

I get paid by character.

 

[Roy Munson]

can't hurt to get a lesson... says the guy who hasn't had one since high school.


I hit everything they had at Dick's the other week and really liked the G.
The weight is so far back that its really forgiving, but doesn't give up too much compared to other drivers. I hit it a little shorter than the XR16, but I was right down the middle with it every time.

 

[MTVike]

can't hurt to get a lesson... says the guy who hasn't had one since high school.


I hit everything they had at Dick's the other week and really liked the G.
The weight is so far back that its really forgiving, but doesn't give up too much compared to other drivers. I hit it a little shorter than the XR16, but I was right down the middle with it every time.

I remember in the earlier days of the internet, when my sister googled Dick's to look for soccer gear for my BIL. Not what she saw on the first hit.