Long Game

Just new to the site but I have someone can help and clear some problems/queries up.

I'm 17 and have been playing golf for just over a year now. I'm playing off 23 officially but I rarely play competitions due to other responsibilities so I am known as the 'Junior Bandit'. I have worked hard on my swing and can hit my 6 iron to lob wedge as well as single figure handicappers but I am having trouble with my long game.

My first problem is with my driver. It's only the club I slice. When I go for it, I hit it a good distance but half the time it tails off into trees or deep rough. When I go for it easier it goes straight but it goes quite low. I use a regular shaft and lower handicapper say I should change to a stiff shift due to my swing speed. I'm unsure and I don't know if this causes me any problems. I hope someone has any ideas regarding my driver, would be greatly appreciated.

My second problem is with my 3, 4 and 5 irons. It is mainly my 3 and 4 irons. I either hit it ok, it blocks out to the right and goes a medium to low trajectory, or I pull it to the left with the same trajectory. Where do you position the ball for your long irons? I play it about in from my left heel. One person told me that he tried to hit down with his long irons. Is this what should be done?

Thanks very much for any help.

Great site by the way. Great tips. Better than spending money on a golf instructor !

Yes you should have your long irons towards the front of your stance and you should hit down on them. I dont know what to tell you about eh inconsistencies. You need to become consistent either slicing or hooking or hitting straight.

What is your swing speed, and what shaft are you playing in your driver?

Blocks are usually caused by not clearing your hips - you haven't rotated through enough, and are now left with no choice but to hit right.

Try moving the ball back one ball, and see if it doesn't help keep you from going right.

Yes, hit down with all your irons. There should be divots when you're done.

Don't underestimate the value of a qualified instructor. I started playing this game without physical instruction (gleaning info from the web and magazines, etc).

I turned the corner with a few lessons from a CPGA pro.

In fact, I go this Tuesday for another tweak.

Here's to dropping long putts!

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I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

When I was buying my 3-wood the professional measured my speed at 90mph but I was swinging slower than I usually do due to a slight back problem (caused by to many hours on cheap school chairs and stools !) I would say it's about 100-105 mph. I play a regular shafted driver. My 3-wood I hit consistant, 240 yards on a good day with no wind (is that a good distance?!) I do have a tendancy to lose it out to the right but not often.

I live in an insolated area (an island) and have no Teaching Professionals which is a shame. That's why I made the comment about this site being better than a lesson. I guess I would think differently if I had the opportunity to have lessons.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone have any drills?

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Quit Work Play Golf.com!

Instaed of making the just to a stiff flex, try a firm flex. This is in between the reg and stiff. If you find that this is still too 'whippy', you can always pull the shaft and tip it to a stiff flex.

Check the kickpoint on your shaft - a high kickpoint will create a low trajectory.

I had the same problem for a while but only with fairway woods and driver not long irons. I used to tee off with a 1 iron. I found out that I was not swing my woods flat enough. Check your swing plane with the longer irons you need a flatter swing.

Thats why you play them up in your stance

Hi! I am also having the same problem with my driver. One thing you have to notice is your club head position at the impact. Try it on a slow down swing and see the club face at the impact. If you are slicing consitently then your club face will be open. To fix this you have to make sure that at back swing you take your club parrallel to the ground for as much of didtance as possible befor you lift it up and at the top of back swing you left forearm and the back of your left wrist should be parallel to the target line.

I am trying to work on it. I seems to be working. Be slow to begin with.

best of luck