Offset drivers for slice fix...

How many of you guys have bought an offset driver hoping to cure that slice of yours? I am really thinking about buying a offset driver just to give those clubs a chance... Really think they might prove to be just right for my swing. I don't slice with a 3 wood, but the driver is the only club in my bag that I am consistently slicing. I guess I am looking for advise, because for some reason I can't square up the clubface with the bigger heads on a driver....

Jason

Hi Jason,

There are 2 features that will help cure your slice (read: help close the clubface).

One is a closed face angle. The other is offset. Most drivers on the market today are built to setup at least 0.5° closed. This means that when you address the ball, the face should actually be pointing to the hook side of target - not down the target line. The 'No More Bananas' driver is 5° closed - it points way, way inside at address. But if you rotate it to square, you can slice it, too! According to Tom Wishon, if you set up your driver so that it looks straight down the target line at address, it's actually sitting open - something about an optical illusion due to the way the head is.

So, with your current driver, try letting it point obviously left of target (for a right handed golfer).

The other option is offset. If you can get used to the look (I couldn't), it can help. If you really need a ton of help, buy an offset, closed face driver.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

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.

Most of my reading seems to sugest that those with a slice are better off going with a Draw biased driver rather then an off set. (I do not have a slice problem so I maybe mistaken)

Anyway I swung a club with an off set and can tell you there is no way I could ever get used to lining the club up at address. It is I am sure a personal preference and it appears that such clubs help some people, but I would not put down the money they want for a new driver unless I tested it and was sure it was going to work.

Bob

So LowPost I need to aim the clubhead left of the target and then line up parallel with the target.....? Just the clubhead right so it looks like this? Clubhead = / ; ______ = feet?

/
______

ogallalabob

What is a good cheap Draw biased driver that I can buy just to try one out instead of having to spend buckoo bucks on another driver....?

Thanks,
Jason

Hi There,

My advice,


Spend your money on a few lessons, it really isn't that difficult to stop slicing.

Also I think slicing is miss-understood sometimes just because the ball moves left to right it isn't a slice, it a fade.

A slice is a real bad shot that starts miles left and ends up miles right.

Hope this helps

Ian.

Okay so I have a fade then... Because my ball usually goes just a little right and rolls a little right after hitting the ground. I rarely ever hit a bad slice like you are saying Ian.... Rare occassion I will though.

Jason

Now if I purposely flip over the club with the right hand I will hook a ball badly so I think I am getting somewhere maybe....

Hi Jason,

So you need to work on alinement make sure everything is square to the target, it then a matter of not rushing the shot or trying to blast the ball, it weighs about as much as a small bird, think about hitting a soft top spin shot like in tennis.

Sounds like your body is outracing the arms, especially the shoulders, you must be patient, for a good exercise when you go to the range hit your driver to the 150 marker..........................I bet you hit a draw or even a hook.


Let me know.


Ian.

The Taylormade 360xd would be one you should be able to pick up cheap to try but would not be a long term fix (hard to beat the 460 size club heads). I know someone who did slice really bad and could hit a nice steady draw with this club. This Taylor Made 300 series line seems to the companies first attempt to reposition the weight inside the club head to get a diferent shot shape.

What driver are you using now?

Because I would lean towards Ian's advice if you are playing a lot of golf and have the time to devote to your swing.

Besides a fade is not all bad, that would be how I would describe my normal tee shot. I find it is easier to control and hit the fairway with then a draw (though completely straight would be better ). I could be wrong but it appears to me that my Adams driver is a lot easier to fade the ball then to Draw it and I would guess that compared to my old Callaway and TaylorMade Drivers I used in the past it would have a slightly fade biased club head.

I am using a TaylorMade 420 Burner Stiff shaft and there are times when I can hit the daylights out of the ball and it will go dead straight... Last night at the range I did my own drill well someone else probably came up with this drill but I placed a tee 6 inches in front of the ball and made sure that I hit the tee in front and I hit a ball dead straight probably 250 yards or more give or take.... That makes me believe that I am not getting through the ball all the way heck I don't know it's frustrating it's golf though I guess....

A few more possible options. I am not an instructor, just a been there, and done that kind of guy.

Try gripping farther down on your current driver. Like maybe an inch, or more. From what you have posted, it seems you are having a timing problem due to the longer shaft of the drvier. If gripping down works for you, then start gripping "up" a little at a time, maybe an 1/8-1/4 inch at a time. When you grip "up" to where your slice returns, grip down an 1/8-1/4 inch which would be the proper grip for you and your club. Make a mark, or add a piece of tape as reference point on your grip.

Work on your follow through after impact also. Sometimes the longer club hinders one's follow through. This is my problem when your discribed problem kreeps up on me.

Sometime back weighting the problem club will solve your discribed problem. Add some weight to the butt end of your club to see if that helps. This is also called "club balancing".

If you want an offset club at a decent price, Adams Golf has an Adila shafted, offset "Ovation" driver with heel, and center back club tungsten weights on sale right now for way less than $100........GJS

My advice is to fix your swing not buy something that will encourage you to keep it the way it is. Offsets are really bad for you and will only cause inconsistency with the rest of your clubs.
Fix that swing and enjoy all your clubs then play well.

I used to slice pretty badly. Last year I tried an offset driver on a suggestion from the local golf pro. It didn't work out for me. I was still slicing. This year I changed my shaft as well as going to some HiBore technology. I've changed to the stiff flex shaft since it better matches my swingspeed and is not still loaded when the clubface contacts the ball. I think this made the biggest difference straightening out my slice. HiBore technology has probably helped some, but, I've tried the Cleveland HiBore with a regular flex shaft and I still slice that. You might want to get your swingspeed checked and go with the shaft that is right for your speed. Keep in mind, this is not professional advice, but, it worked for me.

__________________
Golf is a game of inches. 36 inches = 1 yard
I think you put that one about 2160 inches too far right. LOL

Classic Tour Highly High Bore (Cleveland HiBore clone) 10.5 degree, Gramman TP440 stiff 3.5 torque shaft
KZG Maraging Power 9.5 degree steel shaft #1 "fairway wood"
Knight Virage woods, irons and wedges
Knight putter
Cheapest double titanium balls I can find. lol

Guys,

Focusing on Following through Helped me more than anythings else to stop slicing. I think alot of Slicers do what I did without realzing it; they stop swinging after contact. Really focus on swinging easy and following through will cure the slice for the most part.

Barry