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I'm still learning to hit my driver. Having used a 2-iron for driving for several years, my Integra SoooLong driver with a Harrison Striper R-flex shaft feels like I'm holding a fly rod.

I'm increasingly swinging harder every year and I've noticed that when I really clobber a drive it goes right - often really far right. (Yes, I'm righthanded.)

On my backswing I tend to cheat a bit because I'm not as flexible as I used to be. A friend, who used to be a club pro, played with me the other day and said that I go back as far as I can and then "cock" the club back a little further, hinging my wrists upward.

The problem is that I don't hit very hard when I don't cock the club back. It doesn't even feel right. The cock has become part of my swing.

So I see two possibilities. One, I need a stiff shaft. Two, I need to deal with the cock, possibly by closing the club face and/or aiming left of the target, or by getting rid of the cock altogether.

Even so, mechanically speaking I don't understand why the cock is causing a slice.

There is one other possibility, I suppose, that I have an out-to-in swing path, which may be connected to the cock or to an incorrect back swing, or who knows?

Help!

- k

the "cock" at the top of your swing may be causing your hands and wrists to steer the club open. if you notice david duval at the top of his swing, he creates an acute angle at the top of his swing, which is probably what your wrists are doing when you cock them. an acute angle between hands and wrists means the clubface is open. the reason duval gets away with it is due to his really strong grip.

try strengthening your grip, or straighting out the angle of your wrist at the top of your swing.

hope that helps.

You have heard this a million times but the only solution is to see a golf pro and get a lesson. After getting lessons go to the driving range many times to apply and learn the lessons. You will get many pointers or thoughts from your buddies or peers and that will really screw up your swing and make the game frustrating in the end.

not long ago i found something similar in my game
under pressure i wasnt un"cocking" early enuff on the downswing .
comes back to being relaxed and of course timing
you could try a little drill - do your backswing then down TO the ball uncocking at the ball "stopping at the ball"
it will ingrain the correct timing hopefully
now when you play-just relax -think target , and trust your swing

you should have some wrist cock in your swing, excessiveness is going to start causing some problems. If you look at the pros swing their wrists are still cocked almost before contact with the ball. If you uncock your wrists to early in the swing you'll hit those fat and thin shots. If you are just pushing the shot out to the right then you have an inside out swing path just an open clubface at impact. You'll know when you have an outside in swing path because the dreaded "banana ball" will pop up or you'll just pull the shot to the left depending on the club face at impact.

What I've been told to do when you're pushing shots is to basically try to swing straight back and straight through, you're more or less coming from to much inside to out.

Another thing I was taught the other day that seems really weird I know but it worked for me was to put all your weight on your left leg (assuming you're right handed) and swing like you normally would. The less the loft on the club, the less weight on your left leg. So with a driver you don't really want every bit of weight on your left leg, but as you get into your wedge put probably 80% of the weight on your left leg...this helped me with the pushed shots and thin shots...you should hit everything more crisp as you'll have a more decending blow into the ball from the weight on your left leg.

Just my two cents from what I was taught...take it for what its worth.

Here are a few things too help:

1. Check out that you are lined up correctly.

2. Start your backswing by turning your body and letting the hands go with this turn as if the turn is taking the club back not your hands. As you do this let the club stay low to the ground for about 12" prior to going about the rest of your backswing.

3. Think of the cock as a hinge an let it just happen, don't force it (the cock is called a set and everyone sets the club at different times in the backswing).

4. On the forward swing think of stoking though where the ball lies for about 6 to 8" after the ball leave the face of the club and then finish in balance and stand there for about 3 secounds.

Note: This will build a better swing path and allow the club to square up at impact easier if you don't over think what your wrist should do.

Good Luck

You have the same problem as the Tiger...go to the range and work on hitting good shots, not hard ones...allow the club to do the work. Really try to relax at the top and focus on accelerating through the impact area but don't swing so hard. What you're doing is called "blocking out". If you will relax at the top and give the club a little more time to get back to address (with acceleration) you'll be amazed at the power you discover.

One question: Would you rather be long in the woods or shorter in the fairway?


Shade

This quote is great. I agree that a hard muscle effort well decelerate the club, and shorten the swing. Club head speed Is what must be generated for distance and lack of tension and a well balanced swing is what allows that to happen.

Shade: One question: Would you rather be long in the woods or shorter in the fairway?

Reminds me of the ole joke: I am hitting the woods great, but having trouble getting out of them...