Is your driving not up to scratch

If your driver accuracy stats are not up to scratch then its maybe time to have a look at the weapon you are using. Were you fitted for your driver, or was it an off the shelf purchase of what you though you would suit you?

The most common faults I tend to see with driver selection are,

1. Too long a shaftIf you swing the club from Out to In then a shaft that is longer than 45 inches may be losing you both distance and accuracy. What is very interesting is the length of driver being used by Tour pro’s in relation to the length of “Retail” drivers. The average length of drivers in the retail market is 45.5 inches, with some getting up to 46.5 inches, where the average length of driver on both the European and US Tours is only 44.5 inches. Tiger Woods has been known to use a 43.5inch driver. The theory is very simple, the further the clubhead is away from you, then the more difficult it is to hit out of the middle of the clubhead (regardless of whether you are Tiger Woods or Joe Hacker). For every few millimetres the ball misses the centre of the clubhead there is a loss of distance and accuaracy (the exact amount depends upon your clubhead speed). Therefore if you use a length of driver which makes it easier for you to make centre hits then you can actually gain both length and accuracy.

2. Too little loftIf you tend to slice the ball then it is unlikely that you should be using a driver with a loft of less than 10.5 degrees, and more likely you should be using 11.5 degrees or more. Loft is your friend and not your enemy as many players believe. If you create a lot of slice spin then you will need plenty of backspin to counteract this and keep your ball in play. If your clubhead speed is less than 85 miles per hour then 10.5 degrees is unlikely to be enough loft to achieve your maximum distance off the tee.

3. Wrong shaft flexMany players are using shafts which are too stiff for their swing speed and swing style. Here is a very simplistic shaft selection scale to help you choose. Most Pro Shops will have a swing speed monitor of some sort which can help you decide on appropriate shaft flex.

Driver swing speed,

70-80mph = A flex/senior/light flex

80-90mph = Regular flex

90-100mph = Stiff Flex

100+mph = Extra Stiff

The best advice I can give you on driver selection, is to go and visit your local PGA Professional. He is trained in the art of custom fitting golf clubs, and his knowledge and understanding of both golf equipment and the golf swing is invaluable. Remember that the most expensive driver you ever buy will be the one that doesn’t suit you!

Niall McGill

www.LowerYourScores.com

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