re: Being consistent with my driver

When I slow down my tempo, I cast worse and I feel out of sync.

it took a lot of work for me to get the feel right because I'd played only baseball for so long. I used to come down very steep with hip sway. I rarely hit a driver back then but I only played a couple times a year.

I'm describing problems I had and sometimes come up depending on the shot I'm trying to hit. Talking maybe once or twice a round.

Can you describe your routine for setting up to the ball?

Slow it down and smooth it out.

280 in the fairway > 300 in the trees.

Admittedly since I got older I can't whip it past parallel at the top anymore, but since I slowed the takeaway down I can still hit it 260 and I'm hitting about 80% of my fairways. My misses are pretty close the majority of the time I do miss.

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You are scoring low for someone without control of driver and mid irons. Must be a heck of a putter.

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I'm not saying I have absolutely no control, just that if I'm hitting a mid iron my next shot is often a chip not a putt

Biggest key for me on the driver is alignment and set up. With the ball further up in the stance, it's easy to have your shoulders face in towards the ball and not square with your line. This is the cause of most people's problems chopping across the ball or coming in too steep. First thing I check when my driver gets lost is set up and making sure everything is in line with my target and not the ball.

Also, some problem come from being too far from the ball at address. Both arms should hang directly down perpendicular to the ground. The more they stretch out the more likely you are to bring the club back too flat causing you to chop across the ball creating a strong pull or slice.

Also keep the left hip out in front of your hands at address.

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Looking at your swing from down the line, imagine a brick wall from the heel of your right foot, going straight up. Make sure at the top of your swing that your hands get to the wall, which would be depth. On the first move down, don't let your hands leave the wall, they should drop straight down the wall as your body begins to turn. In actuality, this won't happen but it'll feel that way. You'll start to hit some inside-out push slices, then you can work on fixing the clubface to straighten it out.

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Thanks. I'll try this next time I go to the range. I think if have a slow motion video of my swing I'll try to throw up here when I get home tonight.

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Trying to manipulate the clubface with your hands and wrists is not the way to go and will never end well

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So, what's the best way to make sure the club face is square through impact? Grip? I think my grip may be too weak, which doesn't help.

I need to take a lesson or two.

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My problem is the oldest one in golf. On the range, my drives are flawless. 280 with a little draw. I can draw or fade on demand. There are times where I put the driver back in the bag because I can't find anything else to work on. However, when I step on to the first tee, that consistency suddenly vanishes. In my head, everything changes. This shot suddenly counts and the pressure starts to build. Push right. Hook Left. The frustration mounts and the problem and pressure only get worse with every hole.

It's 100% mental with me and I don't feel that way about any other shot on the course. Like many of you, if I could just get the ball in the fairway, life would be so much easier.

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this is why golf is the greatest game on Earth.

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Any tips for topping with a driver?

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Could be as simple as the ball too far forward in your stance. Move the ball back a little and see what happens.

Could be goat humpin', which is when your midsection moves closer to the ball in the downswing, causing you to get taller into Impact. Try taking some swings and feel like there's a wall against your arse, keep your arse on the wall through transition and into the downswing. That'll keep you from standing up.