Illustrated guide to Put a Lead Tape on a Driver

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

By using and changing lead tape placement, you can change your ball flight.

 

This might be a quick cure for most golfers. But there are players who started to hit much better driver shots after putting lead tape.

 

Putting lead tape on your driver head can dramatically change the way you feel driver head at address and during the swing.

 

1 & 2 Prevents slice

3 & 6 Prevents hooks

4 Lowers the center of gravity

5 Helps you to hit higher

 

Good thing about lead tape is you can take it off and put it on again.

 

So try experimenting with it and find the spot that suits your swing.

 

In general, the lead tape is for slight adjustment. It can't change your slice into a draw.

 

But by focusing on the spot put your lead tape on, it can make a difference to your golf swing.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/how-to-use-lead-tape-on-driver.htm

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Can't Hit the Driver?

Drivers may be the hardest club to hit in your bag. Many players do well from the wedge to 3 wood but can't hit the driver.

 

They may be doing something different with a driver. So try to think what you are doing differently with a driver compared to your 3 wood.

 

The common faults with a driver are:

 

1. Try to swing too much on the upswing

2. Trying to hit too hard

3. Wrong ball position

4. Wrong Tee height

 

Lots of teachers will tell you to hit it on the upswing with your driver. But if you do it too much, it can cause slice. Some golfers start to hit well when I ask them to sweep the ball instead of trying to hit up on the ball.

 

Also, I see lots of players with the ball too far forward with the driver.

 

Tiger Woods said the ball position is the silent killer of your swing. You can have the god golf swing but not hit the ball well if your ball position is off.

 

So pay attention to your ball position. Put the ball in line with your left heel or little inside of left heel for a driver.

 

You need to experiment a little with the ball position for a driver.

 

First Thing to Do

 

If you can't hit the driver, the first thing to do is to catch the ball in the middle of the clubface. Lots of players start swinging harder if they couldn't hit it far.

 

But this is wrong approach to the problem. You can't hit the sweet spot because you are swinging too hard.

 

So slow down when you swing. Swing with 60% of your power.

 

Try to catch the ball in the sweet spot first and then increase your swing speed. It's not the other way around.

 

The good drill is to try to hit the ball more toward the toe of your driver face on purpose.

 

If you feel like you are hitting it toward the toe of your driver face, then try to hit it on the sweet spot. This drill is good for fixing your slice as well.

 

Focus on a Small Target

 

When pros need more distance off the tee, they try to hit the ball more solid instead of trying to swing harder.

 

If I ask you to hit the volleyball instead of the golf ball, you will unconciously pick the spot to hit because if you miss, you know that it hurts.

 

So you will try to hit it on the sweet spot rather than trying to swing harder.

 

It's a good idea to try to hit the volleyball or basketball. But when you do, don't try to hit it hard because you will hurt yourself. Do it in a slow motion.

 

When volleyball players try to spike a volleyball, they focus on the specific spot to hit with their hands. With golf, y ou can do the same thing and focus on the specific part of the ball. You will hit it on the sweet spot more often this way.

 

For example, you can focus on the back of the ball instead of just looking at the top of the ball. The clubface contacts with the back of the ball. So you should focus on the back of the ball as well.

 

Here is a good swing thought. Picture a nail stuck into the back of the ball. When you swing down, drive the imaginary nail through the ball.

 

By focusing on the smaller spot such as the head of the nail, you will hit it solid more often.

 

Tee Height vould be the Cause

 

Another reason why you can't hit your driver could be your tee height. If your tee is too high, that could be the cause.

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying higher tee is a bad thing.

 

There was the study done to find which tee height produced the longest and most accurate shot. The researchers found out that the highest tee height (where the lowest point of the ball is above the driver head) did the best with both distance and accuracy.

 

The problem is teeing up higher and placing the driver on the ground at address.

 

For example, let's say that you tee the ball up so that 2/3 of the ball is above the driver head. If you return the driver head to its address position, you will hit a pop-up.

 

So you will have to raise the driver head off the ground at impact. But if you do this, the driver head moves further away from your body and cause heel hits.

 

To fix this and hit it in the middle of your clubface with the higher tee height, hover the driver head (off the ground) just behind the ball. I think you will be able to fix your heel hits with this adjustment.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/cannot-hit-the-driver.htm

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How to Make Solid Contact with a Driver

When your shoulders open too early on the downswing, the clubhead will approach the ball from outside the target line.

 

In other words, you will be cutting across the ball. It's very hard to make solid contact with this type of swing path.

 

To fix swinging from outside in, swing back to the top and start your downswing. But when you start your downswing, try to make sure your chest is facing right until you hit the ball.

 

To be exact, you can't really do this. But try to feel like your chest is facing right at impact.

 

Check Shoulder Alignment

 

Also, check your shoulder alignment at address because shoulder alignment often determines swing path. If your shoulders are open at address, you tend to swing outside.

 

Change Ball Position

 

To hit it solid with a driver, you need to swing from inside the target line on the downswing. However, if you are a slicer, you might want to swing inside out for practice.

 

To do that, let's experimaent with your ball position.

 

Slicers tend to place the ball too far forward. On the other hand, hookers tend to place the ball too far back.

 

So let's put your ball in the middle of your stance for practice.

 

This will feel awkward at first, but it will help you swing from inside for solid contact.

 

For regular driver shots, place the ball in line with or just inside of your left heel.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/how-to-make-solid-contact-with-driver.htm

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How to Hit the Driver off the Deck

I had the opportunity to watch Tiger Woods when he was in his 20's hit his second shot on the par 5 that's well over 600 yards.

 

He had about 300 yards left for his second shot. I thought he would lay up.

 

But he took his driver and hit it off the deck. His shot ended up in the bunker just in front of the green. He got up and down and made a birdie from there.

 

When I watched his swing in person, I was surprised to see how fast and powerful his swing was. His driver shot from the fairway took off like a bullet.

 

But the good thing is that you don't have to be strong as he is to hit the driver off the deck.

 

I don't recommend hitting this shot for average players, but if you are an advanced player, you might want to try it.

 

The Keys to Hitting this Shot

 

If you want to try hitting a driver without teeing the ball up, you need to adjust your set-up.

 

Because the driver has very little loft, it's very difficult to get the ball airborne. Lots of players try to help the ball in the air and hit it thin or fat.

 

So how does Tiger Woods and other tour pros get the ball airborne with this shot?

 

Tiger Woods said that he would hit a fade with this shot. His shot will start little left of the target and come back.

 

To hit this shot, you must have a flat lie or slightly uphill lie. The ball has to be sitting up on the grass. If the ball is sitting down, forget about using your driver.

 

Here is how to set up to the ball.

1. Aim 10 to 15 yards left of the target

2. Align your body to your aim line

3. Position your ball slightly back of normal

4. Aim your clubface to the target

5. Swing along yur feet or body line and sweep the ball off the turf

 

Tiger positions his hands so that they are almost even with the ball.

 

The important things to remember are:

1. Expect the shot to fly lower

2. Don't try to help the ball in the air

3. It's all about timing. So don't rush your downswing. Feel like you are hitting your 5 wood

4. Expect the ball to run a lot once it hits the ground

5. Sweep the ball off the turf and don't take any divot

 

You might want to experiment with your ball position when hitting your driver off the deck. Tiger Woods said he puts the ball an inch further back than normal.

 

If you hit a draw on every shot, you'll probably hit your 3 wood longer than your driver from the fairway.

 

When you hit a draw, you will deloft your club slightly. So it's not a good idea to hit a draw when hitting your driver off the deck. The ball will drop and lose distance if you do so.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/how-to-hit-driver-off-the-deck.htm

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How to Hit a Power Fade with a Driver

A power fade is the left to right ball that flies longer than normal fade. When you need distance and accuracy at the same time, a power fade will be your strong weapon.

 

A regular fade has more backspin than a draw or straight shot, so it flies little higher and cause slight loss of distance.

 

However, the shot from left to right stops quickly once it lands so you can avoid hazards with a fade. With a draw, it rolls more when it lands, so its little harder to control.

 

Lee Trevino said you can talk a fade but a hook won't listen.

 

That's why lots of pros prefer to hit a fade into a tight fairway.

 

Take Some Spin Off

 

If you can take some backspin off from your fade, you will gain some more distance.

 

Ryuji Imada who is one of the PGA Tour players hits a power fade when he needs accuracy and some distance off the tee.

 

Here is how he hits his power fade.

1. Set your ball toward the toe of the clubhead

2. Hit the ball little more toward the toe of the clubface

 

By hitting more toward the toe of the driver face, you'll reduce the amount of spin. But you never want to hit it off the heel of the clubface because you will lose more distance.

 

Practice this power fade. It might become your secret weapon.

 

This article taken from: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/how-to-hit-power-fade.htm

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The Position of the Right Knee at Address

The common mistake when hitting a driver is sliding on your hips during the backswing which leads to the reverse pivot.

 

When players try to hit it longer, they try to swing their arms and hands. But when you do this, you will lose distance.

 

So when you need extra distance off the tee, try to turn your shoulders more than normal instead of trying to take bigger swing with your arms. By focusing on your turn, you might be able to ease the tension in your arms.

 

Anyway, you might hear lots of teachers say "don't move your right knee on the backswing." Those teachers probably want you to prevent sliding.

 

But to be exact, your right knee moves slightly to the right as you transfer your weight to the right.

 

However, you want to avoid sliding.

 

To turn rather than slide, Tiger Woods slide he likes to angle his knees inward a little at address.

 

He said this helps him to turn rather than slide on the backswing.

 

Personally, I don't try to angle my knees inward at address, but you don't want your knees point outward too much because that will make it more difficult to turn on the backswing.

 

If you feel like you are sliding on the backswing, you might want to try pointing your knees inward a bit at address.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/position-of-right-knee.htm

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How to Hit a Draw with Your Driver

I have studied the pros who changed from hitting a fade to a draw. We can learn a lot from them.

 

One of the things most of them did was to change their ball position. Players who hit a fade usually position the ball forward with their driver. Some position the ball in line with their heel. Others position the ball a ball length or two forward of left heel.

 

With your ball little more forward than normal, it prevents you to push the ball and makes it easier to hit a fade that starts left of the target and come back to the right.

 

If you like to change your ball flight to a draw, you need to change your ball position. You want the ball to be in line with your left heel or a ball length or two inside your left heel.

 

Some draw hitters position the ball in line with left armpit.

 

You might feel strange if you will hit the ball back this much. But by moving the ball back, it will help you hit it from inside out on the downswing.

 

The Initial Direction of the Ball

Draw hitters  really hate to hit it right with a push or slice. They are aiming right at the start. So hitting it even more to the right means trouble.

 

So what do they do to avoid right? They tend to position the ball forward in order to avoid a slice and push. If you place your ball forward than normal, it makes it easier to hit it left.

 

But if you place your ball too far forward, you will start to hit a pull-hook or duck hook. If the ball position is too far forward, the initial direction that the ball's travel will be left of your aim line.

 

Draw hitters want to start the ball right of the target and make it come back to the left.

 

If you position your ball too far forward and try to start your ball right of the target, what will happen?

 

You will be forced to open your clubface and hit a push-slice.

 

A push-slice is the worst shot to hit for draw hitters. So they try really hard to change their swing to avoid push-slice.

 

But the real cause might be the ball position that is too far forward.

 

What determines the swing path?

 

If you want to hit a draw with your driver, you need to pay attention to your swing path, also.

 

For a draw, the swing path should be inside out or inside in.

 

And the swing path is often determined by the shoulder line at address. If your shoulders are aligned left of the target, you tend to swing outside in. If it's aligned right, you will swing inside out.

 

So when trying to hit a draw with your driver, pay attention to your ball position and shoulder alignment.

 

Try to align your shoulders square to aim line (right of your target).

 

When I was in college, I was working so hard to get one thing right. If I was working on my grip, I was only paying attention to my grip.

 

That's fine. But to hit the shot you want constantly, you need to have all the things correct address.

 

The grip, ball position, posture, alignment and so on.

 

You have to do the right combination of your intended shots.

 

That's why golf is difficult. But it may also be the reason why lots of people fall in love with golf/

 

No matter how young or old you are, it's always fun to challenge something.

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/driver/how-to-hit-draw-fade-with-driver2.htm

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