Driver Question - Help greatly needed...

[harpemd]

I've been e-mailing back and forth with someone on here, and he told me to post my question on this forum...This e-mail was written in response to his question "What exactly is your problem?"...I know some of it talks about iron play, but the main focus is the driver, so I figured I would include the iron question, as well...

Well, with my irons, there is no one problem. I hit some great shots, some
hook, I top some, I hit some fat. I hardly ever slice though. I would say
mostly fat shots and hooks are my problem there, and they most frequently
happen with long irons. 7, 8, 9 irons are decent...I have an A wedge that I
hit great almost every shot...I don't know why I can't do that with other
irons.

Those are problems, but my main concern is definitely the driver. I've not
hit a great drive that is long and down the middle since I don't know when.
I don't know why. When I swing, I feel like I'm making good contact. I
rarely hit behind the ball with the driver; I do top some every now and
then, but I'm sure that's just from raising my head. When I hit the ball, it
goes a couple of feet, hits the ground, and rolls a long way. The distance I
get from this is why I think I'm making good contact and why I'm so
confused. I would say I hit it 100 yards, and that is 90% from the roll. If
I ever do get one in the air, it often hooks. But if it gets up in the air
and doesn't hook, it goes right, but not a slice, just straight right. I
can't even begin to hit a 3 wood by the way. It goes no where. Just fyi, I
used to be able to drive the ball 250 pretty regularly. It just went away
and it's driving me crazy.

Part of my inconsistency stems from the fact that I can't completely focus
on making a correct swing because I don't know why some balls are good and
some aren't (with irons). I think I'm pretty much swinging the same way
every time, I just don't get the same results. I have no clue with the
driver.

Please help...Dusty

[Bobby_Eldridge]

Try this the next time out. Everytime you hit your tee shot, make sure you sweep the tee out of the ground at impact. Do not CHOP the tee out, make sure you swing the driver down and knock the tee out.

[harpemd]

really didn't help too much...i did hit some good shots, but no consistency

[Bobby_Eldridge]

Are you still hitting the ball low when you hit the tee out of the ground? Let me know where your shoulders are aiming after you address the golf ball.

[harpemd]

i try to use the setup for the "simple swing" with my irons and since doing that, I have really improved with the irons...i also think the tip about keeping your right elbow close to your body is helping me...when i apply these techniques to the driver, it doesn't work...i pop it up if i just try to concentrate on hitting the tee...my dad is good with the driver, but he uses an unorthodox stance that is spread way out and has the shoulders pointed way left...when i set up like that, i did hit some great drives, but they were unpredictable, plus i don't like the weird setup...so to answer your question, my shoulders are way left of the target with the driver...i know this is wrong, but the correct setup isn't working..