Breaking 90: I need to get off the tee better. Sugestions for drills?

[DON SVO]

all opinions taken, please chime in.

So in the past couple weeks, I have shot some decent rounds... but the total score does not give the whole story...

97: 6 pars
96: 5 pars
97: SEVEN pars
90: 4 pars 1 birdie

almost anyone who plays and hears those scores imagines your average weekend hack clicking a par or 2 and a barrel load of singles and doubles. the 1st 97 I quad-bogeyed TWICE trying to get OUT of trouble... in a nutshell my driver/3 wood is a problem. I would say that 80% of the time my iron shots (9 thru 4) go where I need them to go, my misses have been very manageable as well. Putting is pretty solid as well. short game is ok.

Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... all straight or draw when needed. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

My typical miss with the boom stick is left, typically a strong fade (starts straight, fades left)... what driver drills should I work on to help straighten out the shot?

I firmly believe I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Are you trying to just murder your tee shots? reason I ask is am pretty accurate off the tee right around 80% fairways hit (big fairways in AZ) but when I swing nice and smooth the ball always ends up in the short grass but when I do that it only goes 250-260 and I get sick of being out driven by my golfwrx buddies so I try and step on one and it ends up bad. So I would rather swing at 90% and be in the short grass. Maybe post some driver videos in and you could get some better advice.

[TaylorMadeAP25]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='25 April 2010 - 11:00 PM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']
So in the past couple weeks, I have shot some decent rounds... but the total score does not give the whole story...

97: 6 pars
96: 5 pars
97: SEVEN pars
90: 4 pars 1 birdie

almost anyone who plays and hears those scores imagines your average weekend hack clicking a par or 2 and a barrel load of singles and doubles. the 1st 97 I quad-bogeyed TWICE trying to get OUT of trouble... in a nutshell my driver/3 wood is a problem. I would say that 80% of the time my iron shots (9 thru 4) go where I need them to go, my misses have been very manageable as well. Putting is pretty solid as well. short game is ok.

Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... all straight or draw when needed. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

My typical miss with the boom stick is left, typically a strong fade (starts straight, fades left)... what driver drills should I work on to help straighten out the shot?

I firmly believe I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!
[/quote]

The real question is what tee boxes are you playing from and how hard is the course you are playing on a regular basis. also definalty get some video of your swing up so you can get good info.

[Hateto3Putt]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='26 April 2010 - 12:00 AM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']
Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... [b]all straight or draw when needed[/b]. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

I firmly believe [b]I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot[/b]. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!
[/quote]

Tee off with your all straight or drawn hybrid 3. (Unless of course, ego won't allow it) Do a science project, next time you yank a drive ob, reload and hit your hybrid, then decide which is the better option.

When I absolutely have to hit a fairway, I'll use my 3 or 7 wood off the tee. It may cost a few yards, but it's easier to hit greens from the short stuff.

[mozgolf]

if you really want to shoot under 90 for now and your course isnt too long, leave the 3w and driver in the trunk/ boot of the car and tee your 3h for a few rounds and see what happens. Then practice and get the the 3W in play and build it up from there.

I recall when I first broke 80 it was from disciplining myself to leave the driver in the bag when it wasnt needed (short par 4s and 5s), or when it was a liabilty (lots of potential trouble/ narrow fairways, bunkers/ water that would catch a drive that wasnt pured etc)

[DON SVO]

[quote name='One_Putt_Blunder' date='25 April 2010 - 11:19 PM' timestamp='1272255581' post='2400858']
Are you trying to just murder your tee shots? reason I ask is am pretty accurate off the tee right around 80% fairways hit (big fairways in AZ) but when I swing nice and smooth the ball always ends up in the short grass but when I do that it only goes 250-260 and I get sick of being out driven by my golfwrx buddies so I try and step on one and it ends up bad. So I would rather swing at 90% and be in the short grass. Maybe post some driver videos in and you could get some better advice.
[/quote]

There's a lot to be said for that... my biggest foe is my tempo when it comes to the driver & 3 wood. I've been told to slow down before. I think it's subconcious urge to crush the heck out of it off the box...? I'll try to get a driver swing video up this week.

[DON SVO]

[quote name='TaylorMadeAP25' date='25 April 2010 - 11:27 PM' timestamp='1272256041' post='2400868']
The real question is what tee boxes are you playing from and how hard is the course you are playing on a regular basis. also definalty get some video of your swing up so you can get good info.
[/quote]

I play a variety of courses, my main three are:


71.7 133 6282
71.3 134 6264
69.6 123 6006

I'm going to get some video ASAP.

[thenewbie]

Everyone is talking about course management, but if you fix the swing issues you won't need to leave the driver out of the bag. With longer clubs, there are 2 things that sometimes happen; we swing harder (which might include a more aggressive move with the lower body), and sometimes we take the club to much around our bodies because we know that longer clubs need a flatter plane, but we take it to far and end up getting the club inside on the way back. Either of these things can result in a fade with the long clubs, and when they combine they can have a straight hitter slicing it 100 yards off course.

I don't know if those are your issues, but try this drill; Grab a sand wedge and your driver and alternate hitting them. Start with your sand wedge and take a nice, full swing. Then grab your driver and make the exact same swing. Don't try to swing any differently because it's a longer club. Your tempo will smooth out and your hips will slow down which will help straighten you out.

[juststeve]

Your problem isn’t the driver, its course management. Hit a bad drive, pitch out and make a bogey. Hit a bad drive, try a hero shot that’s well beyond your skill level, and make a quad, twice in one round.

Steve

[DON SVO]

[quote name='juststeve' date='26 April 2010 - 08:32 AM' timestamp='1272288753' post='2401198']
Your problem isn't the driver, its course management. Hit a bad drive, pitch out and make a bogey. Hit a bad drive, try a hero shot that's well beyond your skill level, and make a quad, twice in one round.

Steve
[/quote]

If my driver puts me in the woods, I have a problem with my driver.

[quote name='DON SVO' date='25 April 2010 - 11:00 PM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']... the 1st 97 I quad-bogeyed TWICE trying to get OUT of trouble... [/quote]

Your reading comprehension is definitely sub-par, but I appreciate the input and look forward to more of your insightful opinions.

[DON SVO]

[quote name='thenewbie' date='26 April 2010 - 08:10 AM' timestamp='1272287448' post='2401165']
Everyone is talking about course management, but if you fix the swing issues you won't need to leave the driver out of the bag. With longer clubs, there are 2 things that sometimes happen; we swing harder (which might include a more aggressive move with the lower body), and sometimes we take the club to much around our bodies because we know that longer clubs need a flatter plane, but we take it to far and end up getting the club inside on the way back. Either of these things can result in a fade with the long clubs, and when they combine they can have a straight hitter slicing it 100 yards off course.

I don't know if those are your issues, but try this drill; Grab a sand wedge and your driver and alternate hitting them. Start with your sand wedge and take a nice, full swing. Then grab your driver and make the exact same swing. Don't try to swing any differently because it's a longer club. Your tempo will smooth out and your hips will slow down which will help straighten you out.
[/quote]

Now THAT is an interesting idea. Do you think the steepness of my wedge swing would hinder my driver swing, or is it more of trying to program a less shallow swing plane? I know flatter swingplanes with the driver can lead to fades and slices.

[srockafe]

If you can get a short lesson with a pro to work on the driver and of course the short game. Have you tried aiming down the far right side of the fairway and just letting the fade work it back over? I suffered from horrible driving stats last year because of a swing flaw that caused me to hit ballooning power fades similar to what you describe?

Are you by chance hitting the ball low and then it balloons on you?

[doof_dizzler]

Apart from the obvious suggestion to practice and take lessons, I'd join the above posters in suggesting you focus on better course management. If you're drive puts you in a bad spot in the trees or cactus or whatever the bad stuff is where you live, get it out on the fairway instead of always going for the hero shot for the green. Take your medicine from the trouble, and worry about getting your 3rd shot on the green. Shooting in the 90s, bogey is not a bad score, in fact it's a good one. Turn those others into bogeys and you're comfortably under 90. I'd also suggest hitting the straight 3 hybrid off the tee on all par 4s less than about 360/370ish, and probably the par 5s. Straight and however far a 3 hybrid goes for you sounds [b]WAY[/b] better than a long drive that fades way left for you. I know I don't hit a long ball, but a straight 4 hybrid that goes 190 and almost always stays in the fairway is a good play in my books. Even on the longer holes where I might not get to the green in 2, it's still often a good play. I'll take my 3rd shot from 20 yards short, on the good side of the hole, over my 2nd shot from jail, any day. I usually make about 6-8 pars a round, 6-8 bogeys and what the the rest are, determines if it's a good score or a bad one. I've been in your situation a couple years ago, making a handful of pars and still over 90, it was really only playing smarter that made the difference in getting better. I honestly don't hit it any farther or fancier, just make better decisions when I end up in a bad spot.

[thenewbie]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='26 April 2010 - 12:00 PM' timestamp='1272297640' post='2401510']
[quote name='thenewbie' date='26 April 2010 - 08:10 AM' timestamp='1272287448' post='2401165']
Everyone is talking about course management, but if you fix the swing issues you won't need to leave the driver out of the bag. With longer clubs, there are 2 things that sometimes happen; we swing harder (which might include a more aggressive move with the lower body), and sometimes we take the club to much around our bodies because we know that longer clubs need a flatter plane, but we take it to far and end up getting the club inside on the way back. Either of these things can result in a fade with the long clubs, and when they combine they can have a straight hitter slicing it 100 yards off course.

I don't know if those are your issues, but try this drill; Grab a sand wedge and your driver and alternate hitting them. Start with your sand wedge and take a nice, full swing. Then grab your driver and make the exact same swing. Don't try to swing any differently because it's a longer club. Your tempo will smooth out and your hips will slow down which will help straighten you out.
[/quote]

Now THAT is an interesting idea. Do you think the steepness of my wedge swing would hinder my driver swing, or is it more of trying to program a less shallow swing plane? I know flatter swingplanes with the driver can lead to fades and slices.
[/quote]

The problem isn't having a slightly flatter plane with the driver, it's TRYING to swing with a flatter plane because you know you have a driver in your hand. The plane will flatten out on its own because your spine will be slightly more upright and the club is slightly longer. It feels completely different, but the difference in swing plane is really only a small number of degrees.

I agree with Jack's theory about one swing for every club. You don't have to change how you swing because of the club. The differences in where the ball is (more forward for driver, more middle for wedge) and the length of the club will change the swing for you.

Please remember that these tips are based on assumptions, and having never seen your swing, it's hard to say if these changes and drills will help you.

[Mward2002]

When I had trouble breaking 90, I pretended the par on every hole was 5. 18 5's gives me 90. That mentality takes a lot more stress off of you trying to make a heroic second shot just to get on/around the green and make par. It also gives you relief when you get to par 3's because you know you'll have strokes to spare and can just relax and focus on making a good swing. Even if you miss the green you can just pitch onto the green somewhere and try and two putt from there. If you do it well, you'll still make a "birdie" in relation to a par of 5. If you three putt, you'll be frustrated but you'll still make a "par" in relation to a par of 5.

This mentality however is a total pain in the neck when you start trying to break 80. All 4's is something even the pro's have trouble doing

[DON SVO]

[quote name='doof_dizzler' date='26 April 2010 - 11:20 AM' timestamp='1272298825' post='2401559']
Apart from the obvious suggestion to practice and take lessons, I'd join the above posters in suggesting you focus on better course management. If you're drive puts you in a bad spot in the trees or cactus or whatever the bad stuff is where you live, get it out on the fairway instead of always going for the hero shot for the green. Take your medicine from the trouble, and worry about getting your 3rd shot on the green. Shooting in the 90s, bogey is not a bad score, in fact it's a good one. Turn those others into bogeys and you're comfortably under 90. I'd also suggest hitting the straight 3 hybrid off the tee on all par 4s less than about 360/370ish, and probably the par 5s. Straight and however far a 3 hybrid goes for you sounds [b]WAY[/b] better than a long drive that fades way left for you. I know I don't hit a long ball, but a straight 4 hybrid that goes 190 and almost always stays in the fairway is a good play in my books. Even on the longer holes where I might not get to the green in 2, it's still often a good play. I'll take my 3rd shot from 20 yards short, on the good side of the hole, over my 2nd shot from jail, any day. I usually make about 6-8 pars a round, 6-8 bogeys and what the the rest are, determines if it's a good score or a bad one. I've been in your situation a couple years ago, making a handful of pars and still over 90, it was really only playing smarter that made the difference in getting better. I honestly don't hit it any farther or fancier, just make better decisions when I end up in a bad spot.
[/quote]

I appreciate the course management suggestion from everyone, but I'm way ahead of everyone on that. I plan out the hole from the pin back to the tee box, even accounting for sand traps & trees by the green and take my approach accordingly. I select the club to get me where I need to be for my next shot. Howver... course management is hard to implement when you're hacking out of the jungle.

I do take my medicine on my OOB shots. i re-quoted someone else earlier about it as well: I quad'd both holes [b]trying to get out of trouble...[/b] first one I hit a tree and went 50 yards backwards and deeper into the trees... the other it punched thru the bush I was in clean as a whistle and slow rolled into a stupid pond. As for my scores, I haven't taken a mulligan in months. I want clean, legit scores and improving what needs to be addressed.

[b]thenewbie[/b], I like that idea and I am going to implement it at the range. Something is wrong for sure, perhaps that will help ingrain the same swing into my driver I use for my irons.

[Randiesel]

Its so funny to me, a guy comes on here and posts rather specifically about his problem, and what he'd like to solve it, and everyone talks down to him about course management. What the heck.

Sure, he could foot wedge every bad lie and take 3 mulligans every hole like half of the responders probably do, but he wants to play real golf, and he's looking for a drill to help his drive consistency. I'm in the same boat, now lets get back on topic.

[tonster]

What is the length of your driver? There are numerous drills out there to improving your driver, as well as the obvious fact of taking a lesson. But sometimes hacking off an inch or two off of your drive will do wonders to your consistency.

[DON SVO]

[quote name='Randiesel' date='26 April 2010 - 05:43 PM' timestamp='1272321826' post='2402444']
Its so funny to me, a guy comes on here and posts rather specifically about his problem, and what he'd like to solve it, and everyone talks down to him about course management. What the heck.

Sure, he could foot wedge every bad lie and take 3 mulligans every hole like half of the responders probably do, but he wants to play real golf, and he's looking for a drill to help his drive consistency. I'm in the same boat, now lets get back on topic.
[/quote]

LOL thank you

[happyroman]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='25 April 2010 - 11:00 PM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']
So in the past couple weeks, I have shot some decent rounds... but the total score does not give the whole story...

97: 6 pars
96: 5 pars
97: SEVEN pars
90: 4 pars 1 birdie

almost anyone who plays and hears those scores imagines your average weekend hack clicking a par or 2 and a barrel load of singles and doubles. the 1st 97 I quad-bogeyed TWICE trying to get OUT of trouble... in a nutshell my driver/3 wood is a problem. I would say that 80% of the time my iron shots (9 thru 4) go where I need them to go, my misses have been very manageable as well. Putting is pretty solid as well. short game is ok.

Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... all straight or draw when needed. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

My typical miss with the boom stick is left, typically a strong fade (starts straight, fades left)... what driver drills should I work on to help straighten out the shot?

I firmly believe I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!
[/quote]

I think you really need to decide whether you want to hit an occasional really nice drive and lots of poor drives (that result in extra shots to get out of trouble) or if you want to shoot the lowest score possible and break 90.

If you can consistently get up and down in three shots or less from 100 yards and in, that leaves two shots to get within 100 yards of the pin. On the courses you play, a typical par 4 is only 350 yards long. You could use a club that you hit straight about 160-170 yards, and be in great shape because you only have to make bogey. A couple of six irons, a wedge and one or two putts does the trick.

[DON SVO]

[quote name='happyroman' date='27 April 2010 - 11:49 AM' timestamp='1272386977' post='2404092']I think you really need to decide whether you want to hit an occasional really nice drive and lots of poor drives (that result in extra shots to get out of trouble) or if you want to shoot the lowest score possible and break 90.

If you can consistently get up and down in three shots or less from 100 yards and in, that leaves two shots to get within 100 yards of the pin. On the courses you play, a typical par 4 is only 350 yards long. You could use a club that you hit straight about 160-170 yards, and be in great shape because you only have to make bogey. A couple of six irons, a wedge and one or two putts does the trick.
[/quote]


Breaking 90 right now is as simple as getting rid of 2 trip/quads per round for me. I'm averaging 6 pars a round the past 5-6 weeks. I would like to hit a lot of decent drives... and I would like to use my driver when I need to. That'll make me a better golfer and breaking 90 will just be a result of that change.

My typical in the fairway drive is 260-270. I don't use driver on every hole. When I am on a hole that a driver would be best for (390+ yard par 4s with trouble <220yds and par 5s) I would like to use it, be in the short stuff and not taking a drop/hacking out of the woods.

Do you know of any drills to help build a more consistent driver swing?

[blue_food]

This "drill" works for me. Good luck:


Set up in front of a mirror with driver. Put another club just outside and parallel to your target line.
Down the line view for hip / shoulder alignment and posture.
Face on view for hand position.
Even better 2 mirrors to get both views for the same setup. Repeat for about 10 mins.

Super slow motion swing in front of mirror
stop at 9 o'clock on backswing
stop at impact to check position
Go to full follow thru and hold finish
Repeat for about 10 mins.

After this i'm warmed up.

Go hit driver
Full routine preshot, hit, post shot. No swing thoughts. Just target, setup and go.
Limit my driver to no more that 15 in a session. Usually less.
Maybe hit a chip with a wedge between drives.

About the best tip I ever got was watching a teaching pro warm himself up before teaching his player.

He hit 3 shots. Then sat down for 1 minute. Then hit another 3 shots. And sat down again.

Rinse and repeat.

[DNice26]

Focus on where you WANT THE BALL TO GO. Do not think about where you DO NOT WANT IT TO GO.

Sounds simple enough, but I know it is difficult. It does make a big difference though when you can Focus your mind with one goal....hit my target.


AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL and TAKE DEAD AIM.

Cheers,
D

[ChipDriver]

IMO treat the driver as if it were an iron....try to hit it to a specific distance (instead of hitting it to an unlimited distance). Once you learn how to do that - you'll hit a ton more fairways.

[birdiemachine11]

[quote name='Hateto3Putt' date='26 April 2010 - 05:28 AM' timestamp='1272277735' post='2401051']
[quote name='DON SVO' date='26 April 2010 - 12:00 AM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']
Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... [b]all straight or draw when needed[/b]. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

I firmly believe [b]I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot[/b]. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!
[/quote]

Tee off with your all straight or drawn hybrid 3. (Unless of course, ego won't allow it) Do a science project, next time you yank a drive ob, reload and hit your hybrid, then decide which is the better option.

When I absolutely have to hit a fairway, I'll use my 3 or 7 wood off the tee. It may cost a few yards, but it's easier to hit greens from the short stuff.
[/quote]

I agree with this. I would much rather have to hit a 3 iron from the fairway then having to pitch back out into the fairway and then have to hit another 7 iron in. Look at where you are missing the most shots.

[happyroman]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='27 April 2010 - 01:05 PM' timestamp='1272391500' post='2404255']
[quote name='happyroman' date='27 April 2010 - 11:49 AM' timestamp='1272386977' post='2404092']I think you really need to decide whether you want to hit an occasional really nice drive and lots of poor drives (that result in extra shots to get out of trouble) or if you want to shoot the lowest score possible and break 90.

If you can consistently get up and down in three shots or less from 100 yards and in, that leaves two shots to get within 100 yards of the pin. On the courses you play, a typical par 4 is only 350 yards long. You could use a club that you hit straight about 160-170 yards, and be in great shape because you only have to make bogey. A couple of six irons, a wedge and one or two putts does the trick.
[/quote]


Breaking 90 right now is as simple as getting rid of 2 trip/quads per round for me. I'm averaging 6 pars a round the past 5-6 weeks. I would like to hit a lot of decent drives... and I would like to use my driver when I need to. That'll make me a better golfer and breaking 90 will just be a result of that change.

My typical in the fairway drive is 260-270. I don't use driver on every hole. When I am on a hole that a driver would be best for (390+ yard par 4s with trouble <220yds and par 5s) I would like to use it, be in the short stuff and not taking a drop/hacking out of the woods.

Do you know of any drills to help build a more consistent driver swing?
[/quote]

Like I said, it's your decision regarding what's more important to you, scoring or hitting your driver. If you want to score, I strongly recommend using the longest club with which you can hit the fairway at least 70% of the time. If that club is your driver, great. If not, well.....

My swing has improved greatly by working on David Blair's Swing Build Golf method. His primary drill is a half swing drill, which is similar to the drill Hogan describes on pp. 82-83 in Five Lessons.

In Blair's half swing drill, you turn the shoulders back and through about 45* each way. Maintain connection of the upper arms with the pecs by gently rolling your elbows inward toward each other. Think of the diagram in Hogans Five Lessons where his arms are wrapped in an elastic bandage, keeping the elbows close together and the arms connected to the torso.

Then, as you swing back and through, and begin to generate some momentum with the clubhead, allow the wrists to freely hinge and unhinge. You should get a feeling of the clubhead really zipping through the hitting area. The clubhead moves a long distance while the hands only travel a short distance.

Here's a link to his free YouTube videos.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/progolf2007"]http://www.youtube.com/progolf2007[/url]

[DON SVO]

[quote name='birdiemachine11' date='27 April 2010 - 04:15 PM' timestamp='1272402958' post='2404662']
[quote name='Hateto3Putt' date='26 April 2010 - 05:28 AM' timestamp='1272277735' post='2401051']
Tee off with your all straight or drawn hybrid 3. (Unless of course, ego won't allow it) Do a science project, next time you yank a drive ob, reload and hit your hybrid, then decide which is the better option.

When I absolutely have to hit a fairway, I'll use my 3 or 7 wood off the tee. It may cost a few yards, but it's easier to hit greens from the short stuff.
[/quote]

I agree with this. I would much rather have to hit a 3 iron from the fairway then having to pitch back out into the fairway and then have to hit another 7 iron in. Look at where you are missing the most shots.
[/quote]

So when you hit a driver off the tee box, what are your swing thoughts?

[Mward2002]

"So when you hit a driver off the tee box, what are your swing thoughts? "

Absolutely nothing, if possible. At worst, one thing. That thing can depend on how the day's going.

Do you think about what you're doing when you're driving your car? Or do you just do it?

[DON SVO]

[quote name='Mward2002' date='28 April 2010 - 12:18 PM' timestamp='1272475085' post='2406303']

Absolutely nothing, if possible. At worst, one thing. That thing can depend on how the day's going.

Do you think about what you're doing when you're driving your car? Or do you just do it?
[/quote]


If I kept driving my car off into a ditch everytime I left my driveway I might!

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='DON SVO' date='25 April 2010 - 10:00 PM' timestamp='1272254452' post='2400839']
So in the past couple weeks, I have shot some decent rounds... but the total score does not give the whole story...

97: 6 pars
96: 5 pars
97: SEVEN pars
90: 4 pars 1 birdie

almost anyone who plays and hears those scores imagines your average weekend hack clicking a par or 2 and a barrel load of singles and doubles. the 1st 97 I quad-bogeyed TWICE trying to get OUT of trouble... in a nutshell my driver/3 wood is a problem. I would say that 80% of the time my iron shots (9 thru 4) go where I need them to go, my misses have been very manageable as well. Putting is pretty solid as well. short game is ok.

Irons, wedges, hybrid 3... all straight or draw when needed. I can't draw my driver or 3 wood to save my life, and I also can't hit them straight either.

My typical miss with the boom stick is left, typically a strong fade (starts straight, fades left)... what driver drills should I work on to help straighten out the shot?

I firmly believe I can knock 6-10 shots off my scores with a more manageable tee shot. It HAS to improve. Suggestions wanted!
[/quote]

OK, if your driver and 3 wood are to blame move up a tee box and leave them in your bag. If what your saying is true your scores should dramatically improve. I don't believe that will be the case however.

No matter how good we get, now and again off the tee we all find ourselves in the junk. It's what we do then that either saves par or cuts our losses to a bogie. I've played with enough bogie golfers to know one or two clubs are not keeping them bogie golfers; it's typically their across the board judgment while playing that keeps them playing bogie golf, and to often they play the wrong tees.

When a bogie golfer friend finds himself in the junk, he's heard me say "stop and think about "all" the shot options", forget about the pin; what's the smartest shot you can make happen. He too thinks his irons and hybrids are reasonable straight... and his wedge game is OK, with putting being pretty good; yet he and a few other friends have been bogie golfers for as long as I've known them. Their game perception isn't nearly as close as they want to think.

What gets each of them into trouble is ego, myopic view of the pin, never thinking backward through shot options, and they don't really know which clubs they can trust will go where they want. A few times one friend and I agreed before teeing off he'd listen to my input before each shot. In essence I'd ask the questions that come natural to me that he overlooks. The most common overall result has been amazement and confusion. He realizes what he doesn't know about his game; that I know about mine. I am in the junk approximately 20% of the time and still card low 70 rounds. Driver or 3wd are not the real problem if you want to break 90 IMO. I suspect the problem is what you don't do that you should learn how to do.