Golf forum

I'm a 14 or possibly lower handicapper but can't drive straight, i've had various drivers and can occasionaly it goes ok, generally when i'm aiming left and expecting a slice.

Recently i've used a friends cleveland launcher offset and every drive straight and long. I've taken the plunge and got one off ebay but the more i read about offset drivers the more confused i become.

 There seems to be a swell of opinion that says it's a swing fault (which i knew) but i should fix it not cheat. i do however hit my long,mid and short irons straight and true and am fairly good with my fairway woods. I must do something wrong but it all seems to be open face problems. i've tried the grip change slow back swing etc and use the same swing with my mates offset driver. 

so the question is am i cheating, giving in to the offset or does anyone agree after 5 years of bad driving or avoiding it altogether it may be a good move.

Played with offset's for ten years

They worked for me

Have you sampled the difference ? 

We spoke about it yesterday, and I said you should fix the problem rather than move to an offset driver, and I maintain that for one reason.  There were occasions when you swung without whatever problem causes you to slice it, and the ball stayed left from the offset face.  If you can correct your swig so it's predictable all the time, whether it's with an offset face or not, then it's all good.

As for whether it's cheating, I don't see how it can be.  At the end of the day, all you're doing is using a combination of your swing and the angle of the club face.  i don't see how anyone can argue that it's cheating.  You're still having to swing in a predictable way, or it doesn't work, so you've got the same task as everyone else.

Just thought i'd post an update

Flippin love my new offset driver, just shot a 75 as my 2nd shot was generally within 120 yards of the green on the par 4's .

Finally i can drive as well as i hit my irons!

slightly hijacking the thread but on a similar theme I have an offset 5 wood that I used to be able to hit sweetly most of the time.  Just recently however I have been pulling the 5 wood all the time. 

This at the same time as my scoring generally has got bette. my question is could the offset be causing the pull because my irons aren't offset and I am actually swinging better?  Any suggestions on curing the pull? 

It is natural and correct to swing longer clubs differently to short irons and such is obviously particularly evident with the longer woods. The main thing of course is that the backswing is usually longer. The further a club is taken back the more chance there is for error to creep in. It goes without saying.

When I am asked to help golfers with their driving there are countless things which are capable of being changed but very often the same thing arises time and time again:

Although the student is correctly taking the longer clubs further back on the backswing such is basically all that is happening - there is usually inadequate shoulder turn, hip tilt or variation in weight transfer etc. Put simply, the student has to learn all of the extra movements which go into hitting a long wood well.

What is the answer?

Initially do your homework. It is a good idea to learn how the experts play well even though at first there will be no way which you can do it.  Literally learn not only all of the correct mechanics of each necessary swing, but all of the necessary adjustments needed for hanging lies etc. Make little crib cards and frequently test yourself.

Such information can be gleaned from many different books and the internet.

I personally do not feel that Tiger Woods book 'How I Play Golf' has ever been bettered. It can be obtained off Amazon for the cost of a couple of ice creams.

I have no connections with Amazon, other than of buying books for the listed prices just like all other customers.

Compromise is the language of the Devil.