16-17 handicap. I hit with too much backspin, and can see it in the ball flight: it starts off with a nice trajectory, then soars up like a kite and crashes down steep. My distances are playable with the shorter clubs (typical 6-iron carry 145, then zero roll), but it really costs me with the driver (rarely as much as 200, even after roll). These are with pretty good hits without much sidespin. It's rather embarrassing when my playing partners ooh and aah immediately after I make contact, and then the ball turns out to go only 180.
I've read different things about how high the ball should be teed up. Some writers say that you want the equator of the ball above the top line (with the driver), but when I do that, I get a lot of pop-ups. I try to have impact centered on the face, but I've read that that's too low. Naturally, I am also trying swing changes, but all of my practice time (and lessons) hasn't made much of a dent in this issue.
Can someone who overcame a similar problem give me ideas for what might work?
