How to Hit a Driver
Learning how to hit driver remains one of the long-standing mysteries for amateur golfers on the golf course.
Even though it is the hardest club to hit consistently, creating a powerful driver swing that results in a majestic ball flight that carries along the target line can be accomplished with hard work.
But learning to hit the longest club in your bag with accuracy and power takes time and patience, and for most of us who aren’t PGA Tour players, we simply don’t have the time.
So we’ve put together a simple, straightforward list of the four areas to help you hit driver straight.
We’ll also offer a few simple tips and drills to help you work on your technique on the range, helping you get immediately better.
At the end of this article, we promise you’ll be better equipped for increasing distance and finding more fairways with your driver swing.
How to Hit a Driver at Address
Hitting driver straight starts with a solid foundation at address. Your ankles should be slightly outside your shoulders in the setup position, and we want the lead shoulder higher than the trailing right shoulder.
Also, with the ball teed up, we want to feel comfortable. So if you feel something off, maybe it’s your feet or the positioning of your hips, do yourself a favor and take a step away from the golf ball and start again.
Especially when you are hitting driver early in your golfing journey, you’ll feel more uncomfortable than normal, and it’s okay to start over and readjust your positioning.
When it comes to your grip pressure, you want firm, but you don’t want to strangle the club. Too many golfers put a death grip on the driver because they think pressure equals power.
But in reality, pressure equals poor fundamentals, leading to clunky swings with diminished strength.
A tight grip leads to stiff arms and poor flexibility on the backswing and as a result, you’ll hit the driver poorly more often.
PRO TIP
Pre-shot routines are everything in golf because you want to quiet the mind and not flood it with thoughts as you swing the driver.
Everyone has been with that playing partner, constantly trying to fix their golf swing with each shot they take, and typically, they do all they do is make their overall game worse.
When addressing tee shots, you want to develop a pre-swing routine that involves a three-word chant (Step-Step-Tilt).
A great tip for getting lined up at address is to put your feet together with the golf ball directly positioned in the middle.
Then take a small step with the lead foot, putting the golf ball roughly along the inside of the foot or left heel if you are right-handed. Then take a big step with the back foot, placing it just outside the shoulder.
Then you want spine tilt, or as some coaches call it address tilt, so your shoulders create that upward angle with the driver.
If you are right-handed, you need to lower the right shoulder while raising the left shoulder as you grip the golf club.
This stance will put you in the right positive angle for creating the ideal launch angle at impact.
As you become more comfortable with this routine, you’ll hear “Step. Step. Tilt.” in your head every time you hit your driver, and your stance will become automatic.
Backswing
The takeaway remains the most crucial part of the golf swing for the driver.
Not only are you getting the club in the correct position for the downswing, but you are coiling your upper body and lower body to deliver maximum power to the ball.
You want to make a full shoulder turn on the backswing to generate the power necessary to maximize driving distance.
You want to feel the weight load onto the interior of the rear leg and away from the front foot.
The rear arm should flex, but you don’t want to create that chicken wing elbow that forces the golf driver to begin, creating a rounder attack angle. Instead, keep the elbow tighter, so it can return to the hip quickly.
PRO TIP
We love breaking down the takeaway with our students using this next drill. The golf swing can come apart quickly on the takeaway, so we need to ensure we don’t ruin our golf swing early when hitting the driver.
At waist level, you want your arms to be fully extended with your hands inside the club head as the driver goes back.
Most golfers have already begun to throw the club head behind their hips, creating dysfunction in the body’s rotation, robbing themselves of much-needed strength.
Our drill is simply taking the golf club back to waist level repeatedly, ensuring the driver’s club face remains slightly closed, the hands are inside the club head, and the arms extend naturally.
Yes, the drill is somewhat tedious, but by creating this muscle memory, you are putting the driver swing on the path to success.
Downswing
On the downswing, the golf club has to maintain a proper swing path to get to the golf ball with the club face square.
As we uncoil the body, the outside elbow will return to the hip, the trail foot will begin to push weight forward in the lower body.
The hands stay inside to create lag that builds driver speed, and everything works in unison to return the club face to the ball with maximum velocity.
By putting the driver on the correct swing path, you are giving yourself the best chance to hit the golf ball straight with maximum ball speed.
PRO TIP
If you want to better understand where you are hitting the ball on the face, grab a can of foot spray.
With the foot spray drill, you simply place a light coat of spray over the face of the driver, then hit your shot. You can instantly see where the ball makes contact with the sweet spot.
If you are hitting the golf ball too often toward the toe or heel, you can adjust your ball position at the address to fix the issue.
Follow-Through
Too many amateurs put together a lovely takeaway, build a powerful downswing, only to watch it fall apart with the impact and follow-through.
Ideally, you want to meet the ball at maximum swinging speed and then accelerate through the ball with extended arms that carry the golf club behind the head for a tall, balanced finish that promotes straight drives.
Also, it makes sense to get in the habit of holding that finishing position until the golf ball lands to make sure your fundamentals stay solid.
PRO TIP
When you hit the driver, you are stretching the upper body a lot.
On the follow-through, you want to stretch out those arms and extend the driver toward the intended target to create maximum swing speed that translates into additional yardage.
For this drill, you are focusing on the impact and aftermath, so we want a natural, easy swing that finishes with an extended follow-through that accelerates through the ball.
If your elbows are flexed even slightly on the follow-through, you are doing it wrong. Remember, we want arms that stretch and reach down the fairway without elbow flex.
Feel free to take half-swings or three-quarter swings with this drill to help you hold focus on reaching out and extending the follow-through.
After you feel comfortable, then start working the full swing with the full follow-through into your practice sessions.
Driver Setup and Alignment
Proper driver setup is essential for maximizing performance, and it starts with correct ball position, tee height, and posture.
These adjustments help you strike the sweet spot consistently, resulting in greater distance and accuracy.
Ball Position for Driver Setup
For most golfers, the ball should be positioned just inside the front heel of your stance. This positioning ensures that you make contact with the ball at the optimal moment in your swing, helping you achieve a solid strike.
With the right ball position, you’re able to launch the ball with the desired loft and create a higher launch angle, which is ideal for maximizing carry distance.
Keep in mind that the driver’s longer shaft length requires a slightly more forward ball position compared to other clubs.
Tee Height
Tee height plays a critical role in achieving the best results with your driver. Ideally, the top of the golf ball should be aligned with the top edge of the clubface when the driver is at address.
A correct tee height ensures a clean strike with the sweet spot, allowing for efficient energy transfer.
Too low tee height might lead to hitting the bottom of the clubface, while too high can cause a misalignment that affects ball flight.
Driver Posture Adjustments
Posture adjustments are crucial for maintaining balance and generating proper swing mechanics.
Ensure your weight is evenly distributed across your feet, with a slight weight shift towards the balls of your feet. Maintain a neutral spine angle, and allow for a slight bend in your knees.
This helps ensure you can deliver the driver’s clubface squarely to the ball with the proper clubface angle and driver loft, optimizing your swing speed and overall shot performance.
An equipment fitting can help further refine your setup to match your unique needs.
Challenges of Hitting a Driver
Psychological Challenges
Hitting a driver can be mentally taxing for many golfers. The large clubhead and longer shaft length often lead to feelings of intimidation, increasing pressure to hit a powerful shot.
This psychological barrier can cause golfers to tighten their grip, affecting grip pressure and leading to tension in the swing.
As a result, golfers struggle to achieve consistency and control over the ball.
Physical Challenges
Proper physical mechanics are essential when hitting a driver. Maintaining good posture throughout the swing is critical to success, but many golfers struggle to stay aligned, which can throw off their entire swing.
Achieving effective backswing rotation is also crucial to generate swing speed, but it requires flexibility and coordination.
Without this, achieving the necessary wrist extension to square the clubface at impact becomes difficult, leading to off-center strikes and loss of power.
Impact of Equipment
The equipment used in driving plays a major role in performance. The club length, loft, and shaft flex are key components that influence distance and accuracy.
For instance, a lower loft driver requires more swing speed to achieve optimal distance, while a higher loft offers more forgiveness but less distance.
Forward shaft lean and how the golf club interacts with the ground can also affect the quality of the strike.
Compared to a 3 wood, the driver’s larger head and longer shaft make it more challenging to consistently make center of the face contact, further complicating the shot.
Common Mistakes and Corrections
When hitting a driver, golfers often make a few common mistakes that can lead to inconsistency and reduced distance.
Fortunately, with the right corrective measures, you can improve your swing and increase your accuracy off the tee.
1. Poor Grip: A common mistake is gripping the club too tightly or too loosely. Both extremes lead to poor control. To correct this, ensure your grip is firm but relaxed. You should be able to maintain control while allowing for fluid movement.
2. Incorrect Alignment: Many golfers fail to align their body correctly to the target. This results in hooks or slices. Before each shot, use a guide to check your alignment, ensuring your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to your target line.
3. Overswinging: Trying to hit the ball too hard often leads to a loss of control and inconsistency. Focus on a smooth, controlled swing rather than pure power. It’s better to hit the ball with accuracy and consistency than to swing for maximum distance.
4. Ball Position: Placing the ball too far forward or back in your stance can throw off your timing. Position the golf ball just inside your left heel (for right-handed golfers) for optimal results.
Self-Diagnosis Checklist:
- Is my grip relaxed but firm?
- Am I aligned properly with the target?
- Am I swinging with control, not force?
- Is my ball position correct in my stance?
By using this checklist at the driving range, you can spot and correct swing flaws, ensuring better consistency on the course.
Tips for Distance and Accuracy
Increasing both the distance and accuracy of your drives requires a combination of proper technique, the right drills, and adjustments to your setup.
Here are some key tips to help you hit longer and more consistent drives.
Drills for Distance and Consistency
To improve your driver distance, focus on drills that increase your swing speed and body rotation.
One effective drill is the “step-through drill,” where you take a normal swing but step forward with your lead foot after impact.
This helps you engage your lower body, which is crucial for generating maximum distance.
Another good drill is the “shadow swing,” where you mimic the swing motion without hitting a ball, emphasizing a smooth, full turn.
Tips for Weight Distribution at Setup
Proper weight distribution at setup is vital for both accuracy and distance. Focus on placing about 60% of your weight on your trail side (the side opposite your lead hand).
This will help you load up for more power during your backswing and ensure a solid strike.
As you swing, shift your weight smoothly to your lead side, keeping your body aligned for a more consistent shot.
Distance Expectations for Different Skill Levels
For high handicappers, achieving driver distances in the 180–220-yard range is common, while mid-handicappers may reach 230–270 yards.
Skilled players, on the other hand, often see distances exceeding 280 yards, especially if they focus on maximizing their driver distance with proper technique.
Remember, the key to consistency is practicing these adjustments regularly.
Driver Setup and Alignment
Proper driver setup is essential for maximizing performance, and it starts with correct ball position, tee height, and posture.
These adjustments help you strike the sweet spot consistently, resulting in greater distance and accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I struggle to hit my driver?
Struggling with the driver often comes down to poor technique, lack of consistency, or incorrect posture. Common issues include improper grip, incorrect ball position, or insufficient rotation in the backswing.
Additionally, if you’re not maintaining a stable base or if you’re too tense, it can negatively affect your swing mechanics.
Focusing on a smooth, balanced swing with a relaxed grip and proper posture can help improve accuracy and distance.
How do you hit 300 yards with a driver?
To hit 300 yards with a driver, you need a combination of proper technique, body rotation, and swing speed.
Start by ensuring a solid grip and proper ball position slightly forward in your stance. Focus on a wide, powerful backswing that allows for optimal coil and rotation.
As you swing, generate maximum swing speed through a fluid motion, maintaining a strong, controlled finish.
Practicing regularly to build strength and flexibility will also contribute to greater distance.
Should hands be in front of the ball with a driver?
No, your hands should not be in front of the ball when hitting a driver.
For optimal launch conditions, position the ball slightly forward in your stance, aligning it with the inside of your lead foot.
Keep your hands in a neutral position at address, avoiding the urge to press them ahead of the ball.
This setup helps promote an upward strike, increasing launch angle and distance while maintaining consistent contact with the sweet spot.
What to focus on when hitting a driver?
When hitting a driver, focus on balance, body rotation, and consistency. Ensure your stance is wide and stable to support a strong swing.
Maintain a smooth backswing and emphasize optimal rotation of your torso for power. Focus on making contact with the sweet spot of the club, avoiding the tendency to overswing.
Keep your head still, and focus on a controlled, fluid finish.
Additionally, remember that confidence and rhythm are key to hitting consistent drives.