How to Hit a Driver with Consistency: Tips and Tricks

When I was a beginner golfer, I struggled a understanding how to hit a driver, much like the majority, I am sure.

The result of my driver swing was often either topping it, hitting down on the ball, resulting in the top of the driver head getting under the ball and popping it up, or making good contact but slicing the hell out of the golf ball.

In all honesty, even when I was creeping into mid handicapper status as my irons and short game were improving and I was getting rid of the shanks, it still took me a long time to finally figure out why I was struggling with my driver.

Finally, I realized doing the same thing repeatedly, expecting a different result, was precisely what the famous saying says it is.

Key Takeaways

• Proper set up with a wide stance parallel to your target and your back shoulder tilted slightly lower than your front to promote an upward swing is important.

• Don't pull your hands inside when starting your backswing and keep the club on a ~45 degree swing path.

• Strive to have an inside-out swing path rather than an over the top outside-in to make better contact and avoid slicing.

• Extend your arms and finish your driver swing well past your front shoulder to get every bit of power. 

Setting Up Your Driver Stance

You know the saying “set yourself up for success”?

It is the same if you want to learn how to hit a driver  consistently in golf.

Before discussing body position, tee up the golf ball so the top half is above the club head at address, promoting a sweeping motion.

This set-up will help prevent catching the ball too high on the clubface.

Now, let's start with your address position. Stand behind the ball and align your body to the target.

Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, forming a stable and comfortable base for your swing.

Slightly flex your knees, but not too much, and bend at the waist so your arms can hang down naturally.

When it comes to ball position, place it in line toward the inside of your lead heel to help create an upward strike on the golf ball, where your attack angle would show anything above +0.0 degrees on a Trackman. This is important as it helps maximize the launch angle and distance, and any attack angle that is negative (e.g., -0.5 degrees) means you are swinging down on the ball, a problem I used to have.

To ensure proper alignment, visualize a line from the middle of the clubface to the ball and align it with your target.

I always have a slightly wider stance than my irons because it's important to provide a stable foundation and allow for better weight transfer, and a narrow stance is more prone to being off balance during.

For shoulder alignment, make sure your shoulders are parallel to the target line. This helps promote better aim and consistency in your shots. Similarly, your hips should also be aligned parallel to the target line.

Regarding weight distribution, start with approximately 60% of your weight on your back foot, almost bumping your front hip out a bit pointing towards the target. This helps you transition your weight during the swing more effectively and I found it really forces a more inside to out swing which helps result in a nice draw as opposed to the frustrating slice. 

As you swing, shift your weight from your back to your lead foot, maintaining balance throughout.

One helpful drill to improve your setup is the foot spray drill.

Place foot spray powder on the clubface and hit a few drives, observing the marks left on the clubface.

This will help you understand the impact location and make necessary adjustments to your address position and setup.

Lastly, pay attention to how you grip the club. Your grip should be firm yet relaxed, making sure the club is placed correctly in your fingers and not too much in the palms.

The more comfortable you get with your grip, the more you can figure out how to increase swing speed during your driver swing impactfully.

*TIP*

One tip I have for setting up in the address position is to hold the driver club face up in the air so that the driver's sweet spot is directly in line with the teed-up golf ball as if it were about to make flush center contact with the ball.

Now, drop the club head straight down to the grass as if you were laying the club face ready to start your driver swing.

You should notice that instead of the driver head being square center to the ball as it was when lifted in the air directly behind the golf ball, all of a sudden, the ball looks like it is positioned much more towards the toe of the driver relative to the club face.

To prove my point, try it the other way around and see what happens. Place the driver on the ground behind the ball with the center of the sweet spot on the face lined up with the golf ball.

Now, raise the club straight up as if the driver was at the point of impact on your swing.

Where do you see the ball lining up relative to the clubface?

My guess is more towards the heel. You don't want that.

When you address the ball and your driver head is resting on the ground, the ball is positioned more towards the toe of the driver.

Often, golfers will place their club on the ground directly behind the teed-up golf ball where the driver's sweet spot is, thinking this is the best way.

What they don’t know is when executing the swing, the driver will be more likely in the position to hit off the heel when it comes to making contact with the ball.

Driver making contact off the heel. 

Set up your driver so the ball is slightly towards the toe relative to the club face.

This allows you to continue your setup in a proper position from the ball and reduce the chances that you hit the heel of the driver when making contact with the golf ball as the driver face comes through.

Beginning the Driver Swing

Keep your hands close to your body and gently move the club head back along the target line. Focus on a slow, smooth motion during the takeaway to ensure a consistent swing.

Next, transition into the backswing. Begin turning your upper body, maintaining a slow and steady pace.

Make sure your hands stay on the correct swing path by keeping them close to your body and moving them slightly upwards and inwards.

Be sure not to pull your hands in too much to the inside, as this may throw the rest of your swing motion out of whack to the point where you will end up with an over the top outside-in swing, causing your drive to end up with a slice.

Continue rotating your upper body until your lead shoulder reaches underneath your chin. This, in turn, helps build coil in your body, which generates power for the downswing. Try to keep the club on a relatively consistent 45 degree swing path on the backswing.

As you reach the top of your backswing, shift your weight smoothly towards your back foot and start turning your hips.

This movement creates a powerful coil, essential for generating speed and power in your downswing.

As you prepare for the downswing, focus on keeping your hands relaxed, as tensing them up can lead to an inconsistent swing.

At the top of your backswing, your lead shoulder should be fully coiled and pointing toward the ground.

This position allows for an efficient weight transfer during the downswing and helps generate maximum power.

As you complete this section of your swing, remember to maintain a confident and controlled motion, ensuring a strong, accurate drive.

Swinging through Impact

When hitting a driver, the key to generating power and solid contact is mastering the impact position.

The impact position dictates the quality of your shot, so pay attention to your upper and lower body motions.

Here are some pointers to help you swing through impact with confidence and precision:

• Focus on your lower body at the start of the downswing. Shift your weight towards your lead foot, facilitating a smoother and more powerful swing.

• As you shift your weight, maintain a stable base with slightly bent knees. This position will help you generate more speed and power as you move through the impact zone.

Next, concentrate on your upper body rotation. Turn your shoulders and chest towards the ball as you accelerate through the downswing.

This rotational movement will allow your arms to extend naturally, promoting solid contact with the ball. You want to make sure that you avoid early extension.

Keep your lead wrist flat and firm as the club head approaches the ball to maintain control and direct power into the shot.

When approaching the impact position, strive to lead with your body core and the lead side. This action will help ensure proper contact and prevent "flipping" or "jabbing" the club with your hands.

Leading this way also promotes more control, resulting in a higher likelihood of finding the fairway with your driver.

Also, maintain a consistent swing tempo, avoiding jerking motions that may lead to miss-hits or pop-up shots.

How to Hit Up With a Driver

To hit a driver effectively, you HAVE to hit up on the ball. This will help produce a more favorable launch angle and optimize carry distance.

As previously mentioned, pay attention to your tee height. Teeing the ball up higher enables you to make contact with the ball on the upswing, improving your attack angle.

Next, work on your spine tilt. In your golf posture, place your driver against the front of your body so the driver head is between your knees.

Tilt your spine away from the target until the club head touches the inside of your lead knee. This slight tilt will help you hit up on the ball, increasing your launch angle.

When it comes to your driver swing, focus on tilting your shoulders during the backswing. Tilting your shoulders upward creates an upward movement in your swing.

This will help you hit up on the ball when making contact.

You also have to pay attention to your attack angle. You want to strike the ball with a slight upward motion rather than hitting down on it.

You can practice by placing a club or alignment stick on the ground, roughly a fist-width from your lead foot, and aiming to hit the ball over the stick during your driver swing.

Finalizing Your Driver Swing

Now that you should have your stance and swing fundamentals in place let's discuss how to finalize your driver swing to produce consistent, powerful drives.

Remember to focus on a solid follow-through, extension, weight shift, and widening your stance for added stability.

Make sure you fully extend your arms and rotate your hips and shoulders to face the target as you complete your swing. This motion helps generate power and ensures you maintain a consistent swing path.

Extension is another important aspect of a solid driver swing.

Keep your arms long and extended through impact, allowing the club to continue on its original path so you finish your swing and don't cheat yourself at any point through the swing to maximize your club speed

Your weight shift should be transition from your backswing, with the weight almost pushing to create power back foot to front foot during the swing.

This weight transfer is key to generating power without over swinging or losing balance.

As for your stance, consider widening it for added stability. A wide stance helps you maintain balance throughout your swing, which is especially helpful in controlling your longer driver shots.

To ensure a comfortable wide stance, start with your feet shoulder-width apart and adjust slightly wider while maintaining good alignment with your target.

Refining Your Driver Swing Techniques

Aside from all the setup and positioning mentioned in the above sections, tempo and balance should not be understated.

A balanced swing and smooth tempo contribute to increased consistency and overall control.

Avoid rushing the swing and concentrate on maintaining your balance from takeaway to follow-through.

Here are a few tips and drills to refine your driver swing:

• During practice sessions, use alignment sticks on the ground to check your shoulder alignment, foot placement, and swing plane.

• To improve your weight shift and balance, try the "step drill": take a slow backswing, then step forward with your back foot as you begin your downswing, effectively shifting your weight to the front foot. This is an excellent way to get a feel for what should be happening in your downswing.

Back to more Tips & Guides

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