If you’re a newer golfer, chances are you want to hit your driver better. Maybe that’s adding some more distance, hitting a few more fairways, or most likely a mix of both.
Driving the golf ball well is so important to your overall golf game, it can’t be understated when it comes to golf for beginners. There’s nothing more rewarding than stepping up to a tee box, pulling out the driver, and hitting a solid one down the fairway.
Having confidence with a driver can transform your game and directly impact your scores. In fact, studies have shown that lower handicaps are directly related to longer drives off the tee.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at what it actually takes to improve your tee box performance. We’ll cover why a driver is so challenging for most golfers, how far you should hit this club based on your handicap, and provide easy tips to start improving your driver swing and long game.
Golf For Beginners – Driving 101
If you can learn how to hit a driver consistently well, it’ll transform your game and bonus: can even make your friends jealous. Before helping you turn your driver into a secret weapon on the golf course, let’s start by understanding why it’s such an important club.
What is a Golf Driver?
The driver is the longest club in the bag (about 45 inches) and designed to hit the ball the farthest. It’s primarily used on par 4’s and par 5’s, off a tee.
It’s also important to have the right driver and shaft to match your golf swing. Unfortunately, for a lot of players, it’s also the hardest club to hit consistently well for a few reasons.
First, a driver is the longest club in the bag – about 45 inches for most golfers (the USGA allows them to be up to 46 inches). The long shaft helps generate more speed but also makes it harder to control, which is why so many golfers struggle with accuracy.
Second, it has the least amount of loft – between 8–13 degrees, depending on the make and model of the club. Less loft means you’ll need more speed to get the ball airborne and maximize distance off the tee.
Third, a driver is swung the fastest compared to fairway woods or hybrids. More speed means more distance – however, it also means it’s harder to control and leads to a lot of accuracy issues. Which is one of the reasons so many golfers struggle with a slice.
However, drivers are very forgiving compared to fairway woods as it has a larger design. Most drivers have a clubhead that is between 440-460cc, which has a large sweet spot compared to fairway wood.
Technology also plays a big role in hitting a driver more consistently. Even if you miss the sweet spot on the toe or heel, most newer clubs offer a lot of forgiveness compared to older models, too.
Average Driving Distance
Now that you know more about the design of a driver, how far should you hit it off the tee?
Ultimately, it depends on your handicap and age. As mentioned above, longer drivers average longer distances off the tee and younger players typically hit it further.
Arccos Golf shared more about average driving distances in their 2022 distance report. Here were some of the findings to learn where you rank among similar male golfers:
| Handicap Range | 40-49 Years Old (yards) |
50-59 Years Old (yards) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 4.9 | 250 | 241 |
| 5.0 – 9.9 | 238 | 228 |
| 10.0 – 14.9 | 225 | 216 |
| 15.0 – 19.9 | 214 | 205 |
| 20.0 – 24.9 | 205 | 196 |
How to Improve Your Golf Driving
If you’re like most golfers, you probably need to increase driving distance, but how do you do it? Follow these five simple steps and watch your distance explode for closer, easier to hit approach shots.
Use the Right Driver
Before sharing any technique and drills to improve your driving, make sure you have the right club for your swing.
If you’ve been to a golf store or shopped online, chances are you’ve seen an endless selection of drivers. However, it’s important to not just randomly choose any club, but instead make sure it’s the right choice for you and your skill level.
When shopping for the right driver, consider these aspects of the club.
- Clubhead design: Most drivers are offered in 3–4 designs, each meant for a certain type of player. High handicap golfers should opt for the draw model, while average golfers (mid-handicaps) will go with the standard mid-launch, mid-spin model. If you swing the club faster than most, you’ll want to get a lower spin driver to optimize your ball flight.
- Loft: Make sure your driver has enough loft to maximize your driving carry distance. Too many golfers play a club without enough loft and lose out on tons of distance. Get one with at least 10-degrees of loft (or more).
- Shaft: Lastly, make sure your driver has the right flex and weight for your swing. Launch monitors and fitters make it easy to evaluate your swing speeds and match the right flex for your club.
One of the best drivers for everyday golfers who want to hit it farther and straighter is the SF1. Every aspect of the club is intentionally designed to help you add distance and improve accuracy, especially if you fight a slice.
Learn more about the SF1 driver here.
Dial in Your Fundamentals
Once you have the right driver, focus on the fundamentals to increase driving performance. A lot of driver issues can be fixed by simply working on your address position. It’s important to adjust your swing, as it should be different from your iron swing.
Here’s what you should focus on:
- Stance: Start by getting your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Consider flaring your feet externally so it’s easier to make a bigger hip and shoulder turn.
- Ball position: After you have built a solid stance, ensure the ball position is off your lead foot to encourage an upward angle of attack.
- Alignment and shoulder plane: Finally, make sure your alignment is square to the target, not closed or open. Also, tilt your shoulders so your lead shoulder is slightly higher than your trail shoulder to encourage an upward angle of attack.
Furthermore, the StraightAway from David Leadbetter is a fantastic tool to help you improve your takeaway with just a simple device. Too many golfers have an inside takeaway, which leads to a steep downswing and open clubface at impact.
Fix Your Slice
One of the most frustrating and common shots in golf is the dreaded slice. A slice kills your distance and accuracy, which can lead to a lot of challenges on the golf course.
If you’re suffering from a slice, know that you’re not alone. Nearly every golfer has had to overcome this shot, but the right club and fundamentals can help.
However, if you’re still hitting nasty slices that leave you behind trees and in trouble, you need to address this issue fast. Eric Cogorno, top-rated golf coach, makes it easy to fix your slice with this helpful YouTube video.
Or, if you want even more tips to fix your slice, consider the One Shot Slice Fix by Tiger Woods’ former swing coach, Hank Haney. Haney simplifies why most golfers slice and provides easy fixes so you can start hitting it straighter and longer…in only one driving range session!
Incorporate Full Body Workouts
To improve your driving, you need more speed. For every 1mph you gain in clubhead speed, you get nearly 2-3 yards more of driving distance.
One of the best ways to add speed and avoid injuries is to start working out regularly. Not only will this have a positive impact on your health but your golf game too.
Learn more about the best golf exercises here. For low impact fitness, you might want to try out these golf stretches too so you can improve flexibility.
Practice at the Driving Range
Finally, make sure you practice hitting your driver enough at the driving range or simulator. The only way to gain more confidence with the longest club in the bag is to practice with it more often.
Since you’ll use this club 10–14 times per round, it’s vital to get comfortable with it in practice.
Best Driver Tips in Golf
Hopefully, you have a much better understanding of how to improve your driving, even if you’re a beginner golfer.
If you aren’t sure where to begin and don’t have a swing coach, try out SwingFix AI. This amazing tool will help identify flaws in your swing and provide you with fixes and drills. Or, read our full guide on adding more driving distance.
