Do you want to learn how to swing a golf driver more consistently? If so – you’re in the right place.
Hitting a driver is challenging for a few reasons – it’s the longest club in the bag and has the least amount of loft. But the real reason it’s the hardest to hit is that it’s really nothing like hitting an iron or wedge.
With irons and wedges – even if the ball is teed up – you’ll want to hit the golf ball with a downward strike. However, when hitting a driver, you want to hit up on the shot – not down on it.
Keep reading to learn three tips that will help you improve your driver and will hopefully lead to lower scores on the course!
How to Swing a Driver – 3 Easy Steps
Before getting into three proven tips to swing a driver better, let’s clarify when you should actually use a driver.
Short answer: as much as possible. Longer drives equal shorter approach shots, which lead to lower scoring averages (even if you don’t always find the fairway).
But if you’re like many amateur golfers, chances are you’re hesitant to use the driver and favor a 3-wood instead. We’ve all been there…but if you’re leaving the driver in the bag, you’re making golf a lot harder on yourself, and leaving some shots on the course.
Once you follow these three tips, you’ll be able to pull the driver out and step up to the tee box with confidence.
Tip 1. Set up Like a Pro
Even if you can’t swing like a professional golfer (yet), you can set up like them. Getting into the proper setup position is incredibly important whether you’re hitting the driver, irons, or wedges.
Why?
Because the setup starts your backswing, which sets up the downswing.
As Jim Flick said in On Golf, “The high handicapper can knock five to ten strokes off their game in a month just by working conscientiously on three things; posture, grip pressure, and alignment.”
When setting up with a driver, focus on these fundamentals:
- Ball position off your lead heel so you hit up on the shot.
- Wider than shoulder stand to create a proper turn (with externally flared feet).
- Making sure your hips, feet, and shoulders are aligned parallel to the left to the target line.
Check out this YouTube video for an easy five minute lesson on how to hit better drives.
Tip 2: Check Your Takeaway
After you’re in a good starting position, it’s also important to check your takeaway.
If your takeaway is off, it can wreak havoc in the rest of your swing. Misses are amplified with a driver (since it has such little loft) so mechanics are even more important.
Most golfers make the same mistake – an inside takeaway.
An inside takeaway tends to lead to an over-the-top downswing where the club gets steep. This can lead to all sorts of issues like pulled shots, slices, and possibly even a pop-up shot.
If you can fix your takeaway, you can avoid golf swing issues and become an expert driver.
If you need help fixing a faulty takeaway, check out The StraightAway. This portable training aid makes it simple to practice your takeaway (at home, in the simulator, or the driving range). A better takeaway leads to a better downswing and overall, a much more consistent swing.
Or, if you aren’t sure what part of your swing is holding you back the most, check out SwingFix AI. Using your smartphone, you can quickly record your swing and let AI analyze it to find your biggest areas to improve. It will provide you with simple drills and videos to fix the issue and build a more consistent, repeatable golf swing.
Tip 3: Swing Freely
Another one of the biggest mistakes that most golfers make is trying to “guide” a driver into the fairway. While it sounds good in theory, it’s actually probably holding you back from distance and accuracy.
If you’re set up correctly and dial in your takeaway, make sure to swing the club, don’t try to guide it!
A faster golf swing equals more clubhead and ball speed, which equals more distance. The further you can hit it off the tee, the easier it is to score lower during the round.
Paired with some golf exercises to increase your strength and mobility, you’ll be adding more distance than ever.
Swing Your Driver Like a Pro
These three tips should help you swing a driver with more confidence on every tee box. You can also learn more about adding distance with tips from the world’s longest drivers.
Lastly, don’t forget, you also need to ensure that your driver is right for you. Work with a club fitter (or try out different clubs) to find the right clubhead, loft, and shaft to find more fairways. Learn about the best drivers for every type of golfer here.
If you’re struggling with a slice and are looking for an easy-to-use, expertly designed golf club, make sure to check out the SF1 Driver.
This revolutionary golf club makes it easier than ever to correct your slice and not have to worry about messing with an adjustable driver head. Simply take it out of the box and start swinging to hit it farther and find more fairways fast.
For more tips, you can always visit our YouTube channel, where our coaches and pros share free golf swing tips every week!
