Driver Series Tips

In association with Titleist this set of videos focuses on how to get the best from your driver.

Driver Series Tips

Driving the ball has become more and more important at both the professional and amateur level in recent years because ultimately the top players regularly compete on courses over 7,000 yards and amateurs are always looking to keep the ball in play and on the fairway to put together better scores.

So bearing this in mind this series of videos, produced in association with Titleist, will focus purely on driving and how to help you find the fairway, control the ball in the wind, ensure a correct setup and several other ways. All of these videos are presented by Andrew Reynolds, one of our Top 25 coaches, and they were filmed at Royal Cinque Ports. We start with ball flight.

Find The Perfect Driver

There are five things you need to look for when getting fitted for a driver. Number one is find a club that you find aesthetically pleasing. Number two is finding out what your spin profile is because clubs can either help or hinder you. Therefore hitting on a launch monitor can give you data on how you spin the ball. Point three is you have to think about whether you want distance or accuracy. Point four is in relation to where you miss most often and knowing both of these things can give the fitter a clearer idea on how to fit you. Finally point five is whether you are making any swing changes. The beauty of clubs these days is that they can be manipulated as you change your swing.

Ball Flight

Reynolds talks about two different types of launch here. For the higher launching shot when hitting it downwind, tee the ball up higher than you normally would with most of the ball above the top of the club. Additionally he recommends positioning the ball further forward, towards the middle of your foot instead of traditionally positioning it in line with the heel.

When playing into the wind it's the complete opposite. Tee the ball up a lot lower and position the ball further back in the stance. Reynolds finally says to make sure your chest is over the ball at impact.

Crosswind

When the wind is at your back and knocking you off balance, Reynolds says to close the club face down a bit which will stop the ball spinning away from you. This is not advisable with the driver though because you are removing all of the loft of the club, instead he recommends using a three-wood because when you close the face there is still ample loft to get the ball in the air.

Driver Setup

When setting up there are several things to think about. Where you aim the club is number one, then how you hold it is important too. Reynolds recommends a neutral grip with the palms facing one another. Stance and body alignment is next. Your toes, knees, hips and shoulders should be parallel to your ball-to-target and your posture should also be with a straight spine. This provides you with a solid base to make the swing. Finally the ball should be placed opposite the left heel (if you are a right handed golfer, opposite for left handed golfers).

Driving Well Under Pressure

When faced with an awkward tee shot, come behind the ball and pick something in the first 5 yards in front of the ball to line up with.

Find A Repeatable Shot Shape

In short simply use the shot you are comfortable with. If you are a fader of the ball come to the right hand side of the tee-box and allow for the fade. (Vice versa for a draw).

How To Use The Teeing Ground

Many of us simply put the tee in the ground and hit without thinking about it, but the tee shot is the one time we get to choose the conditions of the shot. Choose a spot which fits your shot shape and suits your eye.

Slice Drill

Probably the most common shot in golf, many golfers feel they need to lift the ball in the air with driver. One way to rectify this is to make sure your spine remains vertical and your clubs, arms and shoulders are working through together. Slightly closing the stance can also have an effect.

Speed And Accuracy Drill

Rhythm and tempo is huge in golf so to find yours go to the range and do the 9-ball drill. Hit three balls as hard as you can, three balls as smooth as you can, and three with 10% of power off your smooth swing. You will start to see consistent ball flights for each. Then you can apply those swings to whatever hole is in front of you.

Tee Height

Modern clubs perform best when you strike the ball on the upper part of the face which means you need to have half the ball above the top of the golf club.

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