Being long off the tee isn't everything, but having that extra distance to depend on certainly helps. The best drivers on the market don't always have a lot of loft, so getting the driver address position correct is crucial. This will encourage hitting up on the ball, creating the optimal driver launch angle and the ability to access those precious extra yards.
Think of it like a tennis or table-tennis forehand topspin shot, where the club travels from low to high through the ball. In order to achieve this, your set-up has to create a position that allows that type of movement. In this article, we share a step by step guide to the driver set-up to help you crush it off the tee...
Shoulder Angle
In order to hit up on the ball, your shoulder angle should be pointing to the sky (as demonstrated in the image below). If your shoulders are pointing downwards, your attack angle will be incorrect and will likely result in a slice.
While the new feeling might be a bit alien to start, imagine you are really trying to launch the ball upwards into the air. As you get used to it, it will be a much more effective method.
Hold a club like this to practise setting the most efficient shoulder angle
Stance Width
How wide should your stance be? Well, it depends on the club you're hitting. Your stance is your base, and with the driver - the longest club - you need stability. Therefore, it should be slightly wider than with your fairway woods or slightly wider than your shoulders if that's easier.
A wide stance will actually encourage you to hit up, while a narrow stance does the opposite, so get nice and wide to improve your chances of a great strike.
Your stance should be slightly wider than your shoulders with driver
Grip Pressure
This is a part of the set-up that isn’t talked about enough, and can have a huge impact on how you hit your driver. It's all well and good having the perfect golf grip, but if you're holding the club too tight, the tension in your hands, arms and shoulders could slow the club down as you swing.
Imagine you're holding a tube of toothpaste to keep your grip pressure nice and light
Instead, imagine you’re holding some toothpaste and your job is to make sure none of it gets squeezed out. Alternatively, practise what it feels like to grip the club with different levels of pressure on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the tightest) and aim for around 4.
This light grip pressure is key as it will take tension out of your forearms and allow for a more fluid, faster swing. Crucially, it allows you to retain some flex in your right elbow which will encourage a better backswing motion.
Stay Behind It
A good impact position (left) and a bad impact position (right)
When you reach the impact position, you want to feel that your body is behind the ball (like a topspin shot or throwing a ball high) as opposed to smothering it. In the pictures you can see the difference in my head position.
There are a host of driver drills for golf designed to help you with this aspect that are well worth trying. To hit up, you need to feel like your body is behind the ball as you swing. To help with this, practise throwing something up into the air from your set-up position and you’ll soon feel the difference.
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