How to Hit A Driver for Beginners
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Women’s Golf Driver Tips – Basic Setup Every Golfer Should Use
In golf, the DRIVER is longest club in the bag and has the largest club head and face. It is definitely a special club and one of the most fun to hit.
Though it is not required, there is a specific place to hit the driver. I have only seen the driver hit off the fairway maybe once or twice and that was on TV by a tour professional.
Hitting the Driver – Tee Shot
The driver is hit from the Tee Box.
This is where you can tee it up at the beginning of every hole. When you are on the tee box, a golfer has the chance to elevate the golf ball on a tee, which makes it easier to hit the ball into the air.
Since the driver is the longest club in the bag, it typically will provide a golfer with the most distance. But because of its length, it sometimes can be a challenge to hit consistently and straight. Especially when we want to hit it far and gain more distance.
Sometimes it can be one of the easiest clubs for a beginner to hit because it is the only time we can use the tee. As a beginner, gaging where to hit when the ball lies on the ground can be hard to learn. If you’ve ever topped the ball or hit into the ground while trying to hit the golf ball, you know what I mean.
There is almost nothing better than the feeling of hitting an amazing tee shot with your driver.
But, as you start hitting and practicing with your driver, there are some important aspects to the setup that is different from other clubs. Be sure to follow these steps to ensure that you are hitting the driver the most efficient way possible to set youself up for success.
I still go back to these basics every time I setup for my drive.
4 Steps to Hitting the Driver For Success
To get the best results from your driver, there are a few important factors to consider and ways to set up to the ball that are different from your other golf shots.
These steps will help provide more consistency, distance, and accuracy. And provide a solid foundation so you have a good chance to hit your tee shot well.
1. Positioning the Driver
Make sure the ball and tee are positioned closer to your front leg or the leg closest to the target.
2. Teeing Up the Ball
You want to tee it up high enough so that the top of the ball sits higher than the top of the driver club face.
3. Wide Balanced Stance
Be sure to have a wide enough stance that you are balanced when taking your swing and hitting the ball. I like to have a stance that is a bit sider than shoulder stance.
The driver is one of the most powerful clubs or swings you will make in golf. You want to make sure you have a solid stance to help keep you balanced and stable through the entire swing.
4. Hitting Up on the Ball
When you connect with the ball, you actually want to be hitting “up” on the ball at impact.
This is quite different than hitting an iron which is where you would hit more down on the ball. This may seem a bit confusing right now, but if you wantch the video below, you’ll see how to do this.
Hitting up on the ball will launch the ball higher, providing more loft and more distance.
Golf Instruction Video for the Driver
Check out this video by Rick Shiels. He has a great way of explaining the setup as well as Do’s and Don’ts when hitting the driver.
Success With the Driver As a Beginner
If you are just starting out and are trying to learn to hit your driver, be sure to start out small.
The golf swing can be a challenge as there are so many parts to the swing and moving parts at that.
When I say small, try starting out with half swings from waist high on the backswing to waist high on the follow-through. This will help with creating a nice rhythm and a good connection.
You will also start to learn how it feels when the ball connects perfectly with the driver.
Then as you become more comfortable, and you have more good shots off the tee, make your swing bigger and bigger.
You will be amazed at how far and straight the ball will go when you make a good connection and the club face is square at impact.
And you can always come back to these setup basics for your driver as they provide a great foundation even as you become a better golfer.
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