How To Hit Consistent Drives & Be More Confident Off The Tee
- Last Updated on May 7, 2021
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Regardless of their ability, every golfer will struggle to hit a driver from time to time—some more than others. There are several issues that many people face when they step up to the tee. The first is that they struggle with nerves. While others may hit a massive slice or hit it in many different directions. So, this guide aims to look at these various issues and help improve driver consistency.
Do You Feel the Nerves?
Nerves are natural. When you step up to the tee, they can affect your mind and your body. This can leave you struggling to swing your driver correctly. For many people, this can cause the swing to be quick and short. Taking this approach will make it almost impossible to make that ball soar into the air. If you feel as though you are tense while playing the first tee or playing a difficult hole, think about creating a rhythmic motion through your swing and to the top.
However, the best thing to do is to turn your left shoulder behind the ball. This thought will enable you to make a complete rotation while preventing you from stopping your backswing early. You will also place your weight onto your right side, allowing you to shift it forward as you swing down. Having the ability to make a full turn back and moving your weight will enable you to achieve a natural swing, allowing you to get more power.
At setup, when nerves take hold, it is common for golfers to freeze and then grip the club excessively hard. To overcome this, you should ensure that you have some movement in your fingers and feet. Give the club a wiggle from side to side because locking up will damage your swing. By moving your fingers and feet, you will be looser and make a better swing.
Do You Struggle With a Slice?
It is pretty common for golfers to slice the ball off the tee, and this is because they will often begin the downswing by pushing the right shoulder outwards and towards the ball. This gives the swing a steeper path while the swing will come from out to in and across the ball. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that you keep your right shoulder back, allowing the club to drop to the inside as you begin the down movement. So, you should think about keeping your back facing the target for as long as possible during the downswing. Once you make a full turn behind the ball, keep the right shoulder in place, so the upper body doesn’t spin out. When the club drops inside, you can then swing out to the ball, which will enable your arms to free up while squaring the clubface.
If you slice, then the position of the ball could be too far forward in your stance. This causes the shoulders to open out, reducing the amount that you can turn. So, when you address the ball, aim to have the ball in line with the logo on your shirt because in doing this, you will begin the swing with square shoulders. This creates the space that is required to achieve a full shoulder turn moving back.
You could of course try an anti slice driver, however, it’s best to try and rectify any problems in your set up and swing to improve driver consistency.
Don’t Prevent Your Body From Turning
Many players who struggle with hooks will find that the problem comes from their body slowing down as it moves through the hitting area. This means that the momentum of the swing causes the club to turn over and then close the face of the club. This closed clubface then pushes the ball left. To avoid this problem, you should focus on continuing to turn your whole body towards the target, so move to your left side to begin down. This will feel as though your chest is pointing at the ball and then turn hard to your left. The club won’t flip over, and your hooks will disappear.
Many hookers choose to aim to their right as a way of compensating. However, in doing this, the club moves inside rapidly when the club is taken away, making it easier to hook it. So, make sure your hips, shoulder, feet, and knees are parallel to the target line, as this will enable you to swing back in a straighter line.
Keep Consistent Clubhead Speed
If you are losing your way on the tee, you need a swing that helps overcome many of these problems. Therefore, you should focus on keeping your arms moving at a constant speed through the ball and right through to the finish. Many golfers make the mistake of swinging to the ball and then stop. This can cause all kinds of problems, and then finding a correction can be difficult. So, with a consistent arm speed, you will be able to create a solid rhythm right through impact. It will surprise you how quickly things come together. Going aggressively through the ball is always the better option instead of trying to caress it down the fairway.
So, any player who is having a problem with the driver can start to feel uncomfortable when they step up to the tee. If you find yourself experiencing this issue, then look at how far you are away from the ball. Set up and then let your right hand hang off the club. You should be able to move it back to the grip without having to stretch. If you are stretching, then you should move closer to the ball. Hopefully these tips will set you on the path to improve your driver consistency. Let us know in the comments.
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