How to Hit a Driver (Hit it Further and Stop Slicing!)

[mvmac]

"Why can I hit my irons ok but slice my driver off the planet?" OR "Why does my 3 wood go farther than my driver?"

These are two common questions we see on The Sand Trap and I wanted to put this thread together to help those golfers that struggle with hitting a driver. It can be a tough club to hit, especially if you are a higher handicap player or a beginner. The club is long and it doesn't have much loft. As I say in the video, the swing is basically the same as any other full swing you make with a few set-up adjustments.

If you struggle with hitting a driver there is a very good chance that the path of the club is down and INward (across or left for a righty). So if we know that we can start to answer those two questions above, the reason is that you can "get away" with swinging down and across with some of your irons (mostly short irons) and your 3 or 5 wood (off a tee, off the deck could be a different story). The reason you swing down and INward can be varied but I'm going to go over some common mistakes golfers make. So while these set-up adjustments may not fix that issue 100%, they can certainly help you hit the driver more effectively and allow you to have more fun playing golf.

For most golfers I recommend utilizing a positive angle of attack with the driver, especially for those of you that swing less than 100mph. The short and sweet reason is that a positive angle of attack allows you to launch the ball higher with less spin. If you don't know your AoA, I would spend some time on a FlightScope or Trackman unit, the information can be extremely valuable.

Quick note, even though I've mentioned high handicappers, this is how I set-up to hit my driver and so do many other good players. I can just make my "normal" swing and ensure that I swing up.

@iacas has an excellent thread on this, it's a must read:

 

Address:

• Ball off or just in front of the lead shoulder
• Hips bumped a few inches forward to kick in some axis tilt (green line). The axis tilt will help me shallow out the strike and help me swing OUTward longer. I don't want to start bending my elbows apart to encourage the club to swing down and across.
• Feet are turned out about 25-30 degrees, knees are also rotated out slightly. I recommend this for all full swing shots, not just the driver. Just makes turning the hips, keeping them centered and on a tilted angle, so much easier.
• I tee it high. As you can see from the pics, the equator of the ball is about even with the top-center or even the highest part of the face of the driver.

• From DTL I have the butt of the club pointing at my belt buckle or even slightly higher. I wouldn't recommend having the handle pointed below the top of your zipper.
• If you want to draw it with a positive angle of attack, aim your feet, hips and shoulder a few degrees right.

Backswing:

• As my hips turn freely my lead hip doesn't slide back. This will help me to get my lower center forward on the downswing and swing OUTward.
• The left pic is a common position for people that struggle with the driver and/or slice it. Hips slide rather than turn and the shoulder turn is limited. Makes it very difficult to get into an effective impact position if you look like this golfer on the left.

Impact:

• On the right my weight and lower center have transferred forward while my head has remained Steady. Kicks in the much needed axis tilt so I can have a shallow to positive angle of attack.
• On the left, due to poor sequencing on the backswing, my lower center hasn't transferred forward, very little axis tilt. As a result my elbows are pulling apart and the club will swing down and INward, across the ball. Not something you want to do with a club you want to launch up in the air.
• Important! I am NOT creating the axis tilt by tipping my head back, the axis tilt is created by the lower center being forward (reason the lead hips staying forward is important) and the head remaining Steady. I'm not hanging back in order to swing up, all that does it create problems with contact and path.

• Handle "rising" on the right. Another indication that the angle of attack is shallow and I'm not "swinging across it".
• Note how the handle of the club is further away from me, very "bunched up" on the left.

As I said earlier, you'll not only see me setting up like this but you'll also see some of the world's best players doing it.

[14ledo81]

Good post Mike.  Very informative.

Who is that guy in the back?  He looks like he could use your setup advice.  In the top photo, he is looking exactly like your left photo.

[mvmac]

Good post Mike.  Very informative.

Who is that guy in the back?  He looks like he could use your setup advice.  In the top photo, he is looking exactly like your left photo.

Yep, told you it was a common position! That guy is a range rat, I don't typically offer advice unless I'm asked.

The looks I get when I'm making my "slice" swings are pretty funny though

[colin007]

Question for @mvmac - What do you recommend differently for someone with a higher swing speed? Like 117mph?

[mvmac]

Question for @mvmac- What do you recommend differently for someone with a higher swing speed? Like 117mph?

Good question....same thing. This is how I set-up to hit my driver.

I added that to the OP for clarification.

Couple touring pros

[taxgolf]

@mvmac

A few questions, if I may.

Upfront. I really liked the explantion, pictures etc.. Thanks!!

Correct me if I am wrong.

I tend to tee it lower. I am afraid to tee it higher, because I think I hit those high balls that will have you saying "Houston, we have a problem." Teeing it high in combination of hitting a bit up may help you launch the ball higher? Or teeing it a bit higher in combination with a slide (left leg over anckle) makes sure that the high balls are a bit eliminated? 5th frame, the right picture.

I place the ball at the instep of my left toe (if I could see that with my feet in my shoes), not at the back of my foot. would there be a bit of shaft lean with the driver or not. I would say that the shaft leans to the right, but the bumping of the hip to the left (which I do) should create a tiny bit of shaft lean to the left. But on the pictures it shows not.

Last question, on the top of the backswing, it looks like you have a level hip turn. Based on you belt. did I notice that correctly or is the right hip slightly higher than the left hip?

[mvmac]

Correct me if I am wrong.

I tend to tee it lower. I am afraid to tee it higher, because I think I hit those high balls that will have you saying "Houston, we have a problem." Teeing it high in combination of hitting a bit up may help you launch the ball higher? Or teeing it a bit higher in combination with a slide (left leg over anckle) makes sure that the high balls are a bit eliminated? 5th frame, the right picture.

Yes that's the idea, we want to launch it high with low spin, a positive angle of attack helps us do that.

I place the ball at the instep of my left toe (if I could see that with my feet in my shoes), not at the back of my foot. would there be a bit of shaft lean with the driver or not. I would say that the shaft leans to the right, but the bumping of the hip to the left (which I do) should create a tiny bit of shaft lean to the left. But on the pictures it shows not.

It's not really a big deal, can have it leaning a little forward or neutral, just don't have it leaning back too much.

Last question, on the top of the backswing, it looks like you have a level hip turn. Based on you belt. did I notice that correctly or is the right hip slightly higher than the left hip?

It may appear that way because my right hip has turned behind me and having more axis tilt at A1 can "shallow" out the hips a little but the hips are definitely not level. Left knee has gained flex and the rear leg has lessened in flex, that will allow the right hip to rise as it turns around.

Pic illustrating where the hip joints would be.

I'm also swinging a long club with a ball off a tee trying to hit up on it slightly. A slightly more "shallow" turn is all good.

[iacas]

It may appear that way because my right hip has turned behind me and having more axis tilt at A1 can "shallow" out the hips a little but the hips are definitely not level. Left knee has gained flex and the rear leg has lessened in flex, that will allow the right hip to rise as it turns around.

Plus, hips tend to appear level from face-on. Look at the rear view and see what you see. Or take a look at the apparent differences in this still shot:

[mvmac]

Plus, hips tend to appear level from face-on. Look at the rear view and see what you see. Or take a look at the apparent differences in this still shot:

Yeah, I guess I should have just put up the dtl view

[Taigolf]

Dear @mvmac ,

When doing the backswing, left knee gaining flex, right losing and straighten a bit, which direction is the left knee going?  I see your left knee not moving much to the right.  Does that due to more weight on the left.  I see many other players move their left knee more to the centre, however, does that also move the hip to the right (slide)?

Attached is a graphic by golf digest on Sam Snead showing the left knee more backward on the top.

Thanks.

[mvmac]

Dear @mvmac,

When doing the backswing, left knee gaining flex, right losing and straighten a bit, which direction is the left knee going?  I see your left knee not moving much to the right.  Does that due to more weight on the left.  I see many other players move their left knee more to the centre, however, does that also move the hip to the right (slide)?

Left knee moves in a similar direction as the left shoulder, down and in. My left knee goes from outside my left hip joint to inside of it by A4. The left knee moving inwards helps keep the hips centered and turning.

Does that due to more weight on the left.  I see many other players move their left knee more to the centre, however, does that also move the hip to the right (slide)?

My weight isn't left on the backswing, I'm "loading" right.

Attached is a graphic by golf digest on Sam Snead showing the left knee more backward on the top.

BTW it's from Arnie

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2009-0909/photos_gdtimelesstips_arnoldpalmer#slide=17

[MattM]

HAHA!!!! How did I know that Robert Rock would be an example! You guys absolutely love him. He was the only example I got in Evolvr! That said....he does so many things so well it's weird he hasn't been better. I digress....I love these threads. I print each out with examples and think only of one portion during a range session. It's been incredibly helpful! I know you guys don't much care for fairway talk but since I started doing that my Fairway hit percentage has gone up to 60 percent! I always hit my driver far but not with that kind of accuracy so it's been very helpful! Last week I split the fairway twice with a 310 and 320 yard drive! It's been incredible!

[mvmac]

Jonathan Byrd. Ball off the left shoulder joint, plenty of axis tilt, feet turned out.

[taxgolf]

Furthermore, did you see the swing pictures of the Japanese tour pro (forgot his name) in the latest issue of Golfdigest (with Michelle Wie on the front page). One comment below those pictures in the magazine was that the player was bending his left knee but keeping his right leg in the same flex (not straightening) in order to prevent a reverse pivot. Also, that he was loading to the right side and staying centered. I would almost say that would be a contradiction, but I am no golf guru. What's your take on that? Because I feel his swing has a lot of things you have posted in this thread.

[saevel25]

 

Furthermore, did you see the swing pictures of the Japanese tour pro (forgot his name) in the latest issue of Golfdigest (with Michelle Wie on the front page). One comment below those pictures in the magazine was that the player was bending his left knee but keeping his right leg in the same flex (not straightening) in order to prevent a reverse pivot. Also, that he was loading to the right side and staying centered. I would almost say that would be a contradiction, but I am no golf guru. What's your take on that? Because I feel his swing has a lot of things you have posted in this thread.

Check this thread out for more information on the flex in the back knee.

[colin007]

 

its Mr Byrd, but yes, his stance appears to be slightly open compared to his alignment stick.  his open stance makes his left foot seem not as flared as it really is.

Furthermore, did you see the swing pictures of the Japanese tour pro (forgot his name) in the latest issue of Golfdigest (with Michelle Wie on the front page). One comment below those pictures in the magazine was that the player was bending his left knee but keeping his right leg in the same flex (not straightening) in order to prevent a reverse pivot. Also, that he was loading to the right side and staying centered. I would almost say that would be a contradiction, but I am no golf guru. What's your take on that? Because I feel his swing has a lot of things you have posted in this thread.

 

letting the right leg straighten a bit will help you make a centered turn, not the opposite.

[bste]

Originally Posted by MattM

I love these threads. I print each out with examples and think only of one portion during a range session. It's been incredibly helpful!

I'm going to have to start doing that.

[mvmac]

 

 

Maybe a little, could be the camera angle, only talking a few degrees. Body is definitely not aimed left and that is what's most important. Point of me posting the pic was to show the ball location, axis tilt and foot flares.

Furthermore, did you see the swing pictures of the Japanese tour pro (forgot his name) in the latest issue of Golfdigest (with Michelle Wie on the front page). One comment below those pictures in the magazine was that the player was bending his left knee but keeping his right leg in the same flex (not straightening) in order to prevent a reverse pivot. Also, that he was loading to the right side and staying centered. I would almost say that would be a contradiction, but I am no golf guru. What's your take on that? Because I feel his swing has a lot of things you have posted in this thread.

 

Haven't seen it but I obviously disagree with the reverse pivot and loading right stuff. Knee linkage helps the golfer turn his hips centered and you still load into your right if you lessen flex in the rear knee.

Golf magazines are generally NOT the place to look for credible information.