Hitting a Golf Ball with a Driver

by Steve Katz

I see many people stand on the tee with their nice new 460cc Driver that they have just purchased from the Pro Shop because they saw it in a magazine. By the third tee it might as well have stayed in the shop because people struggle to hit the lower percentage drivers as well as the higher ones. Here are a few tips on how to hit a golf ball with a driver:

1. It all starts with your tee height. You need the tee to be higher than you would normally have it with your older club. Time was that the perfect position for the ball was in the middle of the club face but now the larger driver heads benefit from having the ball three quarters the height of the club. So sit the ball on the tee so you can see around one third above the top of the club. A longer tee is advised for this and one that is made of a plastic as this stops scratches on your club.

2. The importance of that little bit of writing on the side of your golf ball when it comes to lining up your shot is something that is overlooked by a great number of higher handicapped golfers. If you line this writing up so you are pointing down the fairway you will have an instant advantage as when it comes to addressing the ball you can instantly see that you have a nice T where the club face aligns to the text on the ball. This way when you come to swing the club you already know that you are lined up properly in the direction you want to hit the ball.

3. Change the ball position in your stance. The idea of hitting the ball on the upswing means that the ball needs to be further forward in your stance. With older driver designs it was that you lined up the ball with your front heel. However now it is closer to the front big toe and in some cases the little toe. It is personal preference though and the only way to test this is on the range. Test moving the ball further up in your stance. Remember to walk away after each shot other wise you will end up not thinking about how you were set up and analyze the results. Once you find a good alignment practice it.

4. Hit the ball as you enter your upswing. With every other club in the bag you hit the ball at the bottom of your swing due to the abrupt angle of the new drivers to avoid driving the ball into the fairway a few short meters in front of you make sure that you are hitting the ball as you push through the swing. In step three we looked at changing the ball alignment so it is further forward in your stance thus meaning you should not adjust your swing as we are now looking to hit the ball after we have come through the apex of the swing.

Following these simple steps will give you more distance and accuracy due to the low spin rate on the ball and the higher angle of launch. Striking a golf ball in this method will give you a better overall game.

About the Author:

Steve Katz writes golf club review on his blog where you can find more hints and tips.