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Top Ten: Driving Tips

Written on Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Driving 300 plus yards straight down the fairway is every golfer's dream. Here we take a look at our top ten tips to help you improve your tee shots.


Number one Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_1 ConfidenceMany golfers fear the driver. This club holds their greatest chance of a long hit. The pressure of a successful stroke is high, often resulting in tensed muscles, a restricted swing, and subsequent botched shot. Relax. Put your fears behind you and have confidence.
Number two Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_2 Line up the shot Aiming left from the tee box can cause slice, and to the right, hooking. To avoid problems, stand behind the ball and clearly identify your target. Visualise an imaginary line from this point back to your ball. This will be your sight line. Ensure the tee is upright and inserted to the correct depth, leaving the ball standing proud of the club by half its diameter.
Number three Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_3 Practice swingGetting your rhythm right is crucial. Warm up properly and even if you have spent some time at the driving range before going out on the course, ensure that you stand away from the ball and take some practice strokes. Keep it smooth and clean and you’ll hit the fairway.
Number four Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_4 Stance

Address the ball with the club, while adopting a relaxed stance. Your weight should be evenly distributed between both feet with your knees slightly bent. Pick a spot one to three feet in front of the ball and ensure the club head is aligned to that point. Your feet should also be parallel to this point.   
Number five Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_5 Don't try and hit the ball too hard Being 225 yards down the fairway is a lot better than dropping a shot having hooked the ball off the course. While the temptation is to hit the ball as hard as you can to get those extra yards, don't. Trying to hit the ball too hard will result in hooking or slicing.
Number six Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_6 Grip Firm but not relaxed. The correct position of the left and right palms is fundamental for the correct swing. Make sure your palms are neutral and you are not gripping the club too tightly. Imagine you are gripping a toothpaste tube. Squeeze too tightly and the toothpaste will come out.
Number seven Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_7_copy Smooth backswing Keeping the head still, rotate the hips and shoulders clockwise, bringing the club up and parallel to the ground. At the top of the backswing, do not forget to cock the wrist. A common error among golfers is to bring the driver too far back, resulting in a loss of club control.
Number eight Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_8 The through swing Pause at the top of your swing. Just as we coil a spring we now release the energy in a controlled way. Bringing the club down smoothly and efficiently, we can ensure the ball is swept cleanly from the tee. Both the hips and the left knee move more or less simultaneously in the first split second, transferring weight to the front foot.
Number nine Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_9 Follow through The completion of a successful drive is characterised by the classic follow through position; a complete rotation of the shoulders and hips, hands and club high and head raised watching the ball disappear in an arc down the fairway.And maintain the finished position for a few seconds. If you think of having a stable and controlled follow through this will have a positive impact on your whole swing.
Number ten Top_Ten_Driving_Tips_10 Acknowledge congratulations after a great shot Replace the head cover on your club, put it back into the bag and help your playing partner find their ball. Then stroll relaxed and carefree down the fairway to take your next stroke.
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