Golf Driving Tips: License to Drive
A Legacy Post by Keiser University College of Golf Senior Faculty and Director of Research Dr. T. J. Tomasi (1940-2023)
As an exercise, I sometimes ask my students to play a round of golf where, after they drive on the par 4s and 5s, they move their tee shot to the 150-yard marker in the center of the fairway. Almost without exception, they play the best round of the year. The reason I do this is to teach them the importance of the driver. The value of being a good driver of the ball is often depreciated when tour pros talk about nothing but putting in their after-round interviews. But as I’ve said many times, you can bet that the guy who said, “Drive for show, putt for dough,” was already a good driver of the ball. It doesn’t help much to knock in a 30-footer for an eight after hitting two balls in the water off the tee. So, let’s get down to the particulars of driving the golf ball while remembering that all of the general instruction must be adjusted by the user for body type.
At Address
In golf, “at address” refers to the initial stance and positioning of the golfer before initiating the swing. This includes factors such as the placement of the feet, alignment of the body relative to the target, grip on the club, and distribution of weight. The address position sets the foundation for the swing and greatly influences the golfer’s ability to execute a successful shot. It is essential for golfers to establish a consistent and comfortable address position to promote proper mechanics and optimize performance throughout the swing.
On all normal driver shots, tee your ball just outside the target-side of your chest, about even with your armpit. To make sure your ball location is correct, lay a club shaft on the ground perpendicular to your ball and touching your front heel. To make sure you’ve got it, do this while you play a practice round or two. If you want to hit your shot higher to take advantage of the wind at your back or to clear an obstacle, move your ball out to the tip of your shoulder. But be careful to also move the ball a little closer to you since your club head will be slightly inside the target line at impact as it follows the rounded path of your swing. Also, make sure to check that your shoulder alignment is slightly closed, and you are aiming a bit right because as your ball moves forward, your shoulders open. Note that just because a hole is long, you may not always need a driver off the tee. Tests show that a driver and a 2-iron of equal shaft length go about the same distance in the air, so downwind, you might use a 2-iron (driving iron) for more accuracy.
Weight Transfer
Start with a weight distribution at address of ~70 percent on your trailside and ~30 percent on your target side. Your driver swing requires a long, flowing motion with a big turn and a significant weight transfer – more so than your irons. By the time you arrive at the top of your swing, you’ll have 80 to 90 percent of your weight on your trailside. By the time you get to impact, the majority of your weight transfers to your front side (about 95 percent). At the finish, all your weight is on your left side.
In summary, weight transfer is a fundamental aspect of the golf swing because it directly contributes to both power generation and accuracy. By mastering the art of weight transfer, golfers can unleash the full potential of their swing, maximizing distance and control on every shot.
Best Driver Drill
Weight transfer is fundamental to a successful golf swing because it directly impacts both power generation and accuracy. At its core, weight transfer involves the sequential movement of the body’s mass throughout the swing, from the address position to the finish. This transfer of weight is crucial for generating power as it allows the golfer to efficiently transfer energy from the ground up through the body and into the clubhead at impact. By shifting the majority of their weight onto their trailside during the backswing and then transferring it onto their front side during the downswing, golfers can maximize the rotational force generated by the body, resulting in a more powerful and explosive swing.
To learn to control your driver swing, tee up two balls side by side. Using your hip speed as the governor, hit the first one at full power and the second at three-quarter power. When you gain control of your swing, you’ll be able to produce the two different distances almost every time. That will help you attack with your driver when you need a long drive and play safe when you ought to.
The rule of thumb is to tee your driver so that the top edge of your clubhead is level with the bottom of the ball, slightly higher if you have an extra deep clubface.
When you need your longest drive, take it back extra slow and smooth with feather light grip pressure.
Learn more!
Want more tips? If you want to take your game to the next level, contact our team at Keiser University’s College of Golf & Sport Management today. With our dedication and experience, we can elevate your game to new heights together. Give us a call today at 888-355-4465.
