5 keys for longer, straighter drives

There’s something incredibly satisfying about hitting a great drive. The feeling of solid contact and watching the ball soar through the air is one of the most enjoyable parts of golf.

If you want to find the fairway more often this season, and maybe even pick up a few yards, these five tips can help improve your performance off the tee.

1. Check your posture and shoulder tilt

As with all great golf shots, success begins with a proper setup and your driver is no different. When addressing the ball, your posture with the driver should mirror your other clubs—hinge from the hips, arms hang naturally, and hands hang below the shoulders.

However, there is one important distinction with the driver: shoulder tilt.

Because your ball position will be slightly forward—I tell my students to line it up with the instep of the lead foot—you’ll need a slight shoulder tilt. To achieve this, think about getting your lead shoulder a little higher than your trail shoulder. This tilt promotes an upward angle of attack, which will help you launch the ball high with less spin and more distance.

2. Create coil and depth on the way back

Your backswing is where power is stored. To boost your speed and distance, you’ll need to move the club around your body to create a coiled position at the top of your swing—ideally getting your clubhead behind you. 

This coil is what allows you to load and explode in your swing. Not only does it help you generate energy, but it also encourages an efficient path in the downswing that helps you deliver maximum speed at impact.

3. Prioritize center-face contact

Striking the ball in the sweet spot is key to improving your performance off the tee. Off-center hits—often caused by twisted clubface—result in a poor feel, and reduced power.

My gate drill can help you generate more center-face contact. To try it out, place two tees on either side of your ball, forming a small gate. Practice swinging your club through without hitting the tees. This encourages you to enter impact with a square clubface. It also gives you immediate feedback that is helpful for understanding your misses.

4. Eliminate your slice

A slice is a frustrating miss that drains your swing of power and consistency. If you’re struggling with a slice, working with an instructor can help, but there are a few things you can do on your own to eliminate this frustrating miss. 

Start by checking your grip. A neutral or slightly stronger grip—where your hands are turned slightly under the grip, or away from the target—can improve your chances of squaring the clubface through impact.

You can also work on your release to ensure you’re maintaining a square clubface through impact. One of my favorite drills for improving your release is a split-hand drill. 

Without a ball, grip the club with your hands in their normal position. Next, slide your trail hand down the shaft, so your hands are separated. Make a few swings, focusing on your lead elbow. It should fold naturally, so the trail arm can release over and allow the clubface to square and close.

5. Start speed training

Once your fundamentals and contact are solid, it’s time to train for speed. This takes a bit of time and focus, but the payoff is long, powerful drives.

I am a big fan of The Stack training system, which you can purchase at the link below, because their app assesses your current speed and provides guided workouts tailored to your swing’s needs. It’s efficient, effective, and doesn’t require much time—just a consistent effort.

TheStack | Speed Trainer | Award Winning App

A leader on the market in golf swing speed training. The Stack Speed trainer is a weighted swing trainer paired with an iOS app designed to increase your swing speed through guided training sessions.
TheStack Hardware

5 milled Stack weights enable 30 weight combinations between 0g and 300g
Dual-purpose weight case / phone stand
Highly engineered training club – Adult (41.5″) or Junior (38.5″) version (see Fitting Juniors)
Stack training requires a speed device that can measure swings without ball impact.  We recommend bundling with Stack Radar (Bluetooth connectivity).  View all compatible devices here.

TheStack App Training

Rated 4.9 with 5,000+ Reviews on App Store

Includes 1-Year Membership to TheStack App, accessible on iOS

Adaptive speed training formulated by Dr. Sasho MacKenzie
Guided workout timer for reps, sets, and rest intervals
Custom speed metrics to track your gains
Bluetooth Connectivity to integration devices.  Hands-free data entry using voice entry technology for non-integrated devices
Membership includes Bundled access to Stack Putting ($59 value) and the Learning Library

Train and track up to twenty local (i.e. family) users under one login.  App works with Family Sharing so the entire family can train easily on separate devices

Connect to any other Stacker using Share Codes
Are you a Coach?  Learn about our Coaches License 

Access TheStack App from the App Store when your order arrives. Requires iOS 15.0 or newer. 
See our FAQ pages for questions about membership access.

* Speed radar not included, view all compatible devices here

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