Last Updated on August 2, 2024 by Shawn Olizarowicz
The driver is the hardest club in the bag to hit. It’s long, lower in loft, and the one you want to swing at the hardest. However, if you invest a little time into the driver, you can learn to get quite good with it. Most golfers make the same three mistakes with their driver. If you can cross these off your list of common mistakes, your chance of shooting lower scores will be considerably higher. Here are the top 3 mistakes golfers make with their driver. Are you making them?
Teeing the Ball Too Far Forward
If you are plying the golf ball towards the front of your stance, you are correct. However, if you push the golf ball too far up in the stance its going to hurt your game.
Teeing the ball too far forward, forward of the lead heel could cause shots like pop ups or even a hook.
Some players know that the ball needs to be forward, so they push it all the way up and cause bigger issues for themselves.
Make sure the ball is teed about half a ball above the top of the driver, and play it off your lead heel.
Swinging Too Steep
A steep swing plane causes a slice or a weak ball flight that won’t get your clubface square at impact. To avoid swinging too steep, focus on a shallower swing path.
When you are on the range practicing, think of the driver shaft itself as the path. Try to keep the club along this path throughout the entire swing.
Good posture, a proper hip turn and allowing the club to follow this inside out path naturally will help ensure a straight golf drive.
The steep swing path is more natural for the iron and wedge shots, but it creates problems with consistency and accuracy in the driver.
Use alignment sticks to help you shallow out your swing plane. Your iron swing will feel different, and that is completely acceptable!
Not Keeping The Head Behind The Ball
If you watch a slow-motion swing of any professional golfer, you’ll see that they keep their head behind the ball at impact. If your body is sliding and shifting towards the target, it’s going to create a loss in power and, very likely, an open clubface.
One great swing thought to have during the driver swing is to keep the head behind the ball while still transferring weight and letting the body rotate forward.
Keep your weight shifting from the back foot to the front foot during the downswing, and ensure that you are efficient in this movement.
Improper weight transfer during the swing can lead to inconsistent contact and loss of power. Ensure that your weight shifts from the back foot to the front foot during the downswing.
Practice drills emphasizing weight shift; don’t be afraid to start feeling this right from the top of your backswing.
Final Thoughts
If you are struggling with the golf driver, try these three tips to start. If you can figure these out, you’ll see better results from the tee box.
