Golf Driver Tips: Proper Positioning

Getting a good swing out of your driver is crucial for any golfer’s distance game.

The driver, also known as the 1 Wood, is designed to hit the ball the farthest of any of the clubs. It has the largest clubhead, typically the longest shaft, and is commonly only used coming off a tee.

To get the most out of your driver, you’ll want to make sure you have proper driver-ball position and tee height.

DRIVER SETUP

The placement of your driver can have an impact on the effectiveness of your swing. You will want to play the driver on the inside of your front heel. Also, make sure your hands are level with your belt buckle and zipper.

“The driver is the only club in the bag that you hit on the upswing,” says PGA Golf professional Jonas DeWitte. “A lot of people who tee the golf ball up too low will not compress the ball fully on the face of the golf club.”

TEE HEIGHT

You will need to have proper tee height when using your driver. So when placing the driver next to the tee, you want the top edge of the driver to line up with the horizontal center of the ball, splitting it in two. This can help your upswing connect with the entire ball on the sweet spot. If you are not hitting the sweet spot, you could either be:

• Teeing up too low, which results in hitting the area of the ball known as the forehead
• Teeing up too high, which leads to hitting underneath the ball and possibly leaving a mark on your driver

By having proper driver setup, you can be ready to tee off and start your journey to the green.

Now that you know how to set up your driver, you’ll want to find the right 1 Wood for you. Check out this guide on how to buy a driver to learn about the different materials, weights and lofts from which to choose.