5 Essential Steps to Longer, Straighter Tee Shots
Welcome to Unleash Your Driving Potential where you will learn how to hit longer, straighter drives than you ever thought possible in five easy steps.
When you read this full article you’ll have everything you need to stand on any tee box with an insane amount of confidence. Plus, you won’t have to worry about getting bogged down with any swing changes.
Here’s the thing… to play your best golf you need two love clubs more than any in your bag; driver and putter. A putter is used on every hole and a driver sets you up 12–14 times per round. When you’re confident off the tee and on the greens, golf is so much easier.
We’ll save the putting lesson for another day but today we’ll focus on the longest, arguably “hardest to hit” club in the bag – the driver. So many golfers fear this club which makes it very hard to play your best golf.
But we’ll debunk common myths and give you simple strategies so you learn to love your driver.
In this article you will learn:
- How to pick the right driver for your swing.
- 3 mental driver mistakes most golfers make.
- How to adjust your driver to hit it straighter and longer.
- The easiest way to hit more fairways without swing changes.
- The fastest way to gain 10+ yards off the tee without hitting the gym.
Let’s get into it…
Step 1: Find the Right Driver
The first step to hitting your driver longer and straighter than ever is to make sure it’s right for your game. Otherwise, you’re just making a hard sport even more difficult.
There are three components to finding the right driver for your game which include the right clubhead, driver shaft, and using adjustability features.
Test Out Different Clubheads
To stand on the tee with confidence you need to love the look and feel of your longest club in the bag. The first step to finding the right driver is comparing different clubheads as there are more choices than ever before.
We don’t recommend one brand over another – as all major brands have incredible equipment but here are some of our favorites.
Check out our recommended and affordable drivers
Regardless of which brand you choose, make sure to buy with enough loft. The loft of a driver plays a crucial role in maximizing the distance and trajectory of your drives.
A driver with the right loft can help optimize launch conditions for maximum carry and total distance. Most amateurs don’t have enough loft and their driving suffers as a result. Make sure your clubhead has at least 9 degrees of loft (or more). Plus, you can usually adjust it to further customize it to your swing (more on that coming up).
Driver Shaft
The second thing to consider when choosing the right driver is the shaft. You can have the perfect clubhead for your swing but if the shaft is wrong, you’ll never get the most out of your long game.
There are three things to consider when finding the right driver shaft; flex, weight, and length.
Shaft Flex
The shaft flex refers to the stiffness of the shaft and how it bends/twists during your swing. The flex directly affects the ball flight, spin rates, and the overall performance of your driver.
A stiffer shaft (X or S flex) requires more speed to bend and provides less flex during the swing, resulting in lower trajectory plus less spin. On the other hand, a more flexible shaft (R, A, or L flex) bends more easily during the swing. A lighter flex is better for golfers with slower swing speeds to maximize distance.
To find the best shaft flex for your game, use a personal launch monitor (or one at a golf store) to measure your driver clubhead speed. Hit at least 15–20 drives to find your average speed. Then, use this table below to find the right amount of flex for your swing.
| Flex | Average Clubhead Speed |
| Light/Senior Flex | 72-83 mph |
| Regular Flex | 84-96 mph |
| Stiff Flex | 97-104 mph |
| Extra-Stiff Flex | >105 mph |
Shaft Weight
The second part of the shaft is the weight which has a significant impact on the performance and feel of the club. Depending on the flex and brand, driver shafts range from 40 to 80 grams.
Lighter shafts typically allow for more swing speed, resulting in potential distance gains. They can also provide a more effortless feel but lighter shafts aren’t as accurate, especially for faster swinging golfers.
On the other hand, heavier shafts offer more stability and control, providing a better sense of the clubhead throughout the swing. They can also potentially reduce shot dispersion (aka, hit more fairways).
Test out different weights with a launch monitor to figure out which one suits your game the best.
Shaft Length
The length of the driver shaft also has a direct impact on the swing mechanics, control, and distance potential. Longer shafts generally offer the potential for more clubhead speed and total distance (this is why long drivers use 48 inch driver shafts).
However, longer shafts require additional precision and timing in the swing, potentially affecting accuracy. Conversely, shorter shafts can provide more control, allowing for easier shot shaping and increased accuracy.
Most driver shafts are about 45 inches for men and the legal limit is 46 inches.
Adjustability
The third factor when picking the right driver for your game is adjustability.
Adjustable drivers have revolutionized the golf world and offer a level of customization that was previously unimaginable. Unlike non-adjustable drivers, which come with fixed specifications, adjustable drivers allow you to change loft, lie angle, and weight settings with a club wrench.
By tweaking different settings, you can achieve the ideal launch angle, spin rate, and ball speed, for more distance and better accuracy.
Another advantage of adjustable drivers is their ability to correct swing flaws and manage mishits. For example, if you’re like most golfers and tend to slice the ball, you can tweak the face angle to a more closed position, helping to promote a draw and reduce the effects of the slice.
Plus, if your swing changes over time, you don’t need to buy a new driver either. You can simply change the settings and/or the shaft without spending $500 or more on another club.
Now that you know how to find the right driver for your game, let’s get into the fundamentals of becoming a confident driver.
Step 2: Master Your Grip
Once you have the right driver for your swing, it’s important to work on the fundamentals.
Too many golfers get into advanced swing techniques before mastering the basics. But if you want to hit the ball straighter and longer more consistently, it’s the little things that matter most… starting with your grip.
Your grip is the connection to the club and plays a vital role in controlling the clubface throughout the swing. If you hit your driver all over the golf course and/or don’t have the distance you want, your grip is likely the problem.
Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
Strong, Weak, or Neutral Grip
Arguably the number one reason most golfers slice the ball is a weak lead hand position.
In golf there are three types of grips; strong, weak, or neutral. Each one impacts your total distance, trajectory, and shot shape.
A weak grip is when the V’s of your thumbs are pointed to the left of your head. This type of grip promotes a less closed face and a more out to in swing – which favors a fade (or slice). It’s great if you’re someone who hooks the ball and helps neutralize a swing too much from the inside.
A neutral grip is when the V’s of your thumbs are pointed toward your nose. This is an ideal grip if you want to hit it straighter and build a consistent golf swing. If you don’t have a big miss right or left consistently, this is likely the best grip for you.
A strong grip is when the V’s of your thumbs are pointed to the right side of your head. A strong grip can help you with an over the top move and/or correct a slice fast. It promotes a more inside to outside swing and makes it easier to square the face at impact.
If there’s one thing that can change your driver (and ball striking in general) it’s your grip. Strengthen your lead hand so more of your hand is over the club. This makes it easier to square the face, compress irons, and maybe even hit a draw.
Regardless of if you’re weak, strong or neutral, the handle should rest across the base of your fingers, not your palm.
Grip Pressure
The other part of the grip to consider is your pressure on the club. You want to maintain a balanced grip pressure, not gripping the club too tightly nor too loosely throughout your swing.
A grip that is too tight can restrict the natural motion of your wrists and lead to tension in your swing. This is the mistake that most everyday golfers make as they think gripping harder leads to hitting it longer. When in reality it leads to excess tension which actually slows down the swing and limits distance potential.
Conversely, a grip that is too loose can result in a lack of control and stability. Find a comfortable grip pressure that allows for a relaxed but secure hold on the club. Maintain the same pressure throughout your swing, especially with the driver, to hit more fairways and maximize distance.
Step 3: Adjust Your Driver Stance
The second fundamental that directly impacts driving performance is your stance. The right driver stance is crucial for setting a solid foundation, improving rotation, and hitting bombs.
Here are some key elements to consider for an ideal driver stance:
Wider Stance
Start by positioning your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Since the driver is the longest club in the bag, you need the widest stance to stay balanced. Don’t over do it though because if your stance is too wide it leads to swaying, not rotating on the backswing.
It’s also a good idea to flare both of your feet externally. By turning your toes out about 20 degrees you become more flexible and improve your range of motion. This subtle shift can lead to more distance gains overnight.
Ball Position
The ideal ball position is off your front foot – this encourages an upward strike on the ball, promoting a higher launch angle and maximizing distance.
Unlike with your irons, you should never change ball position to hit different types of shots (fade, draw, low/high, etc.) The wrong ball position is the number one reason most golfers hit the dreaded pop-up shot and other common mishits.
Weight Distribution
With your driver, you want to distribute your weight evenly between both feet at address. Or, slightly more on your back foot (60%) to help hit up on the ball.
You want to avoid placing too much weight on your toes or heels so you can stay balanced. Keeping the weight in the middle of your feet also allows you to rotate properly and make a full backswing.
Spine Angle
Since a driver is hit off a tee you need to hit up on the golf ball, not down on it like an iron. An easy way to do this is to lean slightly away from the target with your upper body to create a slight tilt in your spine angle.
This tilt helps promote an upward sweeping motion through impact, optimizing launch conditions and minimizing unwanted spin. This will lead to more carry distance and better contact as well.
Knee Flex
Don’t forget about knee flex either – bend your knees slightly, maintaining a relaxed and athletic posture at setup. The flexed knees provide stability and mobility throughout the swing, allowing for a smooth weight transfer and proper rotation of the hips and shoulders.
Hand and Arm Position
Finally, allow your hands and arms to hang naturally, ensuring they are neither too close to your body nor too far away. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows, creating a relaxed and comfortable position. This positioning facilitates a free and unrestricted swinging motion.
Remember, the ideal stance may vary slightly depending on individual factors such as height, body type, and swing mechanics. Consistent practice and reinforcement of the proper stance will help you establish a strong foundation for hitting powerful and accurate drives.
Step 4: Stop Making These 3 Driver Mental Mistakes
Having the right driver and setup is key to becoming a consistent driver. But as you know, golf is largely a mental battle as well.
As Jack Nicklaus said, “Golf is 90% mental, 10% is physical.”
The better you can think your way around the golf course, the easier it is to hit more fairways and ultimately, have more confidence.
Avoid these three mental golf mistakes that happen on the tee box to set yourself up for success.
Stop Hitting 3W to “Play it Safe”
If you’re like most golfers chances are you think, “I’ll hit 3-wood to play it safe.”
The logic makes sense – a three wood is shorter than a driver, has more loft, and generally easier to hit. But the numbers don’t add up anymore.
In a Golf Monthly article titled, 10 Mind Blowing Amateur Golf Stats, hitting a 3W to play it safe is actually a myth. In the article they studied more than 540 million shots from 11.5 million rounds using data from Arccos Smart Sensors.
They found that 5-handicaps (golfers who regularly shoot in the 70s) hit 49.7% of fairways with their driver. But going with a 3-wood off the tee only led to hitting 52.6% of fairways – not even a 3% increase.
Not to mention they gave up 10-20+ yards on the approach shot which likely negatively affected their scoring average.
Needless to say, the data shows that hitting a driver is the better strategy more often than not.
When you have the right equipment and right fundamentals, you will leave yourself much better approach shots.
Stop Trying to Hit Draws and Fades
Did you know that most professional golfers only play one shot shape off the tee?
Despite being some of the most skilled ball strikers on the planet, a majority of pros only hit a draw or fade off the tee. While there is a small percentage of pros that hit both in competition, they’re definitely in the minority.
In fact, during a live broadcast in the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Max Homa said he plays a fade all week… even if the hole doglegs right to left or “asks” for a draw. Later saying that he’s allowed to only hit one draw per week!
Don’t forget, he’s one of the best golfers in the world. But trying to shape a driver in both directions is hard to do, even for elite players.
Since equipment is so big and forgiving, it’s not easy to shape shots anymore. Plus, when you do, you invite big misses off the tee.
Your tee box game will benefit from choosing and sticking to one shot shape, either a fade or a draw. Consistency plays a crucial role in golf; by honing in on one shot shape, you can develop a more reliable and repeatable swing.
Mastering a specific shot shape also allows you to better understand how the ball will curve and react to different course conditions. By consistently practicing and executing a single shot shape, you can build confidence in your ability to control the ball and strategically navigate the course.
Additionally, focusing on one shot shape simplifies the thought process during the swing and minimizes swing thoughts. Plus, picking one shot shape makes it easier to pick targets, and thus, have more confidence.
Swing your swing and play your shot off the tee for instant driving improvement.
Stop Trying to Steer Drives
The final mental mistake to stop making off the tee is trying to steer your drives into the fairway… especially on tight holes. Caring about a shot doesn’t mean you will hit it better, it usually makes it worse.
As Raymond Floyd said in The Element of Scoring, “Good drivers swing with trust. Once your basic swing has proved that it can produce relatively straight shots, the way to give it its best chance to do so is to have faith in the centrifugal force of a freely swung clubhead.”
The easiest way to stop steering and start swinging confidently even on tight holes is by developing a fairway finder.
Here’s how…
Why You Need a Fairway Finder
A fairway finder is a shot that every golfer needs – it’s simple and doesn’t require any swing changes. Here’s how to execute this shot:
- Tee your ball lower than normal so the ball is just above the crest of your driver. This will minimize spin and lower launch to promote a straighter ball flight.
- Choke up 1 to 1.5 inches on your driver so it’s shorter and thus, easier to control.
- Swing like normal. You don’t need to think about a shorter backswing or follow through. By choking up and teeing it lower the ball will go straighter and have less spin which means improved accuracy.
Plus, a lot of times you’ll find the sweet spot more often which lead to drives that go nearly as far as normal. This is a great shot to have for pressure packed moments or narrow driving holes.
Step 5: Start Speed Training for Longer Drives
Distance, distance, distance – it’s all anyone in the golf world can talk about. But it makes sense because the studies show that more distance off the tee, leads to lower scoring averages.
Studies have shown that for every 1mph you gain in swing speed equals about three yards of driving distance.
So if you had 5 mph to your swing, you’ll gain nearly 15 yards off the tee – that’s a club or club and a half less into the green. Which is why distance is so important in the modern golf world – not to mention golf courses are only getting longer.
But what’s the secret to more speed and distance? Workouts? Running? More range balls?
While all of those may help gain distance, the easiest way is through over speed training (also referred to as overspeed training). If you’re looking to boost your golf game and add extra distance to your drive, incorporating speed training into your routine can have a significant impact.
Speed training involves using specialized training aids or techniques to increase your swing speed beyond your normal capabilities. Our favorite aid is SuperSpeed Golf – which are weighted sticks and a training protocol to help you gain distance… fast!
Here’s how it can benefit you and help improve your scores on the golf course.
First, overspeed training is all about increasing your clubhead speed.
By pushing your swing speed to higher levels during training, you develop the ability to generate more power and explosiveness in your swing. This translates directly to longer drives off the tee and thus, shorter approach shots.
Second, speed training can also improve your overall swing mechanics.
As you work on generating more speed, you naturally focus on optimizing your technique and timing. This heightened focus and attention to detail lead to a more efficient and consistent swing.
Improved mechanics can enhance your ball-striking ability, leading to greater accuracy and control. With a more repeatable and reliable swing, you’ll find yourself hitting more fairways and greens, setting up better scoring opportunities and hitting less wayward shots.
It’s important to mention that speed training should be approached with caution and under proper guidance. Like any workout regimen, it’s essential to gradually introduce the exercises and progress at a pace suitable for your fitness levels. But if you can hit a bucket of range balls without pain – you can start speed training.
By following the protocol of SuperSpeed Golf (or something similar) you can add 10–15 yards in 4-8 weeks (or sooner). Follow the protocols on their website – which only take 15–20 minutes a day, a few days per week, to start seeing results.
Closing Thoughts
As mentioned before, golf is a lot easier when you stop fearing your driver and use it as a weapon to attack the course.
Becoming a consistent and long driver doesn’t happen overnight – it’s a combination of finding the right club, mastering the fundamentals, and avoiding the common mistakes listed above.
Paired with a regular speed training routine, you can take your long game to the next level. We appreciate you reading this e-book and hope you’re well on your way to driving like a pro.
