TOP 5 DRIVER GOLF TIPS – IMPORTANT DO’S & DON’TS!

In the video “TOP 5 DRIVER GOLF TIPS – IMPORTANT DO’S & DON’TS!” by Rick Shiels Golf, you will learn valuable tips to improve your driving skills. Rick highlights five common mistakes golfers make when hitting their driver and demonstrates what you should be doing instead. The first tip emphasizes the importance of setting up differently for your driver compared to your irons, while the second tip advises using your entire body to generate power, not just your arms. The third tip explains the significance of hitting up on the ball instead of down and provides helpful techniques to achieve the correct launch angle. Next, Rick emphasizes the importance of maintaining clubhead speed and not slowing down during your swing. Lastly, he reminds golfers to pay attention to strike and aim for hitting the center of the clubface. By following these do’s and avoiding the don’ts in this video, you can enhance your driving skills and hit longer, more accurate shots.

Setting up for the Driver

Driver swing vs. iron swing

When setting up for the driver, it’s important to remember that the swing for the driver is different from the swing for irons. Many golfers make the mistake of setting up for their driver as they would for their irons, but this is a big mistake. To maximize your chances of creating speed, power, and hitting up on the ball, you need to set up differently for the driver.

Ball position and stance

One important aspect of setting up for the driver is the ball position and stance. For the driver, you want to have the ball position just inside your left heel. This position allows you to hit up on the ball and create the optimal launch angle. Additionally, it’s recommended to approach the driver with a much wider stance than you would with your irons. This wider stance helps to create more power in your swing.

Upper body tilt

To hit up on the golf ball and strike it efficiently, it’s beneficial to have a little bit of upper body tilt when setting up for the driver. This means slightly tilting your upper body backwards while allowing your hips to turn. By maintaining this tilt, you can ensure that the club hits up into the ball, similar to a plane taking off from a runway. This setup helps to achieve the best launch angle and distance.

Using the Body

The power of the body

When hitting the driver, it’s crucial to understand the power of your body. Your body, including your legs, torso, and hips, plays a significant role in generating power in your swing. Even if you have the strongest arms in the world, relying solely on your arms will not create the desired speed and power. To maximize your distance off the tee, make sure to involve your entire body in the swing.

Creating speed and power

To create speed and power in your swing, you need to turn your body. This means ensuring that your shoulders, hips, and torso are all rotating during your swing. Power is generated from the ground up, so make sure you are rotating your body and allowing your legs and hips to drive the swing. By using your body in conjunction with your arms, you can generate the maximum amount of speed and power.

Rotating the hips and torso

One key aspect of utilizing your body in the swing is the rotation of your hips and torso. As you swing, make sure your shoulders and hips are turning, allowing your torso to rotate. This rotation helps to generate power and transfer it from your lower body to your upper body. By properly rotating your hips and torso, you ensure that your arms are simply following the movement of your body, allowing for a more efficient swing.

Using the arms in conjunction

While it’s important to use your body to generate power, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your arms. Your arms play a vital role in your swing, especially in the follow-through. During the downswing, make sure your body is leading the movement, but as you come through impact, allow your arms to create that last bit of momentum. By combining the power of your body with the timing and extension of your arms, you can achieve a powerful and efficient swing.

Hitting Up vs. Hitting Down

Achieving the correct launch angle

When hitting the driver, it’s essential to achieve the correct launch angle. Hitting down on the ball with the driver leads to a lower launch angle, resulting in less carry and distance. To achieve the optimal launch angle, you need to hit up on the ball. This means that the clubhead should be moving upward into the ball at impact.

The importance of hitting up

Hitting up on the ball with the driver is crucial for maximizing distance. When the clubhead is moving up into the ball, it helps to launch the ball higher and with less spin. This combination leads to a more efficient ball flight that carries farther and provides more distance off the tee. Hitting up allows you to take advantage of the design of the driver, which is specifically built for distance.

The setup for hitting up

To hit up on the ball, it’s essential to have the right setup. As mentioned earlier, having the ball position just inside your left heel is key. Additionally, when approaching the ball, maintain a slight backward tilt in your upper body. This tilt allows the club to hit up into the ball, similar to a plane taking off from a runway. By setting up correctly and focusing on hitting up, you can optimize your launch angle and achieve maximum distance.

Maintaining Speed

The need for speed

Speed is a crucial factor in hitting the driver effectively. The faster the clubhead speed, the farther the ball will travel. When hitting the driver, it’s important not to slow down the swing. Maintaining speed throughout the entire swing and post-impact is essential for maximizing distance off the tee.

Avoiding slowing down

One common mistake golfers make with the driver is slowing down as they approach impact. This hesitation or slowing down can decrease clubhead speed and result in a less efficient shot. To avoid this, focus on maintaining a smooth, fluid swing and allowing the clubhead to accelerate through the ball.

Allowing the clubhead to accelerate

To maintain speed, it’s crucial to allow the clubhead to accelerate through the shot. As you swing, focus on swinging through the ball with full commitment and extension. By allowing the clubhead to accelerate naturally, you can generate maximum speed and power, resulting in longer drives.

Full extension of the arms

In addition to maintaining speed, it’s important to ensure full extension of the arms throughout the swing. After impact, make sure your arms are fully extended, allowing for a complete follow-through. This extension helps to create maximum speed and power and allows for proper rotation of the body. By focusing on maintaining speed and extending your arms, you can achieve more distance with your driver.

Focus on Strike

Importance of hitting the center of the clubface

While driver heads today are more forgiving, hitting the center of the clubface is still crucial for optimal results. Hitting the center leads to the maximum ball speed and better overall performance. Aim to hit the sweet spot consistently to achieve the best results with your driver.

Using athlete’s foot powder spray to check strike

To help determine the strike on the clubface, you can use athlete’s foot powder spray. By spraying it on your face, the impact point on the clubface will leave a visible mark. The best players in the world consistently hit the middle of the clubface, generating maximum ball speed. This visual feedback can help you ensure that you are consistently hitting the center and maximizing your performance with the driver.

Maximizing ball speed

By consistently hitting the center of the clubface, you can maximize the ball speed off the tee. This increased ball speed contributes to longer drives and overall better performance. While modern driver heads provide more forgiveness, focusing on strike and hitting the sweet spot can still make a significant difference in your distance and accuracy.

Conclusion

Continued improvement

By following these tips, you can improve your performance with the driver and hit the ball much better off the tee. Remember to set up differently for the driver compared to your irons, utilizing your body for power, hitting up on the ball, maintaining speed, and focusing on strike. With practice and dedication, you can continue to improve and hit longer, more accurate drives.

Thanks for watching

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