How to Hit a Golf Ball With a Driver

By Steve Silverman

Hitting a golf ball with a driver is difficult but vital in learning the game of golf. Hitting a driver off the tee on a par 4 or par 5 hole is standard procedure for all competitive golfers. The driver is the club that gives the golfer the most distance and that makes the next shot easier, as long as the driver is hit correctly and ball flies straight.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1

Resist the temptation to swing the driver as hard as you can. The driver is the longest of all your clubs and the heaviest. If you take your normal swing, that will be sufficient enough to hit the ball a long distance.

Step 2

Tee the ball up high in the tee box. The driver has very little loft and teeing the ball high (about 1-inch off the ground) gives the golfer a chance to hit the ball just as the upswing starts. This will give the ball enough loft to get up in the air and get the maximum distance.

Step 3

Stand with your shoulder facing the target. The ball should be a little closer to your left foot (from a right-handed golfer's perspective) in order to help get the drive in the air.

Step 4

Stand about 6 to 12 inches further away from the ball when using your driver than you would with any other club. The driver is longer than any of your other clubs, so you need to be a bit further away in order to hit the club correctly.

Step 5

Practice hitting your driver when you go to the driving range. Resist the sensation to see if you can reach or go past the 300-yard mark with a big swing. Work on your stance and timing. A smooth, slow swing will provide more consistent results than a hard swing.

Tips & Warnings

Have a family member videotape while you swing your driver in the backyard. Look at your swing and correct the flaws you see.

About The Author

Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.