How To Hit Solid Drives Off The Tee

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 21:28 -- Don Trahan

In today's daily lesson, I address a question sent in by Brian Sullivan. Brian has been hitting behind the ball when he hits his driver and is struggling to find a consistent approach to hitting good drives. His question was short and sweet but very important to those of you who struggle off the tee.

I many times have a tendancy to hit behind the ball on the tee no matter how correct I feel in the setup. Can you help?

Well, I'll have to tee the ball up in today's lesson, but first and foremost you probably have one of two problems, Brian. You're either getting too far ahead of the ball during your transition or you are reverse weight shifting and coming in flat and causing a drop kick effect.

I bet that you're chopping down and hitting the ball high on the face and hitting some really high tee shots, so the critical issue that I always think of is alignment. If you're having to turn to get back to your aiming line, that turns your body forward which causes you to get too far forward. This leads to a swing that's very steep which takes away a lot of power and accuracy. 

However, let's say you're aligned correctly but you're still hitting behind the ball with the driver. The problem could be that you're overswinging. Sometimes because the driver is a longer club, we don't realize that we are overswinging it. This causes you to get ahead of the ball. So, be sure that you're only reaching a 3/4 backswing even with your longer clubs such as the driver. 

My guess is that Brian is either getting too long or too deep and moving forward ahead of the ball. When that's the case, the only thing left to do is to throw the club at the ball and reverse weigh shift. To avoid this problem, make sure that you stay behind the ball and properly set up in a pre-loaded heavy right position.

The driver is perhaps the toughest club to hit in your golf bag. Because it's longer than all other clubs, we can sometimes overswing. For more tips on how to swing the driver, head over to Surge's Shop and check out our Driver Swing DVD featuring D.J. Trahan. 

Keep it vertical!

The Surge

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Comments

Robert Fleck's picture

Submitted by Robert Fleck on

Thanks, Surge. I know when I'm hitting my best drives, I'm really cognizant of keeping my upper body behind the ball. There's a greater steadiness overall in my body, and that lets my arms conversely swing more freely through the ball. Then I try to go after one, move my body, and all goes to pot. ;-)

Dragonhead's picture

Submitted by Dragonhead on

As one who needs constant reminding this video on keeping PHLR with the upper body behind the ball, was excellent.
Just back from Australia Surge. That wouldn't be an Akubra hat you are wearing. It looks remarkably like the one I wear.
With luck weather is meant to pick up tomorrow. So fingers crossed in the hope we can tread the hallowed turf tomorrow our time.
Keep hitting them straight off the tee with the big dog and keep them on the fairway. DH

ianjenko@yahoo.co.uk's picture

Submitted by ianjenko@yahoo.co.uk on

Nice to see DJ doing so well at the McGladery but would like to have seen more of him.

Ian

Michael Schmutzok's picture

Submitted by Michael Schmutzok on

When I try to really swing up at the ball with my driver (FUS), I get so much top spin that the ball just dives at the ground. I get maybe 150yds in the air and the ball height is greatly reduced also. I wind up having to flatten my swing somewhat to stop that from happening. Am I trying to come up too much on the forward upswing or am I getting too verical with my swing?

shortgamewizard's picture

Submitted by shortgamewizard on

Two common causes for swinging up too much. Playing the ball too far forward and hanging back on the back foot instead of moving the weight forward.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

Shortgamewizard is on it, and his 2 thoughts are great places to start, Michael, on your very interesting question.

I would add one more thought here:
I really do not think of swinging up on the ball, but prefer the image of striking "through" the ball.

When that happens, unresisted momentum simply carries the (now arcing) club on up, and up happens simply because that's where the club is going.

Up is free.

Now, if someone can explain why my comments are posting in triplicate,
I would be...uhm.....very, very, very ....thankful.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

Sure the club is going to continue up after hitting the ball. That's not the point of Surge's theory. All kinds of bad things can happen with the motion dynamics of the swing when either the ball, or even through the ball, are the focus from the top (because the ball is on the ground).
Really good players (and you may be one) can get away with focusing on through the ball as the focus because they already have the body trained to not get out of position from the top.
Most of us are going to inevitably start coming over the top or starting the FUS with our shoulders if the target is down.
If the thought is swinging up from the very start the natural reaction of the body is to let the hands drop into the slot. It also keeps the tendency to sway off of the ball and/or straighten the right leg on the BUS to a minimum.
When you make a submarine throw you would never start the throw with your shoulders or straighten your back leg but would simply let the elbow fall down into position for the explosion up while the rest of the body would start from the ground up starting with the weight balanced on the flexed back leg and transferring to the front ahead of the arm.
Never at any point would you be thinking down.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

Thanks, Steve. Your thoughts are noted, and you clearly understand the nuances of this swing much better than I. I always enjoy and read with interest when you weigh in.

Just to be clear, I never hit, think nor recommend down.
"Down" is a proven swing and shoulder killer.

But down is not "through".

I have had some of the same (referenced) issues when my focus was "Up"
and was simply offering an alternative thought that helped me with the specific issues that had been raised.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

I doubt if I understand any nuances any better than anyone else that has thought about a golf swing, and I know that you know as much about it as I do. Since it's a very misunderstood concept to any new reader some multiple explanations don't hurt anything. The first thought often seems to be that there is no way to swing up at a ball on the ground because the club is high and the ball is low. The next thought seems to be that we are actually swinging up through the ball at impact, which is impossible on the ground since the club would have to be at it's lowest point before impact.
Finally we figure out that the "up" is all of the dynamics of the body from the very start of the FUS, and actually before the BUS ends. The bump itself is all about preparation for up.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

When I go "through" then right on up to the T finish...well, "up" just seems to happen along the way, with fewer thinned shots, and fewer topspin worm-burners. I guess my understanding of "PPGS Up" will benefit from this conversation.

Ironically enough, there is One club I will allow myself, at address, to think about hitting slightly up with: my driver off the tee.

wolftitan's picture

Submitted by wolftitan on

Surge, did Brian say how long his driver is? Could it be that he is swinging a 46" + inch driver? Did he have it fitted to his swing?

DJ had a good week! If he plays that way next week he should be inside the top 125.

Randy

trussell100@gmail.com's picture

Submitted by trussell100@gma... on

in the video about driving ande hitting the ground, I noticed the ball position seemed in the middle of your stance. Is this correct? If so, why?
Tom Russell

Robert Meade's picture

Submitted by Robert Meade on

Of course complimenting the son is often a compliment to the parents. Especially in this case because no one has helped or done more for DJ's swing than Dad- Don. Really was thrilled to see Deej play so well at Sea Island. All parts of his game are coming together just in time to make the top 125. Looks like if he can make one last cut and a top 20 finish in Florida this week he'll be there.
Keep it going DJ, we're pulling hard for your success!

Brady's picture

Submitted by Brady on

So what was everyone doing during our Amazon enforced downtime this afternoon?

Myself? I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get repair broken services and watching the site go up and down like a yo-yo.

Lynn42's picture

Submitted by Lynn42 on

Tom, rather than the yo yo image, maybe "rock on a string" might help. ;0)

shortgamewizard's picture

Submitted by shortgamewizard on

Just had a similar problem. Added phone service from the cable company, had a wan and they added a modem and the original modem needed to be added on their end. Getting to the root of the problem took a lot of rebooting of the computer and other devices connected. Pain.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

N/A