The driver is often the first club we pull out of the bag, and the result can set the tone for the rest of the round. With so much to consider, like the optimal driver launch angle, the perfect ball position and trying to avoid too much spin, spending some time on the range practicing is a must.
In this article, PGA professional Keith Williams shares four expert tips to perfect your practice time with the driver...
Play Your Natural Shot
On the range you should cultivate your natural shot, as this will be the easiest one for you to repeat and execute under pressure on the course. Choose a specific target and check that your set-up and aim are aligned to allow you to hit that natural shape.
Complete Your Turn
Concentrate on completing your turn in the backswing, with a good weight shift and finish in a balanced position with your body fully turned towards the target. Not completing your turn can lead to many common swing faults, bringing big numbers into play.
Focus On The Fundamentals
Before a competition round, I’d advise against getting too technical and worrying over certain positions. Rather, focus on the basics, such as alignment and ball position. Then, aim for quality over quantity, hitting a maximum of 20 drives to ensure you save your best stuff for the course!
Adapt Your Ball Flight
Finally, being able to adapt your ball flight to variable conditions is a prerequisite of successful golfers. Hit a few drives with the ball teed up higher, and a few lower. You’ll then be better prepared to execute the correct flight that the hole requires, when you eventually get out on the course.
How To Practice Your Driver Swing At Home
For many amateur golfers, getting to the range to practice can be difficult due to various commitments in our day-to-day lives. While it's really important to set aside some time, there are also ways you can practice at home.
With so many new practice aids available on the market, there are plenty of options for golfers wanting to improve their game. You could opt for the best golf net, best training aids like a swing speed stick or a golf swing trainer, or go all out and fork out for one of the best golf simulators.
However you decide to practice, combining some at home tweaking with a well-organised range session as often as possible will certainly set you on the right path to great results.
Want To Read More Expert Golf Tips?
The Golf Monthly archive is a gold mine of brilliant reads, documenting a journey through the history of golf dating back to our first issue in 1911. Take advantage of over 100 years of invaluable tips from the best tour professionals and coaches in world golf, by subscribing to the online Golf Monthly Archive.
