Landing a drive on the fairway is any golfer’s goal to set themselves up for their next shot – and if you can hit big drives on those long par 5s you’re in a position that every golfer hopes for. Hitting long drives is first a matter of accuracy and consistency.
But knowing your tendencies and purchasing the right equipment to match will go a long way in helping you crush it off the tee. A simple club adjustment might be all it takes to find your sweet spot and land your drive on the fairway each time.
Rick Hatfield, TGW Pure Performance Center Master Club Fitter, has advice on how to get consistent power and distance off the tee.
How to know when you’re hitting the sweet spot on your club
“One of the most important things to hit the ball a long way consistently is to hit the middle of the club face,” said Hatfield.
“If you hit out on the toe or the heel of the club, the club is going to twist. If the club is twisting, that’s energy that’s going into the club that is not going into the golf ball.”
Sometimes, a golfer can tell where the ball strikes the club by how it feels or by noticing where it travels.
Or, you can use face tape, impact tape, or aerosol foot powder sprayed onto your club. The ball will make an impression on your club to show where you’re hitting the ball. That information can help you know which adjustments to make in your club and your swing.
“If you’re missing the sweet spot, a bigger club is going to help,” Hatfield said.
How to fix it: A larger club head has a larger sweet spot and will be more forgiving.
Adjust your driver for an optimal face angle
Striking the ball in the club’s sweet spot is only part of a golfer’s challenge.
Ensure your club face is perpendicular to where you want the ball to travel.
“The intrigue about golf is that the slightest variance at impact within a couple of degrees amplified over the distance the ball travels is a huge outcome on the result of the shot,” he said.
Even three degrees off from perpendicular could result in dozens of yards off of your intended target.
How to fix it: Adjust the hosel to improve your loft and lie angle.
Shift the weight in your driver to put more mass behind the strike
Many of today’s drivers have an adjustable weight. Golfers can shift the center of gravity by moving the weight to the left, center, or right on the club head.
“If a player always hits on the toe side of the club, putting the weight behind where the hit is, is going to increase the energy transfer,” Hatfield said.
That increased mass behind the strike will launch the golf ball farther.
“By moving that weight, not only does it help increase the energy transfer, but it helps straighten out the shot.”
How to fix it: If a player consistently misses to the right, Hatfield recommends moving the weight to the heel. Miss to the left? Shift the weight to the toe. Keep the weight centered if your shots tend to be straight, and you’ll boost your power.
Another option to help correct a deep slice is to use a draw-biased club, designed with more weight in the club heel.
Increase your loft angle to get a higher trajectory
Once you’re sure you’re hitting the ball solidly, get the optimal trajectory — the height and angle the ball travels when struck.
“When the golf ball flies through the air, it’s just like the wing of an airplane,” Hatfield said. “It gets lift by the airflow that goes over it. The faster it’s going, the more lift it gets.”
When it slows to 55 mph, it loses lift and falls to the ground.
Someone with a slower drive speed would benefit from a greater loft angle from their club. This way, the ball will get higher in the air and have more spin. These factors increase the airflow on the ball, which will keep it flying longer.
“Getting the right loft to get the correct launch angle and spin rate based on your ball speed is going to help you maximize your drives,” Hatfield said.
How to fix it: Adjust the club to change the loft angle or select a driver with a higher loft angle.
Get more power and distance off the tee by using the best driver for your game
Your shots will fly off the tee when you have the right driver. You’ll harness the power of your swing and transfer that energy into the ball.
To recap:
- A larger driver has a larger sweet spot and is more forgiving
- Adjust the hosel to improve your angle
- Shift the adjustable weight in your driver or use a draw-biased club
- Switch to a club with a greater loft angle if you need more height
Check out our golf drivers buying guide and our recommendations on the best golf drivers.
