How To Hit Your Driver Straighter (5 Steps)

Written by Todd in Online Golf Instruction

There is nothing more frustrating than playing from the trees all round or spraying a shot out of bounds from the tee box.

We have all been there!  

Struggling to hit the driver straight enough to allow us to play from the fairway and have a legitimate chance at par or maybe even birdie on every hole.

While the driver is the most difficult club to hit straight due to the 45-46 inch shaft and the lowest amount of loft of any club in the bag, there are 5 steps you can take to increase your chances of keeping the ball in the fairway.

Keep in mind that even the professional golfers in today’s game have a 70 yard dispersion shot pattern from right to left when they are hitting their driver.  Keeping expectations in check is a major part to controlling our mindset on the course and working on the right things.

How To Hit Your Driver Straighter: 5 Steps

  1. Understand the ball flight laws
  2. Assess your shot patterns
  3. Develop a stock shot
  4. Use the proper visualizations
  5. Stay tension free

As someone that once struggled with the driver, I was able to take these 5 steps to become a better driver of the ball.  This has provided for more and more birdie putts and opportunities to go low during a round of golf.  If you can’t hit your driver straight, you often find yourself scrambling all day and limiting your chances to make birdie putts or have simple 2 putt pars on the greens.

Let’s dive right in to help your game.

Learn how to take the most intimidating tee shots and own them by developing a stock shot!

Step 1: Understand the ball flight laws

For many years, there was some confusion over what causes a golf ball to start on a specific line and then curve relative to that line.  Many thought that the path controlled the start line and the club face controlled the curve.  When in reality, the opposite is true.

For the most part, the ball will start in the direction of the clubface at impact.  So if the club is 3 degrees open or to the right, the ball still starts right.  The ball will then curve depending on the relationship of the club face to the swing path. 

To hit a straight shot, the golfer will need a square club face and a neural swing path.  The perfectly straight shot in golf might be the most difficult shot to hit.  That is why we recommend hitting either a slight draw or a slight fade.  The margin of error is greater and it helps you develop a stock shot that is consistent and reliable.

For example, to hit a draw with any club (one that starts right and curves back towards the target), the golfer will want a club face that is slightly open at impact to get the ball to start right.  However, the club face will be closed to the swing path, which means the swing path is further right than the club face.

To hit a fade with any club (one that starts left and curves back towards the target), the golfer will want a club face that is slightly closed at impact to get to the ball start left.  However, the club face will be open to the path, which means the swing path is further left than the club face.

If either of these differences between club face direction and swing path direction becomes a wide gap in numbers, the golfer will struggle either with a slice or a hook.  The goal is to maintain a 2-3 degree difference in clubface and swing path alignment.  This is opposed to trying to swing perfectly square with a square path. 

This plan leads to some shots that will curve left and others that will curve right.  Remember, our ultimate goal is a stock shot that starts on a general start line and curves back towards the target.

Example 1:

  • Club Face – 2 degrees open (or to the right)
  • Swing Path – 4 degree to the right

The ball will start right and curve left, or back towards the target line.

Example 2:

  • Club Face – 3 degrees open (or to the right)
  • Swing Path – 1 degree to the right

The ball will start right and fade away from the target.  This would be a push fade.

Example 3: 

  • Club Face – 3 degrees closed (or to the left)
  • Swing Path – 4 degrees to the left

The ball will start left and fade back towards the target.

In Summary, the ball will start in the relative direction that the club face is facing at impact and then curve away from the swing path.  To hit a draw, you need a face that is slightly open with a swing path slightly right of the club face.  The opposite is true for a fade shot.

Step 2: Assess your shot patterns

What is the general direction of your shot pattern with a driver?  Here are some potential shot patterns:

  • Ball starts right and curves right
  • Ball starts right and curves left
  • Ball starts left and curves left
  • Ball starts left and curves right
  • Ball starts right and flies straight
  • Ball starts left and flies straight

Some of these options above you can live with, until the curve becomes too large.  This is when there is too large of a gap in the difference between the clubface and the relationship to the swing path.

Here is an assessment you can complete:

  • Hit 20 drivers at the driving range
  • After every shot, mark on a chart, with the categories above on the chart, what flight pattern your ball followed.
  • Over the 20 shots, what patterns do you notice?
  • Inconclusive can be an option as well and maybe there are no patterns and you have the greatest level of inconsistencies!

Now that we have a better idea of our shot patterns, it is time to develop a stock shot.  The stock shot is vital in golf!

A go to stock shot is the key to consistency with all clubs, but especially the driver!

Step 3: Develop a stock shot

Have you ever played golf with the person that seems to always hit that simple draw or fade on every shot?  The game appears to be so simple because they step up and hit their basic stock shot all day and never seem to have much stressed placed on their game?

Well, I want to help you become that golfer and believe that developing the stock shot is the key to consistency and the stress free rounds that we all want to play.

The stock shot will help you with your driver play and your irons.  You will be able to work the ball towards the center of the fairway and play to the bigger parts of the green to ensure you hit the greens in regulation.

Whether you hit a draw or a fade, it doesn’t matter, but please do develop a stock shot and check out this drill below:

Here is a wonderful drill you can use to build a stock shot:

  • At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
  • If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 1-2 yards right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
  • Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target.  Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
  • The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
Here is the drill being explained by Kyle Morris:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i0DBchRnao&t=79s

*I enjoy doing this drill in my golf simulator setup as I can see the curve of the ball and the spot where my ball hit on the impact screen.  However, it can easily be utilized at the driving range.  See below for more from rotation about my golf simulator setup!

Resource: Complete post on hitting a stock shot

Step 4: Use the proper visualizations

Have you ever played a certain hole where you just can’t seem to find the fairway?  Golf can be a strange game and we often can get lost in the visualizations and the difficulties of the hole.

Here are some simple steps:

  • Determine the stock shot starting point and ending point.
  • Pick a target off in the distance (it might be a tree 350 yards away).
  • Draw an imaginary line from that target starting point all the way back to your ball.
  • Along this line, about 1-4 feet in front of your ball, pick an intermediate target.
  • Commit to the shot.
  • Send the ball flying down that target line, keeping the ball flight laws in mind if you are struggling and consider what adjustments are needed.

Sticking with this routine will give you the best chance to hitting the shot you need.  Oftentimes on these difficult holes, we can get lost in all of the danger or we try to steer the ball out into the fairway.  The key is to stay relaxed, commit to the shot and make your best swing possible.

Which leads us to the next step, staying tension free!

Resource: How to aim a golf shot (5 tips)

Step 5: Stay tension free

Tension is the ultimate golf swing destroyer!  

With tension in your arms and body, you will struggle to make a free flowing, smooth swing that sends the club face flying through impact, maximizing your ball speed and your distance and any chance of hitting the fairway.

We have all had the rounds where we are relaxed, having a good time and playing carefree golf.  The chances are we are hitting a lot of fairways and greens and hitting the shots that are acceptable.

I have found that when I am able to stay tension free and not trying to swing “hard,” I end up playing my best golf.

Here are some tips to help you stay tension free:

  • Relax your jaw and your mouth by having it slightly open during your swing.
  • Allow the arms to flow back tension free at least for the first 6-18 inches of the backswing.
  • Let the transition happen at the top without forcing the club down.
  • Most importantly, commit to the shot from the beginning and play with confidence.
  • Hold your follow through for 2-3 seconds to help stay tension free and to promote a lack of tension through impact.
Fred Couples might have the most envious, tension free swing of all time. He keeps his arms and shoulders rather relaxed!

BONUS TIP: Ensure you have the proper driver

Many golfers are playing with the wrong loft or driver shaft.  Too light or too heavy of a shaft, along with the wrong flex can increase your spin rate, which destroys distance and the ability to hit the ball straight.

The key is to have a spin rate between 1800 and 2600 RPMs for most swing speeds.  If you are spinning the ball above 3000 it is time to see a club fitter or test out different clubs on your own.

I use my own portable launch monitor to check for spin rate and to ensure I am maximizing my distance.  Once you feel like you aren’t getting enough distance, it can ruin the rest of your swing and keep you from hitting your driver as accurate or as straight as you would like.

While many won’t want to spend the money on a Trackman, there are some viable options in the 500 to 2000 dollars range that provide the following data after every shot:

  • Ball Speed
  • Spin Rate
  • Spin Axis
  • Launch Angle
  • Carry and Total Distance

What I find most helpful is the shot tracer and the spin rate information.  I am visually able to check the flight of my ball as I work to build my stock shot and have the reliable shot I can count on in any situation.

Here are the top 3 options to check out:

This technology is a game changer as the golfer can build a stock shot using the information while expanding a golf season where the golfer can practice 365 days a year.  Whether the golfer goes all out and builds a home simulator or simply sets up a net and mat in their garage, the possibility of improving the swing and being able to practice or play 365 days a year is a game changer!

BONUS TIP #2: Gain More Speed

While everyone wants to be more consistent with their shot pattern and hit their driver straighter, we all want more distance as well.

The best product I have found on the market is the SuperSpeed Golf System.  This three club system, which varies in weight, helps the golfer use an overspeed approach to gaining 5-8% in swing speed as early as the first training session.  This speed becomes more permanent after 30 days of training.  The training sessions only take place every other day and take about 15 minutes.  

The speed is real and the results are real.  There is a good reason many of the touring pros, including Phil Mickelson, can be found using these on the driving range of every tournament.  The challenge is fun and the distance is rewarding!

I have gained 7-10 miles per hour in my swing through training with SuperSpeed Golf.  This has helped every club in the bag and my next goal is to reach the tour average of 113.  I have gone from 98-101 on average to 106-109 on average.  I am confident I can reach 113 in the coming months!

Check current price of SuperSpeed Golf, here!

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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