With the driver being the longest club it is the easiest to get off track with. Most golfers will struggle with 1 of the common 5 swing faults that we discuss in detail. These include:
- Wrong equipment
- Coming over the top
- Getting too laid off
- Poor swing tempo
- Anxiety over hitting a bad shot
We have all been there! If you have played the game long enough, you have asked the questions…Why can’t I hit my driver.
Golf can be the most wonderful game one day and the most frustrating game on other days. Within the same week or season, there are highs and lows and oftentimes even during a round of golf. Even professional golfers struggle with the grind of the game of golf and have their own issues with their swings.
Managing those and knowing what your common swing faults are can go a long way in reducing the frustration associated with the game of golf.
We all want to play consistent golf and hopefully the 5 common faults, along with the fixes below will help you play more consistent golf and shoot the scores you expect to shoot.
Update: This past season I hit my driver better than ever in my playing journey! The key you might ask! I learn to hit 3 different types of shots: 1) the stock shot driver (normal swing speed), 2) the “bunt” or “second serve” (less speed than normal) and 3) the “blast” (max speed). I would play the stock driver the majority of the time, but would hit the “bunt” 2-3 times per round with maybe 1 “blast” on a wide open par 5. I would select the shot based on the specific golf hole and how I was feeling at that time! It worked and made the game of golf that much more enjoyable! Enjoy your journey!
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver?
- Wrong equipment
- Coming over the top
- Getting too laid off
- Poor swing tempo
- Anxiety over hitting a bad shot
Below I will provide great detail of these faults with a quality video to help you solve your issue. Don’t worry, golf is a journey and here at golfjourney365, we want to help you.
I understand the frustrations with the game and my goal is to eliminate those frustrations and bring the fun back into the game for as many golfers as possible.
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver: Wrong Equipment
Let’s face it, too many golfers just buy the newest, latest, greatest driver that is going to change your game. Finally, the club that will help you hit 280 to 300 yards down the middle and forever change your game.
You are going to be left with wedges all day and you will sink those 5-10 footers for birdies and shoot your best round ever.
Ok, we can wake up now.
Things to consider when buying a new driver:
- What is your spin rate with that driver?
- Do you need a regular, stiff or senior shaft?
- Do you want an adjustable driver that allows you to set up for a fade or draw and to lower or increase the loft?
Spin rate is important
If you are swinging in the low 100’s for club head speed and have too high or too low of a spin rate, there will be a lost of distance or lack of control. You want to have your spin rate somewhere in the 2000’s if you are swinging in the low 100’s.
This will maximize your carry distance, while maintaining some control. The wrong shaft or wrong loft can create too much spin, which drastically can hurt your overall distance.
If you are spinning the ball in the 4000 range, we are talking somewhere between 20-30 yards less in total driving.
When I bought my first SkyTrak in 2017, I was able to see the major impact that spin rate has on distance. Getting the right equipment can help you find a club with the right spin rate for your swing speed. Check out our post on the SkyTrak for a Comprehensive Review and how it can change your game.
The right shaft is important
You also have to make sure you have the right flex shaft in your driver. As you age and lose distance, it is ok to move to the regular or senior shaft.
If you aren’t swinging at least 100 miles per hour, you should consider a regular shaft and as your swing speed decrease to less than 85 you should consider a senior shaft.
Are you a Senior Golfer: You must Check out The Art of Simple Golf
There is nothing more frustrating than trying to hit a driver that is not setup for you. The wrong shaft makes it much more difficult.
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Awesome Options:
An adjustable driver
Most manufacturers are creating drivers that give the golf some flexibility. The golfer can adjust the driver in several simple steps to increase or decrease loft and to set the club up for a fade or draw bias. I would recommend having a driver with this technology to provide the greatest amount of flexibility.
One Last Tip on Equipment
Have you ever felt that your driver feels really long? Over the years, the length of drivers has continued to increase and many are now sold at a stock length of 46 inches which is 1-3 inches longer than drivers of the past.
In an experiment I took a driver and cut it down to 44 increase and was impressed with my gain in control and the number of fairways I hit and lost only 2-5 yards with my driver. The gain in accuracy was helpful!
To read more about this option, check out this post.
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver: Coming Over the Top
The number one swing fault of high handicap golfers is the over the top move. This destroys any chance of hitting the ball solid, far and straight enough. It creates the pull shot or the banana slice.
Stop living life with those shots. Find your fix and let’s get the right swing path. The game becomes a lot more fun when you can start the ball straight or even hit the shot with a slight push draw.
The over the top move is a dreaded move that many baseball players might struggle with. It starts with the upper body and is difficult to manage. Mike Malaska is an awesome teacher and you need to check out the video below. He has the ability to keep the game simple and provide easy to understand tips. He is a must follow!
Stop coming over the top. Check out this excellent video on correcting your over the top move.
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver: Getting Too Laid Off
The opposite of the over the top move is when a player gets “stuck” or when the club is too laid off before impact. The golfer can sometimes time it up just right and hit powerful drives and then sometimes the golfer can get too quick and struggle with the snap hook.
The lack of consistency from the laid off position is enough to drive a golfer crazy and is worth seeking a solution for. Many single digit players have been there.
You have a great round going and all of a sudden you snap hook one out of bounce. The golfer was probably timing it perfect all day and just got a bit quick and there goes a quality round.
Another excellent solution provided by Mike Malaska. His swing approach is so refreshing and works for so many golfers.
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver: Poor Swing Tempo
My eyes were really opened by Tour Tempo and John Novasell. His study on what the proper tempo is in many of the greatest golfers of all time change my game and gave me something to work on and measure in a very simple manner.
Did you know that all good golf swings have a 3:1 ratio? That is backswing to downswing. It could vary on the overall timing of the swing, but regardless of the total time the best players will have this ratio.
Sometimes it is 21:7, 24:8, or even 27:9. Did you know that Ricky Fowler has been timed at 18:6?
Did you also know that swing low and slow is actually bad advice? That this actually takes away power and consistency? That is ok, we all learn new things everyday in our journey to play our best golf possible.
So maybe your swing is too fast or more than likely too slow. Many amateurs have been timed at a 35:10 ratio where the backswing is very slow and then is causes major issues in the downswing. To learn more, make sure you check out the video below or read our post for more detail.
Check it out and be amazed:
Why Can’t I Hit My Driver: Anxiety Over Hitting A Bad Shot
Yes, you arrive at the 14th hole, the one with the major hazard or out of bounce running down one side. You are scared of a bad shot ruining your entire round of golf. And what happens? You slice the ball out of bounds and your anxiety gets the best of you! We have all been there and done that. So how do you fix this?
I am a big believer in using vision and a clear target and working the ball either right or left or left to right depending on the hole.
Our main man, Shawn Clement, one of the best instructors around, has taught us to pick an intermediate target, a target way off in the distance and allow gravity and our wonderful body system we have to hit a ball towards the target.
Stop thinking about positions and instead let the swing happen. This all starts with trusting yourself to get the ball started in the right direction and having a flight plan.
Shawn Clement provides some awesome insight into his approach and believes we are all gravity geniuses that aren’t built to try to recreate positions in the golf swing, but instead to give our minds and bodies a task to accomplish.
About 3 years ago, I purchased and built my own golf simulator in my garage, which has allowed me to fine tune my golf swing and become much better with the driver.
It is still the club that drives most golfers crazy. With the help of instructors like Mike Malaska and Shawn Clement I have learned a lot about creating a simple swing and producing a reliable ball flight.
I love playing the simple stock, push draw that starts right of the target line and curves towards the target.
I have laid out a simple formula below to get your game started in the right direction.
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:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.