Driving · Drill
Power Starts With a Wide, Tilted Driver Setup
Part of our driving programs for not enough distance. Build a program with it
Want more speed? Look at your feet first. With a driver, your stance should be wider than your shoulders. A narrow base makes you spend effort just staying upright. Next, check your hips in a mirror. Your trail hand sits lower on the grip, so your trail hip should sit a bit lower too. Your belt line tilts slightly away from the target. Now swing and feel your upper body stay inside your lower body. You should feel stacked and steady. Balance lets your speed go into the ball instead of into saving yourself.
The drill
- Set your feet outside shoulder width.
- Look in a mirror at your belt line.
- Let the trail hip sit a touch lower.
- Keep your chest inside your stance as you swing.
- Finish balanced.
Why it works
A wide stance gives you a stable base, so your muscles can produce speed instead of holding you upright. Your trail hand sits lower on the grip, so a slightly lower trail hip lets your spine tilt away from the target. That tilt helps you hit the ball on the upswing and keeps your upper body behind the ball. When your chest stays inside your stance, your weight stays centered and your speed goes into the ball.
Common mistakes
- You set your feet too wide and lose the ability to turn your hips.Widen only until you feel steady, then make a few practice turns and narrow slightly if your hips feel stuck.
- You tilt by leaning your upper body back and bending your trail knee a lot.Keep your knees softly flexed and let only the trail hip drop a touch so your belt line tilts slightly away from the target.
- You slide your chest toward the target or sway away from it during the swing.Feel your chest stay inside your stance and turn around a steady spine, and check it in a mirror.
How you'll know it's working
- In the mirror, your belt line tilts slightly away from the target and your stance is outside your shoulders.
- You finish the swing balanced and can hold your finish without stepping or wobbling.
- You make contact more often at the center of the face, and the ball launches higher with a steady start line.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Do the setup in front of a mirror with no ball and make slow half swings, holding your finish each time.
Harder: Hit drivers off a tee at full speed and hold your finish for three seconds after every swing.
Common questions
How wide should my stance be with a driver?
Set your feet outside your shoulders. Widen only as far as you can still turn freely and stay balanced.
Why should my trail hip be lower at setup with a driver?
Your trail hand sits lower on the grip, so your trail side naturally sits lower. This tilts your spine slightly away from the target, which helps you strike the ball on the upswing.
