Me And My Golf Tips: Driving Distance

Piers and Andy demonstrate a simple drill to add yards to your drives

Me And My Golf Tips: Driving Distance

Me And My Golf Tips: Driving Distance - YouTube golfing instruction stars Me And My Golf share a simple drill with a headcover that should add yards to your tee shots with the driver

Me And My Golf Tips: Driving Distance

The two main reasons for a lack of distance with the driver are a poor strike and an incorrect angle of attack. We’re going to tackle both of those here, starting with your angle of attack. We’re in a unique position with the driver in that we can tee the ball up.

Hitting up slightly on the ball is the key to maximising distance, as it will increase the launch angle and reduce backspin. It also helps you hit the ball in the middle of the face, which promotes high launch and low spin.

Tee the ball high and set up with your spine tilted away from the target. Position a headcover about 18 inches in front of the ball on your ball-to-target line.

You should be aiming to miss the headcover on your throughswing. If you attack the ball downward with a steep angle of attack, you’ll hit the headcover. You want to feel like you are swinging from low to high through the ball.

Notice how when done correctly – hitting the ball on the up – you miss the headcover. This drill should encourage a better attack into the ball, better launch conditions and more distance.

Clubface is King

With regard to the strike, obviously hitting the centre of the clubface provides the most ball speed. But most golfers don’t know how often they miss the centre. By using foot spray or face tape you can get feedback on the strike.

Striking the ball out of the toe, for example, is going to encourage the ball to turn draw. With the TaylorMade M1 driver I’m able to slide a weight into that toe section to counteract that drawing shot shape. Positioning more weight behind the impact location will also help maximise ball speed.

 

Joel Tadman
Technical Editor

Joel has worked in the golf industry for over 12 years covering both instruction and more recently equipment. He now oversees all product content here at Golf Monthly, managing a team of talented and passionate writers and presenters in delivering the most thorough and accurate reviews, buying advice, comparisons and deals to help the reader find exactly what they are looking for. So whether it's the latest driver, irons, putter or laser rangefinder, Joel has his finger on the pulse keeping up to date with the latest releases in golf. He is also responsible for all content on irons and golf tech, including distance measuring devices and launch monitors.


One of his career highlights came when covering the 2012 Masters he got to play the sacred Augusta National course on the Monday after the tournament concluded, shooting a respectable 86 with just one par and four birdies. To date, his best ever round of golf is a 5-under 67 back in 2011. He currently plays his golf at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincs, with a handicap index of 3.2.


Joel's current What's In The Bag? 

Driver: Titleist TSR3, 9° 

Fairway wood: Titleist TSR3, 15° 

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2, 18° 

Irons: Ping i230 4-UW

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8, 54°. Titleist Vokey SM9 60° lob wedge, K Grind

Putter: Evnroll ER2V 

Ball: 2023 Titleist Pro V1x