Tips for hitting the ball cleanly

[TheCaddie]

Rick has nice videos on driver swings as well. Have a look at this one, for example, it sums the most important points up quite nicely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSmEgRw0Hf0&list=PLKnkfgDBi62lhlp3Bxaszt1V7KIoOfDuo&index=5

That does look quite helfpul, and good to know the weight is 50/50 on the feet as well.

Do you trigger that movement similar to the irons, with a shift forward, with the tilt making you hit upwards? Or is there something else that activates that downswing......

 

[Capella]

I personally trigger it by shifting a bit of weight on my left foot and then starting to turn the hip by straightening the left leg. The rest of the body then has no other option than to follow suit. But I am not sure if that is the ideal way. Works okay for me.

edit: Actually, now that I think of it, that is exactly what I do and where the difference between the driver and an iron shot kicks in. In an iron shot I do shift to the left, but the left knee stays slightly flexed during the turn. With the driver, I really stretch the left leg, causing my upper body to hang back a little, allowing me to hit up on the ball. Does that make sense?

 

[TheCaddie]

I personally trigger it by shifting a bit of weight on my left foot and then starting to turn the hip by straightening the left leg. The rest of the body then has no other option than to follow suit. But I am not sure if that is the ideal way. Works okay for me.

edit: Actually, now that I think of it, that is exactly what I do and where the difference between the driver and an iron shot kicks in. In an iron shot I do shift to the left, but the left knee stays slightly flexed during the turn. With the driver, I really stretch the left leg, causing my upper body to hang back a little, allowing me to hit up on the ball. Does that make sense?

Kind of.... what do you mean by stretch the left leg though? What actual movement do you make?

Useful advice btw!

 

[bobmac]

Kind of.... what do you mean by stretch the left leg though? What actual movement do you make?

Useful advice btw!

You could just alter the ball position in relation to your feet.
Centre of your stance for mid/long irons and opposite your big toe for the driver and a high tee.

 

[Capella]

@TheCaddie: I don't know how else to describe it. Hip bump up and to the left. I do that on iron shots as well, but way less aggressive. With the driver, I really lock the knee, while with the iron shots it remains slightly bend.

I use the different setup bobmac mentions as well, of course, ball further to the left (assuming you are right handed) and teed up relatively high, so that the swing bottoms out before the ball. Also, even in setup my spine is slightly tilted away from target, all encouraging me to hit up on the ball.

Rick Shiels and Peter Finch did an excellent video series on how to hit driver for GM on YouTube this year.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl3504ZoW2FNEE3-U5e69SYA4zcaLL_xR
That's really the best and most complete breakdown on the individual elements of the driver swing that I could find anywhere, and it helped me a lot.

 

[delc]

At set up, make sure your sternum (approx. centre of your swing) is ahead of the ball. Also try not to sway back too much in the backswing.

 

[chrisd]

I personally trigger it by shifting a bit of weight on my left foot and then starting to turn the hip by straightening the left leg. The rest of the body then has no other option than to follow suit. But I am not sure if that is the ideal way. Works okay for me.

edit: Actually, now that I think of it, that is exactly what I do and where the difference between the driver and an iron shot kicks in. In an iron shot I do shift to the left, but the left knee stays slightly flexed during the turn. With the driver, I really stretch the left leg, causing my upper body to hang back a little, allowing me to hit up on the ball. Does that make sense?

That's pretty much my feeling, I believe it's known as hitting against a firm left side. At the top of the swing I feel the left foot push down slightly and the weight shifting on to the lead foot, the lead hip bumps with the weight shift over the the left foot and, as the hands come down, the left hip turns and rises which straightens the left leg through impact. It works really well so long as I keep my head still through impact and watch the ball being struck