LONGER, STRAIGHTER, BETTER

Top 50 Coach Alex Elliott reveals his keys to better all-round driving

There are fewer better feelings than having complete control and confidence in your driver. It won't happen every time you play - sadly that's not how this game works - but we can help you produce your best off the tee more often.

Contained within the next four pages are a host of simple tips, from how to hit the ball further to increasing your clubface control. Pulling driver can be daunting for some, but it shouldn't be a club that invokes fear; rather, it should be a source of fun. Hopefully this advice will help you enjoy hitting your driver and lead to better golf.

1 The set-up

You’ve got to get the set-up right, and that starts with tee height. Ideally, you want the top half of the ball to sit above the top of the driver head. Too low a tee and you’ll likely hit down on it; too high and you might sky it.

Ball position is also crucial. Stand with your feet together in line with the ball and just open your left (lead) foot out. Then, take a big step with your right (trail) foot so your feet are a little more than shoulder width apart and the ball is in line with your left heel. Your weight should be about 60 per cent on your trail side.

To further encourage an upward strike, tilt your upper body slightly away from the target and make sure your right shoulder sits lower than your left. A handy visual is to imagine or even draw a line on your ball with a tick on one side and a cross on the other so the tick is furthest away from the target. When you look down, you should be able to see more of the tick side than the cross. If you can’t, you’re leaning too far forward.

The final piece of the puzzle is the hand position. Assuming your grip is okay, it’s vital not to push your hands too far forward. Instead, have them roughly in the middle of your chest.