Watch any old footage of Jack Nicklaus or Tom Watson getting ready to hit a tee shot and you’ll notice something: they look completely at ease. No practice swings, no technical thoughts, just pure confidence. Meanwhile, many of today’s golfers often approach the driver like it’s some mystical weapon they’re not worthy to wield.
What changed?
Don’t get me wrong—I love modern technology. Launch monitors, ground force data and swing analysis have revolutionized how we understand the golf swing. These tools are incredible for fine-tuning and identifying technical flaws that the naked eye might miss.
But here’s what I’ve discovered after years of teaching and coaching: sometimes the missing piece isn’t more data. Sometimes it’s a simple image or feel that the great teachers and players from golf’s golden era understood instinctively. The kind of timeless wisdom that cuts through all the noise and gives a golfer exactly what they need to make a confident swing.
These aren’t new discoveries buried in some dusty instruction manual. They’re the same fundamentals that every great driver has relied on, from Bobby Jones to Tiger Woods. The difference is that they often get buried under layers of technical analysis—when sometimes all a golfer needs is the right mental picture to make everything click.
Fix #1: “Tee it high and let it fly”
The driver is designed to hit the ball on the upswing, not down like an iron. Tee the ball high enough that half sits above the driver’s crown—this sets up optimal launch conditions naturally.
Most golfers tee too low but this forces a downward strike that kills distance. Trust your driver’s loft and sweep the ball off the tee with an ascending blow.
Fix #2: “Turn your back to the target, then turn your chest to the target”
Power comes from rotation, not arm strength. In your backswing, turn your back toward the target while keeping your head steady. On the downswing, turn your chest toward the target while letting your arms follow naturally.
This sequence ensures your body leads the swing while your arms lag behind, creating the whip-like action that produces distance and accuracy.
Fix #3: “Swing like you’re throwing a ball underhand”
This image fixes more driver swings than any technical instruction. When throwing underhand, you naturally shift weight, turn your body and release at the right moment. Your driver swing should feel identical.
Start with weight slightly favoring your back foot, then shift forward through impact, just like that underhand throw.
Fix #4: “Finish like you’re posing for a photo”
Great drivers swing to a complete, balanced finish position. This ensures acceleration through the ball rather than deceleration at impact.
Practice holding your finish for three seconds—balanced on your front foot, chest facing the target, back foot up on its toe. If you can’t hold this position comfortably, your swing needs work.
