Drive for Show: 5 Tee Shot Drills to Boost Distance and Accuracy

A powerful and accurate drive can set the tone for a great hole and ultimately lead to lower scores. While the old adage says, “Drive for show, putt for dough,” the reality is that strong driving skills can significantly improve your overall game. In this article, we’ll explore five effective drills designed to enhance both your driving distance and accuracy off the tee.

1. The Alignment Stick Corridor Drill

Purpose: Improve accuracy and visualize the target line

Setup:

Place two alignment sticks on the ground, creating a corridor slightly wider than your driver head.
The corridor should point towards your target.

Execution:

Take your normal stance, with the ball positioned just inside your lead heel.
Practice swinging through the corridor without touching the alignment sticks.
Graduate to hitting balls, focusing on keeping your shots within the corridor.

Pro Tip: This drill helps you visualize your target line and promotes a straight ball flight. If you’re consistently missing to one side, check your alignment and swing path.

2. The Step-Through Drill

Purpose: Increase swing speed and improve balance

Setup:

Take your normal address position without a ball.

Execution:

Start your backswing normally.
As you begin your downswing, allow your back foot to step toward the target.
Complete your swing with a full follow-through, ending balanced on your front foot.
Once comfortable, add a ball and make real swings with the step-through motion.

Pro Tip: This drill promotes a full weight transfer and encourages you to swing through the ball, not at it, potentially increasing your swing speed and distance.

3. The Tee Height Variation Drill

Purpose: Understand how tee height affects ball flight and optimize your launch conditions

Setup:

Prepare three tees: one at your usual height, one about ½ inch lower, and one about ½ inch higher.
Place a ball on each tee.

Execution:

Hit drives from each tee height, maintaining your normal swing.
Observe how the different tee heights affect your ball flight, distance, and accuracy.

Pro Tip: Finding your optimal tee height can help you achieve the ideal launch angle for maximum distance and control.

4. The Whoosh Drill

Purpose: Improve swing tempo and increase club head speed

Setup:

Take your driver and turn it upside down, gripping the club head end.

Execution:

Make practice swings, focusing on creating a “whoosh” sound at the bottom of your swing.
Gradually increase your swing speed, always ensuring the loudest “whoosh” is at the impact zone.
After several repetitions, flip the club back to normal and hit some drives.

Pro Tip: This drill helps you focus on accelerating through impact, a key factor in generating more distance.

5. The Feet-Together Drill

Purpose: Improve balance and centeredness of contact

Setup:

Address the ball with your feet together, almost touching.
Take your normal grip and posture.

Execution:

Make full swings while keeping your feet together.
Focus on maintaining your balance throughout the swing.
Once comfortable, slowly move to your regular stance width and hit drives.

Pro Tip: This drill forces you to stay centered over the ball and can help eliminate swaying or sliding during your swing.

Implementing These Drills:

Incorporate these drills into your practice routine regularly, spending about 15-20 minutes on driving practice during each session. Remember to warm up properly before attempting full-speed swings.

Use a launch monitor if available to track your progress in terms of distance, ball speed, and accuracy. However, don’t become overly reliant on technology – your feel and the flight of the ball are also important indicators of improvement.

Conclusion:

Developing a powerful and accurate drive takes time and consistent practice. These five drills target different aspects of the driving game, from alignment and accuracy to speed and balance. By incorporating them into your regular practice routine, you’ll be on your way to longer, straighter drives.

Remember, a good drive sets up the rest of your hole, potentially leading to more greens in regulation and lower scores. However, don’t fall into the trap of always swinging for maximum distance. Learning to control your driver and hit the fairway consistently is often more valuable than an extra few yards.

Stay patient, trust the process, and enjoy the journey to better driving. Here’s to long, straight drives and more fairways hit! Check out the Best Golf Balls