Tour Technique
How to find more fairways with better driver accuracy
TAYLOR MOORE won the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship in March and had three other top-five finishes in 2023.
J.D. Cuban
There are times when just getting a drive in the short grass is the priority. Windy days come to mind, or tight landing areas, even super-long par 3s. When you need a tee shot you can rely on, try my go-to technique to produce a lower ball flight that stays in play.
Think of this as a “blanket drive” because when you swing, you should feel like you’re “covering” the ball (above). I want my chest to stay over the top of the ball through the hitting area. Honestly, it’s more like an iron shot than a standard drive. You play the ball a touch farther back than normal in your stance, tee it a little lower, and grip down for more control. When you swing, commit to it. Don’t try to steer the ball in play by holding off your through-swing. You’re not trying to blister the ball, but you’re still making a full backswing and follow-through.
If you hit this shot right, the ball will fly low and fairly straight with a little peel off from left to right. If you allow for that, you should be playing your next shot from a great spot with the chance to score on a tough hole. —with Ron Kaspriske