It happens to weekend warriors and touring pros alike: You drop a few bars in the middle and your driver starts to feel automatic—until it’s not.
In one last video by Titleist, GOLF Top 100 Teachers Joe Hallett explains that when players get that sudden boost of confidence, it often takes their focus away from the basics. The most common mistake? An attitude that stretches far and wide.
“When you start hitting the ball well, especially on the tee, there’s something that starts to sneak up on you and it’s this feeling of power, the feeling that you’re invincible. And that starts to show in the width of your stance,” he says.
“Little by little, you’ll notice as the players get up to the tee, they start getting more and more of this set and the stance gets wide,” he continues, “That’s when you have to start worrying.”
Find your perfect driving posture
To find yours optimal driver postureHallett explains that you need to determine which width gives you the most precision and power. The best way to do this is to use Hallett’s Goldilocks method:
- Kick a few discs with your feet just within shoulder width apart
- Then at shoulder width
- Then slightly outside than shoulder width
This will help you understand how each stance width affects contact quality, ball flight, accuracy and even power.
“If we keep our feet together, it controls some of the swing, the length of the swing. That probably lends itself to more accuracy,” he says, “As the stance gets wider, it gives a little extra kick.”
After you’ve hit a few shots with each stance, Hallett says you should start to notice a slight drop in performance as you play with that wider stance.
“You’ll have a phenomenon where you go that wasn’t that strong,” he says, “Back it up a notch and then you’ve found your stance width.”
Posture Towel – From the Swing Plate
Stance Golf Ball Position Training Aid Master your setup with the new Stance towel. Built to simplify your practice, it ensures accurate and correct foot alignment and ball positioning so every swing feels effortless. Key Features: Quick and Easy Setup: Instantly visualize the correct ball stance and position for every club and shot. Consistent Practice: Develop a repeatable swing and stroke with clear instructions. Versatile Design: Doubles as a premium microfiber golf towel for added convenience. Durable and weather-resistant: Built to last, even in harsh weather conditions. Right and Left Options: Choose the version that suits your play style. See the Stand Towel in action: What’s included: 1 x Stand Towel Perfect your game today!
View Product
Avoid the “wide right” mistake.
While your perfect driver stance is optimal for most tee shots, sometimes you really want to step on one. Hallett says this is when you need to know how to make a wider stance work for you. In his experience, a wider stance that doesn’t work has one thing in common: the trail foot is too far from the trail shoulder.
“This attitude, I call broadly fair,” says Hallett.
The reason the “wide upright” stance causes problems is because it forces you to make a massive movement to load on your side of the track, which, as Hallett explained earlier, can reduce your accuracy and power greatly. Hallett says that having your foot too far back can cause you to keep your weight on the side of the lead through the swing, creating a counterspin and as a result, draining power.
;)
1 Big Mistake Beginner Players Make With Their Drivers – And How To Fix It
Zephyr Melton
“When I go to hit this, my weight is going to move back. And I can tell you that moving back is not going to help the ball go forward,” he says.
Instead, Hallett recommends settling into what he calls “right upright” posture. Key: move your shoulder and trail leg together as you maintain your stance.
This trick helps you place your shoulders over your hips and knees while positioning your feet a little wider. Which allows you to load properly at the top of the rear drive and generate maximum power without sacrificing control.
“Now, I’m loaded behind the ball and I can add an extra shot to that little shot,” Hallett says.
To get your drives on course, just remember to focus on your feet. Stay in your optimal driving position for most shots, and when you’re ready to really hit one, put your foot and shoulder together. This “just right” stance will help you load up properly and deliver a powerful, controlled shot.
