Getting off the tee with confidence can change the entire trajectory of your round of golf. Driver trouble often isn’t about one terrible swing. It’s about small habits that creep into your routine as you play. These habits feel like harmless adjustments in the moment but they quietly make things worse.
Here are four common driver habits that get golfers in trouble off the tee and what to do instead.
1. Drifting ball position and tee height
Your setup is supposed to be the most reliable part of your swing. But for many golfers, it shifts without notice. The ball creeps too far forward, tee height gets inconsistent, and suddenly you’re fighting sky-high spin on one hole and a low burner on the next.
The Fix: Pick a standard for ball position and tee height and stick with it. Place the ball just inside your lead heel. Tee it so half the ball sits above the crown. Pay attention to ball position and tee height, whether it’s the first hole or the 18th.
2. Choosing a fairway instead of a window
Most amateurs aim at “the open space” of the fairway.
That sounds safe but it’s too vague. Without a clear target, your alignment drifts. Your brain never fully commits because you haven’t given it a specific spot to hit.
The Fix: Narrow your focus. Pick a window within the fairway that could be right-center, left-center or a specific tree line. Then lock in on an intermediate spot just a few feet in front of the ball so your clubface and body match the line.
3. Thinking “hit the ball” instead of “swing through it”
On the course, especially when it matters most, golfers often fall into the habit of trying to steer the ball. The mindset shifts from swinging the club to hitting the ball into the fairway. That tension ruins tempo, stalls body rotation and adds extra hand action. The result is usually the very miss you are trying to avoid.
You will often see this “steering” in tournaments or pressure rounds. Amateurs step onto the tee thinking, “I just need to get this one in play.” Golf does not work that way. The more you try to guide the ball into the fairway, the less likely you are to find it.
The Fix: Change the thought. The ball is not your target. It is simply in the way of your golf swing. Focus on swinging through toward your finish. Use one anchor thought like “smooth tempo” or “swing through to the target.” This frees up your motion, helps you stay relaxed and improves your strike.
4. Letting aim become the band-aid
When the slice (or hook) shows up mid-round, many golfers fall into the habit of aiming farther and farther away from trouble. It feels like a quick fix but it’s really a band-aid that can lead to bigger problems.
For a right-handed player, aiming left with a slice only encourages a more across-the-ball swing, which makes the curve worse.
The Fix: Keep your alignment neutral. Manage the miss with swing choices you can trust: shorten the swing, smooth the tempo, stay in balance, square the face and focus on solid contact. Even if you see a fade or draw, it will be playable and you won’t dig yourself deeper into trouble.
Final thoughts
Bad driver swings happen. But if you build bad driver habits, they multiply quickly and turn a round into a grind. One of the best things you can on the golf course is stay aware. Look for changes and compensations and address them before they turn into problems.
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