How To Hit Your Driver Straight: Fix Your Slice, Grip and Ball Position

Slicing it off the tee? Popping it up? Not sure where the ball should even go in your stance? These are the driver questions I get asked more than any others, and most of them boil down to the same few problems.

So let's fix the cause, not the symptom. In this post I'll break down why you slice your driver, the five keys to straighter drives, and three simple drills I'd have you work on if you were standing in front of me on the range. Watch the video first, then use this post as your practice guide.

Why You Slice Your Driver

A slice is an open clubface relative to your swing path. That's it. Most golfers go straight to rebuilding their swing, but the quickest fix is usually in your hands: your grip and your wrist angles.

Nearly every slicer I see has a weak, palmy grip. The back of the lead hand faces down towards the target and the club sits in the palm. That grip takes the club back open, so even with a decent path the ball curves left to right.

Then there's the lead wrist. Plenty of players fix their grip and still slice because they cup the lead wrist on the way back. That cupping opens the face again and the slice comes right back.

If you want to go deeper on where a slice really starts, read The REAL Reason You Keep Slicing the Golf Ball.

The 5 Keys To Straighter Drives

1. Get your lead hand on top. Your grip and wrists control start direction and curve more than anything else. You want the logo on your glove pointing more up at the sky, with the line between your thumb and index finger pointing towards your trail shoulder.

2. Don't cup the lead wrist. At halfway back, the logo of your glove should point more down at the ground. That little bit of bow helps square the face to your path.

3. Check ball position with your upper body. Your feet can lie to you. If your upper body is leaning forward at address, you'll hit down on it. For a right-hander, your lead armpit should sit at or just behind the ball.

4. Know where the bottom of your swing is. It's roughly under your lead shoulder. Put the ball slightly ahead of that and you'll catch it on the way up, which gives you a high launch with less spin.

5. Same swing, different setup. Is your driver swing different to your irons? For most golfers, no. The longer club puts you in a wider, taller stance, which naturally rounds the swing out. The real difference is ball position: just forward of centre for most irons, and up under or just ahead of your lead armpit with driver.

Drills To Fix Your Slice and Hit Up On The Ball

Drill 1: Play Dead Grip Drill

Setup: Get into your address and let your lead arm hang completely relaxed.

Execution: Slide your lead hand straight onto the grip without changing that hanging position. The glove logo should look exactly like it did when your arm was hanging. It'll feel like a slight kink in the wrist, and that's what you want.

Follow Through: Check the thumb and index finger line points towards your trail shoulder, then hit a few small shots. Watch the flight. It should come out straighter and lower.

Tip: Always test a grip change with small shots first. You'll see what the face is doing much faster.

Drill 2: Halfway Bowed Wrist Checkpoint

Setup: Use your new grip from drill one and tee a ball up.

Execution: Swing back to halfway and stop. Feel the glove logo pointing down at the ground. That's a slightly bowed wrist instead of a cupped one.

Follow Through: Rehearse that position a handful of times, then hit small shots and slowly build up the length of the swing.

Tip: If you've fixed your grip and you're still slicing, a cupped wrist is one of the main culprits.

Drill 3: Armpit Ball Position Check

Setup: Driver in hand, ball on a tee. Forget your feet for a second and look at your upper body.

Execution: Set your lead armpit at or just behind the ball, with your upper body slightly behind it rather than leaning towards the target.

Finish: Hit small shots and feel the club bottom out just behind the ball and rise into it. Even half swings should launch nicely.

Tip: Moving the ball forward helps, but staying behind it with your upper body matters more. That's what gives you solid contact and a good launch.

Want more drills for the tee box? Try This Beats The 100s Of Other Driver Drills I've Tried.

Driver FAQs

Is my slice caused by my grip or my swing path?
Start with the grip. A slice is an open face relative to path, and a weak, palmy grip is the easiest thing to fix first. If it's still curving after that, check for a cupped lead wrist.

Where should the ball be for driver?
For a right-hander, directly under or just ahead of your lead armpit, with your upper body slightly behind the ball at address.

Should my driver swing be the same as my iron swing?
Yes, for most golfers it's the same swing. The club length changes your setup and swing shape, and the ball moves further forward so you can hit slightly up on it.

Conclusion

If your drives are all over the place, don't overhaul your swing. Get the lead hand on top, stop the wrist cupping, and set up with your lead armpit at or just behind the ball so you can hit up on it.

Your driver and irons use the same swing. It's the setup that changes. Take these to the range, start small, and build up. You'll be surprised how quickly the ball starts going straight.

If you want the full step-by-step system for longer, straighter drives, check out my Ultimate Driver Fix program. Or start with my free training.

Watch the full lesson on YouTube: I Have NEVER Seen A Faster Way To Hit Driver Straight Than This! Leave a comment with your biggest driver struggle and subscribe to the channel for new lessons every week.