How To Hit Up On a Driver

Robin Symes

Sep 19, 2017 Golf tips

First of all, I would like to give the credit for this drill to Andrew Rice. He is an instructor in America, and I believe this was his idea.

Hitting up at impact is a key to being able to drive the golf ball well. Hitting up on a driver helps to decrease the spin rate on the ball, increase your launch angle, and as a result, increase your distance. Think about tennis or ping pong. When you hit up on the ball, you get a very powerful top spin drive, but when you chop down on the ball, you get a weak backspin shot, with not much forward momentum. Of course it is not as extreme with a driver as it is in tennis or ping pong. We do not want topspin making the ball dip over a net, but to get the optimum amount of spin, to achieve your maximum distance, you need to swing up on the ball. Generally, players who hit down at impact with a driver are not good players from the tee.

Driver-up-2 This is common knowledge, and something you probably already knew. It’s that helping players make the change from hitting too much down, to hitting up, can sometimes be very difficult. I myself could do with hitting a little more up at impact. I have practiced on launch monitors, receiving data from every shot to what my angle of attack was, and making the change from down to up was very difficult. It can sometimes also be very technical, which can be confusing sometimes. This is why I liked this drill. A simple drill to help players make the change, which is not too technical, and helps players “Feel” how to hit up at impact without thinking too much. Also, it is one that where ever you are practicing, you can try, and try safely.

First of all, tee your ball up so about half the ball sits over the top of the clubface. If on grass, you will need a long tee for this.
Now, place an EMPTY sleeve of balls 1 club head in front of the ball.
Take your address, tilting your spine away from the target; this is an address key to hitting up on a driver.
From here, hit shots. Your goal is not to touch the empty sleeve in front of the ball. If you can practice and achieve this, then you will have learnt to hit up on your driver. And if you hit the sleeve, you will receive feedback and increase your upward feeling more.

Robin Symes

Originally from Northern Ireland, Robin has been involved with the game of golf for over 20 years. As an amateur golfer, Robin won at all levels, county, national, and international. Most notably, Robin was instrumental in helping Ireland to win the European Team Championship – also representing Great Britain & Ireland.

Following his amateur career, Robin pursed his Professional career playing in mini tours and regional tours with invitations on the European Tour. While competing, Robin was achieving his PGA Class A status, and it was during this time he developed a great interest in teaching. This passion to teach lead him to begin his new career in 2003, working for David Leadbetter in England, and in 2006, transferring to a newly opened David Leadbetter Academy in South Korea, in which he spent 3 years as Senior Instructor.

In 2009, together with a top Korean coach, Robin opened his own academy, “RNY Golf Institute” and has become a regular instructor for Golf Digest.
If you haven’t heard of Robin yet, you have most likely heard of a few of the world class professionals that he provides instruction and consultation to. The 2012 U.S. Women’s Open Champion, NaYeon Choi, is just one of the many talented tour pros that have been working with Robin for several years now.

While Robin’s main clients are aspiring tour professional, he also loves helping all levels of players. SwingStation’s goal is just that, a tool to pass Robin’s teaching on to players from anywhere in the world, helping them improve and increase their enjoyment of the game.