How to hit a driver straight off the tee

Quick answer: To hit a driver straight off the tee, tee the ball opposite the lead heel. Use a wider stance, swing at 80% effort, and aim at a wide part of the short grass. If the driver still misses, use a hybrid or fairway wood off the tee.

How to hit a driver straight starts with the speed you already trust. The tee shot is the swing people try to kill; the useful version is smooth and repeatable.

13 Tee

The situation

The ball you cannot find is usually the one you swung hardest, with the longest club, from a ball position you copied without checking. If it curves right, this page will not close the face. The slice and the weak grip do that. This page decides which club tees off, and how the ball sits when the driver earns the shot.

A check you can do

Hit three balls with a hybrid or a fairway wood off a tee, then three with the driver, at the same easy speed. If the smaller club is the one you can see land, that is the club you tee off with until the driver passes the same check.

The fix

01
Tee the driver ball opposite the lead heel About half the ball shows above the top of the driver head. The full landmark is on ball position. A low tee will not cure a slice, and a high tee will not cure a shank off the heel.
02
Widen the stance a little, and stay athletic The ball is forward, so the feet are a bit wider than an iron stance. You are not squatting. Aim still starts with the face at a mark a few feet in front of the ball.
03
Use the speed that passed the hybrid check Do not save a new speed for the tee. The driver's extra length already adds clubhead speed. Lunging at the ball can leave the face open.
04
Pick a landing you can miss into Aim the face at the wide part of the short grass. Distance is whatever that swing produces. If the ball curves right, do not tee it higher. Go back to the grip.
05
Put the driver away when it fails the check Playing the hybrid off the tee for the day is allowed.

Driver setup checklist

Tee height: about half the ball above the top of the driver head at address.
Ball position: opposite the lead heel.
Stance: wider than your shoulders.
Tilt: lead shoulder a little higher than the trail one, so you hit slightly up on the ball.
Swing: about 80 percent effort, the speed you can finish in balance.

If the driver still misses more than half the fairways, use a hybrid or fairway wood off the tee for now; see how to break 100.

When to leave the driver in the bag

If the driver finds play fewer than half the time, tee off with a hybrid or fairway wood. A shorter ball in play beats a long one in trouble.

Common questions

Why does the ball position matter for the driver?

The ball position affects the angle of attack. Playing the ball forward, opposite the lead heel, lets you meet it slightly on the way up.

What happens if I tee the ball too high?

Teeing the ball too high makes it easy to catch the ball on the top of the face. That gives you a weak, high "pop-up" shot. Try a few heights on the range and keep the one that gives you the most solid contact.

Should I swing the driver harder than my irons?

No. Use the same smooth effort as your irons, about 80%, the speed you can finish in balance. The driver's extra length already adds clubhead speed; swinging harder can cost you contact and control.

Why should I aim at the wide part of the short grass?

Aiming at the wide part of the short grass gives you more margin for error. If the ball curves slightly, it still lands in playable grass rather than in the rough or out of bounds.

Related fixes

Last updated: 2026-10-23

A one-page printable PDF with the 10 checks for common first-round trouble. Free by email.

Part of Clubs and gear. See every page in this hub.