A Simple Driver Setup Adjustment That Feels Like a Cheat for Longer Drives

I stumbled across this video from MeandMyGolf on YouTube. It’s a couple of months old, but it’s packed with great advice if you’re looking to hit longer drives without buying a new club. This is a live lesson, which for me makes it even better. You’re not watching a polished swing. You’re seeing real-time instruction with measurable results on an average golfer. The golfer in this video added 15 yards of carry and saw a significant improvement in launch height and consistency, all thanks to a setup adjustment.

What was the problem?

The golfer in the video was hitting low right misses and struggling with inconsistent ball flight.

Before the adjustment, the golfer had:

• Ball position too far back in the stance, pretty much in the center
• A descending angle of attack, more like an iron than a driver
• Low launch height (average of 44 feet)
• Right-side misses caused by the steep path and open face

He was making decent contact, but he was completely unaware of his ball position. He’s not the only one! The setup that he had was destined to fail before he even took the club back.

How was it fixed?

Two main fixes happened during the lesson. The first was moving the ball position forward. Using alignment sticks to set up a practice station is a good idea.

The second adjustment was to square the shoulder alignment to promote a more upward angle of attack.

Here’s what changed:

• Ball moved forward in the stance, off the front heel
• Shoulders and forearms squared up, rather than being open at address
• The golfer was also asked to keep the clubhead slightly behind the ball to promote an upward strike

The results?

I encourage you to watch the video for yourself. It’s not long, but it’s pretty fun to see the difference in performance. The golfer now has an upward angle of attack, nearly doubled his launch, and he’s hitting a draw as opposed to a slice.

They had the launch monitor right there, and he gained 20 yards of carry on some of these drives. You can see and hear the difference. These little setup adjustments are underrated. More amateur golfers should be checking ball position and shoulder alignment before deciding they’ll never learn to hit a straight shot.

Final thoughts

The big takeaway here is not to overcomplicate the fix. Don’t make golf more complicated than it needs to be. Sometimes, simple setup adjustments or even just being aware of your setup can unlock real distance potential.