Why Do I Hit My Driver so Low? Tips to Add Height to Your Drives

Modern golf technology and equipment have taught us that hitting a driver low does not help us maximize distance. If you want to maximize distance, you need to get the ball up in the air. If you find your lower-trajectory drives coming up short, here are some reasons that could be causing the problem and a few ways to get the ball to fly higher. 

Make sure you have the right driver loft 

Most drivers have adjustable loft which makes it easy to increase launch height if needed. If your current driver was set with nine degrees of loft, try bumping that to 10 or 10.5 and see if that fixes the issues. It’s a simple fix but start here. 

The typical loft range for drivers is from eight to 12 degrees. Professionals with high swing speeds tend to go with the lower lofts and slower swing speed players use a little more loft in the clubhead. 

If you go for a driver fitting, try different loft options in the driver’s head to see which one maximizes your distance. 

Check the flex of the shaft 

A golf shaft that is too stiff for your swing speed can lead to low ball flights. Look at this swing speed chart for male golfers to get a general idea of how stiff your golf shaft should be based on your driver swing speed. 

Swing Speed (mph)	Recommended Shaft Flex
70-85	Regular (R)
85-95	Stiff (S)
95-105	Stiff (S) or X-Stiff (X)
105-115	X-Stiff (X)

Ball position forward 

Play your ball forward in the stance to help get it a little higher. Placing the ball in the center of your stance tends to encourage a more downward strike and forward shaft lean. Putting the ball in a more forward position (just off the lead heel) can increase loft and create a more upward angle of attack. 

Swing plane considerations 

With a driver, you stand further away from the ball than with the irons. The longer shaft and the setup create a swing plane that is more shallow than that of the irons. 

However, some players get their driver swing a little too shallow which causes a lower-than-normal ball flight. Use an alignment stick in the ground as your guide to ensure your swing is on plane. 

Don’t exaggerate the idea of a shallow plane. It could cost you some yards. 

Angle of attack 

The golf ball position is pushed forward in the stance to promote a more upward strike and angle of attack. A downward attack angle (with a driver) can lead to low flight and considerably less distance. 

Ensure your lead shoulder is slightly higher than the others at the address. This helps you pre-set the position you will need to be in at impact. 

Raise your tee height a bit so the ball is at least halfway above the crown of your driver. Hitting the ball a little higher on the face should help decrease spin and increase distance. 

Additional tips for adding height to your drives

Once you have tried and implemented these fixes, here are a few others to work with if you are still struggling to add height to your drives. 

• Too firm a grip can cause tension and a lower ball flight. 
• Get to a complete follow-through position to help maximize height on drives. Golfers who want to hit it low stop and hold their finish. If you want height, you need a complete finish.
• Experiment with different tee heights on the driving range and mark the tee until you fully understand the height needed to benefit from a long drive. 

Final thoughts 

Tee height, driver loft, shaft flex and angle of attack all come into play when trying to hit your driver higher. If you want higher drives, try these simple tweaks to maximize your distance potential.