As is always the case in golf, you are going to need to practice a new move if it is going to work for you on the course. This can be a tricky thing to practice, however, so we are going to provide you with some practice tips in this section. These aren’t drills, but rather thoughts and adjustment techniques you can use while hitting balls on the range to make sure you are focused on the right things.

• Take your time. One of the biggest things you can do to improve your driving distance is to take your time throughout the swing. Amateur golfers tend to have a particularly difficult time making this adjustment, but it is crucial if you are going to unlock extra yardage. You simply can’t rush through your swing and expect to get positive results. For starters, it takes time to turn your shoulders all the way back away from the target. Then, it takes a moment for your lower body to get going while your upper body hangs back and waits for its turn. If there is always the thought in the back of your mind that you need to rush through the swing to send the ball on its way, you are going to struggle to develop a nice rhythm. On the range, work on slowing yourself down on each and every driver swing. You may be surprised to find that even when you feel like you are swinging slow, you are still able to put plenty of power into the shot. Remember, the club only needs to be moving quickly at one point – the moment of impact. Throughout the rest of the swing, you can take your time, use a smooth rhythm, and focus on keeping everything in sync.
• Widen your stance slightly. If you are going to be making a bigger shoulder turn, you may need a wider base to support that turn. At address, try moving your feet an extra inch or two apart to improve your balance. This way, when you rotate your shoulders nicely away from the target, you won’t be as likely to allow your body to drift to one side or the other (usually to the right). It will take a little bit of practice to get comfortable with this wider stance, so be patient. Soon enough, you should be striking solid drives with your feet wider apart, and you should notice that you feel much more balanced throughout the swing.
• Don’t think about distance. It is easy to obsess about distance when you are swinging your driver. After all, your main motivation is usually to hit the ball as far down the fairway as possible – along with actually hitting the fairway, of course. However, thinking about distance is a problem, as it can cause you to get into some bad habits. Instead of focusing on hitting the ball as far as possible, pay attention to executing your fundamentals. Make a big turn, delay the rotation of your upper body on the way down, and keep everything relaxed. Golfers who think too much about distance tend to get tense before starting the swing, and that tension will usually rob them of speed and power. It might seem surprising, but staying relaxed and loose is actually a crucial component of hitting long drives.

When you go out to the driving range to work on your driver swing, you really shouldn’t be thinking too much about distance. In the end, the distance you are able to produce is a result of the quality of your swing. Make a great swing, and the yards will follow. If your only goal on the range is to hit the ball as far as possible, you are sure to develop some mechanical issues. You will probably struggle to stay balanced, and your head may move around too much during the swing, as well. Learn how to execute your driver swing comfortably and consistently, and you should be pretty happy with your distance when all is said and done.