The biggest mistake golfers make with their driver

Tiger Woods hits driver while recording the results on a launch monitor.

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Welcome to GOLF’s “Firsthand with a Fitter” series, where we dive into some of the most common issues golfers struggle with on the course, and with the help of True Spec Golf fitters explain how properly fit equipment can help address those issues and make the game easier.

One of the things we hear so much about when watching professionals on TV is how they manage driver spin off the tee and how high launch and low spin contribute to the incredible length they are able to drive the ball.

But the real question for most recreational golfers is how can I maximize my distance, and how do I know I have the right amount of spin without getting on a launch monitor?

First off, the only sure way to know if you have the right amount of spin with your driver is to work with a professional fitter on a launch monitor to find out just how well you are optimized based on your clubhead delivery and swing speed. But, if you don’t have access to a club fitter and are just assessing based on what you see on the golf course, here are a few simple things to look for.

If you are driving the ball with too much spin, you will notice that the ball doesn’t fly on a parabolic trajectory and instead starts to lift like an airplane taking off after impact. This extra lift created by the excessive spin makes the ball rise too quickly, stall, and then fall back to the ground on too steep of a trajectory to get any additional roll.

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Beyond how the golfer delivers the club into the ball, too much spin is often a result of not having the proper amount of loft on a driver.

“We often see too many golfers come into our fitting studios with the wrong loft for their swing. In many cases, it has much less to do with actual clubhead speed and more about how they deliver the loft to achieve results.” Kris McCormack, True Spec Golf‘s VP of Tour and Education “Too many golfers assume that if they have a moderate swing speed they need to default to a higher lofted driver (10.5° – 12°) and that just isn’t the case.”

Although it’s less of a common problem for most golfers, not having enough spin consistently with the driver can be just as bad for a number of reasons; the first being a lack of directional control, and the second being the inability to gain carry distance.

The lack of directional control comes from an unstable ball flight caused by too little spin. It’s basically the same ball flight physics as when a pitcher throws a knuckleball to a catcher, with the difference being a fairway isn’t going to change position to catch your golf ball. This lack of spin destabilizes the ball’s flight and leaves it much more susceptible to outside influences like wind.

Also, just like how a ball with excess spin takes off too high, a ball with too little spin doesn’t achieve the correct amount of lift based on the launch and ball speed, and that ball with fall out of the sky at a very suboptimal distance. When paired with a mishit higher on the face or towards the toe this can lead to a ball that could potentially lose up to 30% of its potential carry distance.

The chart below from Ping Golf demonstrates the ideal launch and spin characteristics based on ball speed and angle of attack

“In the search for more distance, some players end up going too far in the opposite direction and find themselves not spinning the ball enough with their driver.” Kris continued, “The launch conditions might be in a good place on perfectly struck shots in calm conditions, but as soon as a shot is mishit and spin drops below the ideal amount, it results in some extremely big misses. This is why it’s always our goal to find a golfer the correct spin window (spin range) so they can maximize their best shots while reducing variance on bad ones.”

So next time you’re on the course and feel like you’re not getting the most out of your driver, take the time chart your results and make notes about your ball flight, and if you’re noticing either too much or too little spin with your driver, it might be time to make some adjustments or book a club fitting with a professional fitter.

Looking to work firsthand with your club-fitting expert to dial in your equipment and play better golf? Book a fitting with the industry experts at True Spec Golf. With more than 30 locations, it’s easy to find a location near you.

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s senior editor for equipment. He has an extensive club-fitting and -building background with more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Before joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, in Toronto, Canada.