The golf driver is arguably the most important club in your bag, propelling your ball off the tee with power and ferocity, which, hopefully, should make the following shot all the easier.
But can you actually use a driver off the fairway when the situation calls for it? The club certainly isn’t designed to be used that way. Having said that, some players swear by using the driver off the deck if there are still plenty of yards left to go.
Even more surprisingly, more experienced players can lift the ball off the fairway with the driver with similar accuracy and ease as their fairway woods. So, how is this done? Keep reading to learn more.
Are you allowed to use your driver off the fairway?
Yes. There are no rules that say you’re not allowed to use the driver off the fairway. So if you find yourself on a Par 5 with plenty of distance between yourself and the pin – and you feel confident enough – there’s nothing wrong with breaking out the driver again!
How to hit your driver off the deck
- Set up your shot like a 3-wood - Your 3-wood is the closest club in your bag to the driver and, unlike the driver, is built to lift the ball off the fairway. So, setting up in a similar fashion is a wise move.
- Focus on a flat attack - On your first shot, your tee gives you a little respite, letting you lean back in your shot slightly to help propel the ball into the air. You don’t have this luxury when playing off the deck, so try to keep your attack as flat as possible, so the clubhead seamlessly skims the grass.
- Move the ball back in your stance - A natural way to reduce loft and create a lower trajectory is to move the ball further back in your stance, encouraging the clubhead to catch the ball sooner before it’s had a chance to lift on your follow-through.
- Hold the club further up the grip - This will help level out the club head if it has a natural tilt, and point the toe closer to the ground for a more level lie.
As with everything in golf, the key to perfecting driver shots off the deck (as much as humanly possible) is patience and persistence. Employ the above tips and give it a go on your next Par 5, or your next trip to the driving range.
In time, you could be reaching the green on longer holes much faster than your golfing buddies!
Can you use your driver in the rough?
You can. The driver can be especially useful if you’ve sliced or hooked your first strike on a Par 5 and have ended up in the rough.
But the beautiful thing about the rough is that, if you’re lucky, it can prop your ball up slightly, if the grass is on the long or bouncy side – think of it as nature’s tee!
You can then use this extra height to line up your driver and gain back those precious extra yards you may have lost otherwise.
What’s the best driver for hitting off the deck?
There is no singular driver that’s the best for hitting off the deck. But if you’re looking for a driver that should hopefully perform better than others, you’ll want to choose the ones that favour forgiveness and ease of launch.
Not only will these drivers help fire the ball off the ground with speed and force, but they should also help keep your ball as close to the target line as possible, should you catch it off-centre, which can be common when hitting off the fairway.
Ping, Callaway and TaylorMade all carry drivers known for these qualities, so feel free to browse our collection to find the best driver for you!
Recommended Products
Ping G440 LST Golf Driver
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Golf Driver
TaylorMade Qi35 Golf Driver
TaylorMade Qi35 Designer Series Silver Golf Driver
£559.00
Explore golf drivers and fairway woods at Clarkes Golf
At Clarkes Golf, we’re home to a massive selection of drivers from the sport’s biggest brands.
As an approved UK stockist of these brands, you can trust Clarkes Golf to deliver the clubs you need at exceptional prices, so you can focus on improving your game while mastering hitting off the fairway with ease.
Take a look at our full range of golf drivers. And be sure to explore the rest of the Clarkes Golf site for some unbeatable golfing bargains.