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Why do pro golfers hover the driver?

Author

Daniel Moore

Published Jan 08, 2026

Soling the club in such a lie can set off a chain reaction which could move the ball, incurring a penalty. By hovering the club, you not only eliminate that risk, you reduce the tendency to snag the clubface in the grass, both on the takeaway and on the way down to the ball.

Why do pros hover the driver?

This is because your hands are applying a slight pressure to hover the club behind the ball and this pressure remains constant throughout the swing. When you place the driver on the ground, as soon as you pick it up to make your backswing, there is a spike in grip pressure.

Why does Bryson hover his driver?

He says that setting the club on the ground promotes a hands and arms takeaway. Hovering the club, he said, engages your core from before you even hit the golf ball, which promotes a more powerful turn behind the ball.

Why do some golfers hover the club?

Hovering the club at address gives you this perfect feel for the clubhead while helping you avoid excessive tension throughout the swing. Your shots will be more consistent with less effort.

What does choking up on a driver do?

By choking up an inch and making your normal move, it'll create less spin and stay underneath the wind. Finally, choking up on a driver is a good idea if you're playing a tight hole and really need to find the fairway. There are some holes where a 3 wood isn't enough distance but a driver is kind of risky.

43 related questions found

Should I grip down on my driver?

Choking down on your driver is also a good method when you need to play a tee shot into the wind. The speed of your swing will be reduced when you choke down, which means your spin rate should be reduced as well.

Why do golf clubs have a grip down?

Choking down will reduce swing speed, increase control over the club head at impact, and reduce your shot distance. Choking down on your driver can also help if you need to hit a tee shot into the wind. Your swing speed will decline by choking down and you will put less spin on the ball.

Did Jack Nicklaus hover the club?

According to Jack Nicklaus, “When I felt the club resting on the ground, my grip and arms were too relaxed. By un-weighting the club – hovering it off the ground – I had to firm up my grip pressure just enough. Once I did that, everything seemed ready, and my hand and arm pressure felt uniform.

Should golf club be flat on ground at address?

How should a golf club lie on the ground? The golf club should address the ball with the toe set a few millimetres in the air – the clubhead should never sit flat on the turf. You should be able to fit a small coin under the toe of the club at address, with the heel remaining in contact with the ground.

Should I ground my club at address?

Some golfers like to ground their club behind the ball before they swing. Others prefer to hover just off the ground. Personal preference can come into play here, but the determining factor should be how consistently you hit the ball. Fred Soobhany has found great success using the Peak Performance Golf Swing.

Should you hover your golf irons?

Soling the club in such a lie can set off a chain reaction which could move the ball, incurring a penalty. By hovering the club, you not only eliminate that risk, you reduce the tendency to snag the clubface in the grass, both on the takeaway and on the way down to the ball.

Should driver sit flat at address?

Drivers should always have the toe up at address ' if the hands return close to this position while impacting the ball -- because during the last portion of the swing there is a centrifugal force of up to 70 pounds just before impact, acting at the center of gravity (c.g.) of the head.

Why do golfers waggle the club?

It helps them to relax, and allows you to get the feel of a fluid swing from the golf club. So that's the reason that players are waggling the golf club before they hit. It's to relax the pressure and the tension in their forearms.

Why am I hitting the ground before the ball with my driver?

This is caused by improper weight distribution through your swing. It occurs when you transfer weight to your left side on the backswing and right on the downswing. This is the opposite of proper weight shifting.

How should driver head sit on ground?

Your head should be positioned slightly behind the ball. This is going to help with that transition in the backswing, and it should help you keep your head behind the ball at impact as well. For a strong impact position, it helps to have your head behind the ball.

Should hands be in front of ball with driver?

The ball should be positioned forward in the stance therefore you DO NOT start with your hands ahead of the ball at set up. Because the ball is on a tee, the driver will hit the ball on the upswing and your hands will be in the middle of your body at impact. Your hands will not be forward at impact with the driver!

How far should Golf Club be away from body?

The ideal distance you should stand from the golf ball is one where the butt of the club is pointing at your belt buckle and is about 6 inches away from your thighs. This should be the same for all clubs in the bag.

What does it mean to open the face of a golf club?

An "open face" or "open clubface" occurs when the clubface is aligned to the right of the target; that is, rather than the face pointing directly down the target line (a "square face"), an open face means the clubface is pointing to the right (for right-handers), as in the photo.

Why did Jack Nicklaus turn his head?

Nicklaus famously imparted a slight turning or rotating of his head as he turned back. This allowed him to clear his shoulders and make a solid turn back as he moved up to the top. "I played with Sam Snead when I was 16 and watched that little cocking of his head.

What is choking in golf?

In golf, "choke" usually refers to a bad shot caused by a golfer's inability to handle the pressure of the moment. But when "choke" is combined with "up" or "down" — choke up or choke down — it refers to the position of a golfer's hands on the handle of a golf club.

Do you choke down on chip shots?

of the shaft. Many players immediately grip the club and choke down so their hands are at the end of the rubber and sometimes touching the metal of the shaft.

What happens if your golf irons are too long?

What Happens When Golf Clubs Are Too Long? For most golfers, having clubs that are too long will result in the most inconsistent shots. Clubs that are too long will make you stand too upright, which can cause both heel and toe shots as well as a tendency to pull the ball.

Should driver have same grip as irons?

There is no evidence that having the same grips on all golf clubs gives an advantage to all golfers. The majority do select the same grips to give a consistent feel but others prefer varying combinations of grip size, material & firmness. Grip size is the most important factor when selecting a grip.

Does choking up on golf club help?

Having better control of the club makes it easier to hit the sweet spot, negating the small loss in clubhead speed. Choking up on iron shots can boost your greens-in-regulation percentage (GIR) – a great way to lower your scores. You'll make better contact, of course, and your misses won't sail as far off line.