This is Why I NEVER Start with the Club Behind the Golf Ball

This has allowed me to drive the golf ball MUCH LONGER & STRAIGHTER! Create an easy golf swing for a consistent driver game

Transcript summary:

In today’s video, we’re going to cover three big questions:

1. How high should I tee my golf ball with a driver?

2. Why I never hover the golf club.

3. The real reason I don’t address the ball out of the center.

1. Tee Height

First, let’s talk about tee height. I’ll use a castle tee as an example—many people use them—but I prefer a wooden tee. What I do is pick a mark on the tee—let’s say the “V” in “Vice”—and tee my ball up until my finger touches the ground. That way, I tee it at the exact same height every single time.

Now, you might think this is a small detail, but it has a huge effect on your strike. So check your tee height and make sure it’s consistent every time.

Whether you’re using a wooden tee or a plastic castle tee, I’d recommend most golfers use either a white or pink castle tee. Avoid going as high as orange—you want control, not the feeling that you’re trying to whack it into the sky.

Looking down at the ball, I aim to have just a little bit of the ball sitting above the top edge of the driver’s face. Possibly a bit lower than what you’re used to.

2. Why I Never Hover the Club

Now let’s talk about why I never hover the golf club.

Think about this logically: if we hover the club in the air, it’s easy to accidentally have it above the height of the ball. When I explain this to students, it often just clicks.

Let me show you—if I hover the club and the ball is sitting below the center of the face, I have to consciously hit down to it. Instead, I place the club on the ground, and I always address the ball a few inches back—probably about 4, 5, maybe 6 inches behind the ball. That gives me a clear sense of my low point.

By starting the club lower, I can swing up through the ball. If you start too high, you end up swinging down—makes sense, right?

Let’s hit one like that. That was peached! Let’s check how far that went…

274 yards—happy days.

3. Why I Don’t Address the Ball Out of the Middle

Now, the final point—the one you saw in the thumbnail, the one that might make you think I’ve gone a bit mad.

We’ve already established that:

• I tee the ball so just a little of it is above the driver face.

• I don’t hover the club.

• I address the ball slightly behind where it lies.

But here’s the big one: I address the ball out of the toe of the club.

Why? It's simple—centrifugal force.

As we swing, the club naturally wants to move outward. If we address it out of the middle, the swing often pulls the center away from the ball. This leads to shots off the heel, which are weak and often slice (left-to-right for a right-hander).

But the fastest part of the clubface is slightly toe-side of center. So if we can access that area, your distance will increase.

Let’s test it.

I'll address this one out of the toe. Think of it like this: as the club comes down, centrifugal force pushes it away from you. By addressing out of the toe, the club’s natural path brings the center back toward the ball.

And don’t forget, there's that instinctive urge to reach out toward the ball anyway, especially for newer players. So if you combine:

• Addressing slightly back to help swing up,

• And addressing out of the toe...

You’ll start finding the middle of the face more consistently.

Compare this to what you’re currently doing. Try it for a round—I bet you’ll be back here saying, “Alex, that worked!”

Here we go… last one was 274. Let’s see if this goes further.

287 yards. Absolutely out of the middle—bullseye!