Top 5 Todd Kolb Driver Tips for Senior Golfers

Here They are by Popular Demand: The Top 5 Todd Kolb Driver Tips for Experienced Golfers—Plus a Bonus Tip You Won’t Believe Works.

I decided it was time I put together a list of Todd Kolb driver tips for seniors—five easy strategies guaranteed to improve your drives.

A quick, skimmable list with the most effective adjustments experienced golfers can make to have more success on the tee box.

You see, I get asked for this kind of advice all the time. It’s not surprising. Everyone who knows me knows I’m passionate about helping golfers from all walks of life discover the techniques that get results for them.

There are many reasons you, as a golfer over 50, might not see any improvement with traditional golf instruction. The most common golf tips focus on what works for the young and fit. 

If you’ve had surgery, sustained any injuries, or just, you know, don’t have the body of a twentysomething, that advice won’t work for you. But you still want to hit jaw-dropping drives, right? We all do. And we all can.

That’s what you’ll discover when you put these five driver tips to work in your game. I’ll share my best advice for getting great distance off the tee, plus a bonus tip that’s almost too easy to believe.

As far as I’m concerned, you and I aren’t old. We’re experienced. So let’s put that experience to work with strategies tailored to the way we play the game.

Tip #5: Stronger Grip

This is a core concept of the Vertical Line Swing System—my method designed for casual and experienced golfers.

A stronger grip in your lead hand helps you square the clubface for better contact.

A weak grip, on the other hand, can cause you to open the clubface, lose leverage, and slice the ball. Some golfers even find that it causes soreness in the wrists, elbows, and shoulders.

Now, how do you know if your grip is weak or strong?

From your setup position, take a look at your lead hand. If it’s rotated toward the top, revealing a few knuckles, you’ve got a stronger grip. If your lead hand is rotated underneath and you can’t see any knuckles, that’s a weak grip.

Your goal is to see two or three knuckles from your setup position. That’s the sweet spot for experienced golfers.

#4: Forward Ball Position

If you’ve heard any of my signature Todd Kolb driver tips before, it’s probably this one. Fixing your ball position has got to be the easiest thing you can do to improve your performance on the tee. And yet, so many experienced golfers consistently get the ball in the wrong spot.

When you’re hitting your driver, you want the ball pretty far forward in your stance. This is different from the proper iron ball position. 

That’s because when you hit an iron, you want to make contact with the ball when the clubhead is traveling at a downward angle. For your driver, your goal is to make impact at an ascending angle.

To make sure you’re hitting up on your driver, contact needs to happen after the low point of your swing, when the clubhead is a traveling upward. Since the low point happens at about the center of your stance, it makes sense that you’d want the ball more forward.

Here’s how to find the perfect position:

1. Stand with your feet together, the ball centered between them.
2. Step your lead foot toward the target. This should be a very small step, maybe one or two inches.
3. Take a much bigger step away from the target with your trail foot. This step should be big enough to create your typical stance width.

Do this, and you’ll have the ball right where you want it for solid contact and a powerful launch.

#3: More Hip Turn

This is another classic Todd Kolb driver tip. I’m constantly trying to spread the word on this one.

Forget that anyone ever told you to restrict your hips. Even if it used to be an effective speed-generating strategy for you, I can almost guarantee it’s killing your distance now.

If you’re anything like me, you know all too well that we lose flexibility as we age. But it takes a lot of flexibility to rotate your upper body back as your hips stay forward. The smaller your range of motion, the less rotation you get and the shorter your backswing becomes.

And we all know there’s no hope of envy-inspiring distance when you’ve got a puny backswing.

This is why I encourage experienced golfers to allow their hips to turn as they swing back. Let your trail knee release and your lead knee flex so you can get even more rotation. Putting this extra mobility into your lower body allows you to get more length without the back pain.

Wins all around.

#2: Tilt

Here’s another tip that will help you hit up on the golf ball:

At setup, tilt your upper body away from the target slightly. Let your lead shoulder be a little higher than your trail shoulder and allow the lead hip to bump toward the target.

In addition to prepping your body to hit the ball at an upward angle, this position helps you swing more from the inside. If you’re familiar with the VLS method, you know what that means: you’ve got a good chance of hitting a nice, high draw.

#1: The Arnold Palmer Finish

This is the number one Todd Kolb driver tip for seniors. I love this one because it’s simple, powerful, and inspired by one of the all-time greats.

I grew up watching Arnold Palmer golf, and one of the most vivid images from my childhood is Arnie poised in his classic finish position. 

I’d be willing to bet you’re visualizing it right now—that slashing swing we’ve all seen a thousand times and that familiar finishing posture with the handle held high. Beautiful, right?

But let me tell you, it’s a rare sight among casual golfers. Most amateurs finish with the handle much lower. Pay attention when you hit your next drive; you might find that you’re skipping the high-handle finish, too. 

Why does that matter?

In order to get the handle high, you need to follow a vertical club path. Most golfers learn to favor a flat backswing, which is how they end up with the handle so low on the finish.

Any guesses as to why a flat backswing won’t do you any favors as an experienced golfer?

You got it: it’s a flexibility issue. Even with hip turn, you’ll only be able to rotate so far. 

If you want a longer swing—and more distance as a result—you need to bring the club straight up and back on the backswing. Then let it drop back into the slot as you swing down and through. Stay on that vertical path as you complete your swing, ending with your hands high, Arnie style.

This move gets results. Trust me.

Bonus Todd Kolb Driver Tip: The Hover

Ready for a bonus tip that’s pretty much guaranteed to smooth out your swing, improve your contact, and add yards?

When you get set up, hover the head of your driver directly behind the golf ball instead of resting it on the ground.

So simple it’s almost stupid, right? Nevertheless, it works.

I’m not even sure I understand why it works. My theory is that it smooths out the takeaway because you’re already bearing the weight of the club in your hands instead of picking it up off the turf.

Whatever the reason, I’ve seen countless senior golfers instantly improve their drives by making this one adjustment.

It’s so effective, club designer Josh Boggs and I developed the VLS Maxvert 1 driver with a hexagonal target (the Tru-Hex Flex face) that helps you find the perfect hover position behind the ball. 

Side Note:

If you’re looking for another quick way to hit longer, straighter drives, the Maxvert driver is a slam dunk. We designed it specifically for the experienced golfer, unlike mass-market clubs that are made to impress professional golfers. 

Click here to learn why seniors are picking up 15-30 yards on the first swing with their Maxvert after years of struggling with big-name drivers.

Todd Kolb Driver Tips: The Quick Version

Okay, time for the short version. Here are my favorite driver tips for senior golfers in order of execution:

• Position the ball pretty far forward in your stance
• Strengthen your grip (You want to see two or three knuckles on your lead hand at setup)
• Tilt your upper body away from the target at setup
• Hover the driver head behind the golf ball
• Allow your hips to turn as you swing
• Follow a vertical swing path and finish like Arnold Palmer, with your hands high

Test these tricks out on the tee box, then let me know:

Did It Work?

I don’t believe I’ve ever worked with an experienced golfer who didn’t see improvement using these tips, but I want to hear how these concepts worked for you. Join us in the comments and let me know!

I’m also here for your questions or any differences of opinion.

And if you want more tips geared towards senior golfers, be sure to stop by vlsgolf.com. You’ll find tons of instruction and revolutionary products that help you play your best game at any age. Check it out!