Senior Driver Setup Tips for Golf

This Senior Driver Setup Proves It: Experienced Golfers Can Still Dominate the Golf Course.

Let me be very clear about this: switching to a senior driver setup is not the same thing as downgrading your game.

You’re not settling for less.

If anything, you’re reaching for more.

More power, more distance, and more control.

Let’s look at the facts. As we get older, we all lose flexibility. We get a little less steady. And while we might not love to admit it, we’re probably not swinging 120 miles per hour any more. For a lot of experienced golfers, it’s more like 90.

This means we have to adjust our swing to bridge those ability gaps and tap into the strengths we do bring to the golf course. When you can do that, you can start getting the kind of scores you used to get even if you can’t bring the same swing speed.

And it all begins with your driver setup.

If you’re an experienced golfer, stick with me. I’m going to show you to master a senior driver setup that will drastically change your game for the better. I’ll cover feet alignment, ball position, shoulder position, and a trick for avoiding the slice-causing mistake most senior golfers make.

Let’s jump right in.

How to Align Your Feet

When you take your senior driver setup, you want to make sure your feet are slightly closed to the target. 

Why?

Well, this is where the issue of lost flexibility comes in. When your feet are closed to the target line, it’s way easier for you to turn your hips in your backswing.

In fact, try it right now. Stand up, choose an imaginary target line, and stand with your feet closed to that line. Make an imaginary, slow-motion golf swing. 

Do you feel it? Do you feel how much easier it is to make that backward rotation? Are you finding a wider range of motion than you have been? I’m guessing the answer is yes. And you already know what that greater range of motion means.

A longer swing, more power, and greater distance.

Now, you might be wondering if this closed body position will screw up your aim. You’re smart to wonder. It could but it won’t, because you’re going to fix that problem with the clubface.

Keep the clubface square to the target line. Little tip: when you do this, the clubface will be closed relative to your stance.

And there you go. Dead-on aim with a greater range of motion.

Proper Ball Position for Senior Driver Setup

Now that you’ve got your feet in the right place, let’s talk about ball position.

You want the ball to be just off the inside of your lead arm, somewhere between the heel and the toe of your lead foot. For another reference point, see if you can align the golf ball to the position between the logo on your shirt and your lead arm.

By getting the ball in this position, you ensure an upward angle of attack. That is to say, you’ll hit up on your driver, catching the ball at the moment when your clubhead is beginning to travel back up from the low point of your swing.

As you likely know, making contact in your ascending motion is crucial for getting the kind of launch that makes for a long drive.

On that note:

How to Position Your Shoulders in Your Senior Driver Setup

Yep, this is a thing. In fact, it’s one of my favorite little-known driver tips for seniors.

When you take your senior driver set up, think about tilting your shoulders. Your lead shoulder should be slightly higher than your trail shoulder.

Why does this matter?

Believe it or not, this slight tilt is another strategy for hitting up on the golf ball. When you start from this position, your body is poised for an upward angle of attack.

That’s gonna help you get that high launch, low spin, and groove a beautiful draw.

And really, that’s the ultimate secret to getting more distance as you get older. If you can get that nice, high draw and get the ball to roll, you’re going to work your way down the fairway much faster.

On that note, let’s talk about every golfer’s most despised golf shot:

The slice.

A Quick Tip for Vanquishing the Slice

This one isn’t exactly a senior driver setup tip, but my goal in teaching you how to get set up as an experienced golfer is to help you get more distance and control off the tee. Learning how to finally ditch your slice is one of the fastest ways to get more value from your drives.

And there is one specific mistake senior golfers are especially prone to making. This mistake will get you a slice every time.

You probably already know where I’m going with this.

It’s coming over the top. 

“Coming over the top” means you’re casting outward on the downswing, sending the clubhead outside of your intended swing plane.

This death move is the most common cause of the slice among experienced golfers. To make matters worse, it becomes an unconscious habit that’s really tough to fix. It’s not enough for me to tell you to stop doing it. I need to give you a way to train your body to break the habit.

How to Stop Coming Over the Top

Now, I like to teach my students this exercise using the Vertical Line Board. 

If you’re not familiar, this is a brand new, multi-purpose training aid that helps you master all the key fundamentals. You can use it to work on your takeaway, improve contact with your irons, and of course, master accuracy, face control, and swing path with your driver.

The beauty of the Vertical Line Board is that it’s designed with a blue line to guide you along the inside-out swing path you want for your driver shots. (Follow the red line if you’re left-handed.) 

But the real trick for training yourself to drop the over-the-top habit is in the blue hole that falls outside the ideal swing path. 

Place a tee in this hole (or in the same approximate position in the turf if you’re not practicing with the Board). Then take your shot, doing your best to stay along the blue line. If you come over the top, your club will hit the tee before it hits the ball.

It’s immediate feedback you can feel, and that helps your body make quicker adjustments and learn to avoid poor technique. Run this drill several times, and I guarantee you’ll start dropping the habit.

Your Senior Driver Setup Checklist

Quick recap for the next time you’re at the driving range or on the golf course.

When you take your senior driver setup, remember to:

• Position your feet so they’re closed to the target line.
• Make sure your clubface is square to the target.
• Position the ball just off the inside of your lead arm.
• Tilt your lead shoulder slightly higher than your trail shoulder.

Make these simple changes and just see if you don’t start getting longer, more controlled drives.

Let Us Know if It Worked for You!

Is this advice helpful? Have you made any other changes as an “experienced” golfer that have transformed your game? Do you have any questions or any other topics you’d like us to cover?

Drop into the comments and let us know what you think.

And if you’d like to learn more about the Vertical Line Board as well as other senior-friendly techniques and products, check out vlsgolf.com!