Thomas Detry‘s life-changing moment came when he hit a perfect tee shot on the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open. The crowd went wild as his ball landed just 16 inches from the hole, securing his first PGA TOUR victory. But what made this shot so special? It was the culmination of Detry’s hard work and mental preparation, which allowed him to stay calm and focused under pressure. A perfect tee shot can make all the difference in golf, and Detry’s experience is a testament to that.

Detry’s win was a masterclass in precision and control, and it’s got us wondering – what’s the secret to hitting accurate tee shots and how do the golfers do it? Well, here are the top 5 tips to ace this.

1. The three basics

Wonder how the 16th-hole-wonders are swung? You need to get the fundamentals right. It all starts with a perfect grip, where your hands are placed correctly on the club, allowing for a square clubface at impact. Prioritize your lead hand, ensuring it’s in a natural position, with your thumb slightly off-center and the club held properly in your fingers. Next, focus on perfect posture – bend forward from your hips, keeping your arms hanging with your hands directly below your shoulders. Don’t let the longer driver tempt you to stand taller! Finally, develop a consistent setup routine, finding one that works for you and sticking to it. This might involve setting the club behind the ball, aiming the face, bending forward to place your hands correctly, and adjusting your posture by stepping your feet – set the club, set the hands, step the feet to adjust, and you’ll be well on your way to hitting accurate tee shots.

2. Taming tight tee shots

When faced with a tight drive and trouble lurking on both sides, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But instead of letting fear take over, shift your focus to a single thought, find the fairway! To do this, pick a small target point beyond the fairway or on the horizon, and take dead aim on that exact spot. Concentrate on hitting your target, and even if you miss, you’ll likely still end up on the fairway. As golf coach Mark Crossfield always points out in his YouTube videos, the key is to think small, aim small, and miss small – aiming big can lead to big mistakes, so keep your focus narrow and you’ll be more likely to succeed.

3. Fine-tuning your driver technique

To take your driver game to the next level like Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson, focus on making a few key adjustments. First, make sure your practice swing is swooshing through the air, rather than thumping the ground – this will help you mimic the feeling of your actual shot and avoid colliding with the ground. Additionally, pay attention to the sound of your swing, aiming for a relatively loud swoosh to indicate maximum speed and distance.

Another crucial aspect is aim and alignment, which depends on where you place your tee in the tee box. Experiment with positioning your tee to optimize your angles into the fairway and manage weather conditions like wind. And when faced with trouble, try teeing up on the side of the hazard – it may help you aim away from it and stay on track.

4. Taking aim with precision

When faced with a tight tee shot, take a little extra time to ensure your clubface alignment is spot on. A helpful addition to your pre-shot routine is to check your line from behind the ball and then pick out a specific spot on the tee to hit over, like a blemish or small stone. Set up with the clubface aiming exactly over this spot and focus on getting everything square. This attention to detail will help you develop a more consistent and accurate swing. Additionally, experimenting with different swing speeds and cataloging your shot patterns can also help you make more informed decisions when facing tight drives, allowing you to swing with intent and confidence.

Now that you’ve got the inside scoop on the top tips and techniques for mastering the driver, it’s time to put it all into practice. With practice and patience, you’ll be hitting accurate and powerful drives in no time. So, get out on the course and start putting these tips into action – your game will thank you!