Golf Glossary
Drive (tee shot with the driver)
In short
A drive in golf is the first shot on a hole, played with the driver from the tee. The ball sits on a tee peg. The aim is a long shot onto the fairway. The drive is usually played on par-4 and par-5 holes and decides the lie from which you play your second shot.
Drive in golf: meaning and purpose
The drive is the opening shot of a hole. It is played from the teeing area, also called the tee box. There the ball may be placed on a tee, a small wooden or plastic peg. This is only allowed when you play from the teeing area, so for the first shot or when you play another ball from there, such as a provisional ball.
The drive is played with the driver, the longest club in the bag. It has a large head and little loft, usually between 9 and 12 degrees. As a result the ball travels far but is also prone to sideways error. A drive therefore does not have to be the longest shot, but above all a good start. What matters is that the ball finishes on the fairway or at least in a playable area.
On par 3s people do not normally speak of a drive. There you tee off with an iron or hybrid. On par 4s and par 5s the drive is the norm. In English this shot is also called a tee shot. So ‘drive’ means the long tee shot, not just the swing.
Golf tee shot technique: how to hit the drive
With the driver the basics differ from irons because the ball sits on a tee and is struck on a slightly upward path.
- Tee height: half of the ball should rise above the top edge of the club head. Then you strike the ball with the centre of the clubface.
- Ball position: the ball sits forward in the stance, around the inside of the left heel for right-handers.
- Stance: feet about shoulder-width or a little wider. This gives the swing a firm base.
- Posture: the spine tilts slightly away from the target and the right shoulder is lower than the left. This lets the club strike the ball on the upswing.
- Swing: a smooth, even swing with good tempo. In the downswing the movement starts in the hips and the arms follow. The club sweeps the ball off the tee slightly on the upswing.
Anyone who accelerates the driver too hard loses control. As a rule of thumb, a tempo that feels like 80 to 90 per cent of maximum effort works better. Balance in the finish shows whether the tempo is right.
Tee shot rules: what is allowed?
The Rules of Golf 2023 (Rule 6.2) set out where and how you play the first shot.
- The ball must be played from within the teeing area. It runs from the two tee markers back to two club-lengths behind them. The ball itself must be inside, while your feet may be outside.
- A tee is allowed. You may also play the ball directly from the ground.
- If the ball falls off the tee before the stroke, it is re-teed without penalty. If you have already swung at the ball and missed it, the stroke counts.
- If you play from outside the teeing area, there are two penalty strokes in stroke play and you must replay from the correct area. The wrong stroke does not count, but the two penalty strokes do. In match play there is no penalty, but your opponent may cancel the stroke and make you replay it.
Anyone who keeps the markers in view makes no mistakes here. The order at the tee is set by the honour. The player with the best score on the previous hole plays first. In stroke play, however, the Rules also allow and encourage ready golf: whoever is ready plays, as long as it is safe.
Practical example: a drive on a par 4
Imagine a par-4 hole of 380 metres. A fairway bunker lies on the right after 210 metres. There is water on the left, 230 metres from the tee. You normally hit the driver 200 metres with a slight slice.
The thinking: with the driver the ball travels 200 metres and stays in the middle of the fairway. That leaves 180 metres to the green, which is within reach for the second shot with a fairway wood or hybrid. If you teed off with a 5-iron instead and travelled 170 metres, 210 metres would remain. The chance of hitting the green in two drops noticeably.
If a drive flies 230 metres and drifts left, however, the ball ends up in the water. So the rule is: only go for distance when it is safe. Because your ball usually curves slightly right, you aim at the left half of the fairway with a controlled swing. The ball curves back to the middle and stays short of the bunker on the right. On narrow holes many good players deliberately choose a club that goes less far in order to stay in play.
Drive measurements: what do the numbers say?
Anyone who wants to improve the drive looks at a few numbers. Modern measuring systems such as TrackMan show them after every shot.
- Carry: the flight distance to the landing point. It is the most honest number for length because it does not depend on the ground.
- Total: carry plus roll. On hard ground the roll can add many metres.
- Ball speed: the main factor for distance. It depends on club head speed and on striking the centre of the clubface.
- Launch angle: it shows how steeply the ball takes off. Too low costs distance, and so does too high.
- Dispersion: it shows how far left or right the balls land.
For everyday play the rule is: improve dispersion first, then distance. A 190-metre drive on the fairway is worth more than a 220-metre drive in the rough. After a practice session note your average carry and dispersion and compare it week by week.
Common mistakes with the drive
Beginners and more advanced players alike often make the same mistakes with the drive.
- The ball sits too far back in the stance. The club then strikes the ball on the downswing. The ball gets a lot of backspin and loses distance, and a very steep strike sends it almost straight up (a skied shot).
- The tee is too low. The ball is struck high on the face and runs along the ground.
- Too much speed: the player wants more distance and loses rhythm. The result is a slice, a hook or a strike off the edge of the face.
- The weight stays on the back foot in the backswing and the follow-through. The ball flies high and short.
- The eyes go to the target too early. The head lifts and the strike fails.
Slow swings with your eyes on the ball and a held finish are good remedies. If you have sideways error, also look at the slice and the hook. Both can be fixed through grip, alignment and swing path. A coach can often spot the cause after a few shots.
Try it at Golf Lounge
You can practise the drive at the Golf Lounge all year round. The TrackMan range has 32 tee bays on two levels, covered and heatable, with TrackMan at every bay. You see values such as carry, total distance, launch angle and ball speed. With games such as Longest Drive or Nearest Pin you can test distance and accuracy in a playful way. The TrackMan Range app shows your shots on your smartphone. Book your bay online, with no check-in at the counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drive in golf?
A drive is the first shot on a hole, played with the driver from the tee. The ball sits on a tee peg. The drive is mostly played on par-4 and par-5 holes. Its aim is to get the ball far and safely onto the fairway. It is also called a tee shot.
How high should the tee be for a drive?
As a rule of thumb, half of the ball should rise above the top edge of the driver head. The centre of the clubface then meets the ball. A tee that is too low leads to strikes on the top of the ball, a tee that is too high to strikes off the top edge. Test the height in practice.
Where must the ball be at the tee?
The ball must be inside the teeing area. It runs from the tee markers back to two club-lengths behind them. The ball must be in that zone, while your feet may be outside. Anyone who tees off from outside gets two penalty strokes in stroke play and must replay the stroke.
How far do you hit a drive?
Distance depends on swing speed, quality of strike and ground conditions. Club golfers often hit between 150 and 220 metres in total. More useful than a fixed number is your own average for carry and dispersion. Landing on the fairway matters more than length.
Do you have to tee off with the driver on every hole?
No. On par 3s players usually take an iron or hybrid. On narrow or short par 4s a fairway wood or iron is often the better choice because it increases accuracy. What matters is that the ball lands on the fairway and the second shot stays easy to play.
As of: October 2026