How to Stop the Big Miss Off the Tee

You don't have to eliminate the big miss to play better golf — you have to make it 15 yards smaller. Three setup checks usually get you there without a lesson.

The three setup checks

• Ball position — driver should be off the front heel. Move it back an inch if your big miss is a slice; you're hanging back.
• Tee height — ball should sit half above the crown. Too low → low slice. Too high → pop-up + the dreaded sky.
• Grip pressure — 4 out of 10 in the lead hand. Most slicers grip at 8 and add 2 more at the top.

The on-course version

If the miss is still there on the first tee, aim for the side of the fairway your bad shot goes toward. Slicer aims left side, hooker aims right. You're not asking for a perfect shot — you're using the whole fairway.