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DrivingDraw or FadeRange Practice Driver Expert / Intermediate ⏱ 15 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Tommy Fleetwood's Precision Drive: The Safe Tee

On a narrow tee, Tommy Fleetwood prefers a controlled drive to a 3-wood. In *Me and My Golf*, he demonstrates his safety shot: same tee height, club held in the air at address, and a single tee placed behind the ball—that’s all it takes to adjust his approach.

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Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

17 minSame problemNelly Korda's Driver Tips: The Low, Controlled DriveNelly Korda · Intermediate / Expert6 minSame problemUse the Ground to Hit Harder: Pavon's DrillMatthieu Pavon · Intermediate / Expert2 minFrom the same proTommy Fleetwood's Fairway Wood in 3 ThoughtsTommy Fleetwood · Intermediate

What the lesson shows

To keep the driver in play, many players drive the tee into the ground more and more, and they strike the ball low on the clubface, which adds spin. Fleetwood does it differently: the Tee height remains constant, he opens his stance a little, stands with his feet closer together, and suspend the club above the ground at address, which makes it very stable on the upswing. The goal is the opposite of the “long” drive: instead of staying behind the ball to launch it, he aims for a slightly downward swing.

The marker consists of a tee stuck in the ground a little behind the curve, high enough that he has to swing over it: this prevents him from staying too far back. In the demonstration, his swing path angles down about 3°; with the tee placed on the other side, it angles up about 3°. The ball flies a shorter distance but rolls farther, with a fade; he therefore leaves himself room on the left. For a draw, he does the opposite: a high tee, positioned slightly behind the ball, and room on the right. When it comes to contact, he keeps his head centered throughout a full swing and checks the ball’s position, toward his left heel. For high-handicap players, he advises playing the shot that comes up most often—a slice or a draw.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Keep your usual tee height.
  2. Widen your stance slightly, bring your feet a little closer together, and aim a little to the left.
  3. Hold the clubhead above the ground at address.
  4. Place a tee slightly behind the ball, in line with it, and high enough.
  5. Swing as you pass over this tee—that's the only rule.
  6. To compare, place the tee on the other side and swing down into the ball for a high flight.
  7. During your warm-up, alternate between these two shots and your usual drive to get a feel for the straight shot in between them.

Key Takeaways

It's better to keep the tee at a consistent height than to drive the tee into the ground on every narrow tee box.
Suspended club, open and narrower stance: a more stable swing.
A tee placed behind the ball—which you're supposed to hit over—prevents you from staying behind the ball.
The shot doesn't travel as far but rolls: leave yourself some room on the fade side.
For a draw: high tee, slightly behind the ball, with some room to the right.
Keep your head centered throughout the full swing to find the center of the clubface.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Drive the tee in to “secure” it, at the risk of hitting the ball low on the clubface.
  • Stay behind the ball to hit it when you need to find the fairway.
  • Aim too precisely, leaving no room for the impact of the shot.
  • Keep your head still enough to prevent it from turning.
  • Vary the ball's position from week to week.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Tee Behind the Ball: A Safe Drive
  2. Tee on the other side: high drive
  3. The usual drive between the two to get a feel for the straight shot
  4. Alignment stick near the head to stay centered

Your Questions

Where should you place the tee for the safe drive drill?

A little behind the ball, in line, fairly high. You have to swing over it on the downswing; Fleetwood describes it as an iron-swinging drill that, when using a driver, mainly prevents you from staying too far back.

Why suspend the club at that address?

Fleetwood always placed the club on the ground; when suspended, it feels very stable on the upswing and promotes a slightly downward swing path.

Does this safety drive cause you to lose a lot of distance?

Less than people think, according to him: the ball doesn't fly as far but rolls farther. Above all, it's a more reliable shot, with a slight fade.

How does Fleetwood hit a draw with his driver?

On the other hand: place the tee high, slightly behind the ball, then let the club relax. He emphasizes the margin: hit the ball to the right and let it come back.

Learn More

All “Driving” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Draw Effect or Fade Effect” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Practice” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Nelly Korda's Driver Tips: The Low, Controlled DriveOn the driving range with Tiger Woods, Nelly Korda demonstrates her low, controlled drive and shows Rory McIlroy the benefits of a shorter shaft and a closed clubface. Adam Scott's Swing: Simple Rhythm, Fade, and DrawAdam Scott checks everything before taking his swing, focuses on a single rhythm, and produces a fade or a draw either by intention or simply by shifting his body. Choosing the Right Shot with the Iron: Nelly Korda and Rickie FowlerThree pins between 179 and 193 yards, with a left-to-right wind: Korda sticks with her draw, while Fowler picks his club, start line and intermediate target. Tommy FleetwoodAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Tommy Fleetwood). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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