How to make Rory McIlroy’s low shot hit your own shot

You may have noticed that Rory McIlroy has been leaning towards new shots – especially when the wind starts to swirl. Some call it a low bullet, others call it a stinger. Whatever the name, the goal is the same: a low-launch drive that maintains a stable, hitting ball flight that can cut through the air instead of ballooning.

It’s a figure McIlroy says he’s been working on for the past few years.

“I think I started using it a lot at Pinehurst in ’24,” he said at the Genesis Invitational last month. “I started hitting low there, I’ve always had it but I started hitting it hard.”

What started as a special shot has quickly become a reliable old stick for the five-time major champion.

“When I start hitting it more, I start to feel more confident with it, and it’s become something I’m going to shoot,” he said, “something I’m going to use a few times a round.

It’s no surprise that McIlroy is confident in this shot. A low bullet drive is designed to do one thing: find the fairway – regardless of the conditions.

Whether you’re playing open courses where every extra yard counts, in gusty winds looking for trajectory control or a tee shot that leaves little margin for error – this stinger-style shot delivers.

And, says Keith Bennett, instructor at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., with a few setup adjustments, you can hit this trusty shot and leave it in the short grass every time. Here’s how to remove it.

1. Put it down

The first step to mastering McIlroy’s low point drive is finding the correct tee length. To start, Bennett recommends centering your driver on top of the ball just below the crown of the club.

Once you’ve dialed in this shot, you can try to lower your tee length for a more striking effect – but remember, the lower you make it, the less your margin is due to error.

2. Plan for a shallow angle of attack

In general, the driver wants a wider stance to encourage a higher angle of attack. But on a low tee, that wide base can cause you to hit it low on the face, resulting in a weak shot that slices wildly or easily into the fairway.

Instead, Bennett says to shorten your stance by pulling your back foot a few inches. This adjustment will bring your weight slightly forward and allow your sternum and pelvis to naturally align, creating a neutral spine position.

“A lot of people will get into their normal right-leaning driver [away from the target],” he says, “But that ball is on the floor. By tilting to the right [away from the target]the club has a lot of chances to get off the ground when it comes to the ball, but we don’t have the height that we used to so we will keep it low on the face.”

Before taking the club back, check that your shoulders are in a neutral position; Your lead shoulders and track should feel level. If your lead shoulder feels high, you may be unintentionally slouching your spine.

3. Identify the fragment

Your final setup key is to point to the left. Not only does this help you consider the low, fading ball flight you will produce, but it will also help with ball positioning. As Bennett explains, if you aim to the left (for right-handed golfers), it just pulls the ball into place.

“This will help us catch him in the right part of our ‘circle’ so we can connect with the person we want,” Bennett said.

Remember, the goal of this shot is for the clubface to impact in the perfect spot in your swing arc where it travels at a shallow – or slightly downward – angle of attack.

Pointing left allows you to achieve that perfect angle of attack, time your swing perfectly and create emergency contact every time.

4. Finish the floor

While each of these adjustments puts you in a better shot position, Bennett says there’s one final swing key every player must remember to truly drive McIlroy’s low shot: finish down.

“The most important thing is the purpose of your following,” he said.

Remember, this is not your stock driver’s swing. Instead of trying to “swing” to launch it higher, Bennett says to have a different feel – increase the feel of your clubhead to stay low as it approaches impact and stay low during the strike.

“It can help to think about getting your weight forward to keep the clubhead down, or you can also think about keeping the clubhead down which will pull you to your lead side,” he says. “Each player will have a different brand associated with them.”

One of the easiest ways to train that feeling is through slow, deliberate practice. Focus on keeping the clubhead low on the claim, lowering it down the target line rather than reaching the top end. You can even set your driver head a few inches in front of the ball and practice making a low approach to really focus on the feel.

However you choose to place it, the goal is the same: control your swing arc to control your ball flight. Do that, and you’ll be beating down characters like Rory in no time.