There is a mistake Jordan Spieth claims most amateurs make on the driving range which can ruin their rounds

Driving has actually become one of Jordan Spieth’s biggest strengths as the three-time major champion looks to become a force in the game once again.

When Jordan Spieth was at his best, he seemed incredibly ruthless with the putter. Meanwhile, he was capable of hitting the most audacious iron shots.

But his driving was also a real strength. He was 15th on the PGA Tour for strokes gained off the tee during his remarkable 2015 season.

It may surprise some to know that Spieth was 33rd in the same category in an underwhelming 2025 campaign for the 32-year-old.

What Jordan Spieth thinks most amateurs get wrong on the range before a round

In fairness, it did appear that Spieth’s driving began to stand out as his wrist injury impacted more and more of his game. It was one of the areas where he knew he was not going to have to worry about turf interaction.

But he also seemingly knows what mistakes to avoid ahead of rounds.

Speaking to Golf Digest back in 2018, Spieth outlined the error he sees a lot of golfers make when it comes to using their driver on the practice ground immediately before they head out for a round.

“On the range, most amateurs spend way too much time hitting driver. I get it; it’s the club that’s the most fun to hit. But whaling away and bending over to re-tee 50 times is no way to prepare for a round,” he said.

“Not only is it physically taxing, it can wash away the good feel and tempo you’ve presumably just established with your wedges and irons.

“I’ll often hit only four or five balls with my driver to close a warm-up session. But you might notice I start to become more deliberate. I step behind the ball and walk into the shot as I would on the course. I’m visualizing the tee shots on the opening holes, imagining the borders of the fairway and the trouble.

“I stretch the time between shots to better simulate the pace when I’m on the course. Hitting only a handful of drivers—but like each one really counts—gives me the confidence that I’ll bring my range game to the tee.”

Why Jordan Spieth used to get so frustrated in his practice sessions

The PGA Tour is certainly a better place when Spieth is playing well. Whatever happens, it never fails to be entertaining to see the Texan in contention.

A lot of the credit for his success should go to coach Cameron McCormick. It is easy to forget now just how impressive Spieth was at the early stages of his career.

And in the same article, he explained how McCormick ensured that he had the right foundations in place – even when Spieth was growing more and more frustrated.

“The first thing I learned from Cam was patience. For me to become a more consistent ball-striker, he believed it was necessary to make a couple significant swing changes,” he added.

“I remember hitting bags where only one out of every three balls got off the ground. It was frustrating because my friends were going out to play, but a lot of weeks Cam didn’t want me on the course.

“When practice got real dreary, he’d try to keep it somewhat fun by making up games. The simple range tuneups we now enjoy are the result of a lot of work.

“To any golfer not willing to sacrifice the time to make swing changes, my advice is to practice your short game as much as possible.”

There will be plenty of eyes on Spieth heading into 2026 in the hope that he is able to get back to something like his best.

Hopefully his practice sessions over the last few months have been particularly productive.