The Elusive Fairway Woods – How to Make These Clubs Work for You

When playing golf, it is a great feeling to know that you can count on each of your 14 clubs. If you have trust in every club in your bag, you will be ready for just about any situation that may arise. Whether you are using your golf simulator at home or you are out on the course, consistency throughout your bag is key.

Unfortunately, this feeling is elusive for many players, and the fairway woods often present a formidable challenge. If you are struggling with your fairway woods, the content below may help point you in the right direction.

It Starts with Ball Position

One of the keys to solid play with your fairway woods is ball position at address. Many golfers place the ball too far back—near the middle of their stance—and the swing becomes steep through impact as a result. Avoid this mistake by positioning the ball just inside of your front foot. That position will allow for a shallow move through impact, and you should see the quality of your shots improve right away.

Stay Balanced

You need to accurately place the bottom of your swing arc in order to strike your fairway woods cleanly, especially when playing shots directly off the turf. Hitting fairway woods, like so many of the other clubs, is all about balance. Be sure to evenly distribute your weight at address, and then maintain that balance to the best of your ability throughout the rest of the swing.

Rotate During the Takeaway

It’s common for amateur golfers to slide away from the target during the takeaway, even more so with longer clubs. If you want to know how to hit a fairway wood properly, a good first step is to rotate your shoulders and chest away from the target at the start of the swing. If you slide laterally at the start of your swing, it will be extremely difficult to consistently hit your fairway woods.

Tee It Low

You may already know that fairway woods are not only useful in the fairway, but also off the tee. Specifically, using fairway woods off the tee on short and narrow par fours is a great way to consistently find the short grass. When you do employ this strategy, be sure to tee the ball relatively low to the ground. The head of your fairway wood is not as big as the head of your driver, so the ball does not need to be teed up as high.

High-Tech Help

As you continue to work on your game, using technology to fine-tune various parts of your swing is a great strategy. A quality launch monitor can be a huge help as you seek to improve, and the devices offered by Foresight Sports are the best in the business. Contact us today to learn more.