Approach fairway-wood shots more like a long iron and less like a driver
One of the common complaints I hear from amateur golfers is that they can hit their irons and hybrids OK, but as soon as they get to a longer fairway wood, they really struggle to get a consistent and quality strike when playing the ball off the ground.
I often find the cause of this frustration can be a result of the player having a misconception about how to play their fairway woods. As these clubs are long and look similar to a driver, most players try to set up like they would with a driver and think they need to hit up on the ball. However, seeing as the ball is on the ground, we still need to hit it with a slightly descending blow or when the clubhead has to work in a downward fashion to strike the ball first and then the turf second – similar to a long iron.
Take a leaf out of the professionals’ book and use these keys to get the most out of your fairway woods:
1. Set up and use your clubhead as a reference for ball position. You’re going to want to position the ball about one comfortable clubhead distance inside your lead foot.
2. Close your eyes in your setup and slightly shift your body towards the target in a lateral direction so that you have about 55 percent of your body weight on your front foot before you start the swing.
3. Finally, it’s all down to your mentality. Prior to and during the swing, think about hitting slightly down on the ball (like you would with a long iron) and this will help you achieve the contact you’re looking for.
If you have done this correctly, you’ll strike the ball first and lightly brush the ground after impact. Use these simple keys next time you’re on the course and watch that ball rocket off the clubface!
Watch the full video here:
Kerrod Gray is an industry-awarded PGA professional and the spearhead of a new generation of golf coaches. He is based at Joondalup Resort in Perth. Visit kggolf.com for more.
