Hitting a Fairway Wood in the Fairway -- What a Concept!

[kurtwainwright]

Ok, so I've gotten a tad better this summer. This spring my handicap was awful, somewhere around a 32ish. Now, after playing my butt off and taking 4 or 5 lessons, I've shaved that handicap index down to roughly 24ish. Not bad!

There is one thing that I still haven't been even moderately successful at. I can't hit out of the fairway using my woods. If I attempt this, I'll hit it thin and the ball will go scooting down the fairway only inches above the blades of grass eventually coming to rest maybe 100 yds downrange, or, I'll toe it and the ball will go spinning off to the right -- usually out of bounds.

A lesson won't help, unless I take the pro out for a round of 18. You just can't mimic a fairway shot at the practice range.

I will say that buying a hybrid has helped. I got a Nike Slingshot Tour #4 24 degree loft. However, I can only hit my hybrid 200yds if I'm lucky. For long par 5's, my second shot could be a 300 yarder. If I could only hit my 3-wood off the fairway!

What's the trick? Is it stance? Is it ball placement -- middle, rear, forward? Or, is this simply psycological? Should I abandon my woods on the fairway and get a lower lofted hybrid?

[lamebums]

Put the ball in the middle of your stance and make sure in your backswing that you don't pull inwards and tighten up. Pulling the club inwards will shorten the swing arc and cause to top the ball or hit it super thin. That's what caused me - at least - to make a full-power, nostrils flaring swipe at the ball, and only tick the top of the ball sending it 10 feet.

Don't be afraid of hitting the dirt with your 3 wood - so many of my buddies can't hit a 3 wood because of the exact same reason - they are afraid of hitting the dirt, and then top the club.

[Shindig]

Ok, so I've gotten a tad better this summer. This spring my handicap was awful, somewhere around a 32ish. Now, after playing my butt off and taking 4 or 5 lessons, I've shaved that handicap index down to roughly 24ish. Not bad!

A question for you: can you hit your hybrid from the fairway? Do you ever hit your 5-Wood off the tee? If the answers are 'yes' and 'no', consider (as I did) replacing your 5-Wood with a 3-Hybrid. You're going to create a distance gap doing this. Recognize that before doing this . (Why not a 2H? I found that much harder to hit; when I get good with the 3H, I'm going to consider a 2H and no longer have a 4H and 4I.) It worked for my game, because I wouldn't go for a par-5 in two unless I somehow had a hybrid shot into it. And now, my second shot on a par-5 is a good shot with a 3H instead of a bad shot with a 3W or 5W, leaving (usually) a 7-Iron or better into the green. And at our handicap level, who can complain about a good chance for GIR? I realize your 2nd shot on a par-5 is 300 yards to go to the green. But GIR is 3 shots, and really, you aren't going to hit your 3W onto the green from there. Check out Erik's article on the mathematics of how accurate you have to be to hit a target from X many yards out. Let's say you have 300 yards to go and you hit your hybrid 200 if you're lucky. Let's also say you aren't lucky and hit your hybrid 185, but you keep it in the fairway. What's your 115 yard shot? Can't be worse than a 7-Iron if you were thinking of going for the green in two with a 3-Wood. Plus, for those par-3s where I would've wanted to hit 5-Wood, I can hit 3W if the pin is way back, or 3H if it's front; middle I'd probably swing 3W lightly. But I get my hybrid shots much closer than the 5W was back when I was hitting it, leaving easier chips, less chance of sand, and other happy things in life. You'll get better with your fairway woods as time progresses. I can hit my 3-Wood off the fairway, and if I hit it well, I'm left with a lob-wedge onto the green for some par-5s. But why gamble for that when I can guarantee myself something as easy to hit as a 7 or 8 iron?

[Q.Q.Quillume]

Ok, so I've gotten a tad better this summer. This spring my handicap was awful, somewhere around a 32ish. Now, after playing my butt off and taking 4 or 5 lessons, I've shaved that handicap index down to roughly 24ish. Not bad!

There are such things as playing lessons. Also, your pro didn't just fall off a turnip truck so he probably has a pretty good idea what's up with your fairway wood issues.

[SideSwipe]

I've dropped the 5W and 3i from the bag for the last 2 yrs now and replaced them with a 2H & 3H respectively. Found out that hitting a fairway wood off the turf was a roll of dice when I really needed it most. Although I've gone through several different manufacturers (Cobra, TM, Cleveland, Callaway) I've finally found one that really performs well (for me, at least) ... Adams Idea Pro.

A smooth/controlled backswing (forget trying of kill the ball) will produce a well struck ball that sails toward your intended target.

[Franco!]

There are such things as playing lessons.

hahahahahhahah for some reason i just found that to be absolutely hilarious

but i agree, just go ask your pro for advice. but try to swing smooth and sweep, dont hit down on it. approach more from the inside.

[kurtwainwright]

A question for you: can you hit your hybrid from the fairway? Do you ever hit your 5-Wood off the tee? If the answers are 'yes' and 'no', consider (as I did) replacing your 5-Wood with a 3-Hybrid.

I took your advice. I spent some time with my pro Monday and was still having fairway wood problems by the time the lesson was over -- so yesterday I went to the pro shop and tried out several clubs. The one I liked best was the Adams Golf IDEA A3 Hybrid Iron.

Although I haven't hit it during a round, yet, it will give me some additional confidence that I can hit about 200 or 225 yds on a fairway shot. Bye Bye 4 iron, hello hybrid iron.

[fluxcapacitor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq5gzmIeRQ8

This helped me a little bit hitting in the fairway. I have a spot in my yard where i've got the grass cut REAL short and just tried to make that sound on the ground with my 3 wood.

Flux

[Striper]

Aside from getting advice from your pro, Shin dig makes great points. Hit the shot you CAN make not the shot you HOPE you make. Nothing wrong with getting to the green in 3.

Heck, I saw a guy in our club championship hit a 5i off the tee (170 yards), a 7i from the fairway (150 yards), another 7i from the fairway (150 yards), a wedge to 5 feet, and a 1 putt for par. As he said "Doesn't matter how you get there, what matters is 'how many' it takes to get there."

[wengerlaw]

In the August 2007 issue of Golf magazine, the "Private Lessons" section has two pages on how to hit a fairway wood from the fairway.

[Big Don]

Ok, so I've gotten a tad better this summer. This spring my handicap was awful, somewhere around a 32ish. Now, after playing my butt off and taking 4 or 5 lessons, I've shaved that handicap index down to roughly 24ish. Not bad!

If your 3 wood has a tall face it will be challenging to hit of the fairway unless you are an accomplished ball striker, particularly from tricky lies. I tend to hit my 5 wood of the fairway as it has a nice shallow face. The other thing I've found beneficial is to shorten my swing a little, and focus on making it relatively easy and smooth. These clubs are relatively long and you can generate plenty of speed without really going after the ball.

[Leek]

What's a fairway? I've heard its that big green cartpath I go across to get to my ball. Is that true?

[lamebums]

What's a fairway? I've heard its that big green cartpath I go across to get to my ball. Is that true?

I'm afraid not. I've been saying for years they should really start putting yardage markers in the rough.

But back on topic - the June edition of Golf Magazine had 10 ways to save six strokes - one of which was how to not top a fairway wood. Here. .

[Aggie25]

Look into an Adams or TaylorMade 3 wood. Their profile makes it easier to hit off the ground.

[Leek]

I'm afraid not. I've been saying for years they should really start putting yardage markers in the rough.

LB- it was a joke

I don't usually put fw woods in my bag. I go driver, 2 & 3 hybrid, irons and wedges.