[DoterForeva]

Need some help with hitting the ball on the fairway with the "fairway woods." I hit pretty good from the tee box with my 3 and 5 woods but when I try and hit it from the fairway, I end up topping it or it just goes erratic. Are you supposed to use the same swing as off the tee or am I going to try and hit more down on the ball like an iron? Any help on this is appreciated guys, thanks!

[leyliana]

It can be a low percentage shot in many cases. I find that I would often have been better off just hitting a hybrid or an iron and going from there. I try to put the ball a tiny bit farther back and just swing the same, but it doesn't always work out.

[rarpAcconavox]

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instr.../harmon_gd0806

Here's a great article that I found in Golf Digest.

[fil_nurser]

Need some help with hitting the ball on the fairway with the "fairway woods." I hit pretty good from the tee box with my 3 and 5 woods but when I try and hit it from the fairway, I end up topping it or it just goes erratic. Are you supposed to use the same swing as off the tee or am I going to try and hit more down on the ball like an iron? Any help on this is appreciated guys, thanks!

You need to move the ball back some in your stance, you have to hit down some on a fairway wood. With it on a tee you are sweeping it off which is fine but you need to catch it about a ball width sooner off the ground. Fairway woods are not as hard to hit even as a 5 iron so if you can hit a 5 you can hit a FW wood. Just don't swing too hard, let the club do the work.

[Heaneisismich]

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instr.../harmon_gd0806

Here's a great article that I found in Golf Digest.

Nice find. For me, I move the ball back in my stance and try to have a slow smooth swing. Tendancy is for me when I'm that far from the hole is to try and kill it, but rarely works. Slow and smooth works best for me.

[Angeheade]

Good thread and I think moving the ball back and swinging like a smooth iron shot with good tempo is the ticket.

[bpejjssoe]

For me, I move the ball back in my stance slightly and my focus is staying down on the ball with a smooth swing. Topped shots usually result from over swinging.

[bunkalapa]

For me, I move the ball back in my stance slightly and my focus is staying down on the ball with a smooth swing. Topped shots usually result from over swinging.

Definitely. The times I miss a FW wood are always when I'm trying to "kill it" and being stupid instead of laying up like an intelligent person should...

[soSldI4i]

I tend to put the ball middle of the stance and sweep it almost like I'm on the tee. IfI want to put a little air under it I hit down on it a bit like a iron or hybrid shot. At least when I do hit a FW off the fairway that is. I'd rather use a hybrid unless the fiarway is wide open to the hole

[pataagusata]

Interesting topic.... I used to hit down on it, and I'd come in very steep. I've been working on sweeping and hitting up on the last few weeks and it has done wonders.

I was good with my FW off the deck before but now that I'm sweeping it as opposed to hitting down on it, I'm seeing a much different shot. I may still fade or push it but the ballflight is a bit more penetrating.

I just use the same swing and setup as I would off the tee.

[Prealiitellg]

Great article, thanks for the link Kelly. He describes exactly what I've been doing.

[enurneAcourdy]

Interesting topic.... I used to hit down on it, and I'd come in very steep. I've been working on sweeping and hitting up on the last few weeks and it has done wonders.

I was good with my FW off the deck before but now that I'm sweeping it as opposed to hitting down on it, I'm seeing a much different shot. I may still fade or push it but the ballflight is a bit more penetrating.

I just use the same swing and setup as I would off the tee.

I agree. Fairway woods are designed to sweep the ball off the turf. One way to help, is to keep your takeaway low, keeping the clubhead on the ground a good foot or so behind the ball. This is how our longtime PGA pro teaches. For me, ball position is off my left foot for a fade and back ever so slightly for a draw.

[MicoSiru]

I agree. Fairway woods are designed to sweep the ball off the turf. One way to help, is to keep your takeaway low, keeping the clubhead on the ground a good foot or so behind the ball. This is how our longtime PGA pro teaches. For me, ball position is off my left foot for a fade and back ever so slightly for a draw.

Different strokes for different folks. Literally. I'm from the school that says you should take a divot with every shot you hit that isn't a teed-up wood. And that one guy that just hired a new caddie usually takes a divot when he hits fw wood off the tee.


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[fil_nurser]

Different strokes for different folks. Literally. I'm from the school that says you should take a divot with every shot you hit that isn't a teed-up wood. And that one guy that just hired a new caddie usually takes a divot when he hits fw wood off the tee.


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I take a divot with 3W and have no problem hitting it into the green as long as the green is not too protected. If there is a bunker to aim for on one side I will aim there, if there is any hazard or out of bounds within 10 yards of either side I will lay up with something, but if not it is a go. I think it is a little confusing to think only in terms of all sweep or only hit down with this club, what you want is a slight hit down on the ball. If you are a sweeper anyway you are going to take less turf with every club even a 9 iron, if you are a gouger then you will cut some turf with every shot that isn't teed up. Based on what you say you were doing taking the club back lower and slower is a mistake, especially if you are drifting back onto your right (back) foot a little with the longer club on your backswing. My advice is to stay centered, move the ball back a little and make what feels like a tighter turn back to the top, eliminate that drift away from the ball. Use a training stick or a broken shaft or a broom handle stuck in the ground touching the outside edge of your right (back) foot and your right (back) hip and don't push or move it going back. By doing this you can eliminate the variable that drifting or leaning back away from the ball will add to the shot and focus on a turn back and through. This will help you with contact on every shot, fairway wood or not.

[valiumcheapll]

I would like to comment but my 3W and I have separated due to irreconcilable differences