We featured this tip on our "Video Caddy" website, and felt it was worth sharing on this blog as well.
Fairway Woods
In this segment of “The Golf Swing Basics-101” we thought we would tackle the “Fairway Wood”, therefore we put together 3 shots golfers might be faced with in their round.
Certainly one of the most frustrating things in golf is to hit a well struck drive, only to top your second shot 50 yards down the fairway with your wood. So lets tackle this scenario first.
Common Faults:
- Improper set-up
- Poor ball position
- Sweeping like a tee shot
The Fix:
- Set-up with your weight balanced evenly between both feet.
- Position the ball just opposite the logo on your shirt.
- Use a neutral hand position that is even with the ball, don't forward press.
- Choke down on the club slightly, this helps control the shot.
- Unlike a “Tee Shot” you swing down and through the ball to full balanced finish.
One of the common mistakes golfers make is place the ball too far forward in their stance. The result is a sweeping action, causing you to swing up on the ball as in a tee shot. This creates all kinds of problems like topping the ball, or even hitting behind it. With a few key changes to your set-up, plus understanding how to execute the shot, you will hit your fairway woods with more confidence.
Hitting from Moderate Rough
Our next scenario, involves hitting out of the rough with your fairway wood. If the ball is buried in deep rough, consider an alternate plan however, if the ball is sitting up at least half-way then go for it.
Common Faults:
- Set-up
- Ball position too far forward
- Sweeping up on the ball
- Gripping the full length of the shaft
The Fix:
- Weight even between the feet, stand closer to the ball
- Place ball further back than normal, approximately the center of your stance
- Hit down and through the ball with a more descending blow, taking a slight divot
- Choke down at least an inch to compensate for standing closer to the ball
To prevent the long grass from catching the clubhead, you need to hit the shot with a more descending blow than you would from the fairway. Making good contact with the ball is paramount, therefore playing the ball back in your stance will help to ensure that happens. Choking down and standing closer to the ball, will help to create a more vertical backswing. This gives you a better angle of attack into the ball. Taking a divot lets you know you are hitting down and through the ball, maximizing the loft of your fairway wood. The end result, the ball will come out with a higher trajectory than with a long iron, yet won't sacrifice any distance.
Hitting out of Bunkers
The final shot is hitting your fairway wood out of a bunker. Under the right conditions, a utility or fairway wood can be a great choice when faced with a long fairway bunker shot. Hitting a lofted wood can be much easier to hit from the sand than say your long irons, since the sole-plate of your wood helps against digging into the sand.
Common Faults:
- Set-up
- Ball position
- Too much movement in swing
The Fix:
- Grip down at least an inch on the club, and dig your feet down slightly in the sand to avoid lowering the bottom of your swing
- Ball should be in the middle of stance.
- Widen stance to create a stable base, and restrict the movement of your legs and hips.
The swing is a three-quarter armswing going back, and swing through to a full balanced finish on the follow through. Widening your stance, and digging your feet slightly will encourage a more solid base, and avoid the common problem of swaying. Set-up so you make contact with the ball first, unlike with a standard bunker shot where you want to hit the sand. Making solid contact is the goal, distance will take care of itself.
No matter what shot your faced with, the only way to be successful is to practice, practice, practice. All 3 shots above can easily be mastered with a little practice next time you visit the range. Watch our “Featured Video” to see how to execute the fairway wood shot from the fairway.
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Enjoy,
Ted & Buck
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