Flush your fairway woods: 5 Tips from Top 100 Teachers

Welcome to GOLF’s Top 100 Teacher roundtable, where some of the best instructors in the business answer the game’s most pressing questions. The goal? To help your game and lower your scores ASAP.

Few things are better than a well-struck fairway wood. Not only do these shots feel great coming off the face, but when you’re able to hit them on command, they can also elevate your game. With these handy shots in your arsenal, you’ll be able to navigate long par-4s and reach tricky par-5s in two.

To help you create consistent, center-face contact with fairway woods, we asked five GOLF Top 100 Teachers for their best tips. Use their expert advice to catch these clubs clean every time.

Stand closer to the ball

Many players struggle to hit fairway woods because they stand too far from the ball. And when golfers top these shots, it’s almost always a result of this issue. To fix this problem, play around with your stance and try to stand closer to the ball, about an inch or two. Now, think about taking a divot as you hit your shot. You should see a big improvement. – Brady Riggs

News

Ball position forward, swing around the body

When setting up to a fairway wood, I tell my students to play their ball at least halfway between the center of their stance and their lead toe. Then, think about swinging more around your body. Because the shaft is longer than your irons or hybrids, your backswing will feel slightly flatter. This promotes a more shallow, sweeping downswing that fairway woods require. – Carol Preisinger

Clean lies equal clean contact

Too many times, I see amateurs trying to hit low-lofted fairway woods off lies that are way too difficult to hit them from. Only hit your fairway woods if you have a lie that allows you to hit them successfully. If not, opt for a club with more loft and follow the old adage of “take what the golf course gives you.” – Dale Abraham

Check your practice swing

Before you hit your shot, take a practice swing with your fairway wood. Check that you’re scraping the ground by your left shoe and that it lines up with your ball position. When you reach impact at the right spot, and you’re getting under the ball enough, you’re able to get the full benefits of the club’s trajectory. – Cheryl Anderson

Work from a tee to the ground

I like to start students off by hitting shots off a low tee to give them confidence and help them understand they need to trust the loft of the club will get the ball in the air. Once they can do that, I then have them hit from grass that is slightly longer than the fairway. By this time, they understand that they cannot hit down on the ball like an iron. From here, my students are able to understand that their attack angle should more or less be zero. – Andrew Park