How to Hit A Fairway Wood
[ 6 Best Tips for Better Striking]
You just hit a monster drive that hit the fairway on that big par 5 but you are still 200+ yards away. Knowing how to hit a fairway wood will give you a chance at getting on the green and putting for birdie. Hitting a wood is not an easy task but once mastered it becomes an incredible tool in your arsenal. We have broken down the 6 key factors to take into consideration when using your fairway wood.
1. Ball Placement
Fairway woods are challenging, with many golfers opting to not hit them at all. But, once you have the shot perfected, your game starts to come together. Reaching par 5’s in two and comfortable layups starts with ball placement. The ball should be placed halfway between the middle of your stance and front foot. Most players want to play it barely inside their front foot, but it needs to be a bit further back for good, consistent contact.
2. Making Contact
Rather than hitting down as you would with an iron, a well-hit fairway wood sweeps across the ground. Instead of making a full divot, smaller pieces of grass will come up since you aren’t fully penetrating the turf. If you aren’t making any grass pop up, this means you’re hitting off the bottom grooves and need to go a bit deeper for center of the club contact.
3. Slowing Your Swing Down
Learning how to hit a fairway wood boils down to contact. Fairway woods are built for distance. and have low, penetrating flights. Rather than a super aggressive swing, slow your pace down to ensure you are letting the club do the work for you and your swing is on the right path.
4. Keeping the Club Square
Start small, build your swing up. Hitting fairway woods well is reliant on a square clubface and straight swing path. If you’re having trouble with either of these, make your swing as compact as needed. A square clubface trumps all, especially considering the trouble you can get in with how far woods travel.
5. Lie Matters
When you’re on an uneven surface with an iron, it matters but is easy to overcome. When you’re dealing with fairway woods, it gets way harder thanks to reduced loft. Since you are not taking as large of a divot, it’s essential that you alight yourself with the slope.
On an uphill lie, move the ball forward in your stance an inch and slightly lean your shoulders back. When it’s downhill, move the ball back an inch and choke down if you’re struggling to get the ball in the air. Embrace that your shot on an uphill lie will go higher and on a downhill lie will go lower. Ball placement might only vary an inch or two, but pays off big time in maintaining distance.
6. Weight Shift
A fairway wood goes longer than an iron. You do not need to force it to get all the yards these clubs have to offer. Instead of a big weight shift, focus more on the turning of your shoulders and hips. Too often with fairway woods a weight shift hurts contact point and you slide, rather than power through.
By adding a bit of recoil, it adds control without sacrificing extra distance. If you rely on a big weight shift, in addition to turning, it takes the precision of a low-handicapper to consistently make good contact.
Golf Mamba's Top Fairway Woods
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Who doesn’t want to learn how to hit a fairway wood? There are few things better than hitting it pure 200+ yards to the green. Understanding the placement of the ball, swing mechanics, weight shift, and the lie will give you the best chance at doing just that. If you loved this article please check out our Best TaylorMade Irons review!
