Tuesday Quick Tip: Hit Your Fairway Wood Off The Deck With Ease

Before we get started, - a fairway wood off the deck is one of the more difficult shots to hit, so the goal isn’t to be perfect. Rather the goal is to increase our chances in making solid contact with the ball more consistently. With a few setup and swing adjustments mentioned here by @thatgolfgrind, you can stop worrying about those embarrassing misses:

#1: Ball Position: Many amateurs tend to set up with the ball really close to where they set it with their driver. We need to remember, however, that with the driver we are hitting “up” on the ball, but with a fairway wood, you need to hit “down” on it like with a long iron. Set the ball just a few inches ahead of the middle of your stance.
#2: Make sure your hands are slightly forward: Again, having the hands a bit more forward at address is going to set you up to hit more down on the ball.
#3: Take the club straight back, not inside: Many players pull the club inside on the takeaway, which typically leads to coming really steep on the way down as a reaction to the takeaway. To get yourself in a good position at the top of your swing, take the club more straight back as you start your swing.
#4: Do NOT lean back at impact: Just because woods don’t have as much loft, it doesn’t mean you need to help it get into the air. Leaning back to help the ball into the air is a surefire way to hit a top, so keep your chest down and through the ball and let the club do the work.
#5: Brush the grass: Hitting the ball off the deck without touching the grass is impossible - don’t be afraid to brush the grass at impact, maybe even making a small divot. This means you’re hitting slightly down on the ball, which is a good thing!
#6: Tempo: Tempo is everything with a fairway wood shot. Don’t rush your swing from the top - be patient and allow your club to drop and shallow naturally.

PRO TIP: Don’t forget to assess your lie. If you have a good lie, feel free to let it rip. If you have a bad lie - sitting in a hole, really thick rough, or in a divot - maybe fairway wood isn’t the best call. You may be better off trying to punching it down the fairway to avoid disaster. Never risk a bogey on a par 5 if you don’t have to!

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