Fairway Woods
Everything you need to know about hitting fairway woods off the fairway and the tee box!

One of the hardest shots in golf for most amateur players is the dreaded fairway wood from a tight lee. For many, the 3 or 5 wood from a tee is also very daunting! But, we promise you that if you can master these shots with your woods it will truly revolutionize your golf game. So take a moment, read this post and learn how to hit a 3 wood!

So first things first, there are two different areas of which you should be able to confidently use your fairway woods. The first being from the tee box, this can greatly improve your scores. If your driver is misbehaving, you will have the option of going down a club and still finding the fairway. You can also use your fairway woods of tees for strategic reasons and to play short of hazards.

The second area from which you should be able to use your woods, is from tight lies on the fairway. If you can get comfortable and consistent hitting this shot, it will drastically improve your scoring. It means that par 5s are now likely going to be in play in 2 shots for you and it will even come in handy for longer par 4s.

To make it easier for you we have divided this post into these two parts. There are also different techniques and factors that you must take into account when hitting these shots, so this is another reason. Firstly we will look at how to hit a 3 wood off the tee. Also make sure to check out our list of the best fairway woods for high handicappers! to really get the most out of your game.

How To Hit A 3 Wood Off The Tee

Hitting a wood of the tee is a very important skill to acquire. The technique demanded for this type of wood shot is vastly different to hitting of the fairway. First things first, always use a tee whenever you have the opportunity! Unless your a very skilled golfer and your trying to hit a knock down shot, even then you'll hit more consistent strikes from a tee.

We have broken down the technique needed for hitting fairway woods of the tee into 3 simple steps!

1st Step- Teeing Up The Golf Ball

As we have already mentioned, always use a tee! it will make the task of achieving clean contact a hell of a lot easier. You should tee up the golf ball so that about 1/3rd of the ball is above the fairway wood topline.

As demonstrated in the above picture. (Doesn't have to be pin point to the millimeter, so no need to get out the ruler!)

This should be done in this manner, regardless of if it is a 3 or a 5 wood being used.

2nd Step- Set Up And Ball Position

Probably the most important step when hitting woods of a tee is your set up and ball position. Firstly you should be taking a stance slightly wider then shoulder width. However, it should also be slightly narrower then you would stand if you were to have a driver in your hand.

As for ball position, you should aim to have the ball about an inch or two inside your lead foot. So if your right handed it should be inside your left foot and for lefty's inside your right foot.

Another useful tip to ensure the correct swing path in your set up is to have the right spine tilt. (example for a right handed player) What you don't want is a lower left shoulder and a tilt down towards the ground. This will encourage digging.

On a wood shot from a tee, you want to hit up on the ball. this will give you greater distance and gets the ball in the air. So, in your set up we want you to have a slight tilt in your spine towards your right side away from the golf ball. Look at all the top players in the world, you'll see this in their wood set up.

3rd Step- Hitting The Ball

Now you know how to tee up the ball and how to set up to it, all that's left to do is grip it and rip it! Well not quite, let me tell you why. Firstly, we don't want to be tense over the ball. After all we want the club to the work for us. Once we are in the right set up, the club will loft the ball in the air.

We want good grip pressure as opposed to the death grip. So feel the club in your hand as opposed to having a wrestling match with it! You also want to have a clear mindset and take a good full swing. The important thing to remember is staying in your posture and letting the club do all the work!

How To Hit A 3 Wood Of The Fairway

Hitting a wood from the fairway requires you to make some minor changes to your set up and technique. Your set up here will be slightly different to that of what we described in the above steps. Before we discuss the technique needed here, we also want you to become more aware of where is suitable and not so suitable for this shot.

When you get to your ball on the fairway, you firstly want to evaluate your lie and stance. Of course, we're not asking you to only hit this shot from perfect lies and good stances. But, in extreme situations where one or the other is making the shot very complicated, your better off to go with an iron.

Other then this, once you have an okay stance and the ball is sitting up alright, its time to take out that fairway wood! Below, we have listed the key steps on how to hit a 3 wood from the fairway.

1st Step- Ball Position

Its very important that you have the correct ball position in order to successfully connect with the golf ball. What we recommend is placing the ball ever so slightly further back then you would do if you were using a tee. So really what were saying here, is about 2-3 inches inside your lead foot.

This will help ensure that your catching the ball first rather then digging up turf before the ball or topping it.

2nd Step- Set Up

So once you know where you should be aiming to have the ball positioned. You can begin getting into your posture. What is important to remember here, is that your trying to hit down on the ball rather then up on the ball. Far too many amateur golfers try to help the golf ball up in the air by swinging up on it. This will only cause issues and create massive inconsistencies.

What you also want to do is have a more neutral spinal tilt. You want to stay more centered and over the golf ball. This will help you create a more downward swing path. Resulting in cleaner strikes and less mishits.

3rd Step- Hitting the Golf Ball

The main difference in this technique is your swing path. Here you want to hit down on the ball. You need to get into the routine of having downward swing thoughts. Even though it might seem second nature, most people try and scoop the ball up. This is what causes bad shots and gets you into spots of bother!

Another thing to remember, is similar to hitting a wood from a tee, you also want to let the club do the work. Once you get into your right posture and have the correct ball position. Its time to trust your swing and just let it go!

So, in summary for a fairway wood shot its important to hit down into the back of the ball and just trust the club to the work!

Final Notes

We really hope you found this post helpful and that you start to see good changes in your wood game! Be it from the fairway or from the tee box. Another important factor for you to bare in mind is your equipment!

If your unsure what woods you should be using, don't worry! We've put together a list of the best fairway woods for high handicappers. So be sure to check it out as this is also very important.

FAQ'S

What Is The Most Forgiving Fairway Wood For High Handicappers?

So firstly, there are many fairway woods these days that offer a high level of forgiveness. But, if we had to pick two, we would choose the MW8 Moon Wood. This is the best budget option and the XXIO fairway wood is a more premium option.

What is The Best 3 Wood For High Handicappers?

We recommend the Taylormade Sim2 Max as the best fairway wood for high handicappers. However, it really comes down to what fits your game best! So, if you haven't done so already, make sure to read our post on the best fairway woods for high handicappers.