Free up your fairway-wood swings

Fairway woods often spook the higher-handicap players I teach, especially when they have to hit shots off tightly mown grass. The tension starts at address, and things get worse when they swing. Often it’s an all-arms move on a steep path that usually produces a low line drive if contact is solid. That’s no way to treat a fairway wood, which can be a super valuable club in a variety of situations when used correctly. The first thing you have to do is reprogram your brain a little and put some rhythm and flow into your swings with these clubs. I’ve got a great drill that not only will free up your swing, it will get the club moving on the right plane and will undoubtedly increase the length of what used to be a very short, jerky move. To use this drill, set up like you normally would with a fairway wood. Your weight should be balanced and the ball up in your stance; not as far up as you would play a driver but close. Now here’s the key: Before you swing, set the club a few feet in front of the ball on the target line as I’m demonstrating here (below). Notice I have the club hovering off the ground. That’s your new starting position.

JAMES FARRELL

From this spot, make a full backswing. I think you’ll find the forward start immediately gets you to make a longer, more rhythmical swing. You’ll also make a fuller body turn and your hands will naturally hinge the club upward and get you in a solid top-of-backswing positon. The whole motion to the top looks like this:

You can start by just making backswings with this drill, but eventually I want you to hit shots from this new starting position. You should feel looser than you normally do when you swing your fairway woods. That should go a long way toward helping you stripe these clubs.

JAMES FARRELL

Jason Birnbaum, one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in New York, is director of instruction at Manhattan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com