Fairway wood play

Most golfers find their woods harder to hit, but a few key pointers can make things a little easier from long range

1

Ball position is very important. Many golfers have the ball too far back in the stance so there’s not enough loft at impact. With fairway woods, make sure you have the ball just inside your left heel, which is far enough forward to help shallow out the angle of attack a little. 2

The second thing you need is a nice wide base, so your stance should be shoulderwidth or a fraction more. Too narrow and you’re going to get too much weight towards the left foot. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your feet at address – think 50/50. 3

Finally, if you get ball position and weight distribution right, your shirt buttons or zip should sit a little behind your belt buckle. This angle or tilt in your upper body and shoulders will help shallow out the angle of attack and get the golf ball launching up in the air.

Don’t expect much of a divot with your woods With irons, you’re looking for a descending blow with a lot of weight shifting towards the target. With woods, you’re not looking to hit down and some key set-up changes can help you find the right angle of attack. Because of the low loft, many golfers make changes as they swing to ‘help’ get the ball up. That’s the last thing you should do. The set-up changes on the opposite page are the keys to launching your fairway woods.