fairway woods tips

Learning how to properly hit fairway woods can give your
game a big boost. While it’s true that these are some of
the least used clubs in the bag, there are scenarios when
you need them in the worst way-either to have a chance at
an eagle or to save par from wayward drive. Mechanics and
practice are the keys to learning how to hit fairway
woods.

If you are just learning how to hit fairway woods, here
are some helpful tips to get you started.

Tip 1: Do not confuse these clubs with your irons. While
the distance is often comparable, the swing mechanics are
not. When you play your long irons, you often want to take
a big divot. That is not the case with these fairway
woods.

Tip 2: Unless you are planning to play a fade or a draw,
always line your feet up with the target, about
shoulder-width apart. Play the ball a little forward, just
about in line with your left foot (for right handed
golfers) Keep your arms extended and your spine straight,
allowing a little bit of knee flex.

Tip 3: If you are playing out of the rough, tap the club
head behind the ball (without touching the ball) to tamp
down some of the grass between the head and the ball. This
is legal as long as you do not make contact with the ball
itself.

Tip 4: When learning how to hit fairway woods, remember to
keep your forward arm as straight as possible during your
swing. Turn your hips as you go through the backswing and
downswing to generate power. Keep your head down and your
eyes on the ball.

Tip 5: Resist the temptation to scoop the ball off the
ground. Your job is to hit the ball cleanly, and the loft
of the club will do the rest. Also, resist the common urge
to hit the ball too hard. Many golfers, especially those
just learning how to hit fairway woods, are inclined to
smack the ball with maximum force, but this can be a big
mistake.

The better option is to make a smooth, controlled movement
that stays on the right swing path. This is the best way
to get the ball up, off, and on target.

Tip 6: There are times when you may think the fairway wood
is the right club to use, but stop and consider the
situation before you grab one out of your bag.

If you are in the trees and a long way from the green,
consider using an iron to get back into play, rather than
trying to make the green. One of the keys to learning how
to hit fairway woods is knowing when to use them. Using
one of these specialty clubs when you should be using
something else can cause more trouble than you might
think.

Tip 7: The only way to understand these clubs is to take
them to the practice range and put them into use. You need
to know what distance you can get from each one, and
become proficient in striking the ball cleanly. Practice
is the only way to achieve this. And don’t forget to
practice hitting out of sand traps whenever you have the
opportunity.

“If you think it’s hard to meet new people, try picking up
the wrong golf ball.” (Jack Lemmon)

One thing is certain: if you learn how to hit fairway
woods properly, your game will improve and your scores
will be lower. These clubs can be powerful tools when you
need them.

drive ball straight

It’s a given that every senior golfer wants to know how to drive
a golf ball straight. The challenge is the driver is one
of the most difficult clubs to master. A simple rule of
thumb is the longer the club, the harder it is to use
properly. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to learn
how to drive a golf ball straight; you’ll just need a few
tips and some consistent practice.

The very best shot off the tee is one that does not impart
a lot of backspin to the ball, travels low, and has enough
power to add yards by rolling once it lands. If you can
achieve all of these elements, your game will improve
significantly.

One of the first steps to learning how to drive a golf
ball straight is understanding the importance of leverage
throughout the entire swing. To achieve proper leverage,
keep your head behind the golf ball from address to
impact.

The second most important issue is that distance comes
more from club head speed than arm strength. Senior golfers who
try to muscle their way through the shot will almost
always end up with a poorly hit ball. It is the hips and
legs that generate speed and power, so use them.

Other clubs may be somewhat flexible when it comes to
swing path, but not the driver. As you begin your
backswing, keep the swing plane low (or shallow).

Another factor to keep in mind when learning how to drive
a golf ball straight is to have your hands lead the club
head at impact. This is what people mean when they say to
“let your wrists break”.

A common mistake some senior golfers make is to try to suddenly
stop their swing once they hit the ball. To avoid that,
let your arms and body move all the way through the swing,
including the follow through.

Another key to learning how to drive a golf ball straight
is to not grip the club too tightly. Concentrate on
whipping the golf ball with the club rather than chopping
at it.

If you have a tendency to slice the ball, try slowing your
downswing. You may be coming down too fast or too hard,
causing you to come out of the proper swing path. Another
tip for avoiding the slice is to examine your grip. If you
cannot see two or three knuckles when looking down at your
grip, you are setting yourself up for a slice.

This same grip tip applies to those who hook the ball. If
you look down at your grip and see more than two or three
knuckles, your grip is going to change at impact and cause
a severe hook.

One last tip for learning how to drive a golf ball
straight is to make sure you are not pulling or pushing
the ball. This can happen whether you are coming off the
tee or hitting off the fairway.

You can tell if you are pushing or pulling the ball by
looking at the divot that’s left behind. If the divot is
pointing to the left or right of your target line, your
body is not properly aligned.

“They call it golf because all of the other four-letter
words were taken. (Raymond Floyd)

Try implementing some of these tips and see if your game
improves. Remember, the best tip for learning how to drive
a golf ball straight is to keep at it.

Fred Couples

Fred Couples

Former Master winner in 1992, Fred has one numerous titles and is one of the most popular senior golf players on the Champions Tour Today.

Corey Pavin

Corey Pavin

Among Corey’s accolades is that he spent more than 150 weeks in the top 10 of the world rankings from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990′s.  He also has a Major under his belt with his 1995 win of the US Open by 2 shots from Greg Norman.

Paul Azinger

Paul Azinger

Paul was a dominant top 10 ranked player from the mid 1980s to 90s spending almost 300 weeks in the top 10 of the World Rankings.  He also won the PGA Championship in 1993 following a play-off with Greg Norman.

Mark Calcavecchia

Mark Calcavecchia

Mark was born in Nebraska and turned pro in 1982.  His best year came in 1989 where he was a multi title winer on the tour and won the British Open and came runner up in The Masters.  Upon winning the Open he famously quipped “How’s my name going to fit on that thing?”

Greg Norman

Greg Norman

Nicknamed The Great White Shark due to his aggressive style of play australian heritage and bleached hair Greg spent 331 weeks as the number 1 player in the world during the 80s and 90s.  He has 2 British Opens to his name as well as 7 second place finishes in other majors.

putting drills

Developing putting drills that work is one of the fastest
ways to lower your score. Many senior golfers lose a significant
number of strokes once they get onto the green. By
utilizing putting drills, you can learn to get the ball
into the hole in fewer strokes.

Any seasoned senior golfer will tell you that the short game can
be stroke-hungry, and that what happens on the green can
wreak havoc on an otherwise good score. 3-putts, 4-putts,
and even 5-putts are more common than you might think-but
there is good news. Putting drills can dramatically help
golfers hone their skills on the green, resulting in fewer
total strokes.

When it comes to putting drills, spend time concentrating
on the three essentials:

Keeping the face square
Maintaining a smooth swing
Achieving distance control
Keeping the Face Square:

If you are in the habit of hitting the ball with your
blade open or closed, try this:

Place a ball on the practice green and put a tee in the
ground about twelve inches behind the ball. Put a silver
coin on the ground about six inches in front of the ball.
Bring your putter back until it taps the tee and then
swing it forward, watching to ensure that the face stays
square as it passes over the coin.

Maintaining a Smooth Swing Putting drills should have a
specific purpose and specific goal. With this next tip,
you can learn to swing the club smoothly, which is key to
maintaining your tempo and striking the ball solidly.

Again, place a ball on the practice green and stick a tee
into the ground about 12 inches behind the ball. Bring the
club back until it just barely nicks the tee and then
immediately go into your fore-swing.

Keep your arms moving in a pendulum fashion and keep your
hands still.

Achieving distance control

One of the most crucial putting drills is learning
distance control. The only way to master distance control
is through your own touch or feel. Nothing else can
replace hands-on practice time when it comes to honing
your skills on the green.

There are dozens of practice exercises for distance
control, but one of the best is to simply stake out five
tees, four feet apart, with the last tee being 20 feet
away. Then, concentrate on getting the ball to each of the
tees consistently.

If the ball rolls a few inches past the tee, that’s fine
What you don’t want to see is the ball stopping short of
or rolling well beyond the target tee.

Notice that you are not aiming at a flag or a cup with
this exercise, as this could distract you and cause you to
focus more on accuracy than distance. While it’s true that
distance and accuracy must work together, there are times
when they should not be learned together.

“These greens are so fast I have to hold my putter over the
ball and hit it with the shadow.” (Sam Snead)

These are only a few of the many putting drills that are
available from golf pros and golfing websites. To master
your skill on the green, you will need to invest time and
energy. Learn to read the green and how to lag a putt, but
most of all, learn to love putting drills. They really do
work.