For many golfers, the fairway woods, hybrids, and long irons are the real scoring clubs. If you’re not long off the tee, these are your lifeline to reaching the green in regulation. Yet, I see so many golfers struggle to strike these clubs cleanly from the ground. Solid contact seems elusive, leading to tops, thins, and the odd ripper that feels impossible to repeat.
As a PGA professional, I know how frustrating this can be. But with the right set-up and a simple focus on strike, these clubs can become your new favourites. Here’s how you can make that happen.
Get Ball Position Right for Consistent Contact
The biggest mistake I see is ball position. Most golfers set the ball far too forward in their stance. This causes the club to bottom out behind the ball, leading to fat, thin or topped shots. Occasionally, you might catch one perfectly, but it’s not reliable.
The club travels in a circular motion around your body, and the lowest point of your swing should be just after the ball, ideally opposite your lead armpit. If the ball is too far forward, your low point is behind it, and you’re asking for trouble.
My advice: If you’re going to get it wrong, have the ball a touch too far back rather than forward. Start by playing the ball opposite your sternum, shifting your weight towards your lead side just like you would with an iron. If you tend to swing fast, you might get away with this. For slower swingers, moving the ball just forward of centre gives you a better launch without sacrificing strike quality.
Play around with ball position anywhere between centre and just inside your lead armpit. See what helps you deliver a solid strike and a launch that gives you both distance and stopping power.
Focus on Strike, Not Just Swing Positions
Another issue is the temptation to sweep these clubs away, trying to help the ball up. This leads to contacting the ground behind the ball or even topping it. Instead, your goal is to brush the ground just after the ball. Shift your weight onto your lead side, and feel for that crisp, ball-then-turf contact.
A drill I love is simply making swings where you focus on gently brushing the ground. You don’t need to take a big divot. On grass, you’ll take the blades and maybe a thin sliver of turf. On a mat, it’s a gentle brush. This encourages the club to land like an aeroplane—neither too steep nor too shallow, just landing beautifully for the perfect strike.
The ‘Aeroplane Landing’ Feel
A helpful visualisation is to imagine the sole of your club as the wheels of an aeroplane. You don’t want to come in too steep, nor do you want to miss the runway altogether. Aim for a smooth, shallow descent so the club just lands and brushes through.
This small downward strike with the low point just after the ball ensures solid contact, a better launch, and more consistent distance. It works for fairway woods, hybrids, and long irons alike.
Set Yourself a Simple Task
Rather than obsessing over every technical position, set yourself a simple task: after tweaking your ball position, just focus on landing the club gently on the ground in the right place. You’ll be surprised how naturally your body figures out the movement you need for a great strike.
Whether you’re hitting a fairway wood, a hybrid, or a long iron, this simple approach will help you hit your best shots from the ground. You’ll start to love these clubs and see your scores drop.
If you want a more personalised plan for your swing, I offer online lessons through Skillest. Together, we can tackle your specific challenges and get you striking the ball better than ever.
See It in Action
To see these concepts in action and pick up even more tips, watch the full YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD9gvjNrKts
