How To Keep Drives In The Fairway

how to keep drives in the fairway

Golf is a challenging game as it is, but when you miss fairways you make it almost impossible to score well.

The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to increase your odds of finding the middle of the fairway, and set yourself up for an easy shot into the green.

Here are some ideas on how to keep drives in the fairway.

Hit Driver

It may seem counterintuitive, but your driver may be more accurate than your 3-wood off the tee.

A Golf Digest study showed that a sample of golfers with a wide range of handicaps had very little difference in shot dispersion between their driver and 3-wood.

This was true even though a 3-wood usually is a couple inches shorter and has more loft than most drivers.

However, this may not hold for players with extremely fast swings — for example, a PGA professional.

For these players, it makes more sense to use a fairway wood or a hybrid.

The reason the driver is more accurate for golfers with an average swing is that its large face and big sweet spot are much more forgiving than other clubs.

Tee It Higher

Here is another idea that may seem odd as well.

You will gain more distance and be more accurate by teeing the ball higher.

Many people might say that accuracy would improve if you keep the ball lower.

However, a experiment examined the results of 27 golfers hitting high-tee balls, mid-tee balls and low-tee balls.

They found that because of the large face on the modern driver, the club head is able to catch the ball on the upswing easier when the ball is teed higher.

This produces a higher launch angle and reduces spin, which creates more distance and accuracy.

Throttle Back

Despite the advantages of using a driver off the tee, it does not mean you should swing with wild abandon.

In fact, if you observe the golfers at a local driving range, you’ll likely agree that most are swinging much too hard. Timing and tempo are critical in a golf swing.

A smooth swing allows a golfer to stay in balance.

In addition, a rhythmic tempo allows the sequence of events that must take place in the swing to fire in order.

Try this: before making your next tee shot, stand with your feet together and make a few practice swings.

Because your feet are so close together, you will be forced to swing slower and smoother.

The even tempo will allow your body to turn back and through without any pulling, grabbing or snatching of the club head from the top of the swing.

Instead, the club will release stored power into the back of the ball, creating a long, straight shot to the middle of the fairway.

Eliminate One Side

Most golfers either tend to hook or slice the ball.

Statistically, most average golfers move the ball from left to right in a slice pattern.

Rather than fight this natural tendency, learn to modify the slice into a fade.

Then set up each drive to play the fade, and eliminate the danger on one side of the hole.

Wayward drives will destroy your confidence and your scorecard.

Use these tips to figure out how to keep drives in the fairway, and your enjoyment of the game will soar.

Want more tips? Consider  studying at College of Golf at Keiser University with our PGA staff and see if a career in golf is right for you.