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Fairway WoodsBall Position by Club Wood Intermediate ⏱ 6 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

How to Hit Your 3 Wood Off the Fairway, Not Like Off a Tee

From the tee, the 3-wood is played with an upward swing. On the fairway, this instinct causes you to top or scrape the ball. PGA professional Rick Shiels distinguishes between the two shots: position the ball slightly more toward the center, keep your sternum above the clubhead, and take a very small divot just past the ball.

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Rick Shiels
Rick Shiels · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

5 minSame problemFairway Woods: Keep the Club Low in the TakeawayDavid Bobrowski · Intermediate13 minSame problemFairway Woods: Arm Extension to Stop Topping ItEric Cogorno · Intermediate3 minFrom the same proThree-Zone Pre-Shot Routine: Rick ShielsRick Shiels · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

3-wood is the longest club used for ground shots, which is why it's so difficult: you have to know where the sole of the club touches the ground. On the tee, positioning the ball close to your front foot and leaning your upper body back allows you to swing upward. On the ground, that luxury disappears: When you swing up, you hit the ground before the ball or tap it, and it skims along the grass.

Rick Shiels move the ball about one ball's width toward the center from the stance, place the sternum above the clubhead without leaning back, and aims a tiny divot right behind the ball. The flat sole glides over the grass without sinking in. The weight shifts to the left side instead of staying behind. To practice this, he places a tee about an inch and a half (4 cm) behind the ball and aims to just graze it.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Start from your ball-on-tee position, near your front foot.
  2. Move the ball about one ball's width toward the center of your stance.
  3. Position your sternum above the clubhead without arching your back.
  4. Aim for a spot just past the ball: first the ball, then a small divot.
  5. Let your weight continue toward the left side as you cross.
  6. Exercise: Place a tee about an inch and a half behind the ball and try to brush it with the sole of your shoe.

Key Takeaways

A 3-wood isn't played the same way as from the tee.
Hit the ball about one ball's length closer to the center than when hitting from the tee.
Sternum above the clubhead, not tilted backward.
First the ball, then a tiny divot right after it.
The flat sole glides over the grass without digging in.
The weight continues to shift to the left instead of staying behind.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Maintain the ball position and the angle of the shot.
  • Try to lift the ball by leaning back.
  • Keep your weight on your back foot, with your lowest point behind the ball.
  • Hitting on the way up: topspin, or making contact behind the ball.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Three balls on the tee, then three on the ground, changing positions
  2. Tee placed behind the ball, flush with the ground
  3. Sternum above the head before each strike
  4. Look for the crumpled grass where the ball landed

Your Questions

Why do I hit my 3-wood into the ground when I hit it just fine off the tee?

On the tee, a ball positioned higher allows you to swing upward. On the ground, Rick Shiels explains that this upward swing causes the club to hit the ground behind the ball, or to top it. You need a neutral or slightly downward swing.

How far should the ball be moved inward from the starting point?

About the width of a ball, toward the middle of the stance. That's enough to switch from an upward swing to a neutral or slightly downward swing.

Where should the tee be placed for this exercise?

About an inch and a half—or 4 cm—behind the ball. Try to skim it with the sole of your shoe: this encourages a shift to the left and a slightly downward swing.

Learn More

All “Fairway wood” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll videos on “Ball Position by Club” →Find the lesson that's right for you Hitting Your Hybrid: Aim for a tee in front of the ballAgainst the top and hybrid-style chicken wing: keep your chest facing the ground and the clubhead close to the ground until you reach a tee placed in front of the ball. Fairway Woods: Keep the Club Low in the TakeawayWith the 3-wood and 5-wood, let the clubhead skim the ground a little longer in the takeaway to create more distance and a shallower angle of attack. Rick ShielsAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Rick Shiels). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros