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Fairway WoodsHybrids Wood Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 2 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Whipping the Ground with a Fairway Wood: Edouard Montaz

Does your test swing with the 3-wood sail over the grass without touching the ground? Edouard Montaz suggests a single focus: whip the ground with the sole of the club toward the target, just as you would skip a flat stone across a pond.

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Edouard Montaz
Edouard Montaz · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

9 minSame problemForearms aligned with the fairway wood: consistent contactDanny Maude · Beginner / Intermediate9 minSame problemHitting Your Hybrid: Aim for a tee in front of the ballLewis Wallace · Beginner / Intermediate9 minFrom the same proWrist Hinge in Golf: Edouard Montaz's Two PendulumsEdouard Montaz · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Edouard Montaz presents a system for swinging the 3-wood, the 5-wood, the hybrid, and almost all clubs, but the fairway wood lends itself to it even better. It has a flat sole: Taken on its own, it looks like a flat stone that you could skip across a pond. When it comes to the swing, he focuses on just one thing: whip the club's sole across the ground, toward the target.

A practice swing can send energy toward the target without striking the ground—that’s not what he’s looking for. He starts again a little lower, until he feels the sole of the club strike the grass. By definition, If the club strikes the ground where the ball is, the ball is in the path of the clubface.. In this instance, he lines up toward the right-center of the fairway for his slight draw, picks a reference point, takes his practice swing with his head behind the ball, keeps his weight on the left side and his head back as he follows through, and then feels that effortless whack.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Look at the flat bottom of your wood and imagine a flat stone you can make skip across the water.
  2. Take a practice swing, trying to whip the ground with the sole of the shoe toward the target.
  3. If you can't touch the ground, try again a little lower.
  4. Get into position and choose a reference point in front of the ball.
  5. Position the club and take a swing, with your head behind the ball.
  6. Strike while keeping your weight on your left side and feeling the snap of the sole.

Key Takeaways

The flat bottom of the fairway wood looks like a flat stone that bounces.
One goal: to drive the sole of your foot into the ground, toward the target.
A practice swing that doesn't touch the ground isn't the right one.
If the sole of the club strikes the ground at the ball's location, the ball is in the path of the clubface.
Whipping is effortless.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Take a few practice swings that don't touch the ground.
  • Focus on the ball rather than the whip-like motion of the sole of your foot as it strikes the ground.
  • Force it instead of letting the whip move effortlessly.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Practice swings with a 3-wood, sweeping the grass with the sole of the club
  2. Adjust the height until it touches the ground
  3. Shots taken with the sole intention of striking the target

Your Questions

How can I make better contact with the ball when using a fairway wood?

Edouard Montaz focuses on just one thing: striking the ground with the sole of the club, toward the target. If the club strikes the ground where the ball is, it’s on the path of the clubface.

Why does he mention a flat stone?

The sole of a fairway wood is flat. He compares it to a flat stone that you skip across a pond: it’s that skipping sensation he wants to feel through the ground.

Does this technique work with hybrids?

He notes that it works well with the 3-wood, the 5-wood, the hybrid, and almost all clubs, but that the fairway wood works even better with it.

Learn More

All “Fairway wood” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Hybrids” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Forearms aligned with the fairway wood: consistent contactBefore swinging: check the lie, adjust the distance with your arms relaxed, align your forearms with the clubface, then take a smooth “one and two” swing. 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. How to Hit Your 3 Wood Off the Fairway, Not Like Off a TeeDon't hit the 3-wood from the fairway the same way you would from the tee: position the ball a little more toward the center, keep your sternum above the ball, and make a small divot right behind the ball. Edouard MontazAll of his lessons

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

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