A 7-wood has become the automatic recommendation for golfers who struggle to get their fairway woods off the ground.
To be fair, the extra loft should help.
A 7-wood should launch higher than a lower-lofted fairway wood. It can also give you more spin, a shorter shaft and a steeper landing angle. For many golfers, that makes it easier to hit and gives them a better chance of holding the green.
However, if you struggle to get any fairway wood into the air, loft may not be the entire problem.
You may be trying too hard to create it yourself.
Why your fairway woods fly so low
The hardest thing about fairway woods for many amateur golfers is that the face doesn’t look like it has much loft. The first thing your brain thinks to do is to try and help the ball in the air.
You lean back, stay on your trail side and try to slide the club underneath the ball.
Unfortunately, that reaction often produces the exact shot you are trying to avoid.
When you fall away from the target, the bottom of your swing can move behind the ball. From there, you may catch the turf first, strike the ball thin or top it completely.
A 7-wood’s added loft can improve the result but it cannot completely overcome inconsistent contact, poor low point control or a swing designed to scoop the ball into the air.
Fairway woods still need a descending strike
You don’t need to feel like you are chopping down on a fairway wood like you might with a wedge. However, the club should still be moving slightly downward when it reaches the ball.
Think “shallow and through the ball” rather than underneath it.
The bottom of the swing should occur at or just after impact. When you try to lift the ball, that low point often moves behind the ball. That’s when you start seeing tops, thin shots and occasional heavy contact.
Try this simple towel drill
Place a small towel or headcover about six inches behind the ball.
Then:
- Set up with the ball slightly forward of center.
- Make a smooth swing without trying to lift the ball.
- Miss the towel on the way down.
- Let the club brush the ground at or just after the ball.
- Finish with your pressure on your lead side.
If you hit the towel, the bottom of your swing is probably occurring too far behind the ball.
Start with slower swings before building back up to your normal speed. Your goal is not to hit the ball higher. It is to make solid contact and allow the loft of the fairway wood to create the height. Start to trust it.
A 7-wood can absolutely make your long game easier. But if you are topping, thinning and struggling to get the ball airborne, don’t assume another club will solve everything. You need to learn to make better contact.
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