Your "fairway finder" setup? Easy driver swing or....

[RoyalMustang]

I'm curious: what do all of you use for a "fairway finder" situation, where you really need to be in the fairway, and especially if you need to be short of your normal length? 

 

Me; I can do a "fairway finder" swing with my driver, but often I either change how far back I swing and get off tempo, or I swing very relaxed and end up hitting it just as far as I normally would. I tried today, hitting 10 balls within a "gap" at the range, all of which I was looking to carry roughly 250 to. I was more accurate with the 4-wood to be honest. I pushed 2 of the drives big time right. 

 

This 4-wood turned down to 15.75 degrees is a much shorter club, probably no more than 41 inches, carries 250-260 easy, and feels very controllable. I know it goes against the "driver is the easiest club to hit" but I have not always found that to be true. When I pick up a driver, I have a certain mentality, and it can be hard to get out of "attacking the ball". With the 4-wood, I feel like I am just trying to hit a distance, not trying to hit it as far as I can.  I almost want to "slow" my swing with the driver and that's a no-no. 

[JAMH03]

Choking down on the 4wood and swinging easy results in better misses. But depending on where I'm playing the same strat can be just as effective or more so with the driver.

I ascribe to the general consensus that Driver is best most often, but I come from the time of the Pro Trajectory fairway woods. Where good players played their 3 woods like secondary drivers that works great too. I'm not against playing anything off the tee that gets me into a good position to go at the green. The vast majority of the time though I'm playing 1-4-7 wood off of the tee. Those are my "play clubs"

250-260 out of your 4wood in the fairway is good golf. 



 

[Kai Slater]

My 23* hybrid is pretty reliable when I need to hit it high and straight.  My Cleveland Quadpro 19* 5-wood (yes, I know it's ancient) is also a sleeper for a good fairway finder.  On a side note, I wouldn't mind some more suggestions on a more modern 5 wood that might be lower spinning and not as prone to ballooning as the Quadpro sometimes is.

[J_Tizzle]

I'm usually a bunt driver kinda guy honestly.  Tee it down much lower.  If its a "crap I can't hit it x far because of trouble" it typically falls to the 3 hybrid, but if its just accuracy its the bunt driver.  

[getitdaily]

If I have to be in the fwy, short of my driver carry then it's my aerojet 3w off the deck for a fade or off a tee for a draw.

[Kai Slater]

I also have pretty good confidence in my driver, but, if I'm more concerned than usual about hitting a fairway finder, I'll just swing a little slower, aim a bit right, and hope my left-hander fade will happen.  It works probably 6/7 times out of 10.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Kai Slater

[phizzy30]

My OG SIM ti 15* is my fairway finder when I absolutely need to find the fairway, lay up to a certain distance or my my driver is a being a bad girl.  I can hit two types of shots.  The stock shot which is clean off the tee which ends up being a baby draw or the stinger where I take a small divot where the ball comes off lower with more spin and fades 5-10 yards.  Both shots are very accurate off the tee. 

[Roejye]

My answer is, it depends. If I'm swinging well then I would probably go with my 12° driver, but even that can fade a little for me. If I absolutely had to be in the fairway I'd probably be hitting 5 hybrid. 

 

Unless you're using a low lofted club for a punch out, I think the top end of the bag should be for full, committed swings. 

[Kmagnuss]

3w

[ChunkMeDaddy]

Driving iron just for this. Make sure you rotate through, keeps it low, and will run out to a good distance. Favorite club in the bag!

[ChipNRun]

Since I got my last two drivers, the driver has been my most accurate long club. Current EXS set at 10.5* with Tensei CK Blue 2G 54-gram shaft. Prior to that, I played Callaway XR16 Pro, 10.5* set open, R-flex TS Speeder 665.

 

I hit the driver except in cases where a solid 10.5* shot would carry through the landing area.

 

Often it's a choice between a 7W, or a 4H stinger if the shot would benefit from staying low and rolling out. On a hole with a sharp dogleg left I might try a high, 4W draw. 

 

 

[pdxhak]

I play a squeeze cut with a fairway wood.

[mat562]

For me, it's chuck the ball down and  hit a 3-wood off the deck.

 

I hit a rising, spinny shot that cuts three or four yards and then lands softly.

[scott406]

I have a G425 5 wood turned up to 16.5 and I hit that about 230-240

On most days it is straight as an arrow, but on some days it is not working and the driver is

So I choke up on my driver and swing away if I need to be short of my normal distance

90% of the time it's the 5 wood

 

 

 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Fairway finder? It's in my mindset.

If I'm going up to the tee box thinking anything other than nothing at all; it's going to fail. 😉

In fact, the farthest drives..... the ones that get out there and straight..... they happen when I hardly feel like I'm working. When everything is smooth and seamless.... it's just better.

Yet, how often can I go up to a tee box with a clear head? Well....... not very consistently it seems... LOL
 

 

[third-times-a-charm]

Find a fairway? lol never

[1s1k]

Smooth swing 3W

[Pepperturbo]

I am always a course management guy, and don't hit the ball nearly as far as I used to; a measly 240-250+yds, and thus I don't miss fairways as often as others swinging out of their shoes.  

 

But, if I need to find the fairway, I use a 17' 2 iron and rely on my iron n wedge skills from there.  There may be an occasion where I opt for 3wd, but 2 iron is a sure left, right or center cut.

[chisag]

... There is a reason they call it a Driving Iron. I like hitting my UDi TP 2 iron off the tee more than my driver. I have always hit irons better than woods so when needed, the DI is a no brainer for me. I am not long by any measure, but at age 70 I can still hit my DI around 220 off the tee so plenty of distance if I need to find a fairway or want to stay short of trouble. 

[petep5280]

A club you can get on path and keep on path. 

[Brentwood]

If it’s absolutely critical to be in the fairway then usually a simple 5i does the trick for me. 3i or 4i depending on how much room is out there but the 5i is pretty safe.  I try to not over complicate these scenarios and avoid clubs that would require me to alter my swing too much, but that’s just me! 

[RoyalMustang]

17 minutes ago, Brentwood said:

If it’s absolutely critical to be in the fairway then usually a simple 5i does the trick for me. 3i or 4i depending on how much room is out there but the 5i is pretty safe.  I try to not over complicate these scenarios and avoid clubs that would require me to alter my swing too much, but that’s just me! 

 

I use my 4i as my "driving iron" when I want to roll out about 230 as well. It's super accurate and always seems to keep me in play. short though! 

 

I love the avatar-fellow SMU Mustang here! 

[jgallant415]

Depends on where trouble is… miss with the driver is right, with the 3w it’s left, so if there is more margin for error up the right side I choke down and swing easy with the driver. More room left, the reverse.

[jomatty]

Fairway finder driver I just tee it low and allow for a big fade.  I’m sure my aoa is negative on this swing but still goes further than my 4 wood.  Very dependable.  I don’t hit this shot to intentionally take off distance though.  If I’m trying to stay short of a creek or a bunker then I will use whatever club stays short.  If there is a very narrow hole that I absolutely cannot miss the fairway on I usually hit my 19 degree UW.  It is almost as dependable as an iron but goes a lot further.

[b.mattay]

I typically hit driver off the deck if a hole is stupid tight. Gets "WTF looks" but it works!

[Bonneville85308]

I have a slow swing speed, short and straight is my game. My driver has a better chance of finding the middle of the fairway than my 3-wood. So I'd just take a normal driver swing. Nice problem to have, I guess. If it needs to go a little shorter than usual, I might move my hands down on the shaft a bit or tee it lower.

[uglande]

Either a second full driver (but with more loft and shorter shaft), or a mini-driver. 

[PlatinumNike]

3 iron Mizuno Pro 225 with graphite shaft 

 

I can’t hit a soft driver, it’s all or nothing 

Edited August 26, 2023 by PlatinumNike

[hagimihale]

It took me a long time to find this shot:

• Choke down an inch or so on my driver. 
• Tee ball down so the top is barely above the crown. 
• Maybe a hair back in my stance. 
• Slow down the tempo a bit.

Carries about 220, rolls out another 20 or so yards depending on turf conditions etc. Similar distance as my 4W, but at a much lower trajectory.  Tends to fade just a bit.  Its almost like having a 15th club in the bag...

[this_is_golf]

I typically just swing easy with my driver (G425 Max) but I picked up a Brnr Mini and will be testing that out over the next few weeks.