5 Fairway Wood Golf Drills for Beginners

Discover the top 5 fairway wood drills for beginners:

1. Best drill for swing posture: Hip-to-Wall Drill
2. Improve your ball striking quality: Two Tees Drill
3. The drill for a smoother swing: Upside Down Club Tempo Drill
4. Perfect drill to prevent the slice: Trail Hand on Top Drill
5. Ideal drill to stop hooking the ball: Split Hands Drill (The Rory Drill)

Here's a step-by-step guide to the Hip-to-Wall drill:

1. Set Up:

• • Stand with your back against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Position your feet in a slightly open stance, mirroring your golf setup.

2. Distance from the Wall:

• • Stand at a distance where your tailbone is in contact with the wall.

3. Hip Rotation:

• • Begin the drill by turning your hips away from the wall, simulating the backswing.
  • Maintain contact with your tail-end against the wall as you rotate, emphasizing the separation of the upper and lower body.

4. Downswing Motion:

• • Start the downswing by initiating the hip movement towards the wall, mirroring the motion of an effective downswing.

5. Impact Position:

• • As you pivot through, strive for a position where your lead hip touches the wall, simulating the impact phase of a golf swing.

6. Follow-Through:

• • Continue the rotation of your hips until you achieve a full follow-through position, maintaining the contact between your tail-end and the wall.

7. Repetition:

• • Repeat the drill to promote muscle memory and enhance the fluidity of your hip movement during the entire golf swing.

Benefits of the Hip-to-Wall drill:

• • Enhances hip flexibility and mobility.
  • Builds muscle memory for proper hip rotation in the golf swing.
  • Promotes a more connected and controlled golf swing.

What you need to watch out for:

• • Start with slow and controlled movements to avoid strain.
  • Ensure proper posture throughout the drill to maximize its effectiveness.

Here's a step-by-step guide to the Two Tees drill:

1. Setup:

• • Place two tees in the ground, about an inch in front of the ball.
  • Angle the tees at about 30 degrees off the ground, in a way that will allow the tees to dig in the ground, with the top part facing the golf ball.

2. Alignment:

• • Align yourself parallel to the target line, ensuring your feet, hips, and shoulders are squared.
  • You can use an alignment aid, like a club on the ground, to help you maintain a straight path.

3. Ball Position:

• • Set up the golf ball on the ground, ensuring it's aligned just behind the inside of the heel of your front foot.
  • This promotes a proper angle of attack for the fairway wood.

4. Swing Path:

• • Focus on swinging the club along the target line.
  • Your objective is to strike the ball before you hit the ground.

5. Contact Point:

• • Strive to make contact with the ball on the downswing, just as the clubhead begins to pass below your hips.
  • This optimizes the launch angle for an improved quality of impact.

6. Follow Through:

• • Complete your swing with a balanced follow-through, ensuring that your weight transfers to your front foot.

7. Feedback:

• • Use the Two Tees as visual feedback. A successful shot should see the tees dig into the ground in front of where the ball was. (The tees might also snap in two if they’re standing up too much.)

Here's a step-by-step guide for the Trail Hand on Top drill:

1. Grip Setup:

• • Begin with your normal grip on the club, making sure your lead hand (left hand for right-handed golfers) is in its regular position.
  • Adjust your trail hand, placing it on top of the lead hand, thus altering the typical overlapping or interlocking grip.

2. Alignment:

• • Ensure that your feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned parallel to the target line.

3. Stance:

• • Adopt a balanced and athletic stance, with weight evenly distributed on both feet.

4. Backswing:

• • During the backswing, focus on keeping the trail hand on top of the lead hand.
  • This promotes a more controlled and connected backswing, preventing the clubface from opening prematurely.
  • AVOID rolling the forearm of your trail hand throughout the swing to keep the club face squared for impact.

5. Downswing:

• • As you transition into the downswing, maintain the trail hand on top to encourage a proper release of the club.

6. Impact Position:

• • At impact, ensure that the trail hand is still on top, promoting a square clubface for a more accurate shot.

7. Follow-Through:

• • Complete the swing with the trail hand remaining on top, promoting a consistent and controlled follow-through.

Pros of the Trail Hand on Top Drill:

• • Encourages a more controlled backswing.
  • Promotes a square clubface at impact for improved accuracy.

Cons:

• • May feel awkward initially for golfers accustomed to a traditional grip.
  • Requires practice to integrate the new hand position seamlessly.

Here's a step-by-step guide to the Split Hands drill:

1. Start with Proper Stance:

• • Position your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Align your toes parallel to the target line.
  • Keep a slight bend in your knees for stability.

2. Grip the Club Correctly:

• • Place the club in your non-dominant hand (left hand for right-handed golfers).
  • Ensure the grip runs diagonally across your fingers, not the palm.
  • Form a "V" shape between your thumb and index finger.

3. Add the Trail Hand:

• • Bring the club to the ground and hold it with your dominant hand.
  • Overlap or interlock your fingers with the non-dominant hand.
  • Again, form a "V" shape with the thumb and index finger.

4. Create a Split Grip:

• • Slide your non-dominant hand down the grip, creating a small gap between the hands.
  • This split encourages a more controlled and fluid swing.

5. Check Alignment:

• • Ensure the leading edge of the clubface is square to the target line.
  • Align your body parallel to the target.

6. Practice Swings:

• • Take slow and controlled practice swings to get a feel for the split hands.
  • Focus on maintaining a balanced and rhythmic motion.