Most poorly hit fairway shots are a result of mishits or thin shots.  This can be due to trying to hit the ball too far, causing the arms to tighten and contract through the swing, or trying to hit too hard from the top of the swing, which will cause the body to rise up.  However, the most common reason for poor impact and thin shots with a fairway metal is trying to lift the ball in the air by hitting up on it.

 

At address, your ball position should be about 1 to 2 inches off your left heel (for a right-handed golfer) with your feet shoulder-width apart to the inside of your feet and your body slightly pressed forward in the stance to allow 60% of your weight to start off on the front side.  Like an iron, we want to focus on hitting down into the ball.  Our club head should hit the ball first during our down swing, making a divot slightly in front of the ball or just brushing the ground.

 

Hitting fairway metals solidly is easier than you think.  Here are some things to keep in mind: don’t try to swing too hard; take a few smooth practice swings, feeling a nice wide arc; keep your weight on the left side (no weight shift); and hit down into the ball.  Like we have heard so many times, let the club do the work.  That’s the key to successful fairway metals.