No Tops, No Fats! The Secret To Hitting Fairway Woods Off The Deck

Do you find yourself topping your 3-wood or struggling to get your fairway woods up in the air? You’re not alone. Many golfers dread pulling out their 3-wood, fearing the thin shots that skim along the ground. The good news? A few simple adjustments to your setup and ball position can make a huge difference. In this post, we’ll explain why your ball position matters with fairway woods, why it’s okay to take a divot, and how to start striking those long clubs with confidence.

Understanding the Fairway Wood Frustration

For many players, especially those who shoot in the 80s or 90s, hitting a 3-wood can feel intimidating. It has a large clubhead like a driver, but with far less loft—typically around 14.5°. This makes it challenging to get the ball airborne without a tee. Unlike a driver, which is teed up and designed to launch the ball off an upward swing, a fairway wood must be hit off the turf. The result? Players often set up like they would with a driver, placing the ball too far forward in their stance and trying to help the ball into the air. This leads to topped shots, frustration, and a fairway wood collecting dust in the bag.

Why Ball Position and Swing Angle Matter

Fairway woods are built differently than irons or wedges. They sit lower to the ground and encourage a naturally sweeping motion, as opposed to the steeper, more downward angle used with an iron. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a divot—it just means the divot will likely be shallower and more of a brush through the turf rather than a deep gouge.

A common mistake is placing the ball in the same position you would for a driver—under the left armpit or inside the lead heel. While this is great for tee shots, it can be a disaster for fairway woods. This forward ball position makes it hard to make solid contact, leading to that dreaded "fizzer" that never leaves the ground.

Fix It: Adjust Your Setup for Better Contact

Here are the key adjustments you can make right away:

1. Ball Position Tweak

Instead of setting up like a driver, move the ball slightly back in your stance—just ahead of center, or roughly a comfortable clubhead inside your lead foot. This allows you to make contact just as the club is sweeping through the bottom of the arc, brushing the grass after the ball.

2. Think Sweep, Not Scoop

Fairway woods are designed to sweep the ball off the turf. Don’t try to lift the ball into the air. Instead, focus on brushing the grass just in front of the ball. A good cue? Feel like you’re trying to take a small divot. You probably won’t actually dig into the turf much, but the thought encourages the correct low point.

3. Let the Club Do the Work

Remember: fairway woods have enough loft to get the ball airborne without help. By keeping your hands quiet and your weight shifting naturally forward, you’ll find better contact and more consistent height and distance.

Drills to Reinforce Better Fairway Wood Contact

The Brush-Through Drill

Setup: Place a tee upside down in the ground just ahead of where your ball would be.

Execution: Take slow, controlled swings aiming to brush the tee after making contact with the imaginary ball.

Goal: This teaches you to shift your weight and extend your arms through impact, brushing the turf in front of the ball—right where good contact should happen.

Ball-Back Awareness Drill

Setup: Practice with the ball slightly further back in your stance than you’re used to.

Execution: Focus on making a sweeping motion and feeling like you’re taking a shallow divot.

Goal: Helps recalibrate your setup to match what a fairway wood actually needs, not what it looks like it needs.

Conclusion: Sweep It to Elevate It

If you’re struggling with your fairway woods—especially the 3-wood—don’t give up on them just yet. By adjusting your ball position and focusing on brushing the ground after the ball, you can start hitting higher, cleaner shots that actually go the distance you expect.

At the end of the day, it’s not about forcing a divot—it’s about allowing your swing and your setup to produce the correct contact. So next time you grab that fairway wood, remember: sweep through the ball, don’t try to lift it.

And if you want more tips like this, check out the next video or article—we’re here to help you take your long game to the next level.