Best part of the fairway to aim for?

[Heidi]

hi boys and girls
I have a small problemette with where to aim.
I tend to whack my drives longer than most of the ladies i play with, and they are fairly straight with a slight draw so I currently aim for the middle to right side of the fairway to allow for the draw. (unless i need to be on the left hand side for a good approach shot then i aim middle)

However, I am prone to a nasty slice if I dont get the body turn right, I just dont get the clubhead square and the ball soars straight then takes a right turn and ends up in the guff.

Should I continue to aim middle to right and just put up with my odd mishit?

Course management is definately costing me shots!!

thank you!

 

[Oddsocks]

I'd be aski how many drives per round hit the cabbage against how many put you in a good position. If your being rewarded more than your punished I'd stick with it and eliminate them bad shots, but if it's visa versa maybe a rethink is in order

 

[Imurg]

If you aim down the middle then your draw will, at worst, find the first cut left.
If you then slice, with a bit of luck, the worst you'll be is first cut right........
At our level I'd take fairway first - then worry about whether I'm on the right side or not.
Being on the correct side is no good if you're in the rough and hacking...

Aim middle..

 

[bobmac]

However, I am prone to a nasty slice if I dont get the body turn right, I just dont get the clubhead square and the ball soars straight then takes a right turn and ends up in the guff.

Does this happen on random holes or only on a certain few?
The reason I ask is...
sometimes when a hole has trouble on the right, a player can try not to hit it right which ends up causing the slice.

 

[Heidi]

yesterday - in the guff once - on the 18th - as it was a stableford I saw a glimmer of hope thro some trees (I know - should have come straight out onto the fairway...!) and as I wasnt going to be in the prizes I thought I'd go for the miracle shot.

I took the 3 wood and blasted the ball - giving it enough height to clear the smaller trees and get me back on the fairway quite far up. Didnt allow for the oak tree, blasted the ball into a branch and the branch and ball fell to earth ten feet in front of me.

Soul destroying!

It was the only bad slice in the whole round, but cos it was on the 18th its the last drive I hit and now its bothering me!!

 

[Stub]

I had a slight fade, occasionally becoming a slice, especially with a left to right cross wind. During my first of a series of lessons my pro altered my grip, bringing my left hand further round, 'strengthening' the grip. My drives are now straight or a very slight draw.

Still working on the 101 other problems:rofl:

 

[Heidi]

Does this happen on random holes or only on a certain few?
The reason I ask is...
sometimes when a hole has trouble on the right, a player can try not to hit it right which ends up causing the slice.

Yesterday I was playing a course I have only played once before, it was just a lazy swing, too much arms and not enough body turn.

In general, I don't get scared on holes with trouble. It's just random mis hits. Could happen anytime!

 

[Bomber69]

Morning Jacqui

I agree with the other guys keep aiming for the middle of the fairway.

 

[Heidi]

Morning Jacqui

I agree with the other guys keep aiming for the middle of the fairway.

Thanks sambo. But what if I need to be on the right side for an approach shot???

 

[Val]

Thanks sambo. But what if I need to be on the right side for an approach shot???

Aim for the middle of the right side

 

[Heidi]

Aim for the middle of the right side

but what if that's the drive i slice horribly???
arghhhhhhhhh!

think i'll take up croquet...

 

[Val]

but what if that's the drive i slice horribly???
arghhhhhhhhh!

think i'll take up croquet...

Aim for the middle of the left rough

 

[Oddsocks]

Heidi, I think it's wrong to play safe every shot just incase you hit a bad one, using yesturday as a perfect example you hit one bad drive from a half arsed effort of a swing. If we work on the average of 13/14 drives per round this tell me you got 12/13 good ones.

Instead of compensating for the bad one for the fear of " what ifs " in enjoy the 13 good ones and use the bad one as motivation.

Most courses I play have 12/13 driver/3w tee shots, I'm averaging one bad drive a round too, but it's caused by a lapse of concentration, it's normally toward the middle of the back 9 and it just refocuses me for the remaining 3/4 required drives.

 

[bluetoon]

You should be positioning yourself on the fairways that gives the best approach to the flag on the green.

No point in being on the left side of the fairways if the pin is tucked on left side of green and is protected by a bunker. You would be better in the first cut at right side of fairway with a clear run to the green.

Always have a look at the flag position and aim your tee shot accordingly......taking into account the fairway hazards of course. This is a good principle regardless of handicap and will give more focus on the tee as opposed to the grip/rip type shot.

 

[Foxholer]

I agree with Oddsocks.

The Slice wasn't a course management problem, it was a swing one and you've already 'fixed' it by identifying what caused it. The course management 'problem' was trying to recover by playing a 'miracle shot', then 'blaming' the Drive for it.

Unless there was a genuine reason to play for the miracle shot, the 'take the punishment' approach is almost always better. I've often said to myself 'if you are good enough to get through that tiny gap, you wouldn't be in this junk in the first place'!

I think the 'play aggressively for the conservative target' sums it up.

Always disappointing to muck up the 18th, but tends to bring you back to play it better next time!

 

[DaveM]

I do think its a good idea, to pick the side of the fairway. To give the best approach to the green. This helps to concentrate the mind. Rather than just blasting it down the middle. You just have to except the bad shot at our level. The pro's don't always get it right. So no point knocking yourself out over it.

 

[garyinderry]

i have finally given up on trying to get my drives to draw consistantly. im just going to accept a slight fade and aim at the left hand rough where i should find the fairway more times than not.

i understand what bob is saying in that some holes with danger on the right, some people think they are aimed left to avoid it but really they have just opened the body causing you to slice even worse.

 

[Heidi]

I agree with Oddsocks.

The Slice wasn't a course management problem, it was a swing one and you've already 'fixed' it by identifying what caused it. The course management 'problem' was trying to recover by playing a 'miracle shot', then 'blaming' the Drive for it.

Unless there was a genuine reason to play for the miracle shot, the 'take the punishment' approach is almost always better. I've often said to myself 'if you are good enough to get through that tiny gap, you wouldn't be in this junk in the first place'!

I think the 'play aggressively for the conservative target' sums it up.

Always disappointing to muck up the 18th, but tends to bring you back to play it better next time!

OK foxy - u get 10/10. I definately blamed the drive, ur right, the blame is me for not taking the 8 iron and punch shot I'd been thinking about on the walk to the ball, but me for taking the 3 wood and trying a miracle shot. I didnt even touch the 8 iron. I went straight for the 3 wood!

it was fun trying to blast the ball to the green tho!

Note to self - dont ever blame the drive!!

thanks for the comments boys - some stuff to work on there xxx