How To Hit A 5 Wood off the grass

[Crazyface]

Yesterday's comps, whilst being fun, showed me that my inconsistency with my 5 Wood costs me more shots that it should. Don't say don't use it then. When I catch it correctly it's a weapon, 200 yards no problem. But yesterday was shocking. Three great drives, setting us up for a long hit into a green miles away, I get out my five wood and "after the lord mayors show" was the words used. How do I get some sort of consistency with it? I noticed the older guys seem to have no problem.

 

[irip]

Yesterday's comps, whilst being fun, showed me that my inconsistency with my 5 Wood costs me more shots that it should. Don't say don't use it then. When I catch it correctly it's a weapon, 200 yards no problem. But yesterday was shocking. Three great drives, setting us up for a long hit into a green miles away, I get out my three wood and "after the lord mayors show" was the words used. How do I get some sort of consistency with it? I noticed the older guys seem to have no problem.

One thing I have noticed with a lot of players with any woods is they try to strike it too hard and lose all tempo.
I bet the old boys had no problem because they were swinging slower rather than trying to knock the cover off the ball.
It’s the old saying let the club do the work

 

[Tashyboy]

Not being picky, but the title says 5 wood and your post says 3 wood. reason I mention that with my 3 wood I tend to sweep it better than the five wood with the five wood tending to drift to the right a bit more when mis hit. I find as soon as I start getting “ armsy” that’s when it goes wrong.

 

[Imurg]

My fairway woods tend to work better when the ball position is 2 or 3 of balls worth back from driver position.
I also try not to sweep the ball too much, hit slightly down and even take a tiny divot.
And....most amateurs shouldn't even have a 3 wood in the bag.......

 

[KenL]

Do you top it? That’s what I do when the ball is too far forward in my stance.

 

[jim8flog]

Yesterday's comps, whilst being fun, showed me that my inconsistency with my 5 Wood costs me more shots that it should. Don't say don't use it then. When I catch it correctly it's a weapon, 200 yards no problem. But yesterday was shocking. Three great drives, setting us up for a long hit into a green miles away, I get out my three wood and "after the lord mayors show" was the words used. How do I get some sort of consistency with it? I noticed the older guys seem to have no problem.

Get some glasses and read the number on the bottom correctly

 

[jim8flog]

No advice from me

Fairway woods off the deck is my most inconsistent shot.

One of the turning points in my attitude to golf came from watching Greg Norman stone cold top one. Thoughts - " if a pro with his skill can do that.....".

 

[Burnsey]

I love fairway woods and carry a HL 3 wood (16.6) a 7 turned down to a 6 and a 9. Gives me 215 / 195 / 175 ish.

Absolute failsafe is to place in middle of stance, or a touch forward of middle and make a smooth iron swing. If the swing is not perfect, I won't top it/fat it, or get too bad a result.

Teeing off with them seems to make me want to hit up and then it goes wrong, so I use a tee on the odd hole, but pushed right into the ground and forget it is a tee shot.

 

[Viewer]

Maybe the wrong shaft?

 

[Crazyface]

Not being picky, but the title says 5 wood and your post says 3 wood. reason I mention that with my 3 wood I tend to sweep it better than the five wood with the five wood tending to drift to the right a bit more when mis hit. I find as soon as I start getting “ armsy” that’s when it goes wrong.

Sorted.

 

[Crazyface]

I've changed the typo.

I've tried all the above, except to divot thing. I think the old guys do this. It ensures a decent contact, but reduces the effect of the strike. Anything else to try?

 

[irip]

I've changed the typo.

I've tried all the above, except to divot thing. I think the old guys do this. It ensures a decent contact, but reduces the effect of the strike. Anything else to try?

A 2 iron?

 

[SteveW86]

A 2 iron?

7 wood will be easier

 

[Springveldt]

Little ball before big ball always helps.

I play my 3 wood, 3 hybrid and 4 hybrid further up in my stance, seem to make better connection with them that way. Also take a divot with all 3 of them off the deck.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I was miss-hitting and topping my 5w until my coach pointed out that my problem had the same source as my mishit irons - viz - ball too far forward in my stance.

Immediately I have set the ball back a bit my striking has improved - albeit that I still struggle with the 'visual' of having the ball so much further back in my stance - it looks odd. But that is simply as a result of previously having the ball position when playing irons, hybrids and fairway woods all wrong - and that gave a poor club shaft 'lean' at address - and that engendered poor position at strike.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

My fairway woods tend to work better when the ball position is 2 or 3 of balls worth back from driver position.
I also try not to sweep the ball too much, hit slightly down and even take a tiny divot.
And....most amateurs shouldn't even have a 3 wood in the bag.......

This

Exactly how I play my fairway woods.

 

[Smoj]

I'm also terrible with my 5-wood off the grass.
I have a 3 wood turned up to 17 degrees. It's absolutely perfect off the tee. I get everything I need out of it. The gapping slots right between my 3 wood and 3 hybrid - usually I just hit my 3 hybrid off grass or in the rough. lose maybe 10 yards if I could flush a 5 wood, but I can't, and most of the time a hybrid shot is in play.

 

[Orikoru]

Best thing you can do is buy some Pings. Worked for me.

 

[timd77]

The only advice I’d give is to only use it when the conditions are right, ie, nice clean lie, you can easily get to the back of the ball. I’m also very inconsistent with mine, but sometimes that has come down to me checking the yardage, that’s a 5 wood, and just hitting it even when the conditions don’t allow, setting up to fail.