Struggling from the tee? This fairway finder is your secret weapon

As a long time golfer, I’ve subscribed to the conventional wisdom: When it comes to hitting a driver, just grab it and rip it, baby!

The problem with this concept? If you’re off the tee, you’re doing more harm than good, and hitting and trusting can add unnecessary strokes.

Instead of hitting the fairways, you’re left searching for the ball in the woods or rough, leaving you to tee off or hit a difficult shot.

Look, some lucky people can just stand up there, grab it and tear it apart. Unfortunately, not many golfers are average – that’s why being creative is the way to shoot your best scores.

If you’re someone who needs some help, GOLF Top 100 instructor Scott Munroe suggests using a fairway finder – which sacrifices some distance for more accuracy.

You might not get all the “oohs and aahs” from your teammates using this type of shot, but, hey, you can flex your muscles by walking up to your ball while they’re hunting theirs in the trees. The video below shows you how to beat this winning game.

Try this fairway finder for more success off the tee

Munroe starts by asking me a probing question, making me guess which three clubs are the most important in the bag.

“Driver, putter, 7-aron,” I replied.

“Why did you say driver first?” he answered.

“I like to drive it 300 yards,” I quipped.

“You told me a while ago that you’re going to lose some fairways, but if you can hit every fairway, I have a little tip on how to do that,” Munroe assures me.

So what’s the secret to hitting more fairways off the tee? It’s not really a catch and rip – as most beginner golfers make the mistake of doing. Instead, Munroe says he’s using a low-flying shotgun that looks like a dozer.

“It’s going to be a low shot that you can control, and it’s going to help you hit the ball every time,” he said.

Munroe then explains the adjustments needed to hit this type of tee shot.

“First, I’m going to slow it down a little bit more than we normally do, and I’m going to narrow the driver down about an inch, which will make the hole tighter,” Munroe explained. “Me [ball-flight] it’s going to go left to right, but yours might go right to left, so I’m going to point down the left side of the fairway and just hold onto the club.”

Munroe then talks to his ball, going through a fix so I can see it in real time.

“[My hands] they’re down in the grip, I made the clubhead lighter and stronger, I’m straight left, everything goes back [in the backswing]and when I pass, I [trail arm] it comes straight out – that’s what’s going to control the plane,” he tells me.

After watching Munroe hit his shot, it was my turn to try it.

A good reminder for beginners: Use your normal setup and swing, with the ball position facing forward and the feet just on fire.

Munroe then explained a good way to practice this type of fairway finder, telling me to use a target on the driving range.

“You have these different goals, so I’m going to drink them, I’m red, I’m green,” Munroe said. “If I change the pace [of my swing] and I want to hit the first one at 100 yards, then each time I can get a little faster[toreachmypreferredtarget[ukufinyelelaumgomoengiwuthandayo[toreachmypreferredtarget

“So being able to hit the driver at different distances, rather than wondering how far you can hit the driver, you can hit any distance you want.”

If you’re struggling and need a safety net, try this fairway finder on for size. With a little practice, it can help put you in better positions and lead to lower scores.

Rukket Sports Pathfinder Impact Mat™

$69.99

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor