After hitting the perfect shot from the tee box down the middle of the fairway, your mind immediately turns to what you need to do to get the ball from the fairway to the green. While a shot from the fairway is significantly easier than one from the rough, full concentration must be dedicated to your club selection, hole strategy and shot form if you do not want to botch your good start.
Step 1
Select the appropriate club for your position on the course. Consider the distance and lie of your shot. Because every golfer has a different ability with their clubs, reading distance must be developed through experience. Select a fairway wood or low-numbered iron if you are 200 yards or more from a the hole, a mid-numbered iron if you are between 150 and 200 yards away or a high-numbered iron if you are less than 150 yards away. High-numbered irons add loft to the ball if you need to clear an obstacle.
Step 2
Address the ball with your chosen club in mind. While the basics of a golf swing remain the same regardless of where you are on the course, finer details must be adjusted for the type of club you are using. PGA Tour pro Tiger Woods recommends addressing the ball at the front of your stance for woods, at the mid-front for your long irons and in the middle or slightly back for your short irons. Stand more directly over the ball as the club length shortens.
Step 3
Line up your leading shoulder with the flag. Relax your mind, and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees bent slightly. Bend forward from your hips as you place the club face squarely behind the ball.
Step 4
Bring the club into your backswing and rotate your leading arm 90 degrees toward your body. This moves the club face from a 12 o'clock position at the ball to a 3 o'clock position if you are right-handed and helps keep the club on the same plane as the ball. Use a three-quarter backswing if you are using a short iron.
Step 5
Transfer the weight from your back foot to your front foot and rotate your torso from the hips to swing your club. Maintain your wrist hinge in your downswing and untwist your leading arm to square the club face with the ball again. Keep your wrists in front of the club face at the moment of impact. This will create a good divot and give the ball loft.
Step 6
Follow through with your swing and rotate your back arm 90 degrees toward your body as the club comes around your back. Release the instep of your back foot and allow it to turn up on its toe to balance you as your weight fully shifts to your leading foot.
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