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I have to wait about 2-3 weeks until I get a spot open for my lessons I'm wondering if I can get a brief instruction on how to hit with fairway woods/hybrids.

So far I've managed to get ONE ball in the air with my 3wood and the ping g5 hybrid out of a good maybe 20 tries.

I can hit my irons fairly well and my driver... less decent but acceptable. There's just something about woods that I just can't seem to grasp.

As a start, I place the ball aligned with my left toe and when I swing normally, I dig extremely harsh because there's very little weight in em. When I try to alter my swing to a more "scooping" motion, I miss the ball completely or top it really bad.

I wish I can provide a video or something but I'm hoping someone can pitch in their 2 cents.

so what's your ball flight like with the woods in more detail?

You have the ball too far forward in your stance. You do not play a fairway wood or hybrid on your left toe. You have to play it at the bottom of your swing, some where toward the middle of your stance.

yes, play it in the center of your stance or about an inch foreward. it sounds like you are dipping down or raising up somewhere in your swing. try to maintain the same spine angle throughout the swing.

****, do I feel like an idiot. I didn't even think about that, I didn't even think twice about the ball placement because I thought it was so obvious to place it near the toe. I'll probably go hit the ranges tomorrow and hopefully be back with some better results. Thanks.

let us know how it turns out.

Take a couple swings without a ball in place and see where the club comes in contact with the ground. This wild be a good place to start with ball placement. Move the ball forward or back as needed from there. Hope this helps, been there. Good luck.

This is what I do...

I place the ball about an inch back from my left heel. Then in my backswing, I try to get the shaft to touch my right shoulder. It never does, but it helps flatten out my swing. Make sure to keep your wrists relatively loose. Then start to unwind starting with your hips and let everything follow. At that point, your club is already set at a shallow plane and will stay on that plane as long as you keep your wrists loose. Make a smooth swing without trying to kill it. That is how I reach Par 5s in two.

I rented two demo clubs, the King Cobra hybrid and the Callaway Big Bertha(heavenwood) hybrid and it went relatively better then yesterday for obvious reasons. I did hit a bit better when the pro shop worker told me to "choke" the grip a little more by holding it more towards the head of the club.

Although it was a good advice, I still can't hit consistently since I still dig a chunk of dirt every other other shot.

Also I might going a little off topic but I don't get when people say my hip should be moving first when I start down swinging.

Your Hips Don't Turn To Start The Downswing It's A Slight Bump Toward The Target Line This Move Will Start The Club Down On Plane And Will Allow You To Hit From The Inside It's Only A Slight Bump Everything Else Will Follow Get The Feeling Of Dropping Your Arms Straight Down
Slammer13

Take your time on the range and dont worry so much about it. It sounds to me as if your swinging the wood as if you were using a 8iron.

When taking the club back, try and keep the club as low to the ground as poss on the backswing. Keep it nice and smooth. Try not to pickup the club as you come to the top of your backswing.

One thing i notice on alot of people who have trouble with the woods is that there picking the club up, and not letting it naturaly come up with the back swing.

Try thinking "Back low and smooth"

So am I SUPPOSED to not pick up the club or I as a beginner should keep my club low to the ground?

Here's a drill that I taught my niece. Hold your club about shoulder high (make sure you have enough room) and keep your feet shoulder width. Keeping your arms and wrists loose, try swinging the clubs using just your hips and abdomen muscles, shifting your weight in the direction of your swing. You will see that you can ingrain a flatter swing and you will have the sensation as to which muscles to use. The "whoosh" of the swing should end up directly in front of you. That drill works for me. Maybe it will work for you. It helps me with balance and tempo because any overexertion will tip me over.

Gary,

Are you still playing LPG? I see that Jack K. is no longer on Scigolf, is Jack on another open public web site?

Shortgrass