Developing a Reliable “Fairway Finder” off the Tee
Feb 7, 2025
In the course of a day on the links, golfers experience one or two difficult lines off the tee, with a narrow fairway making a clean shot difficult. Simply “gripping and ripping” results in long searches for balls in thick rough or woods and challenging approach shots or punch outs. The golfer may be tempted to select a hybrid or long iron for a short but reliable shot. For many, a better approach is aiming for precision with the usual club, using a “fairway finder” drive.
The fairway finder is a consistent and controlled shot that, while not aiming for maximum distance, delivers the ball reliably onto the fairway. When executed properly, the distance may be only 10 to 15 yards shy of your normal swing, and you’d avoid the variability of letting it rip.
Developing the fairway finder starts with getting the ball down low. When the ball is lofted high into the air, it has much more variability and a tendency to drift. Tee the ball lower, around an inch above the ground. Instead of having half the ball above the driver’s face, aim to match the center of the ball with the center of the driver’s face. This helps produce a drive that is low-spinning, straight, and unlikely to get caught up in the wind.
At the same time, choke down about an inch or two on the driver. This makes the longest club in your arsenal a bit shorter, lighter, and stiffer, with the driver handling like a 3-wood equipped with a larger club head. With the hands down on the handle, the trail arm comes straight out on the swing, with the club face more likely to connect with the ball’s sweet spot, generating a straight and direct shot.
Choking up on the grip also allows you to stand slightly closer to the ball. This creates a more compact shot and encourages a centered stance. Compared with a normal tee shot, the turn into the follow-through is minimal, and the head does not shift away from the ball. These changes are subtle, as the swing is, in all other respects, normal but simply choked up. There is no need to open or close the stance or shorten the backswing to a three-quarter turn.
Practicing the shot, take sight of two flags on the course and create an imaginary fairway. To practice hitting balls accurately in clutch situations, see how many balls you can drive within the flags in a row.
Rory McIlroy is one PGA player who regularly incorporates a stinger tee shot with heavy topspin and low flight trajectory into his game. This proved advantageous during the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst Country Club, where the golfers navigated numerous narrow fairways off the tee. Instead of emphasizing arm speed, he focused on the body pivot and movement element of the swing. With a centered pivot, arms, and body working in tandem, the follow-through shortened as well. Not all golfers take this approach, with Tiger Woods famously perfecting a stinger with a 3-wood. However, most golfers find the fairway finder approach easier, as it encourages a longer but also highly accurate shot.