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If your fairway wood shots keep coming up short or catching grass before the ball, your swing plane could be the culprit. PGA Golf Coach Erika Larkin uses a hula hoop to show exactly why the flat lie angle of a fairway wood makes it so much harder to hit cleanly — and why a hybrid might be the smarter choice.
Erika Larkin – From the Fairway
Using a simple but effective visual aid, Erika Larkin demonstrates how the lie angle of a club directly affects the angle at which it approaches the turf. Understanding this relationship can help explain why so many golfers struggle with fairway woods — and what to do about it.
Key Takeaways
Lie angle determines swing plane: The flatter the club’s lie angle, the lower and more sweeping the swing plane becomes, making it harder to strike the ball cleanly from the turf.
Lie angle determines swing plane: The flatter the club’s lie angle, the lower and more sweeping the swing plane becomes, making it harder to strike the ball cleanly from the turf.
Fairway woods are harder to hit from the grass: A flat swing plane means the club travels through a lot of turf before reaching the ball, which can slow the clubhead and lead to poor contact.
Hybrids offer a more forgiving plane: Because hybrids sit more upright at address, the swing plane is naturally steeper, allowing the club to fall and sweep through the ball with less resistance and less need for a manufactured swing.
Next time you are on the range, try a few swings with a hybrid alongside your fairway wood and pay attention to how differently the club feels as it approaches the turf. This video is ideal for golfers who struggle with their fairway woods and want a clear, visual explanation of why club selection can make such a big difference.
