When we do golf driver testing, we emphasize accuracy. But how important is it to hit your car on the freeway? Does it really affect your bottom line? We asked Shooting range to help us gather data to determine if freeway hitting is as important as everyone says.
Fairways hit versus average green-in-regulation percentage
On average, when a golfer hits the fairway, they are about 15 percent more likely to hit the green in regulation. This data was collected from all handicap levels on par-4 and par-5 holes. If your goal is to ride the green, it’s easier to do so when approaching from the fairway.
| Fairway Hit | Average GIR % |
|---|---|
| yes | 37 |
| No. | 22 |
Fairways hit against average par score
Now we have to look at the numbers that really matter: the average level score. If you hit the fairway, your score will be about 0.37 shots better than if you missed the fairway. .37 may not seem like much, but if you do this on a few holes, it will help you score less and lower your handicap.
| Fairway Hit | Average score in Par |
|---|---|
| yes | +0.67 |
| No. | +1.04 |
PGA Tour Players’ Hitting Percentage and Fairways
The PGA Tour golfer who hit the most fairways in 2024 was Aaron Rai in 73.45 percent. You’ll see that some of the other top-ranked players for fairway percentage are names you see frequently on the leaderboard.
Fairway hitting makes scoring easier.
- Aaron Rai (73.45% – Ranked #1)
- Collin Morikawa (70.18% – Ranked #4)
- Sepp Straka (69.63% – Ranked #5)
- Daniel Berger (69.51% – Ranked #6)
- Lucas Glover (69.37% – Ranked #7)
- Tommy Fleetwood (69.31% – Ranked #8)
- Scottie Scheffler (66.51% – Ranked #19)
How to hit more roads
Prepare for the right driver. You might be playing with a club that gives you an extra five yards, but it’s not worth putting in your bag if the ball isn’t in the fairway.
Check if it’s your extension. The next time you go to the range, put some alignment sticks on the ground to make sure you’re aiming where you think you are. Many players miss the fairway simply because their aim is off.
Finally, don’t overcompensate for issues like slice or fade by aiming too far left or right. Instead, focus on a target that allows you to keep the ball in the fairway, whether you hit it perfectly or miss a bit. Try giving your good and bad drives a chance on a piece of freeway.
conclusion
Hitting the ball down the fairway matters. If you want to lower your scores in 2025, a great way to do it is to learn to hit your fairway.
Post Is freeway hitting important? (Here’s what the data shows) appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
