Struggling off the tee? This freeway finder is your secret weapon

For as long as I’ve played golf, I’ve subscribed to a fairly common notion: When it comes to hitting the driver, just grab and rip, baby!

The problem with this mentality? When you’re not consistent off the tee, you’re doing more harm than good, and hitting and hoping can add unnecessary strokes.

Instead of hitting the fairway, you’re left searching for the ball in the woods or thickets, leaving you to hit wide or hit a difficult approach shot.

Look, some lucky people might get up there, grab it and rip it. Unfortunately, there aren’t many average players – that’s why being smarter is the way to score better.

If you are someone who needs help, GOLF Top 100 Teachers Scott Munroe suggests using a freeway finder – which sacrifices some distance for much more accuracy.

You might not get all the oohs and aahs from playing partners using this type of shot, but hey, you can flex your muscles walking the fairway to your ball while they hit theirs into the tree. The video below shows you how to hit this effective spike shot.

Try this path finder for more success

Munroe begins by asking me a test question, making me guess what the three most important clubs in the bag are.

“Driver, barrel, 7-iron,” I reply.

“Why do you say driver first?” he replies.

“I like to drive it 300 yards,” I joke.

“You’ve told me in the past that you’re going to miss some fairways, but if you can hit every fairway, I have a little advice on how to do that,” Munroe assures me.

So what’s the secret to hitting more steps off the tee? It’s not necessarily cheating and ripping off – as most amateur players make the mistake they do. Instead, Munroe says he’s using one lower flying shot resembling a spike.

“It’s going to be a low kick that you can control and help you hit the fairway every time,” he says.

Munroe then explains the adjustments needed to hit this type of shot.

“First, I’m going to make it lower than usual, and I’m going to sink the driver about an inch, which will make the shaft stiffer,” explains Munroe. “My (ball) flight is going to be left to right, but yours might be right to left, so I’m going to aim for the left side of the fairway and just hold the club. “

Munroe then addresses the ball, walking through the adjustments so I can see them in real time.

“(My hands) are down in the grip, I’ve made the clubhead lighter and stiffer, I aim left, everything goes back (on the backswing), and when I go through, my arm (track arm) comes out straight out – which will control the flight, – he tells me.

After watching Munroe hit his shot, it’s my turn to try.

A good reminder for amateurs: Use your normal setup and swing, with the ball forward and your feet just slightly apart.

Munroe then explains a good way to practice this type of freeway finder, telling me to use targets in the driving range.

“You have these different targets, so I’ll go yellow, red, green,” says Munroe. “If I change the pace (of my swing) and I want to hit the first 100 yards, then every time I can go a little bit faster (to hit my favorite target.

“So by being able to hit the driver at different distances, instead of wondering how far you can hit the driver, you can hit it any distance you want.”

If you’re struggling to quit and need a safety net, try this pathfinder on for size. With a little practice, it can help you put in better positions and lead to lower scores.

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Nick Dimengo

Editor of Golf.com