Do you panic when faced with a tight fairway? Some weekend golfers do. Hitting Tight Fairways is challenging. No doubt about it. Miss the fairway and you can dig yourself into deep trouble, especially if the rough is thick. This type of mistake can cost you strokes big time. But panicking isn’t the solution either. Instead, you need to stay cool and play smart golf.

Conventional wisdom says that smart golf when playing a tight fairway is hitting a fairway wood or a hybrid off the tee. You can also hit a long iron if that’s your best club off the tee. This approach saves you strokes more often than not. But it’s not always the best option. Sometimes you need more distance than these clubs provide, like when you’re playing a long par 4.

Below are 5 tips to Beat Tight Fairways using your driver:

1. Focus on landing zone — Some golfers focus on the trouble they could run into on a tight fairway when hitting from the tee box. That’s counter-productive. It puts pressure on you when you hit, leading to a bad shot. Instead, focus on your landing zone. Pick out a target within that area. Then take a nice easy swing with a goal of hitting that target. Try not to break the rhythm and timing of your normal swing.

2. Tee it lower — If you’re like most golfers, you tee the ball so half of it is above the top of your driver when soled. That’s a perfect position for hitting it high. To improve accuracy, tee it lower. You want no more than a quarter of any inch of the ball ab over the top of the driver. Also, play the ball off your left heel, as you normally do. Playing it back can cause you to pop it up.

3. Play a different angle — First, picture the typical shape of your shot. Is it a fade or a draw? Next, determine the side of the hole where there’s the least danger for your type of shot shape. Then setup on the side of the tee box that gives you the safe landing zone for your shot shape. That may mean aiming for the rough. But that’s better than drilling it out of bounds.

4. Split the fairway — Some golfers look to carry all the trouble on a tight fairway. That’s a big risk. To do it, you’ll not only have to bomb one but also hit it straight. Instead, play it safe. Choke down an inch or two on the club, play the ball at a normal tee height, and swing nice and easy. Do it right and the ball will shoot out straight, hit the ground, and keep on running right past all the trouble.

5. Play it safe — If none of these options work for you, you can always play it safe. Take out the longest club in your bag that you know you can hit straight—even if it’s a 6-iron—and swing away. Commit fully to the shot and make your best swing. Of course, this will leave you with a long approach shot. But that’s better than hitting out of bounds or in the woods and adding a big number to your card.

These five golf tips can help you take on even the tightest fairways on the course and par the hole. Keep them in mind next time you’re playing a course that features tight fairways.

Of course, there’s also nothing wrong with following conventional wisdom when playing a tight fairway. In fact, many golf teachers recommend you do. But you may not have that option. Your choice depends on how you’re playing that day. If you’re hitting the ball well, hitting driver is certainly an option, especially on longer par 4s. If not, try one of our proven golf tips above. Above all, don’t panic.

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