You're Correct!

The definition of golf is, a game played on a large open-air course, in which a small, hard ball is struck with a club into a series of small holes in the ground, the object being to use the fewest possible strokes to complete the course. Therefore, you should be trying to give yourself the best opportunity in doing this by hitting as many fairways as possible.

When teeing off, the object is to hit the golf ball down the middle of the fairway. Obviously, this is not going to be the outcome every time. Even the worlds greatest players do not hit the fairway with every tee shot. However, if you can develop a swing which helps you to hit the golf ball down the fairway consistently you will definitely have an advantage over someone who misses the fairway either right or left. This is because the lie on the fairway is always better than the one in the rough. Even though you might not have a golf professionals distance control, you can control your distance much better playing from the fairway than from in the rough. There are various lies which you can get in the rough which you are very unlikely to end up in when on the fairway.

Some examples of these are:

• A ball embedded in the ground
• A ball sat down in thick grass
• A ball which has finished on a muddy lie
• A ball which has ended in a gorse bush

There are many lies when missing the fairway where you can be punished with having to take a one shot penalty, like an unplayable lie where you have to take a penalty drop.

When hitting the ball on to the fairway you are more likely to be able to hit the green in regulation, your tee shots will also usually run more when landing on the fairway, resulting in longer drives. It is therefore more advantageous to hit the ball on the fairway.

This is not true. You can get a bad lie from anywhere on the golf course, but you are far more likely to get a bad lie from a missed fairway. Missing the fairway will usually mean a less than perfect lie, making your next shot less predictable and harder to control.

It is true that Tiger Woods is known for being wayward with his driver off the tee and missing numerous fairways. But with his talent and imagination he is able to hit incredible recovery shots so his poor tee shots go unpunished. Not many have Tigers power and talent to perform such miraculous recovery shots, so for most golfers finding the fairway is paramount.

It is true that it is important to hit the ball on the fairway to give yourself the best opportunity for your next shot, but you are not guaranteed a perfect lie even on the fairway. You could find yourself in an old divot! However, you are more likely to find yourself a good lie on the fairway rather than in the rough.