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The amateur golfers fixation on driving distance must be a caveman thing. Frankly, it doesnt make much sense.

Will an extra 5 - 10 yards off the tee help your game? Sure. Youll have shorter approach shots to the green, meaning less club and a better chance of making solid contact and hitting your target.

But for the majority of us, finding a couple extra fairways per round would prove more beneficial. For one thing, a ball landing in the fairway rolls more than one hitting the rough, sand or trees, so improved accuracy can actually boost your distance, too.

Generally speaking, amateurs are also lousy at playing from trouble spots, lacking the technique, strength and confidence needed from tall grass or fairway bunkers. If you want to hit the green from 100 yards or farther out, the fairways the place to be.

OK, on to the answers.

These are just a few of the tricks that can improve your driving accuracy. Click on these links for more:

Curve Your Shots to Hit Straight Fairways

Three Keys to Hitting Tight Fairways

Drive it Both Long and Straight? Yes, You Can

Reaching for the driver on a par 4 or par 5 is practically a reflex among everyday golfers. It goes back to that obsession with length. But the club that will put you closest to the green isnt necessarily the best option. On narrow holes with rough or hazards close on both sides, hitting a fairway wood or hybrid club will give you a better chance of finding safety, i.e., making par and/or avoiding a double bogey or worse. Many times, a short par 4 (less than 375 yards) will be especially tight, while longer holes tend to be relatively open. Always factor in the difficulty of hitting the fairway, the risk of missing it and the holes distance before choosing a club. If using a hybrid will still give you a short approach shot, leave the driver in the bag.

When practicing, golfers often fall into the habit of sloppy alignment. Because the driving range offers so much space with no penalty for a wayward shot, its easy to simply blast drives into the distance without choosing a specific target. Unfortunately, this translates to the golf course. You should line up for a tee shot with the same precision you use for an approach. Choose a specific target – a bunker thats out of reach, or a small segment of fairway – and aim accordingly. That way, you can miss the target by several yards and still hit the fairway. Heres a great tip to ensure proper alignment every time: Set Up Your Golf Shot

If youre careful with your alignment but simply struggle to drive the ball accurately, try gripping down (choking up) an inch or so. This will give you more control of the club and shorten your swing by just a tad. Yes, you could lose a little distance in the process. But its just as likely youll gain a couple of yards by making better contact.