You're Correct!

There are many golf holes which have a very narrow fairway, which are made even narrower by long rough, trees, water and bunkers lying adjacent.

When you step up to a tee with a very narrow fairway, your mind can start playing games “dont hit it there”, or “dont slice the ball”. It is then very difficult to hit the fairway if you are thinking about everything else except the fairway.

Instead of dwelling on all the negative places your ball could go, you need to step back and think logically. You should have a look right down the fairway to the furthest point you could hit it, you should be looking for the widest part of the fairway. There is no point in getting your driver out just because you are on the tee if the fairway goes very narrow at your driving distance. You are looking for the widest part of the fairway to hit your ball in case you hit it off line slightly, there is more margin for error. If you select a 5 iron that will land in the widest point of the fairway, then so be it. Your course management and your score will improve tremendously if you think logically and plot your way around a golf course.

When playing a hole that has a very narrow fairway, it is wise to play safe. By choosing a club that has a higher loft, you are more likely to hit it straighter. But going to the extreme and hitting a pitching wedge off the tee will hinder you and make your second shot very long. Think logically.

By hitting the ball as hard as possible to get further up the narrow fairway is plagued with all kinds of problems. The harder you hit the ball, the less control you will have and the further off line you will hit the ball, which on a narrow fairway will mean your ball will end up further into danger.

The driver is most golfers favourite club to hit and they want to hit it at every opportunity they get. The issue with hitting a driver on to a very narrow fairway is that because it has less loft and you generate more club head speed than all your other clubs, you can hit it further off line.