Dmar,

I shoot about what you do on a regular course. Fairway woods have been my nemesis since I started playing, to the point where even on long par fives I hit long irons on my second shot, just to avoid having to use them. My issue was not taking deep divots but topping the ball.

What Ian says is very true. When looking at a long tee shot or long second shot, the temptation is to attempt to kill the ball, which creates tension and destroys the swing, either by hitting it fat or thin. This year for the first time I've been hitting woods well, even from the rough. I think the biggest change I've made is really focusing on keeping my hands relaxed at address and then not tightening them through the back-swing or at impact. If I do that I find I sometimes take a very small divot and the ball flies off nicely and I'm amazed at how little effort it takes to get it a long way. I don't swing slow, but I focus on keeping things as tension free as possible.

Also, I believe Ian may have meant to have the ball off your right foot (your front foot)-assuming that since you posted here you're a lefty like me. I've read so many golf instructional books that at this point I automatically exchange left for right and vice versa in the text.