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From Dileep,
golfer: |
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"I hit a nice long ball, but with a
consistently low trajectory, especially with my mid and long irons and
woods. When I face trees in my line, I always have a hard time. How do I
get these shots to fly more naturally or higher?" |
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PGA/LPGA
TEACHING
PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSES: |
California
"Imagine you are on an uphill lie. Set your non-target shoulder
(right for right-handers) lower than your left and bring your hands equal
or behind the ball slightly. Make your swing go up the slope to create
more loft. Or, pretend you have a watermelon laying on both forearms and
you want to throw it up on a truck in front of you (the target). Be aware
that your motion is now upward more than around so much which de-lofts
your club too much. On a final note, check the lofts, stiffness, and
kick-point of your shafts as they also contribute to a lower ball flight.
Good Golfing."
- Kati
Biszantz, Teaching Professional |
California
"Simple, just move the ball forward in your stance one inch. If
that doesn't work, then try two inches."
- David
Ruvolo, Teaching Professional |
Florida
"I would take a look at your ball position first, it could be too
far back in your stance. To find the right ball position with your irons,
take a few practice swings and see where the club is brushing the grass.
The ball position should be just behind that point. Since your woods are
longer, their position will be slightly forward in your stance." - Andrea
Drake, Teaching Professional |
Florida
"The Vs formed by your thumbs and forefingers tend to point towards
your chin at impact. If your Vs are pointed behind the ball at address and
at your chin at impact, the clubface will be delofted causing low shots.
The answer here of course would be to begin the swing with the clubface
square to the target line and the Vs pointed at the chin. Actually, the
trailing V can be pointed anywhere between the chin and the trailing
shoulder."
- John Brott,
Teaching Professional |
Missouri
"Two reasons for a low ball trajectory. Where you tee the ball in
your stance and the loft of the clubs you hit. If you swing down on the
ball, instead of through, the trajectory will be low also."
- BJ
Miller, Teaching Professional |
Nevada
"First, do you know what a mechanically correct #5 Iron
trajectory is? How many feet low would yours be at the Top Of Climb
or at the Parabola? How do I get these shots to fly more naturally or
higher? Your LOFT is determined at the factory. If
your are 'Manipulating' the 'NET EFFECTIVE LOFT AT SEPARATION' by too
much 'Forward Press' you need to relax your Hands through the 'IMPACT
Zone and Interval'. Might I suggest that you check your 'BALL
LOCATION' as placing the Ball aft in your Stance will also produce a
reduced 'Net Effective Loft At Separation'. We sometimes call these
shots 'Knock Down' and you may be simply producing these. Try to finish
with your hand higher up towards your Target Shoulder. Also, during your
Pre-Shot Routine, 'VISUALIZE' you Ball's having a higher 'Flight Path' or
'Trajectory'. Relax and do not fear the 'Low Ball'! You will love
playing in the wind! You can be my partner! Best of luck to you! Come
and see us at the '555 Golf Academy' in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA! "
- Karl
Fischer, Teaching Professional |
New Mexico
"You need to find some clubs with more loft and a lower kick
point in the shaft or get some help from a professional to help you
achieve a steeper angle of attack. It's possible that your woods don't
have enough loft and the shafts' kick point is too high or they are too
stiff. Long irons are difficult for all but the very best players to get
up in the air quickly. Good luck." - Warren
Lehr, Teaching Professional |
North Carolina
"Don't try to lift the ball up in the air. Make sure that with
the woods that your ball position is more forward in your stance and that
the mid and long irons are slightly forward of center. Try to make a good
turn and create more extension on the takeaway to help create a better
turn and putting yourself behind the ball. This will help create a higher
trajectory with these clubs."
- Ben
Hynson, Teaching Professional |
NOVA SCOTIA
"A balata or other high spin ball will add trajectory without any
swing change. You might also look at softer shafts or a more lofted
driver." - Ed
Hanczaryk, Teaching Professional |
South Carolina
"Dileep: With longer irons and woods, you will hit a ball on a
lower trajectory, due to the design characteristics of the clubs. Have you
checked your ball position? You could be making club/ball
contact with a swing arc that has already reached its low point, or bottom
of the swing arc, and has already begun to rise. This causes the club to
make contact with the ball somewhere near the equator of the ball, versus
the bottom of the ball. Even with longer clubs, the club should be making
ball contact as the club reaches the bottom of the swing arc. This should
increase you chances of hitting a somewhat higher shot with these clubs. Make
sure that you ball position is in a better place within your
stance, to allow for the club to take a more descending path to the ball.
The club must strike down on the ball, to make the ball go high. Good
Luck!" - John
Hughes, Teaching Professional |
South Carolina
"Check your ball position - irons about 2'' inside
to front foot, woods directly off the heel. Make sure you stay behind the
ball at impact." - Mel
Sole, Teaching Professional |
Texas
"First thing to check is ball position. It should be center for
wedges and move forward as the clubs get longer. The longest club the
driver should be places off the left heel. Good Luck."
-
Dave Baron,
Teaching Professional |
Washington
"Your problem of too low of trajectory on your shots can probably
be found in one of three areas or a combination of the three. #1: The
easiest correction may be in your ball position at address. Check to see
that you're not playing the ball too far back towards your back foot. This
obviously "delofts" the club and positions your hands too far
ahead of the ball. Ball should definitely be positioned ahead of center.
#2: You are possibly keeping the clubface slightly "shut" or
closed on your back swing and/or at the top of the back swing. This can
lead to a delofted or closed position at impact. Check your clubface
position at mid chest height on your back swing. The toe of the club
should be facing upward or just ever so slightly down. If the face of the
club is facing the ground you're in trouble. #3. THIS IS PROBABLY THE
PROBLEM AREA.... since you say you're still making good contact and
getting good distance. YOUR SPINE ANGLE is PROBABLY too straight up and
down at impact causing a line drive, boring type trajectory. Good in the
wind but to hit it higher you need to feel as though your spine angle is
tilted slightly backwards at impact. You should feel as though the front
of you is facing slightly "skyward" through the impact area and
to the finish. Think of trying to keep your upper shirt button behind your
lower shirt button and really feel an UNDERHAND arm motion through impact
as though trying to make a high LOB toss of a ball. The more the spine
angle the higher the shot. Get too far forward with your upper body and
straight and you'll drive the ball lower. WHEN YOU POSE FOR PICTURES ON
THAT CLASSIC FOLLOW THRU...YOUR CHEST SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY FACING THE SKY.
Is it? GOOD LUCK!!!" - Kevin
Bishop, Teaching Professional |
Wisconsin
"To make the ball fly higher, I take a three step approach.
1.)The wrists are key to elevation. The wrists should be more active on
the back swing and follow through. 2.) The stance should be more narrow to
allow the swing plane to be more upright to assist in the elevation. 3.)
The ball is played further forward to allow the wrists to fully release at
the bottom of the swing."
- Craig
Waryan, Teaching Professional |
