Why would one want a lower ball flight?

[colin007]

I'd like a lower ball flight, but that's because I hit it a mile high due to my flip.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by colin007

I'd like a lower ball flight, but that's because I hit it a mile high due to my flip.

Do you have distance issues?

[colin007]

Do you have distance issues?

For the courses I play, no. 5 iron about 190 yards. But I am a tall guy and I swing hard, lots of leverage, so I know I'm leaving lots of yards out there... I should be able to hit a nine iron more than 140...

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by colin007

I'd like a lower ball flight, but that's because I hit it a mile high due to my flip.

Would you describe what you mean by a "flip"?

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

Would you describe what you mean by a "flip"?

Exaggerated in the pic but he means this.

[JonMA1]

Thanks.

[RPMPIRE]

I prefer to have a higher ball flight than a really low one mostly because I'd like the ball to drop and stop where I want to hit it. Too low a ball flight means unpredictable roll after carry. Also, imagine trying to go for a green with a hazard in front. A lower flight even if you carry onto the green can roll off the back.

I saw a chart somewhere here but don't remember where to find it, but tour players' ball height at it's peak is about 28-30 yards (please correct if I'm wrong) for all clubs. Wedges might go a few yards higher, but is about the same for most clubs including driver.

[WalkTheCourse]

I still maintain what I say after all this...

Obviously, if you're target is the green, height is good. height = stopping, not rolling over the green.

But there are still situations where I don't care if my ball gets no more than 15 feet off the ground. Again, those long par 4's and par 5's... second shots where I have little to no chance of reaching the green, and have a long, theoretically infinite fairway in front of me...

One of the first balls I played back in 2009 was the Titleist DT Roll... remember that baby? I loved it.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by JonMA1

As far as putting backspin on the ball, that's a bit advanced for me at this stage of my game (but it's cool to watch the good players do that). I'm just happy to have my iron shots land softly on the green without rolling through and at a distance that is predictable. That's why I prefer the high shots. I guess that was my point. The only time I try to purposely hit a low shot is to keep it under branches.

As you get better and start hitting the ball more solid, you'll see that start to change.  Just make sure you're working on the right stuff.  I would recommend focusing on Keys #1, #2 and posting in the My Swing forum.  What are these Keys?  Info below

Originally Posted by JonMA1

Would you describe what you mean by a "flip"?

Lack of Key #2 and #3

http://thesandtrap.com/t/55426/introducing-five-simple-keys

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

I saw a chart somewhere here but don't remember where to find it, but tour players' ball height at it's peak is about 28-30 yards (please correct if I'm wrong) for all clubs. Wedges might go a few yards higher, but is about the same for most clubs including driver.

Correct, peak heights are about the same throughout the bag.

[Zeph]

You don't have to flip to hit it high. Forward leaning shaft will launch the ball lower, but also put more spin on it, which will make it climb and have more backspin to stop it once you reach the green. It depends on your swing speed I suppose. If you have a low swing speed, a lower ball flight may still not get that much spin and just struggle to hold the green.

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by mvmac

As you get better and start hitting the ball more solid, you'll see that start to change.  Just make sure you're working on the right stuff.  I would recommend focusing on Keys #1, #2 and posting in the My Swing forum.  What are these Keys?  Info below

Lack of Key #2 and #3

http://thesandtrap.com/t/55426/introducing-five-simple-keys

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread

Not to go too far off subject, but I can't say enough about those videos. I watched them a couple of weeks ago and I really believe the first 3 keys are the basis for my improved swing. The steady head is pretty common in most instruction, but concentrating on downward pressure on the front foot during the downswing (weight shift) and keeping a flat left wrist through impact has done wonders. In the past, every time I've found a swing that works, I've lost it and have been unable to get it back. But with your system, when it started to get away from me this week, I worked on those basics and it's starting to come back. Still have a long ways to go but it's easier to work on ball flight, distance, etc. when the ball actually gets airborne.

Sorry about going off on a tangent. Where were we? Oh, yeah, lower ball flight...

[Mordan]

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

I prefer to have a higher ball flight than a really low one mostly because I'd like the ball to drop and stop where I want to hit it. Too low a ball flight means unpredictable roll after carry. Also, imagine trying to go for a green with a hazard in front. A lower flight even if you carry onto the green can roll off the back.

I saw a chart somewhere here but don't remember where to find it, but tour players' ball height at it's peak is about 28-30 yards (please correct if I'm wrong) for all clubs. Wedges might go a few yards higher, but is about the same for most clubs including driver.

By launching the ball lower you can (and I stress can, this only applies to some people) achieve more spin. This means the ball will reach its peak height later in its flight and land more vertically. So you can actually get better stopping power than with a higher launch. You may also gain a little distance this way.

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by Mordan

By launching the ball lower you can (and I stress can, this only applies to some people) achieve more spin. This means the ball will reach its peak height later in its flight and land more vertically. So you can actually get better stopping power than with a higher launch. You may also gain a little distance this way.

This makes sense. That's why the pros will sometimes use a lower ball flight and how they get it to stop. I forgot which tournament it was, but a month or so ago, Bubba Watson needed a low ball flight for some reason (I believe he played the ball very far back in his address) and when the ball landed, it looked like it would race through the green, but it stopped suddenly and spun back.

I would guess club head speed has a lot to do with pulling that off.

[colin007]

Exaggerated in the pic but he means this. [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/74152/] [/URL]

Oooh snap! Where did you get that picture of me?

[Kieran123]

I would kill for a higher ball flight. Not so much my driver, but my long irons.

A driver can be low, hit the fairway and run, but a 4 iron into a green I want to stick - not roll off the back

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by anthony

I read threads here and other places around the web that discuss wanting a shaft that produces a lower ball flight and I can't help but wonder why. With a driver or fairway wood, I could see how a lower boring flight would be more desirable. Also, if you're loosing distance due to a higher flight, I could understand that as well. Although, that would most likely be a swing issue though, no? Otherwise, wouldn't you want the highest flight you could get into a green?

I speaking about ideal conditions here, a lower flight is obviously desired when it's windy.

Not all of us still have the strength and flexibility to swing for the fences, so we want all the roll we can get from an otherwise optimized trajectory.  Also, depending on the type of course, playing a run up shot to the green can be an effective way to combat unpredictable backspin.  In Colorado, for two and a half seasons, wind is a big consideration.  I've played in 40-50 mph winds in the fall and spring.  A high arc can result in missing a green by 3 times its width with a 9I shot.  I'll use a half swing 7I or 8I from 100 yards to keep the ball low when playing in those conditions.  I'm lucky enough to have whatever kharma it takes to be able to play driver from the deck, and that is also a very useful shot in windy conditions.

Golf is all about control, and for some, control is better achieved with a lower trajectory.

[RPMPIRE]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I would kill for a higher ball flight. Not so much my driver, but my long irons.

A driver can be low, hit the fairway and run, but a 4 iron into a green I want to stick - not roll off the back

On the same boat. Still trying to get my 4 or 3 iron to go as high as my 7-9 irons.

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Not all of us still have the strength and flexibility to swing for the fences, so we want all the roll we can get from an otherwise optimized trajectory.  Also, depending on the type of course, playing a run up shot to the green can be an effective way to combat unpredictable backspin.  In Colorado, for two and a half seasons, wind is a big consideration.  I've played in 40-50 mph winds in the fall and spring.  A high arc can result in missing a green by 3 times its width with a 9I shot.  I'll use a half swing 7I or 8I from 100 yards to keep the ball low when playing in those conditions.  I'm lucky enough to have whatever kharma it takes to be able to play driver from the deck, and that is also a very useful shot in windy conditions.

Golf is all about control, and for some, control is better achieved with a lower trajectory.

I can definitely understand wanting a lower trajectory in the wind and I do agree with you on that since ballooning is a huge concern in those conditions. But under normal conditions, I do think that having a higher trajectory as a "stock" flight would be more ideal.