Better ball contact

**justinmill14** · September 9, 2008

I have a problem that sometimes when I am playing, that I will hit over top of the ball and just knock it across the ground, it is uaually with me 3 or 5 wood. And I know that my main to problems with that are that I sometimes lift my head up and also try to swing to hard. What do you guys reccomend that I do to make sure that i always get the ball up in the air and not hit over it? Thanks.

**TinCupTampa** · September 9, 2008

75% swing... I cant say that I know anyone that is a consistant striker that swings 100%

**justinmill14** · September 9, 2008

Alright thanks, I do usually do that but it seemed like today when I would hit with my 3 or 5 wood then I would try to swing it way to hard, I guess its just because I want to get more distance, I have found that the slower I go back into my backswing then the better my swing through is.

**agengo02** · September 9, 2008

what has really helped me with better ball contact is like you said slowing down your backswing. just do a 2 count in your head. go back on the 1 and start the downswing on 2. also you have to consciously keep your head down. the way i do it is i keep my head down even after i hit until my right shoulder (im a righty) hits my chin then i slowly life my head to see the ball. any time i start topping the ball multiple times in a row i go back to these 2 things and all is well. id say keeping your head down is most important though.

**justinmill14** · September 9, 2008

Alright thanks Agengo, I will Try that 2 count thing, and see how it works, and also keeping my head down longer than usual.

**ks8829** · September 9, 2008

If you take a video of yourself from behind and you are topping the ball you will see that you are swaying away from the ball and not returning and this maybe caused by the following:

1) swaying and not rotating around your body
2) not turning with your hips but sliding your hips up or away and not around
3) watch the back foot to see if you are swaying away
4) watch you back knee, does it remain flexed on your backswing or does it extend as though you are lifting up and away?

drills to help you make a good turn

1) use a club and place it under your armpits and make a good turn
2) turn around your spine
3) check out video regarding making a good turn and practice the move
4) keep the weight on the back inside of your foot
5) watch your back knee to make sure you maintain the flex on your backswing.

Also be aware of.....
Make a compact swing with your arms and body together and watch you ball position and when you make the practice swing make sure the ball is located just before the bottom of your swing, most time you have the ball too much forward in your stance and you top the ball.

**jambalaya** · September 9, 2008

ks8829 pretty much covered things on a techincal level. I'd like to add that it is a very common problem to top or kind of smother fairway woods when we hit them off the deck. In addition to what ks said, we often try to give it little extra just before contact on fairway woods in an unconscious effort to get the ball up in the air. That often causes us to lift up a bit or hit down too steep on the ball. The club does not need that extra help. The loft of the club will get the ball into the air. Think about a smooth even tempo through impact. The ball will launch off the clubhead without additional help. That right knee flex is important too.

**Mr.Wedge** · September 9, 2008

If you take a video of yourself from behind and you are topping the ball you will see that you are swaying away from the ball and not returning and this maybe caused by the following:

Knee flex, inside back foot!! Glad to see someone else emphasize ks8829. If the bottom isn't working the top never will IMO.

**tm22721** · September 9, 2008

I have a problem that sometimes when I am playing, that I will hit over top of the ball and just knock it across the ground, it is uaually with me 3 or 5 wood. And I know that my main to problems with that are that I sometimes lift my head up and also try to swing to hard. What do you guys reccomend that I do to make sure that i always get the ball up in the air and not hit over it? Thanks.

I have that problem when I sway or can't get back to the left.

My solution is to screw my right foot clockwise into the ground at address and through the backswing. You will feel a torque in your right leg and your inner thigh muscles tighten. This move causes you to automatically get your weight back onto the left foot before the backswing is done (right hip rotates backwards to target). Then all you have to do is rotate your hips left. You can't sway to the right, it's impossible because you are moving into your right leg and the golf course is pushing back at you.

**Dub** · September 9, 2008

what has really helped me with better ball contact is like you said slowing down your backswing. just do a 2 count in your head. go back on the 1 and start the downswing on 2. also you have to consciously keep your head down. the way i do it is i keep my head down even after i hit until my right shoulder (im a righty) hits my chin then i slowly life my head to see the ball. any time i start topping the ball multiple times in a row i go back to these 2 things and all is well. id say keeping your head down is most important though.

Same here!!!!!!

**bigoak** · September 9, 2008

sounds like you have a reverse weight shift going on. plant weight on the inside of the right foot and turn around it.

**kc8kir** · September 9, 2008

I like to think, especially with the longer clubs, of turning my body back and through at the same rate. In other words, I feel the timing of my backswing and downswing are equal, neither being rushed. This really does work (I got the idea from a golf book, then heard some tour pros talking about doing it). Of course the timing of the actual club swinging is not the same (as you load the club and it whips through) but the thought and the feel is one of just turn and return. It is very easy to time.

I have a horrible tendency with longer clubs to swing too hard, and turning back and through at the same pace helps smooth things out and take out the "hit" impulse. Maintain your lag, and the length and loft of the club will take care of the distance.

Try it!

**justinmill14** · September 9, 2008

Alright thanks for all the tips guys, But only one of them can work, so I will try them all out and see wich helps the best!

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