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I hit the ball too high


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I don't infield fly rule my shots... but I get almost no run on the Driver (even in the summer)... my irons get way up in the air and drop like a sack of potatoes on the green... even out of the rough I get very little run... what could I be doing wrong? My 5-iron goes about 180 on the fly takes one short hop and stops dead... I'm only driving it about 250-260 total with no roll... I've even had a few drives embed when it is soft... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110 Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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[VIDEO]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LuNDoIRZilw[/VIDEO] You can also create your own my swing thread here, http://thesandtrap.com/f/4180/member-swings Here is a guide on how to video tape your swing, http://thesandtrap.com/t/38240/my-swing-video-threads-rules-please-read

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
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Hitting it high is awesome. I don't care if the ball rolls 50 yards if I can carry it over trees and doglegs by hitting high. Same with irons and wedges; too much spin is a minor problem but height alone is good. There might be a few yards to be had from better technique, possibly even equipment but shot height is an important form of power; it's an advantage many guys don't have.

With the driver, try and set it up to maximize carry; that's what the driver is for. Maxing your carry in any case will get you pretty close to optimal total distance, and it will get you way more yards over the long run vs letting it hit the ground. And the best ones that go the farthest are usually pretty high.  Also, hitting a tree on the way down is far better than on the way up, so the faster you get it up the better. On the way down, you end up at the base of a tree 99% of the time. Launch it super low and it will drill into the trunk 100% of the time and bounce directly back at you, generally landing between you and the ladies' tee. True story.

With the long clubs, I like to let my 3w roll a bit from the deck because it's a situational club and I also hit it higher off the tee, but my long irons and hybrids are about hitting bombs. I can get some good distance with a 2 iron but the carry can often be the same as the 3 iron; the hybrid goes way higher than the 2 and still never fails to outdrive it.

With irons and wedges, I consider anything around 2y beyond the carry yardage to be garbage yards on full shots. If you're hitting into a green, you can land it in more spots if you don't have rollout and it will stay on the green.

In My Bag:

Adams Super LS 9.5˚ driver, Aldila Phenom NL 65TX
Adams Super LS 15˚ fairway, Kusala black 72x
Adams Super LS 18˚ fairway, Aldila Rip'd NV 75TX
Adams Idea pro VST hybrid, 21˚, RIP Alpha 105x
Adams DHY 24˚, RIP Alpha 89x
5-PW Maltby TE irons, KBS C taper X, soft stepped once 130g
Mizuno T4, 54.9 KBS Wedge X
Mizuno R12 60.5, black nickel, KBS Wedge X
Odyssey Metal X #1 putter 
Bridgestone E5, Adidas samba bag, True Linkswear Stealth
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Why would you want the ball to run out on your iron shots? Your irons landing like a " sack of potatoes" is a good thing.

Mike McLoughlin

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Why would you want the ball to run out on your iron shots? Your irons landing like a "[COLOR=181818]sack of potatoes" is a good thing.[/COLOR]

No kidding. I LOVE it when my irons get really high and then just plop down on the green and sit next to their pitchmarks. Where do you think the expression "throwing darts" comes from?

Yours in earnest, Jason.
Call me Ernest, or EJ or Ernie.

PSA - "If you find yourself in a hole, STOP DIGGING!"

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Every time somebody talks about hitting the ball "too high" I think of one of those "Major League" movies where Rick Vaughn gives up a monster shot and one of the guys in the stands says, "Too high".

Then as the ball sails way over the wall another guy looks at him in disgust and says, "Too high? Too hard."

I play with a lot of people that can't stop a thing on any green that isn't soaking wet with anything more than a short iron. If a tree is in the way they are done.

I hit a very high ball and I wouldn't trade ball flights with them for anything.

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I don't infield fly rule my shots... but I get almost no run on the Driver (even in the summer)... my irons get way up in the air and drop like a sack of potatoes on the green... even out of the rough I get very little run... what could I be doing wrong? My 5-iron goes about 180 on the fly takes one short hop and stops dead... I'm only driving it about 250-260 total with no roll... I've even had a few drives embed when it is soft... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

If you have to hit lower shots, with a lot of roll, you must use de-lofted clubs, or hit the ball with your regular clubs, with slightly added negative loft.

Ian Poulter described this technique in one youtube video where he answered some questions to junior golfers.

Good choice if you know how to hit those low shots, especially in high wind conditions, if the fairways allow good rolling action...

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I used to hit a very, very high ball and I could not flight it lower.  I was flipping the club.  Now I can hit a high ball if I want but I prefer to flight it down most of the time.  Even flighted down the my ball stops on the green.  The video in the first reply is key.  Getting a flat front wrist. If your problem is flipping I found it also causes directional issues.  The timing of the flip is difficult and can put you more easily off line.

If you are able to flight it down you have choices.  The further I try and get my hands past the ball before release the lower the ball goes.  When I want the ball to run I hit a very low draw.  Depending on the hole that is my go to shot to keep the ball in the fairway.  Low drawing screamer 2 or 3 iron.  I can make that go 250 on a good strike.

I am certainly not someone to listen to and make changes to your swing.

Where I am currently at in my journey, being able to flight the ball which is the effect of getting my front wrist to stay flat and getting my hands in front of the ball at impact is the most significant thing I have done in the past five years.  I have picked up significant distance and the impact is completely different.  I believe I am compressing the ball for the first time.  Having better  control of the direction is also significant.  I may be wrong but a test to determine if you are flipping it might be to try and flight a ball way down.  If you can't you might be flipping it.

Hopefully a more knowledgeable player or teacher will jump and and say what I am saying is going in the right direction or I am way off but I am pretty sure what I am saying is more correct than not.

Good luck.

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I don't infield fly rule my shots... but I get almost no run on the Driver (even in the summer)... my irons get way up in the air and drop like a sack of potatoes on the green... even out of the rough I get very little run... what could I be doing wrong? My 5-iron goes about 180 on the fly takes one short hop and stops dead... I'm only driving it about 250-260 total with no roll... I've even had a few drives embed when it is soft... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

I guess it depends if you hit it as far as you should right? I mean, if you hit your 5iron 180 and it spins a lot that's not bad as long as your not losing distance? Hard to know if it's you or your clubs but you should get some roll with your driver I'd think

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I guess it depends if you hit it as far as you should right? I mean, if you hit your 5iron 180 and it spins a lot that's not bad as long as your not losing distance? Hard to know if it's you or your clubs but you should get some roll with your driver I'd think

I hit my 5 iron 180 when I was flipping. Now I hit it 195. Driver is a different animal. I used to hit moon shots with my driver also, the ball coming down at a steep angle does limit roll. I was hitting a 8.5 degree driver high like that. Like I said I am not some one you should change things for and I am sharing my thoughts from my journey right now, Take some video, are your hands in front of the ball when you hit it. When your hands are in front of your back leg on the down swing what is the orientation of the club is it parallel to the or near parallel to the ground? If it is not you are likely flipping robbing power. I'd like to hear the result of the video test if you do it.

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I'll have my wife take some video... both face on and down the line... I hit it like 180-185 with a 5-iron... very high... not trying to lose the spin... just looking for a slightly flatter trajectory for windy days... I also play weaker lofts in my irons... (49º PW)... I was maybe thinking of getting a "newer" set of irons...that have slightly stronger lofts... could I need a shaft with a higher kick point?

What's in Shane's Bag?     

Ball: 2022 :callaway: Chrome Soft Triple Track Driver: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond 8° MCA Kai’li 70s FW: :callaway:Paradym Triple Diamond  H: :callaway: Apex Pro 21 20°I (3-PW) :callaway: Apex 21 UST Recoil 95 (3), Recoil 110 (4-PW). Wedges: :callaway: Jaws Raw 50°, 54°, 60° UST Recoil 110 Putter: :odyssey: Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide 35”

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I'll have my wife take some video... both face on and down the line... I hit it like 180-185 with a 5-iron... very high... not trying to lose the spin... just looking for a slightly flatter trajectory for windy days... I also play weaker lofts in my irons... (49º PW)... I was maybe thinking of getting a "newer" set of irons...that have slightly stronger lofts... could I need a shaft with a higher kick point?

For windy days/hitting it lower, try following through like this.

Mike McLoughlin

Check out my friends on Evolvr!
Follow The Sand Trap on Twitter!  and on Facebook
Golf Terminology -  Analyzr  -  My FacebookTwitter and Instagram 

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Note: This thread is 3601 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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