help with trajectory.

[Brokecollegestudent]

Hey guys, I'm having a little trouble with the trajectory on my ball flight. I dont know what I'm doing wrong. I'm a former baseball player so I can only believe I'm releasing my hands too fast.

I hit my driver, 8.5 degree, at about 12-13 degrees. I have the Diamana stiff shaft on that.

I hit my 3 iron about like a 5 or 6 iron. I don't get the low flight and roll like my better friends. I just get in trouble with wind and spin that take me into the woods or lakes or persons houses. I dont mind the loss of yardage, i still hit the ball pretty well, 195-205 with 5 iron, but its just launched at what a 7 iron should be.

[TourSpoon]

Hmmm...

You could have a little flip action going, but it is hard to tell on the internet.

Practice hitting some balls with the feeling of your left wristbone leading you thru impact (ala Hogan) and visualize that you are hitting the irons under a park bench that is set up in front of you. This would help with trajectory and control. Another drill would be to swing past impact and then into a bean bag chair, pile of laundry (something that will stop the club without breaking it) so that past impact you have the feeling of being solid thru the hitting area (most golf teachers have an impact bag that they use to get this point accross). Good luck.

[rudygu]

I know exactly how you feel. There's nothing I hate worse than that ballooned 6 iron in the wind that travels the distance of an 8 iron. For me, it usually means I haven't cleared my hips and I've hung back on my right side through impact (right handed). Also, I have a tendency for my ball position to drift back too far in my stance and therefore launch with more backspin...not a good thing if you already balloon shots.

[JackieTreehorn]

You probably need X-stiff or at least Stiff shafts in your irons. Would go with Xtra if you can out hit most people you play with.
I had the same problem as you and switched from Regular Ping shafts to X-stiff Rifles and it instantly fixed my trajectory.

[Brokecollegestudent]

Hmmm...

i like that park bench idea. thanks a bunch. i need some help, like the guy before me, i hate it when my buddies pull a 4 iron and hit it like about a 2 iron stinger, and i hit my 3 iron like a 7 iron. Very very very crappy when hitting into the wind.

[JackieTreehorn]

Oh, I just saw in your sig. that you play Stiff shafts.
First try playing the ball closer to your center of your stance and make sure your hands are ahead of the ball at impact. Then try swinging some xstiff shafts if you know anyone that has some.

[Fletch09]

It sounds like you're having the exact same problem I had early last season. Some have already touched on it above, but most likely you are getting "flippy" at the bottom.

Start with your short irons and focus on keeping your weight evenly distributed (or even 75-25 favoring your front foot) and focus on pinching the ball against the turf.

My "cure" was actually to try the "stack and tilt" for a couple weeks. It's principles taught me how to compress the ball again. I then returned to a more traditional setup.

Changing your impact position is the most difficult thing to do in golf. It doesn't sound like you've ventured too far down the wrong path, so correct it now before the wrong move gets too ingrained!

[SubPar]

As indicated by some posts here, you are probably scooping the ball by flipping your wrists at the bottom of the swing. It is a hard concept to grasp, because it is counter-intuitive, but to hit the ball high AND far you should apply a descending blow. Striking down on the ball without breaking the wrists down through impact will give you the ball flight that the pros have... gradually climbing due to backspin.

Of course this does not apply to the driver. If the club head is square and traveling on line at impact you won't have any side spin. Get lessons from someone good... early before you learn to play around bad habits.

Record and then slow-mo the pros and you will see where their hands are and the path of the club through impact.

SubPar

[nevets88]

i like that park bench idea. thanks a bunch. i need some help, like the guy before me, i hate it when my buddies pull a 4 iron and hit it like about a 2 iron stinger, and i hit my 3 iron like a 7 iron. Very very very crappy when hitting into the wind.

I did what Tourspoon recommended and it worked for me. I used to flip at impact too. The back of my left wrist was sort of pointing up at impact and my hands were behind the ball. I saw it videotape proof and had a very high ball flight.

It took a long time for me to undo this. I spent countless hours at the range. Keep in mind, I drew the short end of the stick in terms of the athletic gene lottery. I hit many godawful tops, shanks, the whole assortment of cr*ppy shots before I got to see on videotape, my hands at or slightly in front of the ball and even then, I still had alot of polishing to do. I would also suggest trying extreme measures, just to experiment. Move the ball way back in your stance. As far back as you can take and remember the feeling when you hit a ball flush. You want to feel the clubhead trailing your hands. Use a short iron. If you practice on grass, but a ball on a tee and try to get your divot to be in front of the ball. Another thing to clue in on is to try and feel your left wrist pointing down at impact. I'm assuming you're a righty. To see what I mean, take your address position and move your hands towards the target while keeping the clubface square. The more you move your hands towards the target, the more your left wrist is pointing down. I know you're poor and broke moneywise, but try and get a video of yourself and check your impact position. When I first started playing, I thought a high, majestic ball flight was cool and nothing was wrong with that. I wish someone told me outright, that you want a lowish, piercing ball flight. My natural ball flight is still a little high, but I can adjust the ball position back for those windy days. It's a cool looking trajectory. Be careful that you don't have a closed clubface at address when you move the ball back. You can hit some nasty hooks if you're not careful.

[Pinseeker81]

Record and then slow-mo the pros and you will see where their hands are and the path of the club through impact.

[Brokecollegestudent]

Wow thanks for the video. I know exactly what everyone is talking about, but wow, changing this swing is going to be very difficult. I went to the range twice after i read some things on this post (went to range, had to go to class, then went back to range)

I was trying to keep my hands infront of the ball and oh man did i look like a hack out there. I think i was exaggerating it a bit though. Anyway, ill keep trying and thank you guys once again.

Ill try to get my swing on here or somewhere and maybe someone can analyze it a little more in depth for me.

[Dsantor]

A few years ago I purchased a 420cc Driver that has 10.5 Loft and a stiff shaft because when I purchased it I had my swing speed measured and it was 100 mph . My trajectory is too low. I can carry to about 210 - 220 yds and if the surface is hard It usually ends up 240 - 270. My ball position is left heel and it goes pretty straight most of the time. I do close my stance a little just to make sure that my swing does not go out to in. It just stays pretty low and I want to get a higher trajectory. My grip is not too strong or weak. Any Ideas?

[Brokecollegestudent]

A few years ago I purchased a 420cc Driver that has 10.5 Loft and a stiff shaft because when I purchased it I had my swing speed measured and it was 100 mph . My trajectory is too low. I can carry to about 210 - 220 yds and if the surface is hard It usually ends up 240 - 270. My ball position is left heel and it goes pretty straight most of the time. I do close my stance a little just to make sure that my swing does not go out to in. It just stays pretty low and I want to get a higher trajectory. My grip is not too strong or weak. Any Ideas?

Im still not REAL good, but I do know a little about the golf swing. You could always just put the ball a little further up in your stance. Also, try not to shift your weight so much to the front if you "throw" your weight toward your target. Thats about all i have right now, but again, maybe i shouldnt be giving advice. hahaha

[SubPar]

Keeping your hands "in front of the ball" is a by-product of using your upper body to pull the club around (not your arms) and keeping your left wrist from breaking down prior to imact. If you try to swing with your arms and keep your hands ahead you will look goofy and hit poor shots.

I finally learned this move by using something (dowell rod, old club shaft, fiberglass rod) to hold against the grip of the club I'm swinging, which in effect makes the shaft come outside my left side. Taking easy swings like this, you have to rotate your body and not breakdown the wrists or the extension slaps you in the side. After just a few swings with this technique I got the mental image of how if felt to do it right. No kidding, I picked up 10-15 yards with my irons right away. SubPar