Is my golf pro correct?

[rhabc123]

Hi all,
I had a golf lesson the other day from my local pro. The problem i had was hitting the golf ball thin. He gave me a drill which is to hit the ball as low as possible from a normal setup position, not with ball back but up in my stance. He didnt really explain why this would improve my swing, does anyone have any idea why this drill would stop someone hitting thin shots?

[muskegman]

My best guess, without trying it myself is that its going to get you to hit down on the ball more which will prevent you from thinning everything when its in the proper position in your stance. Makes me think I should try it too.

If you're trying to lift or scoop the ball into the air you are going to thin it. By trying to hit it low, you'll hit it high and avoid the thin shots. Hope my criptic post makes some sense.

[rhabc123]

thanks muskegman,
thats what i thought but the thing is i hit it really solid when i do the drill but i do actually hit it extremely low, what i dont get is how the drill will help with normal trajectory shots. i seem only to hit it solid when hitting the ball low

[muskegman]

I think the main point of it may be to get you to strike the ball properly, never mind the trajectory. When you hit down on it with the ball in the proper position in your stance the trajectory will take care of itself. Ball striking is one of the most important parts of anyone's game... if you can do that many things like trajectory, distance, and spin will take care of themselves.

[sungho_kr]

After impact the ball should only be about 2 yards high, after 10 yards of carry. The ball will go higher if you have a higher swing speed because the spin will make the ball rise higher after 8 yards of carry and it will rise dramatically, flattening at the top, MAXIMUM YARDAGE! Your pro is correct unless you are in your 40's and a bit out of shape, this is the correct swing. Don't worry, the more you practice, the ball will go farther. My ball launch angle is extremelly low but my ball goes higher than everybody else if you compare to other player trajectories of my friends - JUNIOR GOLFERS - so don't worry. You can start compressing the ball better if you hit it lower, then when your pro brings your next swing change (i know exactly what it is), then use the drill by putting a buket under your right foot and shifting your weight all the way on to the right foot during your backswing and effeciently starting the weight movement with the lower body uncoiling. This will help you maximize what your golf pro said. Trust me, I've had 2 golf pros, one japanese from Japan (i'm not japanese, so he could only show me, no talking) and an american pro. The started me off the same way. I'm so stubborn, don't change your pro like me cuz you think he is wrong, the next will say the samething.

[Golfer7945]

Did your Pro also suggest an athletic stance? Keep your weight distributed similar to the stance of a third baseman in baseball also to be careful of crowding the ball (reach for it).

[alexlax12]

My best guess, without trying it myself is that its going to get you to hit down on the ball more which will prevent you from thinning everything when its in the proper position in your stance. Makes me think I should try it too.

The only problem I see with that is hitting down on the ball making the ball go lower. It's common for many people to forget, that the harder you hit down on the ball, the higher it will climb (if you really want a shot to have a lower trajectory, its easier take one more club and swing smooth). As for your lesson, working on hitting the ball "lower" is good because it makes you keep your hands ahead of the clubface at impact. I would say your pro is trying to stop a cast where your clubhead is getting ahead of your hands which can cause both thin, and fat shots. Focusing on hitting the ball "lower" keeps the hands ahead, and will de-loft the club slightly at impact, causing a lower initial ball flight, but a more solid struck, and longer shot.

[iacas]

The only problem I see with that is hitting down on the ball making the ball go lower. It's common for many people to forget, that the harder you hit down on the ball, the higher it will climb (if you really want a shot to have a lower trajectory, its easier take one more club and swing smooth). As for your lesson, working on hitting the ball "lower" is good because it makes you keep your hands ahead of the clubface at impact. I would say your pro is trying to stop a cast where your clubhead is getting ahead of your hands which can cause both thin, and fat shots. Focusing on hitting the ball "lower" keeps the hands ahead, and will de-loft the club slightly at impact, causing a lower initial ball flight, but a more solid struck, and longer shot.

To add to that, casting can occur in two places. In the first, the traditional cast, it's at the top of the backswing right as you start the downswing.

The second, which typically isn't called a cast but maybe an "early release," is at the bottom. I've got video of people with the clubhead reaching the ball before the player's hands. They "flip" through impact. We've all seen someone do it on a chip - some people do it on full shots, too.

[Chas]

To add to that, casting can occur in two places. In the first, the traditional cast, it's at the top of the backswing right as you start the downswing.

Nice post. Yes, this is surely what the pro was trying to get our fellow to avoid doing - the dreaded "early release". By hitting the ball on a "low" trajectory (the correct one really), the hands stay slightly ahead of the ball at impact, and the clubhead is still descending a tad as well (and may take turf depending on the ball position and club #). As a result, the ball is squeezed off the ground. It's one reason why the pros seem to get so much more distance from the same iron as amateurs - it's because they're hitting down on the ball much more than the rest of us at impact, effectively reducing clubhead loft. Of course there are other reasons as well - like clubhead speed !

[NCGolfer]

I had problems with casting about 5 or 6 years ago and got a helpful and easy tip. A pro told me to use a split-grip with my left hand at it's normal postion and my right hand at the bottom of the grip. Starting with the club parallel to the ground, take some slow swings back and through stopping again at parallel. The big part of this is to pull with the left hand (for righties) and resist slightly with the right hand. When you stop back at parallel, your left hand should be close to where it is at address but the club is still well behind you at a 90 degree angle with your arms.

OK, so you may be a bit confused...but just go with the split-grip and remember to pull with the left and resist with the right. Then take a normal grip and do the same. You will notice a difference and as Chas said, your clubhead speed will be much faster...

[muskegman]

OK, so you may be a bit confused...but just go with the split-grip and remember to pull with the left and resist with the right. Then take a normal grip and do the same. You will notice a difference and as Chas said, your club-head speed will be much faster...

Great tip Dave. I believe I've also benefited by keeping my right elbow closer to my right hip in the downswing and pull with my left. Its a similar feeling to what you might get with the drill you suggested. Slicers like me get their arms too far away from their body. When I practiced this there was an immediate and drastic bump in swing speed. It's a move I'll be working on for a while.

[Chas]

Yes, the right elbow-hip thing is key IMHO. With that going well, many other things more or less fall into place. Right now I'm working on a full shoulder turn, no overswing at the top, and NOT reverse pivoting. A kind gentleman on the range pointed out my reverse pivot recently, it's something that sort of developed unchecked I think. I hit MUCH more consistently, and shift weight properly, when I'm not doing that. Just my own issues, FWIW.

[NCGolfer]

Slicers like me get their arms too far away from their body.

...and thus can't attack the ball from the inside. Good point.

[modeldude69]

My guess is that he made you do this drill to add lag to your swing at impact. If you tend to "throw" the club at the ball instead of having the shaft ahead of the clubhead then that could cause you to not hit the ball solid. I actually have done this small thing a few years ago when I didnt have good lag. Now its great so maybe it will help you as well!

[elnocho_3]

Hi all,

I find it a bit worrying that he is giving lessons to you that you dont completely understand what the lesson is trying to do. If i were you i would make comletely sure what the pro wants you to achieve in future lessons.