Hitting the ball way too high with driver!

[Lean, Mean, Hitting Machine]

Hey everyone! I have a big problem with sky-rocketing the ball up in the air when using my driver. Probably once or twice a round (18 holes) I will hit a monster drive straight up only about 200 yards! Can someone give me some explanations as to why I'm doing this?! Most of my drives are 300 yrds straight, but this really annoys me sometimes. Thanks for the feedback!

[kris]

Yeah I do this too, except for me it's almost EVERY time. I stick to my 3 wood which outdrives my driver by 30-40 yards almost every time.

[sean_miller]

Hey everyone! I have a big problem with sky-rocketing the ball up in the air when using my driver. Probably once or twice a round (18 holes) I will hit a monster drive straight up only about 200 yards! Can someone give me some explanations as to why I'm doing this?! Most of my drives are 300 yrds straight, but this really annoys me sometimes. Thanks for the feedback!

I'm not sure if this website frowns on links to other sites, but I'll take a chance. The moderator can always delete my post.

http://www.golflink.com/tipsvideos/tip.aspx?t=50734 Eliminating the Embarrassing Pop-Up Drive By Dean Hedstrom | Golf Tips Magazine Undoubtedly, the most embarrassing tee shot in golf is the drive that pops straight up, barely clearing the tee box. The pop-up is an agonizing misfit most often caused by an excessive forward weight shift on the downswing and a club that approaches the ball on a very steep angle of attack. The steep descent de-lofts the clubface to such a degree that the top line of the club effectively becomes the leading edge. The result? Not only a humiliating pop-up, but one of the most hated marks in golf: a scuff on the crown of the clubhead. Yuck.

[Lean, Mean, Hitting Machine]

Thank you for responding so quickly! I will definitely widen my stance a bit more and practice on holding a wider arc for longer in my backswing. Thanks!

[Drifterland]

Hey everyone! I have a big problem with sky-rocketing the ball up in the air when using my driver. Probably once or twice a round (18 holes) I will hit a monster drive straight up only about 200 yards! Can someone give me some explanations as to why I'm doing this?! Most of my drives are 300 yrds straight, but this really annoys me sometimes. Thanks for the feedback!

Hey man, I had that problem for a while too. I noticed that when I was trying to shape the shot I never popped one up, but when I went after it (E.G par 5, drivable par 4) I would occasionally pop one up. What was even more curios about me hitting the pop up is that I used to tee my driver very low, about 3/4-1 1/4 inches and would still hit the pop up sometimes. now though I tee it really high (3+)inches and never hit it.

So what you should try is teeing it low and hit a couple, tee it really high and hit a couple.... maybe even try hitting it off the deck a few times and you will start to use the same swing to find the ball no matter where it is teed up. Hope That helps, And check out my Blog at theincrediblegolfbum.blogspot.com

[Kailam19]

i would adjust the tee height, or ball position, to induce a lower flight path

[golfnuub]

i would adjust the tee height, or ball position, to induce a lower flight path

i agree. my golf instructor told me that my tees were sitting way to high and thats why i kept sky rocketing my drives. so i lowered it to where the top of the ball after it was sitting on the tee was just barely above the top of my 3 wood or driver when the club head was at address. now they have a nice trajectory, and no more sky balls!!!!

[kpaulhus]

It also depend on the degree of your driver? I use a 9 degree driver because I already hit it high. I dont need the club face to help out with height.

[Bullitt5339]

One of my playing partners uses a 9.5 degree driver, and he doesn't pop them up, but he swings extremely hard, over 100mph, and his drives can knock satellites out of orbit. He doesn't like advice on anything, not just golf, so we just let him go. He tees the ball up 3"+ and addresses the ball about 8" behind it.

Then he complains when my slow swing speed (89mph) outdrives him by 20 yards. I tee the ball up fairly low and use a 9.5 degree driver, and get nice long drives, no more than 20-25ft off the ground.

[mrprovisional]

I also have a buddy that can make some great contacts with his driver sending his ball ballooning because of his stance and tee height.

Adjusting the tee height can help, but it can also cause you to top the ball sending it on a downward smash towards the grass.

The ball stance is also important. If your too far from the ball, you can catch it underneath sending the ball ballooning. If your too close you wont get too much air, but the ball will make a straighter, lower trajectory shot towards the target.



Not the best pic, but heres a great description on where the ball should be with each club. I hope this helps. Find something that comfortable for you and work with it.

[jldavis73]

Sounds like you are occasionally coming "over the top". Obviously I am not qualified to give accurate advice, but from my own experience if I try to generate a little extra power I have a tendency to open my shoulders early and drag the clubhead from outside the line. Just something to think about...

[Lean, Mean, Hitting Machine]

Sounds like you are occasionally coming "over the top". Obviously I am not qualified to give accurate advice, but from my own experience if I try to generate a little extra power I have a tendency to open my shoulders early and drag the clubhead from outside the line. Just something to think about...

I'm not coming over the top and slicing the ball. If anything I'm a little shallow on the plane which adds loft to the face.

[NI4NI]

Mega Ditto on tee height. I switched last year from the 80's style driver to the new fangled 460cc head monster driver, and tee height adjustment was a major change. I still don't have it nailed, but trial and error has helped. Worst mistake for me (low attack angle) was a high tee set-up (w ball center near head top-line). Setting it lower on the tee, coupled with the same inside of left heel position and my low plane swing, has dropped the FAA-sanctioned plane height drives to more reasonable altitudes.

[NI4NI]

I also have a buddy that can make some great contacts with his driver sending his ball ballooning because of his stance and tee height.

Beautiful grass shot!!

[Dr. Slice]

i used to hit it really high too...and when i hit it nice and low it would go 280-300.

then i switched to a S shaft and now im not sure if i could hit it high if i tried