Ball placement for low flying shot

[safetrip]

I've heard a few times from different instruction books about hitting low-boring shots that help you on windy days or under a tree. All of them (including Tiger's famous stinger) recommend that you move the ball back in your stance. It didn't make sense to me since when you move the ball back you are making more descending blow and the ball will fly higher with more back spin.

Can anybody un-confuse me here?

[mtsalmela80]

Well by moving the ball back and using something with barely any loft (3 wood, 4 iron, etc) you are practically hitting the ball with a unlofted club (since moving the club back delofts the face). So it will not go up at all. Even if you use a lot of spin, it will not have enough upward momentum to float up.

Thats my idea on it anyhow.

[Zeph]

The clubface loft determine how high you hit. The more you deloft, the lower it goes. By moving the ball back you make a more aggressive strike on the ball with the hands well in front of the club, deloft the clubhead.
Imagine pinching the ball between the ground and the club, hands in front of the club. You'll take a divot and the ball will feel and look like it pops out, starting out low and have a boring trajectory. I often do this when hitting off a slope, angled up or down. It's easy to hit the ball fat or thin on such a shot, so I move the ball a bit back, make a 3/4 backswing and hit aggressively down on the ball. I take a huge divot, but since I hit the ball first, it will get good speed.

[safetrip]

The clubface loft determine how high you hit. The more you deloft, the lower it goes. By moving the ball back you make a more aggressive strike on the ball with the hands well in front of the club, deloft the clubhead.

If delofting is the goal here than why can't you just take more club and grip down to get the same distance? If you deloft 5 iron by 6-8 degrees by moving the ball back, it's the same as hitting 1 inch shorter 3 iron, isn't it? I feel that having the same ball location will be better for consistency.

[ControlJunkie]

I normally dont like to change the ball position very much in order to hit a lower shot. Instead, I like to keep my elbows, forearms, and wrists a little "looser" or "softer", and think low finish throughout. If you start changing your position on the ball too much, you run a much higher risk of blocking or slicing it to the right, because you have a les time to shut the clubface through impact. The furthest back I'll ever go (in relation to normal position) is 1/2" to 1" tops. Also maybe go with a little forward press, that may help because you're effectively delofting the club.

[vaborn7795]

Well for me hitting the 5 iron is a lot easier than hitting the 3 iron, and i would rather have to hit it hard than try to lay off it. The ball moves back and forth through your stance, depending on what club you are hitting anyway. The position of the ball in my stance depends on two things at my skill level, club and wind. Anything else is to much to focus on and quite frankly is not within my ability. I always try to stay within my ability...I think that is one of the most important keys to scoring well.

[Blades4me]

I've heard a few times from different instruction books about hitting low-boring shots that help you on windy days or under a tree. All of them (including Tiger's famous stinger) recommend that you move the ball back in your stance. It didn't make sense to me since when you move the ball back you are making more descending blow and the ball will fly higher with more back spin.

As others have said, putting the ball back in the stance a little delofts the club. This also helps to keep the hands in front of the ball, whick keeps the club face delofted; (the hands should be ahead of the ball at impact, which keeps the club face delofted). The follow thru shouldn't go above your shoulder, (the higher the hands at the end of follow thru the higher the ball goes). Do this with a 3/4 swing, cuz the harder you hit the ball the more spin you will impart on it. The goal when hitting into the wind is to put as little spin on the ball as possible. Whatever club you would normally use go down at least one club, again b/c its a 3/4 that isn't hit as hard.

The above is known as a knock down shot and a very good one to learn b/c it is a very versitle s/u and shot. The knock down draw is a great wind shot. As you get more experience with golf alot of this stuff will become evident.

[Dub]

I'm not sure the physics behind it.... but ....it works.


I use this routinely when I'm in trouble beneath some branches or in the woods and I need to come out hot and and run a ways. I'll gip down on a 5 iron and play the ball back 2-3 inches and saw off my follow through.

I used this "ball-back" theory last week playing with some buddies on a strange course. Par 5, I hit my second shot 3-wood fairly solid but it worked a bit too much right-to-left and missed the fairway. I was on some pinestraw beneath two limbs....uphill 100 yds to the flag.

I played the ball back 2 balls in my stance from normal position and used PW. I kept my hands ahead of the ball throughout the swing and made an aggressive pass at the ball with a shortened finish.

It came out low and hot, then rose nicely......landed ten feet or so behind the stick and sucked back to 2-3ft in front of the hole....leaving me an easy tap in for birdie. My buddies were amazed and talking trash......"Even from the woods....he does this.".

Again, I don't understand all the physics of the shot...but keeping your hands forward and the ball back just a tad will ensure a solid impact that comes out lower initially. The ball is gonna have some serious spin due to the "trapping contact" so make sure your clubface and swing path are set for the desired shot shape you want.

[Ash1974]

That's what I do, play a 5/6 iron depending on distance and play the ball on my inside right foot, take a swing about level with my waste and punch it through.

I used this shot the other week when I was behind a low hanging tree, took a 6 iron and hit a low shot up to the green