ball flight question

[niblick]

Hopefully I'm asking this in the correct forum.

At the range today as I worked through my clubs, I noticed that while my 18 degree hybrid and my driver have a fairly penetrating ball flight that I'm happy with. However, my 3 wood has an ever-rising flight, starting out low and going up to near-driver height before it starts to descend.

If what I've read is right, this means that the club is imparting excess backspin on the ball which may be robbing me of some distance and roll. Is this correct? Is it something that I should address or leave alone? Would a different club or shaft help?

[iacas]

  niblick said:

If what I've read is right, this means that the club is imparting excess backspin on the ball which may be robbing me of some distance and roll. Is this correct? Is it something that I should address or leave alone? Would a different club or shaft help?

Almost every club actually hits the ball to about the same height. Your pitching wedge goes about as high as your driver - it just gets there more quickly because it has a larger vertical component.

But if the ball rises unnaturally - it curves upward - that may indicate excessive backspin. That's "ballooning" and if you face a shot into the wind, it can really hurt your distance. If the ball just goes up on a fairly straight line, that is okay. I can hit my r7 TP 3W really high... but it's not a ballooning flight. A different clubhead or shaft may help, but I'd first look at your swing. Is it pretty level, or are you hitting down through the ball with the 3W? Off a tee or the ground (or does it make no difference)?

[niblick]

  iacas said:

Almost every club actually hits the ball to about the same height. Your pitching wedge goes about as high as your driver - it just gets there more quickly because it has a larger vertical component.

Well, I was hitting the ball off the mat when this was happening and it was definitely an upward curve. I was sweeping the ball nicely without much, if any, contact with the mat. Contact was really solid. My swing felt about as flat as it ever has. I fight the tendency to take the club back outside, so I definitely know what a steep swing feels like.

[iacas]

  niblick said:

Well, I was hitting the ball off the mat when this was happening and it was definitely an upward curve. I was sweeping the ball nicely without much, if any, contact with the mat. Contact was really solid. My swing felt about as flat as it ever has. I fight the tendency to take the club back outside, so I definitely know what a steep swing feels like.

Just to clarify, I meant flat through the hitting area, I didn't mean your entire swing should be flat. Through the hitting area with your longer clubs, but particularly your 3W, driver, etc., most prefer a shallow arc, not a steeply descending blow like you might have with a mid-iron.