Need some drills to stay down on my irons...

[GrahamD]

Lately I have been lifting out of alot of my shots just as im about to hit the ball, I hate the feeling of hitting a fade thiner and want to get rid of this completely because when I do connect with it the ball it goes a mile

I've found the best way so far to fix it is think of driving the iron into the ground where the ball is and there is no way I can hit fat but when I do that I can actually get to steep and take a HUGE divot which hurts my wrists

[Ringer]

Find a nice open grassy area where no one is around and you can throw a ball.

Get some sort of medium sized target about the size of a basket for range balls. You could use a pillow, 5 gallon bucket, etc..

Get a golf ball, or some other small object to throw at the target.

Set your target about 10 feet away from you and align yourself to it as if it were your target in golf. Take your golf stance and posture with the ball in your right hand.

Now throw the ball at the target but after you throw it make sure you hold your arm out in front of you and keep looking at the ground.

2 things are important to note when you hold this position. #1: Your right shoulder is DOWN with some separation under your chin. #2: The thumb of your right hand should be pointing to the sky.

This "shaking hands" position is ideal for a strong release of the club and one that keeps your right shoulder moving down, then forward.

Start to practice getting to this same place with a club in just your right hand. Eventually add the left hand but still get to this position with your right arm and shoulder.

[Phil McGleno]

This "shaking hands" position is ideal for a strong release of the club and one that keeps your right shoulder moving down, then forward.

Yeah, woo! Let's teach someone to "release the club." The more consistent players do NOT release the club. They hit the ball with a flat left wrist and very little third accumulator (if you want the TGM terms).

If you're hitting the ball thin your weight isn't far enough forward at impact. 99% of the time, that's it. Straight arms, push the hips forward and tuck your ass underneath you.

[iacas]

I second what Phil says, but I'll add a bit to it.

Push forward like Phil says, then almost literally "jump." The jumping gets the club out of the ground and adds height. It may take you awhile to figure out when, but basically push forward as long as you can, and then jump. Extend your back, straighten your legs, feel long, straight arms as if you're trying to keep the clubhead as far away from your head as possible, raise your belt, and let your chest open up to the sky.

[RobS]

You may be hitting thin shots because you're too scared of hitting it fat. I've got a few suggestions:

1. I'm not sure how high you grip your clubs, but maybe try choking down a bit. Doing this will give you the feeling of more control and confidence in "hitting down" on the ball.

2. Get some baby powder or something, put a line on the ground, and place balls on that line. Practice making divots in front of the line.

Give em a shot!

[mlf16507]

Go into practice bunker if you have one on the course where you play. Draw line in sand where ball would be. Practice chips with flat left wrist and look in front of ball.The club should enter sand in front of line and center of divot should be 4" in fron of line. Anything behind the line you have broken down wrist. Once you get this down then work on what Phil and Iacas wrote.

[GrahamD]

Thanks for the tips guys, I will try bumping my hips more towards the taget next time

[Ringer]

Yeah, woo! Let's teach someone to "release the club." The more consistent players do NOT release the club. They hit the ball with a flat left wrist and very little third accumulator (if you want the TGM terms).

What must you do with your lower body in order to get the right shoulder to go down and forward as I prescribed?

[Phil McGleno]

What must you do with your lower body in order to get the right shoulder to go down and forward as I prescribed?

What are you talking about? I said "don't teach someone to release the club."

He's hitting the ball thin because his weight probably isn't forward and he's tired of hitting the ball fat. Or maybe it's his balance. But nothing that I wrote was confusing. And if you're trying to teach him to go forward by making his right shoulder go down and forward, it's backwards. Welcome to hitting the ball fat if you try it in your order.

[saevel25]

Few things hitting it thing, like said before, your on your back foot at impact. This shortens your arc in the swing. A good feeling i like is the left hip (for righties) tucking backswards. Also, make sure your weight is equal between your heels and the balls of your feet. If you are at your toes in the backswing you will fall back on your heels in the downswing and cause you to stay on the back side.

[ERdiesel]

Few things hitting it thing, like said before, your on your back foot at impact. This shortens your arc in the swing. A good feeling i like is the left hip (for righties) tucking backswards.

Is that a mistake? Do you mean left hip should feel like it's forwards at impact and not backwards? If not, can you explain? Thanks.

[Boeing777]

I tell you what, when i pull my 5 wood out i do the same thing everytime. I top it or hit it thin, but it hardly ever goes over 75yrds it seems. But when i do hit it, it goes the distance i need it too. But i'm the same way, i cant hit it fat if you put a gun to my head. And it just pisses me off to no end. But i refuse to give up the club. I no one day i'll figure it out, hopefully!

[starchuk]

Search for Mr. Barzeski's video in another thread. This would be the extreme of hitting down and out on the ball.

[The Recreational Golfer]

It sounds to me like your swing concept is to much up and down. Remember the ball is going forward. Think about driving the ball forward with your swing. You'll still get the swing trajectory you need, but since your key direction is more horizontal, it should be easy to stay down through impact.