High Ball Flight? What to do?

[Sharky816]

Have been working with my golf pro, hitting my 8 iron like 160 or so, but the tragectory is way too high. I am looking to have a lower ball flight. I have a decent swing, good set up and I hit crisp, but way too high. Tried putting the ball back, still too high.

He tells me I may need a stiffer shaft. Right now using S300 dynamics.

Can anyone give me some advice. I am a 22 Handicap who wants to improve. Is it really the equipment or is it me?

[johnclayton1982]

You're a 22 handicap who hits his 8 iron 160 AND hits it too high?

How often do you hit your 8 iron 160?  Say you have 10 shots.  How many are going 160 and straight, but just too high?

[shades9323]

I would think that the pro you are working with would better be able to answer these questions that us at TST.  If he can't answer these questions, it is time to find a new pro.

Originally Posted by Sharky816

Have been working with my golf pro, hitting my 8 iron like 160 or so, but the tragectory is way too high. I am looking to have a lower ball flight. I have a decent swing, good set up and I hit crisp, but way too high. Tried putting the ball back, still too high.

He tells me I may need a stiffer shaft. Right now using S300 dynamics.

Can anyone give me some advice. I am a 22 Handicap who wants to improve. Is it really the equipment or is it me?

[Spyder]

Wow and I thought my 8i at 135-140 with a high ball flight was actually pretty good. Usually, with any sport, the rule of thumb is that it is never the equipment. Golf is an exception though because of the varying amount of technicalities in the equipment. With any standard, conforming iron set, you can usually adjust your swing to lower the ball flight though.

Overall though, as stated by shades9323 , the individual that you're working with would be able to answer that question better than us - having not seen your swing.

[right handed phil mickelson]

Stereotype: High handicaps can't hit it far.

It's possible to be a 22 handicap and still hit it far. It doesn't mean he can hit a consistent/straight shot all the time.

Now to the task at hand; high ball flight. In my opinion, a high ball flight is a good thing most of the time e.g. you need to hit it over an obstacle, or you need it to land softly on a green. But, if there is an excess amount of wind, I'd want to learn how to hit it low also.

I'm not by-the-books (more of a feel golfer), but when I want to hit it low, I try and take a 3/4 swing, feel like I'm take the club back a little flatter, and make sure to get down and through the ball (3/4 finish, with hands about shoulder height).

The forums aren't the best place to get the perfect advice, mind you, but suggestions never hurt.

[Precis1on]

If you're using a regular shaft with your 8-iron already going 160, you probably do need a stiff shaft. That's just an equipment suggestion. For your swing, we'd probably need to see a video to help you out.

[jake8822]

160 for an 8 iron is really good distance. I don't see why you want a lower ball flight. I switched to taylormade tp muscleback irons with x100 shafts. that lowered my flight. I hit my 8 around 160 carry.

The thing is... the harder you swing the higher the ball goes. If you play the ball back in your stance and swing as hard as you can your still gonna hit it high. To swing about 75% with the ball back in your stance most people would hit lower. If that doesn't do anything for your flight then your most likely releasing you hands early causing the balloon.

It maybe the Indian... NOT the arrow

[johnclayton1982]

Quote:

Stereotype: High handicaps can't hit it far.

It's possible to be a 22 handicap and still hit it far. It doesn't mean he can hit a consistent/straight shot all the time.

Exactly my point.  A 22 handicap with a 160 yard 8 iron, hitting "too high" probably doesn't crack the top 10 list for problems with scoring better.  My point is that, in switching up equipment to get a lower ball flight, he may be missing the mark.  If he is only hitting 4 or 5 out of 10 straight 160 he would probably be better served looking for more forgiving, not lower launch, clubs.  If he is hitting 7 or 8 out of 10 straight and 160, there is something else in the game that needs alot more attention that hitting iron shots on a lower trajectory.

Now yes, he didn't ask for this, but my hunch is there are more problems here that need help rather than just  a lower launching shaft.  In the OP's words:

Quote:

I am a 22 Handicap who wants to improve. Is it really the equipment or is it me?

My advice is that if you are a 22 handicap you are either playing in a wind tunnel or high ball flight is not very key to your improvement.  At 15, sure, maybe, that could get into the top 5 of problems, but not at a 22 especially with the clubhead speed to hit an 8 iron 160.  Hence, I asked to know more about his game.

[saevel25]

Well how do you know if its to high, is the ball just going straight up, or does the ball look like it its shot out of a cannon and just hangs in the air a while dropping softly?

My 8 iron goes 161, and i always hit my irons higher than the majority of people, but i know when i catch one really high by how it initially comes off my clubface. I would first find a pro who does video and get a face-on view and see if your adding loft to the club by loosing your wrist angle. If thats not it, then its probably the equipment. I would also say the harde you swing at the ball the higher it will go, try to hit a few at 80% and see how high they go as well.

[Brijama]

It may be you have cupped wrist as opposed to a flat wrist. I, myself, tend to cup my wrist because of a previous injury causing a higher ball flight. All of the suggestions I've read here are plausible explanations. You can fiddle with equipment changes but, I think until you get a desired flight and feel for that flight you might be waisting money. Conversely, you ay always have a high all flight, which most people desire, and you'll have to work with. Don't spend time fixing something that may never be fixable. Instead work on your short game to minimize the effect of your misses. Happy hitting.

[Mr. Desmond]

Guys that think they hit it too high are going to KBS Shafts - c taper  or tour v

http://www.kbsgolfshafts.com/shafts/kbs-tour-v

[Golfingdad]

Guys that think they hit it too high are going to KBS Shafts - c taper  or tour v [URL=http://www.kbsgolfshafts.com/shafts/kbs-tour-v]http://www.kbsgolfshafts.com/shafts/kbs-tour-v[/URL]

Seriously?? What the hell?? My fitter put me in KBS tour specifically because I hit it too low. Did I get bamboozled?? ;)

[Mr. Desmond]

Seriously?? What the hell?? My fitter put me in KBS tour specifically because I hit it too low. Did I get bamboozled?? ;)

The Tour gives a mid trajectory according to KBS Charts. So I think you're fine. But you're the best judge ...

The c taper goes low from all reports, but not the best feel.

From what I've read, the tour v has better feel and is lighter weight.

[iacas]

Seriously?? What the hell?? My fitter put me in KBS tour specifically because I hit it too low. Did I get bamboozled?? ;)

C-Taper isn't the KBS Tour. C-taper looks like spun aluminum.

[Pretzel]

The KBS Tour is their Mid-Flight option out of their offering. The Tour V is supposed to go lower, because they are two different golf shafts. No need to worry Golfingdad.

Here's a list of the KBS irons in order from lowest flight to highest for reference:

Lowest

1. KBS C-Taper (low spin, low launch)
2. Tour V(mid launch, low spin)
3. Tour(mid launch, mid spin)
4. C-Taper Lite (mid-high launch, low-mid spin)
5. Tour 90 (mid-high launch, mid-high spin)

Highest

Note: The difference between the Tour and Tour V, according to the KBS website, is that the Tour V is lighter and is supposed to provide lesser spin. They launch at the same height.