How do I reduce the launch angle of my drive.

[Jimbo Slice]

I know I can reduce the launch angle of my drive with a club/shaft change and plan to do so, but what swing adjustments can I make to reduce the launch angle?

I'm currently using what I believe to be the wrong driver. A 10.5 medium flex, and plan on switching to something like a 9.0 stiff flex, possibly even a low launch shaft. Until then just kind of curious what I can do with my swing that will lower the launch angle?

[BWChuck]

I just went a tested drivers on a launch monitor for the first time a couple of days ago, and saw that my launch angle was way too low.  I noticed that if I widened my stance and set my hips a little closer to the target (at address), my angle increased.  Maybe the opposite will work for you.

[Jimbo Slice]

I understand the swing mechanics and ball flight laws for left to right and right to left. I can even hit a push fade on purpose... sometimes. On the other hand I can't seem to grasp whats going on with launch angle and spin. My drives are almost hitting orbit altitudes, and I'm not really sure how to correct the problem.

I was hitting 2-4 300 yard drives a round, but accuracy was very bad. I backed off on the power to work on accuracy, with great results. Now I've added the power back, not loosing to much accuracy. Since I've starting bringing the power back, my drives are starting to go straight up it seems.

This is a guesstimate but I hit a drive today that carried 265 and rolled to 270. It felt like a nice 300+er but the damn thing went a mile high.

[Stretch]

You are flipping -- the club head is passing your hands just before impact. This causes the club face to lay back, adding dynamic loft to the shot and leading to the moon balls you describe. Changing shafts or going to a lower-lofted driver won't do much to help lower your trajectory. Ultimately, it's a technique issue.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by Stretch

You are flipping -- the club head is passing your hands just before impact. This causes the club face to lay back, adding dynamic loft to the shot and leading to the moon balls you describe. Changing shafts or going to a lower-lofted driver won't do much to help lower your trajectory. Ultimately, it's a technique issue.

Alright awesome, possible problem found. Now I need to track down how to correct "flipping" . Is there a drill or fix to solve the problem? Or do I just need to make a conscious effort to get my hands in front of the ball on my driver swing?

[onlybereaved]

Try moving the ball towards your back foot an inch or 2

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by Jimbo Slice

I understand the swing mechanics and ball flight laws for left to right and right to left. I can even hit a push fade on purpose... sometimes. On the other hand I can't seem to grasp whats going on with launch angle and spin. My drives are almost hitting orbit altitudes, and I'm not really sure how to correct the problem.

I was hitting 2-4 300 yard drives a round, but accuracy was very bad. I backed off on the power to work on accuracy, with great results. Now I've added the power back, not loosing to much accuracy. Since I've starting bringing the power back, my drives are starting to go straight up it seems.

This is a guesstimate but I hit a drive today that carried 265 and rolled to 270. It felt like a nice 300+er but the damn thing went a mile high.

+1 on flipping.  Do you hit it on the toe?  Post a swing.

Sounds like me a few years ago.  18-20 degree launch, 3800+ RPM spin, 8.4 second hang time, 220 foot max height.

Now I've got two driver shots:  12 degree launch, 2650 RPM spin, or 16 degree launch, 2050 RPM spin.  The only difference I make is in ball position and tee height.  Normal shot, I tee the ball down some and keep it well inside my left foot, try to catch it in the middle of the face.  If I need extra distance, tee it forward some and higher, try to catch it on the top of the face.  Hang time is around 6 seconds and max height is less than 100 feet.  Suits my eye well.

[LovinItAll]

I just went a tested drivers on a launch monitor for the first time a couple of days ago, and saw that my launch angle was way too low.  I noticed that if I widened my stance and set my hips a little closer to the target (at address), my angle increased.  Maybe the opposite will work for you.

Will someone chime in on what I'm about to write? It's something I've heard before, but I'm not holding it out to necessarily be true or correct: If one widens their stance, doesn't that also effectively narrow the arc of the swing? Maybe put a better way, if a 6'0" tall golfer widens their stance by 3-4", aren't they turning themselves into a, say, 5'10" golfer? I'm not saying narrower is necessarily better, but I think there is a point of diminishing return if one considers that there is an 'ideal' width of stance and that once the stance gets wider than that, the arc will shorten (given exactly the same swing), which will reduce distance. Again, it's something I heard a long time ago. I'm also not saying that widening the stance isn't a great solution for the quote above.....I don't know.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by LovinItAll

Will someone chime in on what I'm about to write?

Tradeoffs.  Most important point is that stance width affects the ability of the knees and hips to move correctly.  Really wide requires a lot of thrusting and jumping to get the right axis tilt.  It can be powerful, but requires a lot of strength.  And you are correct, it makes the golfer lower to the ground.  You either have to grip down on the club, or flatten out the swing plane to hit the ball squarely.  You have to experiment somewhat and find out the best width that gives you the best combination of all the things we are trying to achieve.

[joekelly]

Jimbo, how long have you been playing golf?  And how old are you now?

[bunkerputt]

Forget shafts fixing launch angle problems in poor swings.  From Tom Wishon:

Golfers with an early release will not typically see any difference in launch angle from shafts of different flex or bend profile design.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Forget shafts fixing launch angle problems in poor swings.  From Tom Wishon:

Golfers with an early release will not typically see any difference in launch angle from shafts of different flex or bend profile design.

+1

[Chico1972]

"Whats In the bag" AP2 712 Irons - Project X 6.0 910 D3 8.5 Fujikara Rombax 7V05 Driver 910 F 13.5 3 wood SM4 56, 60, 64 Degree wedges Tear drop PutterYou have to be careful, if you get your hands too far ahead you will deloft the driver.

[Jimbo Slice]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

Forget shafts fixing launch angle problems in poor swings.  From Tom Wishon:

Golfers with an early release will not typically see any difference in launch angle from shafts of different flex or bend profile design.

I think I know how to reduce launch angle now, but I already purchased a prolauch red to try and fix the problem. I had a high launch stock shaft. Now I'm going with a low launch aftermarket shaft (Prolauch red). If I new what I know now, I would probably have gotten a med launch shaft, most likely a proforce V2. No biggie, I think I'm going to like the prolaunch red.

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Originally Posted by joekelly

Jimbo, how long have you been playing golf?  And how old are you now?

I'm 35 and, I've been playing golf for about 10 weeks. My first round was on April, 29 2012 and played a total of 22 rounds to date. I've also hit about 800 range balls total, mostly with the driver.

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Originally Posted by bunkerputt

+1 on flipping.  Do you hit it on the toe?  Post a swing.

Sounds like me a few years ago.  18-20 degree launch, 3800+ RPM spin, 8.4 second hang time, 220 foot max height.

Now I've got two driver shots:  12 degree launch, 2650 RPM spin, or 16 degree launch, 2050 RPM spin.  The only difference I make is in ball position and tee height.  Normal shot, I tee the ball down some and keep it well inside my left foot, try to catch it in the middle of the face.  If I need extra distance, tee it forward some and higher, try to catch it on the top of the face.  Hang time is around 6 seconds and max height is less than 100 feet.  Suits my eye well.

Ok, this sounds like some of the problem for sure, if not all of it. I didn't have the problem at first, and it gradually started coming on and getting worse every round. Listen to this... I was slowly creeping the ball forward in my stance lol. I thought that putting the ball forward in your stance would increase distance hahaha. I was trying to squeeze a few extra yards in by moving the ball forward in my stance and I guess I was just creating more loft, and decreasing my distance.

It was frustrating because I've been greatly increasing drive accuracy. With the new and improved accuracy, I figured I would add some more swing speed to my driver stroke. With the new swing speed, accuracy was still good but the ball was just going straight up in the air, I was not getting the added distance as expected. I'm almost positive it's mainly my ball position. At times I was getting less distance with my new and improved 105mph ss as compared to my old 93mpg ss.

I cant wait to get this driver repaired, the shaft should be here tomorrow. This next trip to the course/range should be a interesting one.

[saevel25]

Quote:

Try moving the ball towards your back foot an inch or 2

Do not do this, this promotes flipping. IF you move it back your forcing yourself to think it will be harder to get the club under the ball and you will flip more. When i move the ball up in my stance, i don't flip because i know not to top it, i need to not flip at the ball..

Probably flipping, your probably mixing up speed with flipping. Don't worry about speed because you probably have a ton of work to do on your swing were you will get power from. I would work more on the overall golf swing than gaining clubhead speed.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Do not do this, this promotes flipping.

Not necessarily.  It depends where the ball was originally.  I can hit good drives teed down somewhat with a negative AOA and low launch.  Not the longest drives, but good drives.

[Valleygolfer]

One thing I have learned about this site, post your swing and tumble weeds blow through that thread. Post a statement that gets under everybody's skin, now you have everyone telling you what is wrong with your swing.

Game well played sir.

[Valleygolfer]

Originally Posted by Valleygolfer

One thing I have learned about this site, post your swing and tumble weeds blow through that thread. Post a statement that gets under everybody's skin, now you have everyone telling you what is wrong with your swing.

Game well played sir.

wrong thread  wtf