why are my lob and pitching wedges so high and short?

[blaylock6502]

I am new to the game and I'm sure I need lessons but don't have the money at the second. I finally straightened my drive out but I hit my lob and pitching wedges extremely high and short- lob 25-30 yards and pitching around 50. I had a friends who plays slot tell me I was probably breaking my wrists to subconsciously help the ball in the air. I tried tonight to make sure I was keeping my wrists straight and nothing changed.? Is it possible I'm just getting under it too much? At the driving range hitting them off of the mat a lot of times I hit the mat before the ball that's why. I was thinking that. Thanks in advance!!!

[Zachari208]

Get your knuckles facing N at impact.

[Zachari208]

Low hand.

[blaylock6502]

At the risk of sounding ignorant (which I am when it comes to golf) I'm nit quite sure what you mean.?

[Slice of Life]

Any chance you could get a video posted up?

You could be opening the face at impact and hitting it too cleanly. A friend of mine had that problem...accidental floppage I called it. Haha

Do they go straight, or to the right? Are you just hitting them fat (hitting the ground behind them)? I assume this is with a full swing, correct?

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by blaylock6502

I am new to the game and I'm sure I need lessons but don't have the money at the second. I finally straightened my drive out but I hit my lob and pitching wedges extremely high and short- lob 25-30 yards and pitching around 50. I had a friends who plays slot tell me I was probably breaking my wrists to subconsciously help the ball in the air. I tried tonight to make sure I was keeping my wrists straight and nothing changed.? Is it possible I'm just getting under it too much? At the driving range hitting them off of the mat a lot of times I hit the mat before the ball that's why. I was thinking that. Thanks in advance!!!

your probably flipping the club, and adding loft to the club at impact.

[Vector Zero]

I used to have this problem back when I thought that the secret to a good swing is to start the downswing with the hips and turn them as fast as possible, leaving the rest of the body to catch up. I'm glad I finally figured out that type of swing doesn't work!

As soon as I started swinging with the arms first and kept my body rotation in check I started getting lower flights and straighter shots as well as more distance.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Vector Zero

I used to have this problem back when I thought that the secret to a good swing is to start the downswing with the hips and turn them as fast as possible, leaving the rest of the body to catch up. I'm glad I finally figured out that type of swing doesn't work!

As soon as I started swinging with the arms first and kept my body rotation in check I started getting lower flights and straighter shots as well as more distance.

I am working on the same thing but I think this is a case where it depends on the players tendencies and what feels work for them, for some players feeling all hips with everything else trailing might be what they need to feel, for you and me we need to slow that rotation down a bit.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I am working on the same thing but I think this is a case where it depends on the players tendencies and what feels work for them, for some players feeling all hips with everything else trailing might be what they need to feel, for you and me we need to slow that rotation down a bit.

Same, I noticed on video that I rotate my hips waayyyyy too earler, may explain my high short iron shots. Doesn't affect distance on the driver though...

[blaylock6502]

It goes straight and wwould be a gorgeous flop shot if that was what I were trying to do!! :) I will try to post a video later this week. Thanks again!

[Vector Zero]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Same, I noticed on video that I rotate my hips waayyyyy too earler, may explain my high short iron shots. Doesn't affect distance on the driver though...

If I rotate the hips too early I get a high fade on the driver which only goes about 220-230yrds (which I hate). That said, I still generate power with the hips, it's just that I hold off on the fast rotation until just before impact so that my club head is travelling fastest when it counts rather than on the downswing. When I time it right I get a slight draw and 270-280yrds. Rotate too late and I'm into hook country.

Oh, and keeping that sodding right elbow in helps too!

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I am working on the same thing but I think this is a case where it depends on the players tendencies and what feels work for them, for some players feeling all hips with everything else trailing might be what they need to feel, for you and me we need to slow that rotation down a bit.

Yep, pretty much. Because if i think hands first, i will flip the club. I just feel like i am rotating and try to push the ball right, then the ball does good things.

You can tell a lot in a swing if you look at wedges. If a person is skying them, ball goes high really fast, comes down at a very steep angle, then most likely the person either hast the ball way up in there stance (taking a normal stance, not a pitching stance, and having the ball near the front foot), or they are loosing the wrist angle into impact adding loft. I use to hit very high wedge shots, it created a huge gap between my PW and SW.

[blaylock6502]

Even my pw skys it is good for 50-60 yards! Anybody have any good YouTube video suggestions on this topic?

[saevel25]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread

Try some of these tips, specifically ones for the "Flat left wrist", and "Weight Forward". These will get the shaft ahead of the ball, and get you starting on hitting the ball with a more delofted impact, than adding loft

[BirdieNumNums]

Without seeing your swing it's difficult to tell.  So, I would say if you're rather satisfied with your general swing try simply moving the ball toward your back foot a ball or 2.

[blaylock6502]

I feel like I'm getting somewhere! I hit the ball around at home and I was trying to make contact with the ball with the club perpendicular to the target line if that makes sense. I let the left wrist flatten out (which feels much more natural anyways) and with about a 40 percent swing the ball is going twice as far as 100 percent before and the trajectory looK's much better! Should all swings contact the ball with the hands forward of the ball? Like should I contact the ball with my driver this way? Also with short chip shots if I shorten my back swing to hit a shorter shot should my follow through stop short or be a full follow through? I'm sure these seem like silly questions from a newbie but I appreciate you guys taking the time to answer more than you'll ever know! Thanks again!

[Vector Zero]

In general I'd say that getting the hands foward at impact is normally preferable even with the driver although your ball position and weight distribution will be different to irons. With chipping, simply follow through the same distance as you took the club back.

[tomvk77]

yep probably flipping the club, it's like you try to pick up the ball with your wedges.

Try to hit down on the ball. Try to feel that club head hits the ball first than the mat.

but remember a wedge should go high up. unless you want it to go low.

check your ball position also. could be that the ball position at address is to far forward in your stands.

wedges should be played out off the middle. to far forward could cause hitting mat first than ball.