Not hitting irons sky high (or how to play with super game improvement irons)

[Elmer]

I own Callaway Big Bertha Irons 2008, which were labeled as super game improvement.
When I bought them I was a super Noob to the game and told that super game improvement irons would help me get the ball in the air.
They did.

Now the problem is that I hit all my irons super high, especially when I tee up an iron. This weekend I shot 13 over par on a very tough course, but one of the problems is that I hit some of my irons and gap wedge so high the ball hung in the air and just lost distance.

Is this specifically the irons or a combination of irons and my swing?

I plan on getting new irons in the not so near future and plan on staying away from the game improvement irons.
But until then is there a way to get less height, lower ball flight using these irons?
Or is that a futile quest until I change irons?

[Ernest Jones]

You might be flipping a bit, especially when tee'd up. I tee the ball really low with irons, low enough that you can't really tell it's on a tee. When I see people tee their irons up more than a 1/8 they usually try to get under the ball instead of hitting down. Usually this gets you flippy and you lose distance. You could try playing the ball a bit further back in your stance, all else being equal that will bring your ball flight down.

[newtogolf]

It depends on how high you hit them.  I tend to hit my irons higher than most but the two instructors I spoke to about it, said it was a positive not a negative given you want to be able to land a 7i close to your carry distance.  If they are ballooning it could be the heads but it's more likely the shafts and your swing.

Given you bought these when you started I'm guessing they are regular stiffness, you may need up move up to stiff shafts.   You can try putting the ball a bit further back in your stance and see if that works.

[DeadMan]

The median player's apex on a drive on the PGA Tour is about 100 feet. I wouldn't really worry about it unless you're getting your shots well over 100 feet in the air. You can check that on a trackman or flight scope. I'm guessing you aren't exceeding 100 feet, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I also hit it really high (trackman measured my apex height on a drive at 35-40 yards), but I've never really seen it as a problem. I can manipulate my trajectory when I want, although I don't do that all that often.

[Elmer]

You might be flipping a bit, especially when tee'd up. I tee the ball really low with irons, low enough that you can't really tell it's on a tee. When I see people tee their irons up more than a 1/8 they usually try to get under the ball instead of hitting down. Usually this gets you flippy and you lose distance.

You could try playing the ball a bit further back in your stance, all else being equal that will bring your ball flight down.

It depends on how high you hit them.  I tend to hit my irons higher than most but the two instructors I spoke to about it, said it was a positive not a negative given you want to be able to land a 7i close to your carry distance.  If they are ballooning it could be the heads but it's more likely the shafts and your swing.

Given you bought these when you started I'm guessing they are regular stiffness, you may need up move up to stiff shafts.   You can try putting the ball a bit further back in your stance and see if that works.

I most likely tee it up more than I should and then get under it.

I know i am also guilty of moving the ball forward in my stance. For driver and woods off a tee it works for me, but I try to keep the Irons & wedges in the middle. usually as the round lingers on I get forgetful and lazy.

I will try playing the ball back further in my stance.

I am weary of stiff shafts. I bought a stiff shaft callaway driver 10.5 a few years ago to replace my Burner Reg shaft 10.5 driver.

Never felt right. It could be the difference between hitting a callaway and a Taylormade, but I slightly sliced the Callaway (stiff) more than I ever did with the Taylormade.

The Stiff shaft driver felt so much more unforgiving, but it could have been the actually driver not the shaft.

The issue I have with buying any new equipment is that I am most likely playing that equipment for the next 10 years.

Since I am in my 40's I have to be careful as to what I buy as I will be using for quite some time.

[Jeremie Boop]

I most likely tee it up more than I should and then get under it.

I know i am also guilty of moving the ball forward in my stance. For driver and woods off a tee it works for me, but I try to keep the Irons & wedges in the middle. usually as the round lingers on I get forgetful and lazy.

I will try playing the ball back further in my stance.

I am weary of stiff shafts. I bought a stiff shaft callaway driver 10.5 a few years ago to replace my Burner Reg shaft 10.5 driver.

Never felt right. It could be the difference between hitting a callaway and a Taylormade, but I slightly sliced the Callaway (stiff) more than I ever did with the Taylormade.

The Stiff shaft driver felt so much more unforgiving, but it could have been the actually driver not the shaft.

The issue I have with buying any new equipment is that I am most likely playing that equipment for the next 10 years.

Since I am in my 40's I have to be careful as to what I buy as I will be using for quite some time.

I would go somewhere with a flightscope, trackman, or other device and test your clubs against some other clubs. Try different shaft combinations also. That's the best way to see if it's equipment, technique, or both that is causing that high ball flight.

[Dave2512]

I would get on a monitor to confirm that your too high is in fact too high. My experience is most amateurs reach a max apex considerably lower than a tour pros. If that is the gold standard you probably aren't hitting it as high as you think. Especially if the gauge is looking at the ball flights of other amateurs.

[rkim291968]

You might be flipping a bit, especially when tee'd up.'

That'd be my first suspicion.   If you have a good video camera, it's not too hard to verify.

[Ernest Jones]

I most likely tee it up more than I should and then get under it. I know i am also guilty of moving the ball forward in my stance. For driver and woods off a tee it works for me, but I try to keep the Irons & wedges in the middle. usually as the round lingers on I get forgetful and lazy. I will try playing the ball back further in my stance. I am weary of stiff shafts. I bought a stiff shaft callaway driver 10.5 a few years ago to replace my Burner Reg shaft 10.5 driver. Never felt right. It could be the difference between hitting a callaway and a Taylormade, but I slightly sliced the Callaway (stiff) more than I ever did with the Taylormade. The Stiff shaft driver felt so much more unforgiving, but it could have been the actually driver not the shaft.  The issue I have with buying any new equipment is that I am most likely playing that equipment for the next 10 years. Since I am in my 40's I have to be careful as to what I buy as I will be using for quite some time.

To be clear, I'm not saying playing the ball forward is wrong, in fact, I'd say it's better to play the ball too far forward than too far back. I'm just saying that moving it back will tend to bring the ball flight lower. I wouldn't suggest playing all your irons back in your stance as a permanent solution as that can lead to lots of bad things too, and I'd rather hit the ball too high than too low.

[Jeremie Boop]

To be clear, I'm not saying playing the ball forward is wrong, in fact, I'd say it's better to play the ball too far forward than too far back. I'm just saying that moving it back will tend to bring the ball flight lower. I wouldn't suggest playing all your irons back in your stance as a permanent solution as that can lead to lots of bad things too, and I'd rather hit the ball too high than too low.

Too far back will encourage a flip if I remember correctly. So if he is flipping already moving it back would make things worse.

[bm85]

In my experience, GI clubs most certainly fly high. From the ones I demo'd I lose about 3-10 yards depending on the club compared to my old Titelist 990's, which I hit plenty high enough.

Like how light GI feel though, and I think the transition from woods to irons is not so abrupt. Personally any forgiveness is welcome in my game, and I often think of purchasing a set of GI in the future.

[Ongle]

What is flipping? I've always hit my irons high, but they don't lose distance as a result. Pro I spoke to said it was a very good ball flight. Only trouble is when it's very windy I have to play almost every shot way back in my stance and spend the entire round punching it around the course. Gets a bit boring!

[jcjim]

Well what is not to high to you....The simple answer is 1.. your hands are too far in front of the ball at impact... in this situation you will never get a high traj.....2...You don't have enough club head speed to hit the ball high and get the distance..

[zero]

I have TaylorMade Burner 2.0 irons (stiff flex, steel), also game improvement clubs. I started out a few years ago with that same problem, but as my swing improved and I got some lag in my iron swing I realized it was not the clubs. Now on a good day the height is good - because remember you're trying to hit greens with irons so you want a high trajectory and steep landing - but also distance has even improved because the face is less lofted at impact. Keep in mind I know nothing about your clubs, just my experience.

[Mike Boatright]

Take less club don't tee them up and swing easier I bet the shafts are to soft for your swing.

[Justin Harrow]

not to derail the thread, but can someone elaborate more about "flipping"?  i think i do this too and as a result lose distance.  I play with my dad who will be 60 next month and he is consistently using one less club than i am on any given shot (ie on a par 3 ill be using a 5i and hell be using a 6i).  Him and i have both discussed that i hit a very high ball and lose distance as a result.  if i should start my own thread on this let me know i have no problem doing that do not mean to derail this one.

Thanks

[Elmer]

not to derail the thread, but can someone elaborate more about "flipping"?  i think i do this too and as a result lose distance.  I play with my dad who will be 60 next month and he is consistently using one less club than i am on any given shot (ie on a par 3 ill be using a 5i and hell be using a 6i).  Him and i have both discussed that i hit a very high ball and lose distance as a result.  if i should start my own thread on this let me know i have no problem doing that do not mean to derail this one.

Thanks

I know I did not start to hit it further until I started taking full powerful swings. I used to be afraid of slicing or hitting a bad shot so I would be hesitant to swing through.

Now I go all the way back through my back swing and right through the ball.

My problem as addressed in the OP was I was playing with not my usual group and 1 of the guys had never played with me.

They were all in their 60's and this guy questioned every club I pulled out for a distance.

165 par 3, me 8i, him 3h.

176 par 3, me 7I, him 5 w

I hit the greens for both.

The issue was a 125 par 3. I was short  & right with my 50 degree gap wedge.