hit down on the ball

[fiveover]

I'm lacking distance on my irons because i don't hit down on the ball. When I play I'll put a tee in the ground next to the ball and I find the divot starts behind or is even with the ball. I hit the ball straight, but I am always short of the target and constantly chipping on. how can I practice getting the ball first so the divot is out front. If I consciously try to hit down when I'm playing, I tend to chunk the shots. I went to have the clubs checked at a pro shop and was hitting off the mat. I would get 150-155 out of the 7 iron. At the course off grass  get maybe 145. I know the grass and the mat are 2 different animals when it comes to distance.

[vangator]

Sounds like you need to work on Key 2. Also, it sounds like you need to adjust what you think your yardages are. I don't hit off mats unless it's the only option.

[Club Rat]

@fiveover

Try moving the ball position forward and sweep the ball, meaning very small divot, nothing more than clipping the top of the grass.

Sometimes often referred to as picking the ball.

A good drill - place three tees in front of the ball spacing them about an inch apart and have them an inch above ground.

A good swing will make contact through the ball and hit all three tees, without digging the tees out of the ground.

Club Rat

[brettfan]

For me the key is to get your weight forward as much as possible.  It's almost impossible to hit a crisp shot with a divot in front of the ball if you have much weight on your back leg at all at impact.

[arturo28mx]

I've been playing golf for four years and it wasn't until this year that I can hit down on the ball. I don't take divots. I just brush the grass in front of the ball, but surprisingly that's enough to get solid shots.

For me, the key to hitting down is a good weight transfer to the front leg.

[Mike Boatright]

Hit more club say a 6 iron or get a 26 degree hybrid and the right shaft. It sounds like your casting the club and chunking it or hitting an overly high straight shot of a tee on par 3's or leaving the clubface wide open on mat's and the grass. Distance is face angle,loft and clubhead speed being the main factor in carry distance.Hitting down on a neat lie and a pro v 1 will cause a lower ball flight that shoots with more spin and good distance. That's why hitting down is for spin and ball flight control primarily! You sound like you need a lesson on some of the basic fundamentals such as ball placement alignment,grip the whole nine yards. I wouldn't worry about pro techniques with an amateur swing just work on getting more consistent and taking a little turf with say your sw on 80 yard shots and go from there ok

[mvmac]

I'm lacking distance on my irons because i don't hit down on the ball. When I play I'll put a tee in the ground next to the ball and I find the divot starts behind or is even with the ball. I hit the ball straight, but I am always short of the target and constantly chipping on. how can I practice getting the ball first so the divot is out front. If I consciously try to hit down when I'm playing, I tend to chunk the shots. I went to have the clubs checked at a pro shop and was hitting off the mat. I would get 150-155 out of the 7 iron. At the course off grass  get maybe 145. I know the grass and the mat are 2 different animals when it comes to distance.

The problem is probably more that you do something (on the backswing or downswing) that causes you to pull the arms apart coming into impact to avoid hitting it fat, "chicken wing".

This would be a good drill to work on.

[vangator]

Where in Erie Pa was that video made? :-) I hear Erik is teaching at Chautauqua GC. I've played there many times. I was with a guy who sculled an iron, skipped it off the pond and into the hole for a hole-in-one on #7 (I believe). It was a 150 yard par 3 over water. That was probably 40 years ago.

[Justin Harrow]

Anybody have any tips or drills for swinging "down" on the ball.  I have a tendency to subconsciously try and lift the ball, and as a result i hit a very high ball or hit it thin a lot and have no distance.  I know i need to drive through the ball or hit down on it and i am probably flipping it up.  Anybody have a good drill to work on this?

Thanks

[saevel25]

Anybody have any tips or drills for swinging "down" on the ball.  I have a tendency to subconsciously try and lift the ball, and as a result i hit a very high ball or hit it thin a lot and have no distance.  I know i need to drive through the ball or hit down on it and i am probably flipping it up.  Anybody have a good drill to work on this?

Get your weight forward at impact.

Keep your head steady.

Get your left wrist inline with the clubhead and your shoulder at impact.

As for which one you need to work on. I would start a My Swing thread and post a video.

http://thesandtrap.com/f/4180/member-swings

[metbid]

I know i need to drive through the ball or hit down on it and i am probably flipping it up.  Anybody have a good drill to work on this?

Thanks

One tip you might try, when practicing, is to concentrate on a spot about a inch in front of the ball and swing to that spot, not thinking about the ball. This could help you hold release just a bit longer and stop any flipping the wrists.

[Justin Harrow]

One tip you might try, when practicing, is to concentrate on a spot about a inch in front of the ball and swing to that spot, not thinking about the ball. This could help you hold release just a bit longer and stop any flipping the wrists.

thats a great suggestion thank you i will try that

[mvmac]

thats a great suggestion thank you i will try that

Moved your posts to this thread. Check this out.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/84590/hit-down-on-the-ball#post_1203842