High Ball flight?

[GavinC]

Ok, so I am a low handicap and have a good short game and a good putter. I don't really have a problem but my ball flight has been getting to me.

I hit the ball at least twice as high as my fellow playing partners. I have a sort of steep attack angle to the ball but my iron game is usually on. I also hit the driver a mile high but as long as I am in play i could care less where that thing goes.

What do you guys do to hit the ball lower because I have spent the last couple of rounds trying to get it lower but no success. Also do you recommend a shaft(s) with a high kick? I do play mp-60s so there they should produce a piercing ball flight.

[Joeypole]

Its a long expensive process to find the right shaft, lol.  Just ask me I've been through almost every driver known to the retail market this year.  Tried all kinds of shafts some cheap and some expensive.

What I found is that in play is better than fighting ball flight.  Yes we all could use a couple extra yards, but I found out that once you figure out how to hit a ball out of the short grass it becomes fun.  LOL!!!

My advice is to find a good clubfitter in your area and get on a Launch monitor (hopefully one outside) and spend the money to get fitted.  Trust me, get fitted.  It will be a whole lot cheaper and less frustrating.


High kickpoint shafts are lower launching than a low kick point shaft.

Assuming the MP60's have S300's in them?

[mr_divots]

An open club face at impact will instantly add height and spin to the shot. Are you over the top with an open clubface? Sounds like you know your swing and what it will do (thus the low single digit cap.)

What you are describing is how my ball flight looked and it was due to what I mentioned above. Of all things, a pro gave me a tip during a driver fitting to keep my rear shoulder "back" to improve my swing plane, and it really helped me to swing from the inside more easily. Now, I don't hit the ball nearly as high (almost wish I did at times) and have gone from a fade to a draw. Only thing I have to worry about now is getting too over the top and hooking. The fun never ends. 

[prov1]

shafts can make a difference but how you strike the ball is the main thing. forward leaning shaft will help a lot as well as hitting the ball solidly (not in the heel or thin as this increases spin) . when i have to hit the ball really low as in punching under trees i always play with a closed clubface and hit a fade.

[GavinC]

Its a long expensive process to find the right shaft, lol.  Just ask me I've been through almost every driver known to the retail market this year.  Tried all kinds of shafts some cheap and some expensive.

What I found is that in play is better than fighting ball flight.  Yes we all could use a couple extra yards, but I found out that once you figure out how to hit a ball out of the short grass it becomes fun.  LOL!!!

My advice is to find a good clubfitter in your area and get on a Launch monitor (hopefully one outside) and spend the money to get fitted.  Trust me, get fitted.  It will be a whole lot cheaper and less frustrating.


High kickpoint shafts are lower launching than a low kick point shaft.

Assuming the MP60's have S300's in them?

Yea i am familiar with fitting and what not. Just looking for a quick shaft suggestion from the org.
I can hit the driver straight no problem but the ball flight is just not appealing at all. I get a max of ten yards roll on a dry week.
My mp-60s are X100s and I can smack longer than most players, I just know it is more ideal and playable to have a piercing trajectory.

[GavinC]

An open club face at impact will instantly add height and spin to the shot. Are you over the top with an open clubface? Sounds like you know your swing and what it will do (thus the low single digit cap.)

What you are describing is how my ball flight looked and it was due to what I mentioned above. Of all things, a pro gave me a tip during a driver fitting to keep my rear shoulder "back" to improve my swing plane, and it really helped me to swing from the inside more easily. Now, I don't hit the ball nearly as high (almost wish I did at times) and have gone from a fade to a draw. Only thing I have to worry about now is getting too over the top and hooking. The fun never ends. 

Thanks for the tips.
I do come across the ball when i miss it so its understandable to miss high and right. But on good shots I get a lot of distance and almost too much loft. I hit the ball just as far if not farther than my buddies who play a lower (proper?) ball flight. I don't swing to hard or anything its just a little annoying to be almost useless in a windy day.

I know if i could hit the ball lower and still have a high ball in my bag of tricks I can have more rounds sub par. I guess its just something that will come around.

[mr_divots]

Thanks for the tips.
I do come across the ball when i miss it so its understandable to miss high and right. But on good shots I get a lot of distance and almost too much loft. I hit the ball just as far if not farther than my buddies who play a lower (proper?) ball flight. I don't swing to hard or anything its just a little annoying to be almost useless in a windy day.

I know if i could hit the ball lower and still have a high ball in my bag of tricks I can have more rounds sub par. I guess its just something that will come around.

Well, I've never shot under par, so take it with a grain of salt. 
The "good ones" are probably the same swing path with a squared clubface on those. Direction would would be improved, but trajectory would still be high.

[prov1]

btw, if you want to hit your driver lower and significantly reduce spin the quickest way to do so is to reduce loft. i know this is common sense, but the point i am making is that a shaft can only do so much. if you are happy with your swing and can control its faults you might want to look at something in the 7 or 8 degree loft range and see what happens for you.

[GavinC]

btw, if you want to hit your driver lower and significantly reduce spin the quickest way to do so is to reduce loft. i know this is common sense, but the point i am making is that a shaft can only do so much. if you are happy with your swing and can control its faults you might want to look at something in the 7 or 8 degree loft range and see what happens for you.

Yea i have been thinking about this. Its just hard to find a driver that appeals to my eye and is 7-8*. I play a 905r and a mp 630, both 9.5. Both are awesome at setup so if anyone has something near those sitting around holla.

[jape]

Just my opinion....   I say you are lucky to have the ability to hit the ball high.  I believe it is much easier for a high ball hitter to learn a low trajectory shot vs a golfer with a naturally low ball flight to learn to hit it higher.

If you have X100's in your irons, I don't think there is much else you could try ( equipment-wise ) that would bring down your ball flight.  It might be fun / interesting to hear what your results would be like with a lower lofted driver, but I'd say don't get rid of your current driver if you are hitting it high & straight.  Most golfers try their whole lives to hit the ball higher & straighter with their drivers.

I'd suggest keeping your current set-up & continue to work on / learn a lower shot.

[mr_divots]

Yea i have been thinking about this. Its just hard to find a driver that appeals to my eye and is 7-8*. I play a 905r and a mp 630, both 9.5. Both are awesome at setup so if anyone has something near those sitting around holla.

Years ago, during a lesson, I saw my driver flight lowered by a good 5 degrees simply by making better contact. Same driver. Different swing. At that time, posture and weight transfer were what we worked on. 10.5 degree head at the time (I've since gone to 9.5 and 8.5 heads as my swing improved and my angle of attack changed to an upward one through the impact area.)

If you are right handed, pay attention to that back (right) shoulder. I've seen so many swings that are "out to in" that exhibit that forward right shoulder. It sets up the whole swing plane. If your shoulders are pointing left of where your feet are going thanks to the shoulders being off plane, its a sure fire recipe for over the top and wiping across the ball. Keeping the face open at impact helps to keep it from going left.

I actually struggle to hit a high ball now. 

[GavinC]

Years ago, during a lesson, I saw my driver flight lowered by a good 5 degrees simply by making better contact. Same driver. Different swing. At that time, posture and weight transfer were what we worked on. 10.5 degree head at the time (I've since gone to 9.5 and 8.5 heads as my swing improved and my angle of attack changed to an upward one through the impact area.)

If you are right handed, pay attention to that back (right) shoulder. I've seen so many swings that are "out to in" that exhibit that forward right shoulder. It sets up the whole swing plane. If your shoulders are pointing left of where your feet are going thanks to the shoulders being off plane, its a sure fire recipe for over the top and wiping across the ball. Keeping the face open at impact helps to keep it from going left.

I actually struggle to hit a high ball now. 

Sounds like I need to brush the dust off the ol camcorder.
talking about hitting it straigh (with driver); if i cut it or miss right its due to my shoulders being to far behind my hips. When im in a tourny and I need to get the ball in play I only focus on starting with the hips and getting my shoulders through. It really works and I know i am getting a good impact position due to the length I get from it.

I think if theres a way i could hit it low and get some serious roll I would be set for those times you just wanna rip it.
Idk, my swing is working for now.  Im just always looking for additional weapons to have in the aresenal

[mr_divots]

Sounds like I need to brush the dust off the ol camcorder.
talking about hitting it straigh (with driver); if i cut it or miss right its due to my shoulders being to far behind my hips. When im in a tourny and I need to get the ball in play I only focus on starting with the hips and getting my shoulders through. It really works and I know i am getting a good impact position due to the length I get from it.

I think if theres a way i could hit it low and get some serious roll I would be set for those times you just wanna rip it.
Idk, my swing is working for now.  Im just always looking for additional weapons to have in the aresenal

Your angle of attack and a slightly lower tee height should do that for you. When I want a lower flight with driver, I use a lower tee height and that forces me to flatten out my angle of attack. I've heard the term "covering" the ball to describe this. I think the angle of attack will dictate the shot height. High ball flight usually means a steep angle into the ball.

Yeah, again, I've shot par but nothing better, so take it with a grain of salt. 

[Sillybodkins]

Ok, so I am a low handicap and have a good short game and a good putter. I don't really have a problem but my ball flight has been getting to me.

I hit the ball at least twice as high as my fellow playing partners. I have a sort of steep attack angle to the ball but my iron game is usually on. I also hit the driver a mile high but as long as I am in play i could care less where that thing goes.

What do you guys do to hit the ball lower because I have spent the last couple of rounds trying to get it lower but no success. Also do you recommend a shaft(s) with a high kick? I do play mp-60s so there they should produce a piercing ball flight.

Hitting the ball high is a great asset - just ask jack Nicklaus or Tom Watson.

When you need to flight an iron lower, like into the wind, take more club and a shorter swing.  The 3/4 "punch shot becomes your friend.

It may be that you are a little bit "scoopy" or flippy; the camcorder is your friend there.  If so, there are a few good drills to fix the flip.  "Confessions of a former Flipper" is a good video.

As mentioned above, if you have to lower your tee shot, a lower lofted driver is an experiment.  But, don't ever allow a driver that has been a faithful companion to leave your possession, even if you have to put it in a closet for awhile.  Too many times I have wanted to go back to a special driver; all driver shafts are not created equal, and if you have a combination that works, don't change it or let it go.

[CDBomb]

Stray thoughts:

1.  The problem (and I fight a high ballflight too) is mostly technique, and only secondarily equipment.

2.  I think a great many, though certainly not all, tour pros fight a too-high ballflight.  But they have the advantage of massive talent and superb technique.

3.  DG iron shafts help.  Standard Rifles are terribly high-flyers.  Other shafts are somewhat less high-flyers.  There's a reason that DG is such a massively popular choice on the tours.  Pros like that trajectory.

4.  (As an aside, Phil Mickelson gets a lot of grief from the cognoscenti over his very-strong lofts; people accuse him of being ego-driven on distance.  But I frankly think it is because of his club and shaft choices, which would produce a very high ballflight if he didn't have strong lofts to bring the flight down.  Now, Phil plays with Callaway X-protos.  I don't know if his lofts might be just a little less strong with those clubheads.  I am guessing that that might be the case.)

5.  Driver is quite another matter.  There is a reason for all of those open clubfaces on tour drivers.  It is to help them control flight and trajectory.  If you have a retail/shut-face driver, you might want to consider a change.

6.  I've not found that all Mizunos, even the traditional blades, are low-flight clubs.  Mizuno has traditionally had some highish lofts in their designs.  A lot of Mizunos had a very high ballflight, in my experience, that I mostly attributed to loft specs.  Although I still think that the all-time unofficial low-ball flight champion iron set was the old Mizuno T-Zoid Pro II's.  

[GavinC]

Yea. Ive come to the decision that it is the swing. Just like any other shot its one I will have to learn and pull out when ready.

[Pavespawn]

I actually have had the opposite problem.  Really low ball flight.  The local pro watched me and told me I was holding on too long (the opposite of flipping the club).  I was delofting the driver so much that it would only get about 40 feet in the air tops but it would roll for days.  Great if I was playing in Scotland I guess.  With that maybe you should be getting your hands out in front more?  Probably too obvious for a single digit capper though.