what do my shots stay low?

[rubber314chicken]

What causes a shot to not get enough loft? Almost every shot I make, the ball stays about 10-20 feet off the ground. why is that?

[Rockford35]

Not enough loft.

Flat swing.

Ball too far back in your stance.

Shafts are too stiff.


Could be a variety of things. Is this all your shots? Or just your driver?

R35

[rubber314chicken]

all of them. every time I play, almost every shot is 10 feet off the ground, unless I'm pitching. I keep the ball centered or 2 balls legnths forward, so I don't think its too far back, and its not the loft or the flex, because I have hit a fair number at a normal height, but I have no clue what I did that made them so good.

but what is a flat swing plane?

[Rockford35]

You're not descending on the ball to impart any backspin.

Try bringing the ball up to equal the inside of your left arch of your foot. This will catch the ball more on the upswing with the woods.

Then, for irons, move it back about 2 balls from there and try to "trap" the ball between the club and the ground. You won't actually trap the ball, but it gives you the mental picture of the correct descend.

Don't expect instantaneous fixes with this, but it will help if you give it a chance. You'll slowly start to mentally picture what you need to do.

Check out the ends of these videos to see what I mean. Notice how the club is coming down on the ball and continues down to take the divot out even after the ball is gone off the face:








And this is what you DON'T want to do.



R35

[Eracer]

What do the divots look like when you hit a 7-iron?

[rubber314chicken]

Originally Posted by Eracer

What do the divots look like when you hit a 7-iron?

I either top the ball an miss hit, or I take out a 4 to 6 inch long divot

[DaGris]

Originally Posted by rubber314chicken

I either top the ball an miss hit, or I take out a 4 to 6 inch long divot

topping it or catching it fat....two completely different things.

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by DaGris

topping it or catching it fat....two completely different things.

Not necessarily. Both can be caused by an over the top move, or by flipping the club at impact.

All strikes of the ball should be with a firm, slightly bowed outward left wrist (for right-handers) and a descending blow to impart backspin.

When Rockford said

Not enough loft.

, he was talking about himself, and he really meant he had L.O.F.T. syndrome

[rubber314chicken]

well, I just got back from the range, I hit about 150 balls, and I put the ball more forward, and they were almost all really good shots. I think I've got the problem solved, and the distances were about 10 yards apart per club, which is good. I also got the driver to 190, I hit 170 consistantly last time.

[5iron]

Don't feel bad man, i topped my driver twice yesterday and then just stopped using it. I dont hit my driver high on the course man. I Hope you get the ball flight you want.

[rubber314chicken]

Originally Posted by 5iron

Don't feel bad man, i topped my driver twice yesterday and then just stopped using it. I dont hit my driver high on the course man. I Hope you get the ball flight you want.

yea, its at a normal height now, I've just gotta work on the distance and keeping the shots consistent.

[dave.]

I've played for a long time, and yesterday I playd 9, and topped a drive, then topped a 5 iron straight after. Its donkeys years since I topped a ball. I got quick with my hips and came out of the shots, swing rythym basically totally collapsed through a total lack of concentration (none of us were playing well and we weren't enjoying the round). It can happen to anyone

[JasonMacIsaac]

Yesterday I hit a shank on a par 5, basicly worked as a layup.

[atom]

swing with the arc

upswing - club face gradually opens

downswing - club face gradually goes back

at the ball - club face squared (and only at this point, another 1 inch or so after hitting still square still ok, in fact better.)

finishing move - club face closes gradually.

swing with the arc

OR

your club head did not lag, you hit the center here ---> O

[charnockpro]

It would be good to see either pics or videos to get to the root of the problem, i would guess that even though you have moved the ball forward you maybe hit a few straight pulls, and from your descriptions i would hazard a guess that you are coming into impact shut and that is where the gouging divots come from, and when you get a bit tense and dont release thats where the top comes from, to the toppers and shankers dont worry the pre-emptive world number 2 Ian Poulter managed a couple of shanks saturday at the masters!!