Hitting down on the ball

Danny dyers double

Iv been playing for the best part of a year now but only last night was I told that when striking the ball I should be hitting down into it .

I'm sure I'm not the only one to do or have taught that you sweep the ball with your strike . Now I'm a lot more solid hitting a ball then I was a year ago but I still get the odd top shot or my bad shot is coming in too early and taking more of the ground then the ball .

As I said I was only told last night what I was doing wrong and have been on you tube watching videos on how to hit down on the ball . A lot of pros suggest moving the ball back towards your right foot . I'm itching to get out an practice this .

Was just wondering has anyone else been in my position and did you find it took a long time to adapt to this .

And any tips would be more then welcome . Cheers lads

Ilik Urgee

It's the downward motion that creates backspin which gives the ball lift. Was the same as you though OP, thought the same for my first 2 years playing golf.:o

Gets harder the longer the iron through to the woods imo.
Shorter irons/wedges I find easier to hit down on.

Danny dyers double

Ilik Urgee wrote: »

It's the downward motion that creates backspin which gives the ball lift. Was the same as you though OP, thought the same for my first 2 years playing golf.:o

Gets harder the longer the iron through to the woods imo.
Shorter irons/wedges I find easier to hit down on.

its strange because I was practicing on a chipping green last Friday and was doing it but didn't realize what I was doing if that makes sense . I was getting up and down well but was not practicing it too long so I didn't trust if during my round yesterday .

I hope this is a real breakthrough for me because I honestly felt like jacking it in walking off the 18th yesterday .

ForeRight

Definitely play the ball further back in your stance with wedges and high loft clubs but id be inclined to move the ball back towards the centre of my stance as the loft of the club gets less and less.

I'd never be hitting a 4iron or hybrid etc back in my stance. I just war to nip them off the fairway with only a minimal divot.

Benny Cake

More important that playing the ball of your back foot is setting up with your hands ahead of the ball. At address, you should be creating the impact position. Setting up with your hands ahead of the ball should encourage you to strike down on the ball....

Ilik Urgee

Danny dyers double wrote: »

I hope this is a real breakthrough for me because I honestly felt like jacking it in walking off the 18th yesterday .

That's never gonna happen:D

Almaviva

Hitting down on the ball is the core of this good (though not perfect - he does over do hitting down on the ball as the be all and end all of a good swing) book by Bobby Clampet (briefly a wunderkind about 30 years ago).

Well worth a read though if scooping or lifting is your problem:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Impact-Zone-Like-Pros/dp/0312354819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365363444&sr=8-1&keywords=the+impact+zone

DeanAustin

Ilik Urgee wrote: »

That's never gonna happen:D

The breakthrough or giving up the game?

PARlance

DeanAustin wrote: »

The breakthrough or giving up the game?

In my case, both

Ilik Urgee

DeanAustin wrote: »

The breakthrough or giving up the game?

Giving up the game!