How to hit the ball low

[msupl]

Can somebody please tell me keep the ball under the wind? I'm a very high ball hitter and like my ball flight but I would like to know how to hit a low shot too.

[acrazygolfer]

I was taught to play the ball back toward the right foot (rt. hand golfer) and use a flatter back swing. On the down swing, hit the ball with the hands in the forward position and don't turn the hands over preventing the from from rising. I'm still learning how to execute the shot.

Butch Harmon learned the swing from the Ben Hogan and he taught Tiger to hit the "stinger." According to Golf Digest, it took Tiger 2 years to hit the "stinger." Here is the article in the Jan. 2002 issue.

Golf is difficult enough when playing conditions are benign. Toss in a little wind, and shots of any distance can become problematic. Personally, I like tough conditions, because they separate shotmakers from the rest of the field, and they allow me to use my creativity.

I developed my low ball to give me an edge during the type of conditions prevalent early in the golf season and on windy, ocean-side courses. I believe that's why my record in the Mercedes Championships and at Pebble Beach is pretty good. I can hit my 2-iron stinger on holes like Nos. 3 and 11 at Pebble and little punch shots into some of the greens that are exposed to the wind.

This shot begins with a single thought: Keep it down and under control. I set up with the ball slightly back of middle in my stance (right). From there it's just a matter of executing the proper swing. For more on how I do that, open the foldout.

I fatten my swing

Positioning the ball back in my stance does two things: (1) It gets my hands a little ahead of the ball, delofting the club, and (2) it helps me get "on top" of the ball with my upper body during the through-swing (small photo).

Another key to hitting the ball low is to flatten my swing. A flatter swing decreases the angle of attack and the amount of backspin I put on the ball, both of which help me keep it down. I also usually select one more club--5-iron, say, instead of 6-iron--and swing easier, again to reduce backspin.

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Through impact, I try to feel as if the emblem on my glove goes toward the target a little longer, actually leading the clubhead in that direction. Mind you, this is just a feeling, but it helps me execute the shot.

Flattening my backswing also shortens it a little, just as using one more club and swinging easier produces a naturally abbreviated follow-through (large photo). I cut my follow-through off a little later than some players, but we're all trying to do the same thing: keep the ball under the wind and improve our accuracy and distance control.

COPYRIGHT 2002 New York Times Company Magazine Group, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

Edited December 24, 2005 by acrazygolfer

[sfgolfer]

Hard to argue with that.

To knock it down (i.e., play in the Bay Area in the winter), I:

1) take one extra club

2) put the ball in the middle/back of my stance

3) swing in control and try not to let my hands go above my waist on the follow through

[sdnick]

Can somebody please tell me keep the ball under the wind? I'm a very high ball hitter and like my ball flight but I would like to know how to hit a low shot too.

Try practicing a drill called "Right hand off at impact." Here it is:

1. Take normal grip, stance and ball position.

2. Swing back to shoulder height

3. Initiate down swing, maintaining grip pressure in your PINKIE, RING, and MIDDLE

finger of your left hand. (the club should feel as though it is dropping towards the

ball as opposed to being forced at the ball. Your right hand should be on the club,

but only for a ride to just before impact.

Now for the tricky part!

4. As you bring the club to impact, let your right hand come off the club.(this is one of the weirdest

feelings, as everyone is taught to hold on through impact to the finish.)

The tendency for most people is to flip the club through impact, creating more loft as well as opening

the club face(i.e. high , left to right) .

5. In order to contact the ball squarely, your left forearm and hand must be in front of the ball, pulling

and ROTATING the clubface through the impact zone.( I get a distinct feeling of my left forearm

moving faster than my right.)

6. The natural tendency is for your left arm to want to travel down the intended target line and

straighten out towards the target, pulling your left arm away from your body. THAT IS DEATH WITH

THIS DRILL! Try to keep your left upper arm very close to your body, while simply letting your left

forearm rotate towards the target.

If done correctly, the club should be perpindicular to the ground, your left forearm parallel to the ground

and the angle from your elbow to your shoulder approx. 30-40 degrees. (the degree part is not technical

rather something to check your position is correct.)

I would recommend starting with a short iron at fifty percent speed. This drill is designed to get you to

the proper position at impact, as well as the feeling of the left side controlling distance, and direction.

Only by proper position at impact can you manipulate the flight of your golf ball. This drill may take a

while to get used to, but don't worry, the pro who taught me this drill says that even some of the tour

players he has worked with had trouble doing it! I can say from my own experience with this drill over

the last year or so that it has made a major improvement in my ball striking, as well as my confidence.

Good luck!

P.S. - Try chipping with this drill also. You will be surprised how much backspin you can acheive!

Not to mention this is the quickest way to learn the one hop and stop shot!

[kelee]

Can somebody please tell me keep the ball under the wind? I'm a very high ball hitter and like my ball flight but I would like to know how to hit a low shot too.

Simply, hit more down on the ball.

[acrazygolfer]

I found another article, which is more illustrative.

Short Shots - short irons and wedges: set the ball 3 inches farther back in the stance, hands pressed slightly ahead and weight favoring the front foot. Swing the arms back to about chest high then swing down with the hand slightly forward at impact. The follow through should also be abbreviated.

Long Shots - longer clubs such as fairwy woods and hybrids: normal ball placement. On the down swing, keep the right palm facing down causing the wrist to remain cocked and hoods the clubface. To prevent the ball from hooking too far left, keep the hands ahead of the clubhead through the hitting zone and remember to rotate the right shoulder toward the target.

With both shots, swing easy and no more than 70% effort and to take one, two or three extra club.

[shoe295]

I found another article, which is more illustrative.

Short Shots - short irons and wedges: set the ball 3 inches farther back in the stance, hands pressed slightly ahead and weight favoring the front foot. Swing the arms back to about chest high then swing down with the hand slightly forward at impact. The follow through should also be abbreviated.

Long Shots - longer clubs such as fairwy woods and hybrids: normal ball placement. On the down swing, keep the right palm facing down causing the wrist to remain cocked and hoods the clubface. To prevent the ball from hooking too far left, keep the hands ahead of the clubhead through the hitting zone and remember to rotate the right shoulder toward the target.

With both shots, swing easy and no more than 70% effort and to take one, two or three extra club.

That's one of the better descriptions I've read on how to do this. Having done it all my golfing life I find it hard to impart what it is exactly that I do to achieve this kind of shot and the above is a well worded how to piece. The keys are hands first through the hitting area and keep the swing easy and short. As soon as you try to hit one of these hard, in the learning stage, you're doomed to watching the ball baloon into the wind. Best practice I've found is to pick a target at about 140yds and hit 7-3 irons to that distance. Really helps get a feel for the swing and an idea of how far it'll travel. Luck and happy low balling.

[gus]

Take a lesson...

[Buffalo]

Hey I think you all are right...here are a couple of ideas to help initiate those suggestions:

What is he purpose of keeping the hands further ahead at impact? ..answer, to deloft the club you are hitting...

An easier, simpler way is to just take a less lofted club, choke it a little, and thus the easier swing will also help to keep the shot down...swing easy...

Also, someone said swinging on a shorter, flatter plane helps. This is true. The easiest and less manipulative way to do that is to take a wider stance. This will flatten your swing and thus flatten the trajectory.

You can experiment on moving further away from the ball...some will find that helps, others may find that creates some accuracy problems.