"I hit the ball too high..."

[mr_divots]

What criteria are people using??

It seems there is always the underlying theme of people hitting the ball "too high" in so many posts. It's a little baffling to me, because I think if you follow all the supposed "experts" in the mags and on TGC, etc, they'll tell you carry yardage is where it's at. If you like to look at things from a scientific perspective, or even just a common sense, logical approach, it's hard to refute the fact that air has less friction than dirt, grass, sand, etc.

So in all seriousness, I ask: What criteria are you using to determine that you are hitting the ball "too high?"
Launch monitors? Is there a big tree on your home course you use to measure your ballflight? Are you comparing your ballflight to that of other people or your playing partners?

I know there are a few young guys on here that undoubtedly have big time swing speeds. But, that is the minority of players. What is your method of determining "too high?"

[bbbrisco]

What criteria are you using to determine that you are hitting the ball "too high?"

 

In my case, it's not based on any scientific measurement. It's a judgement call, based on the fact that I hit the ball higher than pretty much anyone I play with. I'd like to keep it down. With my current flight, wind poses a huge problem, and I think I have to allow for more windage than your average player.

 

My distance is fine - I'd even be open to losing some distance with all clubs other than my driver. (Pet peeve: people who buy irons because they are 'longer' - I want a smooth distance progression from my LW to whatever my longest non-driver is, I don't care what's on the sole). According to the launch mornitor, my 6-iron SS is 89-90 mph and I carry it 175-180 depending on specific 6-iron (currently Bridgestone combos). I don't remember the launch angle for the iron (was more concerned about that piece of data on the driver).

 

I'd be happy to see my 6-iron distance go down to 170 if it meant getting a lower flight.

 

One nice side effect of my current trajectory is that balls generally don't go far once they land (unless my draw turns into a sweeping hook). They just plug in a little crater or back up a few feet. I even backed up a 230 yard 7-wood last week. I never seem to get the Greg Normal-style 18' suck back tho.

[taylormadefan]

:) :crazy:

 

My thoughts exactly Mr. Divots. I was raised in the school of thought that you CAN'T hit the ball too high as long as you:

1. Don't balloon the ball

2. Don't lose distance control

3. Don't lose the ability to knock down a shot if neccessary.

 

What's the bad side of a high ball flight? 3 Irons that stop dead where they land? Increased carry?

 

If a ball stops dead where it lands, then you've eliminated one variable towards distance control.

 

There are a lot of people out there who would benefit from hitting the ball a lot higher.

[abc123tyler]

I determine whether I am hitting it too high very easily... considering that my home course (where I play a LOT) there are consistently 2 or 3 club winds for most of the day. I can look at the ball flight and if it climbs up sharply to the end of its flight and then falls out of the sky, that is no good.

 

I like to have my driver on a "penetrating" flat trajectory that is still mid height so I get a good amount of carry and still let it roll out a bit. I can also play the shot a bit differently for a lower drive and can also air it out for more carry/less roll by finishing real high.

 

I would say my swing speed is anywhere between 105-110 (I havent checked in a while), I generally get around 265 carry on a well struck drive with anywhere up to 30 yards of roll when I get a good break.

[augiep38]

For my driver I like to hit it high enough to maximize my carry. I used to be of the school of thought that I liked to get a lot of rol from my drives. Then I started seeing a lot of distance loss from plugged balls in wet fairways so I like to maximize carry now so that I know what my average drive will do. if I get lucky and have a decent roll on a hard fairway, that is now gravy - at least I know what hazards I can carry.

 

I was just telling my playing partner last week that I didn't understand all of the fuss most amateurs make over "too high" a ball flight. Most of them that I have seen don't know what a high flight is based on my experience seeing pros in person at tournaments.

 

Todd

[Leftygolfin]

Ok, Im one of those guys that complains about hitting the ball to high sometimes. I love the high ball flight I have when there is no wind but living in Oklahoma that is not very often. I judge my ball flight by comparison to my playing partners . I would not call it balloning but just very high. My 7 irons is nearly twice as high as anyone else that I play with. My golf pro even says he wish he could hit it like that but I would love to be able to hit the lower ball flight he has at times. I feel like the high ball flight does maximize distance for me. I am a fairly long hitter but do not pride myself on that. My 7 iron is a 185 club but if I am hitting into a 20 mph wind it more of a 125 club as it does begin to ballon and just keep climbing. I am working really hard to learn to hit a good knockdown shot and am starting to have a little success. I agree that most would benifeit from a higher ball flight but the Oklahoma winds can cause you problems.

[msupl]

I used to think that my ball flight with my irons was "too high". Then I made myself learn how to hit knockdown shots to keep the ball under the wind when it was necessary. It's helped my game tremendously.

[hardten]

I agree with a lot of what has been posted already.The driver is my main concern,because we are looking for distance.Number one would be ballooning into wind.Number two would be if I am losing distance compared to other drivers I have played.I play at a club and have played with a lot of these guys 15 -20 years.When I went to a 10.5* from 9.5* I started to lose distance to these guys.I had a R5 10.5 with NV65 and started to experience this loss at the end of last year.I dumped that for a 10.5* Exotic because a trade deal came up.The stock Fuji HL stiff ballooned.The Mugan just didn,t feel right.I have only hit the new shaft(ys 7+) at the range last night.The trajectory was difinitely better.I experinced the saME PROBLEM INTO WIND WITH MY mx23s.Dumped them for Xtours.Still hit them high but with a more piercing traj.Bottom line is to me if you lose distance in driver and control in irons its too high.Of course ones swing has a ton to do with this too.

[xjustice09x]

The only time I think it is too high is if the ball balloons on me, and drops out of the sky at 200 yards or maybe even less. Otherwise I get the most carry distance from drives that are pretty high. When I catch a good one on the sweet spot it goes high and carries about 280.

[300_yard_drives]

I hit it too high, because my launch angle is 20* with a 9.5* driver and I can hit a 2 iron higher than 99* of the people can hit their hybrids. That is why i like long irons instead of hybrids, which penalizes me with losing forgiveness

[binneguru]

I wouldn't say I hit the ball too high. I have been on a launch monitor and while i didn't check the specs an ignite 410 8.5* and a Grafalloy Blue X-flex gave me what he said was my perfect launch. I looked at the monitor and i was shown where most people hit the ball and mine was way up and to the right because of my clubhead speed which nets me right around 103mph w/ a 5-iron and 115-120 w/ a driver depending on the day and what is measuring it. The longest drive things at the golf shows show me at a 305-315 w/ a cobra driver that I hate the feel of :)

 

My height with my irons of course is ridiculous. I played King Cobra Oversize 2 irons since I started playing golf about 8 years ago and I managed to keep these down due to the strong lofts with a 44* pitching wedge but it got ridiculous when I could use a precept EV extra spin and still hit my PW 150 w/ my 9 being about 165. I was playing X-100s in these.

 

I just purchased some x-16 pro series w/ rifle 6.5 and I will see how these are on the course. I hit them a little higher.

 

When I hit mile high irons probably twice as high as my dad on every club then I know i am hitting it too high. There isn't anything I can do about it except hit knock down shots which aren't a problem for me.

 

Maybe forged blades would keep the ball down but as a 6 or so handicap I wouldnt dream that I am good enough to play them.

[300_yard_drives]

i have mp33's and i launch the 5 iron like a normal persons pitching wedge. its redicuous and it buggs me.

[Nille]

Many of the people I play with can hit the ball further, but none of them higher. Thats how I determined my ball flight is too high. The clubs I use (apart from 3wood and hybrid) are part of the reason, the other is my swing. (no, I am not hitting a slice)

 

Best wishes.

[phillypete]

I thought I hit my driver too high and then I watched a pro event in person and realized I probably didn't hit the ball high enough.

 

I laugh everytime I hear someone looking for a "more penetrating" ball flight from their irons. I can picture this guy on the range... "yeah, I hit my 7 iron 190-210... ya know depending on the roll... IDIOT

[VTHOKIES]

I try to hit the ball as high as I can with controlled distance. If I am into a heavy wind then I take a little more club and swing easy with a 3/4 swing. I don't care how high I hit it as long as my distance controls is accurate between clubs. The higher the better.

 

I have two drivers, FT-3 Tour 9.5* with a NV 65g stiff and an FT-3 9.5* with a V2 shaft and the ball flight on the V2 is a good 20 feet higher than the NV. I probably carry the V2 10-15 yards further which to me equates in longer drives on soft fairways and about equal drives on firm fairways. I could care less about a lot of roll and to be frank I do not mind if drives plub where they hit. The V2 also has a nice boring trajectory.

 

As long as your spin numbers are good who cares how high you hit it.

[golfernut78]

my "ball flight is to high" is based on launch monitor numbers for the driver and a fitting for new shafts in my irons. i also want a lower ball flight, not for more distance or roll, but to help with the winds of north texas.

 

i did learn in a fitting that my high ball flight was a result of the clubhead ahead of my hands, which is a big problem. its brought my ball flight down some, but most importantly i am able to get more ball speed on the ball so its less effected by the wind. i do like the ability to hit the high ball (down wind, days its not windy, small greens, or firm greens) but also like the ability to hit it low. i work more now on the mechanics so that it is another shot i have in my bag rather than fitting my equipment to it.

[Nille]

In addition to my previous post:

At my homecourse I have the ball about 10 cm in front of the pitching mark on the fairway. (admittedly, the course does tend to have quite wet fairways).

 

I carry the ball 230 meters, but alot higher than the guys carrying it 250.

[binneguru]

I would also welcome anyone's opinion regarding my ball flight I live in cincinnati and i freqeuntly practice at Miami Whitewater golf course.