
What is trapping in golf and how does it work?
Trapping your iron shots isn't actually all that complicated – it comes down to getting your hands and body slightly past the ball at impact. When you do that, you will hit down and the ball will be trapped into the ground before it launches off into the air.
What does it mean to trap the ball?
Please try again later. Trapping or pinching the ball basically means hitting down on the ball with a forward leaning shaft. This allows you to get maximum distance and spin by catching the ball clean, compressing it and pinching the ball between the club head and the ground.
How do you trap the ball against the turf?
Set a trap. Here's what we mean: Pure contact with the irons requires a downward clubhead path that “traps” the ball against the turf. The ball is compressed between ground and clubface, maximizing velocity and spin and producing a penetrating trajectory. Watch the pros on TV.
How to trap a golf ball with an iron shot?
This is the 'golden rule' when it comes to trapping the golf ball with your iron shots. At impact, your hands need to be closer to the target than the club head. In other words, your hands need to be to the left of the ball as you are looking down from above.

Is trapping the golf ball good?
0:421:15What Does Trapping the Golf Ball Mean? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo trapping the ball is very important if you do things correctly. And you do hit down on the ball.MoreSo trapping the ball is very important if you do things correctly. And you do hit down on the ball.
How do you trap a golf ball with irons?
0:152:59Golf Tip of the Week: Properly Trapping the Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo take it back start your lower body. And go ahead for see what what I see is there you go I see aMoreSo take it back start your lower body. And go ahead for see what what I see is there you go I see a lot of the right shoulder. Going down. Okay. And the center staying back right.
How do you trap a golfer?
0:392:37How to Trap the Golf Ball for Insane Compression - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou want to keep your shirt buttons pointing down at the ball you want to cover the golf ball withMoreYou want to keep your shirt buttons pointing down at the ball you want to cover the golf ball with your chest that's the feeling at least. So you're keeping your inclination to the ground.
Do you compress the ball with a driver?
0:4714:17Week#13 Compress the Driver for more Distance!! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDrop your arms drop your elbow into your right side seal your elbow. Head behind the ball andMoreDrop your arms drop your elbow into your right side seal your elbow. Head behind the ball and release through the ball okay. Now. So here we go so the driver is the biggest club in your bag.
How do you tell if you are compressing the ball?
3:558:41How To Compress All Your Golf Shots | Point The Ball! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTaken this ball and got it lower to the ground typically that ball is going to be pointing out toMoreTaken this ball and got it lower to the ground typically that ball is going to be pointing out to the right somewhere.
Should you choke down on golf clubs?
Choking down lightens the club's swing weight and effectively makes the shaft stiffer.” Sadly, Anthony Kim has seemingly left the game forever but Trevino is right about how gripping down affects the club. Choking up does change the weight and makes the club shorter and slightly stiffer.
Why do I smother the golf ball?
The upper body obstructs or interferes with the club's path to the ball. The most common reason players get stuck is, they don't keep the arms and club in front of the chest as they turn back and through. When the club trails the upper body on the way down, the hands have to flip the clubhead over to recover.
How do you hit a trap cut?
2:407:49HOW TO CONSISTENTLY HIT THE TRAP CHIP SHOT - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause of a little bit of weight is on the front foot the right hand will naturally be on top ofMoreBecause of a little bit of weight is on the front foot the right hand will naturally be on top of the golf cup a little bit more therefore.
How do you not scoop a golf ball?
0:562:53Stop Scooping The Golf Ball! Really Simple Knocking The Nail In DrillYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou know say three four inches down past the rubber onto the metal take hold of the club. Take it toMoreYou know say three four inches down past the rubber onto the metal take hold of the club. Take it to the top of my backswing.
Why do pro golfers Deloft their irons?
De-lofting is also often known as compressing the ball and it really helps the ball act as it is designed to. By compressing the ball properly at impact, you actually help it get into the air by letting the grooves in your irons work their magic and launch the ball.
Does compressing the golf ball add distance?
Some interesting points about compression or spin loft: Hitting down will not increase your compression of the golf ball or the spin on the shot. Invariably this only leads to a shot where the face angle and the clubhead direction both move downward - there is no change in spin or increase in distance.
Do pros hit down with driver?
TrackMan launch monitor data indicates that PGA Tour pros typically have a negative angle of attack (AoA) on the ball of about -1.3 degrees. With so many PGA Tour pros in that measurement, it's basically that some pros hit up and some hit down, within a range. McIlroy hits up with driver anywhere from 1-3 degrees.
What is the best way to trap a golf ball?
Hands in front of the ball. This is the 'golden rule' when it comes to trapping the golf ball with your iron shots. At impact, your hands need to be closer to the target than the club head. In other words, your hands need to be to the left of the ball as you are looking down from above.
What happens when you hit down on a golf ball?
When you hit down on the ball, you avoid the risk of catching some of the grass (or the ground) on the way into impact. That means that the club face can stay square to the target line, you can maintain all of your club head speed, and everything that you have built up in the swing can be passed on to the ball.
How to predict how far the ball is going to travel?
In order to predict how far the ball is going to travel, which is imperative if you are going to get the ball close to the hole regularly, you need to consistently produce the same trajectory time after time. That task will become easier if you commit yourself to hitting down and trapping your irons on each shot.
What is the path of contact with the irons?
Here's what we mean: Pure contact with the irons requires a downward clubhead path that “trap s” the ball against the turf. The ball is compressed between ground and clubface, maximizing velocity and spin and producing a penetrating trajectory. Watch the pros on TV. Better yet, listen closely when they play iron shots.
How far can you hit a long iron?
As a rule of thumb, if you usually hit your driver less than 240-250 yards , you likely don't have the swing speed needed to trap the long irons. Most of the time, it is only players who can drive the ball in the 260-280 range (and beyond) that are able to smash their long irons successfully.
How does balance help you in golf?
Not only will working on your balance help you to trap your iron shots, but it will also help you to perform better in a number of different ways throughout a given round. Swing through to the finish. Even a good golf swing can be ruined by a lack of confidence and conviction at the bottom.
Do amateur golfers trap the ball?
Low-handicap amateurs usually trap the ball, too, if not quite as consistently as the pros. The rest of us tend to sweep the ball off the grass, which diminishes velocity and backspin. Then there's the opposite of trapping – hitting the ball on the upswing, often in an attempt to lift it off the ground.
How does hitting down on the ball work?
Why it works. Hitting down on the ball – or trapping the ball – is a key concept of a successful iron or wedge golf shot. By training your eyes forward you are in effect moving your swing arc forward. This results in the bottom of the swing arc occurring past the moment of impact – not before – and in the process a successful trapping ...
What is the front half of the golf ball?
The front of the ball here refers to the half that is facing the target, or the half that is furthest away from your clubface.
Why is it important to focus on a specific area of the ball?
Another benefit to focusing on a specific area of the ball is that it promotes staying down on the swing through impact. This is in contrast to seeing your upper body start to rise as you approach the moment of impact, a process also known as standing up.
What is the swing key in golf?
More importantly, by leading your eyes towards the front half of the ball, this swing key promotes hitting down on that ball, or in other words, striking the ball first before the club penetrates the ground and creates a divot.
What happens when you play golf in wet conditions?
That means golf balls, which generate thousands of RPMs of spin on each shot, and pierce the ground when the land and become an embedded ball in the ground.
Where can you take relief from an embedded ball?
Prior to the current edition of the Rules of Golf that first went into effect in 2019, golfers were only able to take relief from an embedded ball in closely-mowed areas of the course, meaning fairways and the surrounds of greens.
What is embedded ball rule?
What is the embedded ball rule? Under the embedded ball rule, which is Rule 16.3 of the Rules of Golf, golfers are entitled to free relief from a situation in which their ball becomes embedded in the general area (also known as "through the green"), which includes everywhere on the course that's not teeing ground, putting surfaces, ...
Can you get free relief from an embedded golf ball?
However, that is no longer true, and an embedded ball in pretty much any kind of grass (outside of a penalty area or hazard) entitles a golfer to free relief.