As simple as it sounds, hitting down on the golf ball means that the force applied during the initial touch of the club on the ball is in a downward direction. This is done by impacting the ball when the club is on its way down from the topmost position. The clubface should contact the ball first before hitting the ground.
Full Answer
Why does my golf club hit the ball to the right?
Ball Position: The ball might be too far back in your stance. This causes you to make contact when the club is still swinging to right field. Backswing: You might be too far inside on the backswing, pulling the club away from the target line. The club should track a gentle arc on the way back, not a rapid arc to the inside of the target line.
Does hitting down on the ball make it go up?
We have all heard that golf is a game of opposites – and this is true in many respects. However, it is a myth that hitting down on the ball causes the ball to go up. The angle of attack(whether the club is moving up, down or level with the ground at impact) has very little to do with the launchof the ball.
How to hit a golf ball further?
Once you increase your clubhead speed and ball speed, the final tip to hit the ball further is perfecting the spin rate and launch angle for each club. Controlling your golf ball’s trajectory and accuracy can add yards to your swing and leave shorter approach shots into the green.
What is it called when you hit the ball right?
Right-Hander Hitting It Right But On a Straight Line is Hitting a Push. A right-handed golfer hitting the ball to the right of the target but on a straight line is hitting a push shot. Your divot, if there is one, will point right of your target line.
Why does my golf ball go straight down?
In order to hit the ball straight, the club face needs to impact the ball at square every time. Failure to hit the ball with a square club face results in side spin on the ball, which in turns causes you to hit either a fade, a slice or a hook.
Why do I keep hitting the floor in golf?
Stance too wide If you stance is significantly wider, it can often cause your hips to move too much side to side and your hip seeks being over each foot. As your hips move too much side to side, this can often cause the club to hit the ground before the ball if you do not recenter yourself exactly the same amount.
Why am I hitting the ball into the ground?
Specifically, players who hit ground balls are leaving too much weight on their right foot as they come down into the ball. When your weight gets stuck on your foot in the downswing, the club will bottom out before the ball – meaning it will be on the way back up when it actually arrives at impact.
Why does my golf drive go straight then right?
Why does it start fairly straight and then curve? Because once you first hit the golf ball, it will start in the direction your golf club is moving. And as the golf ball is moving very fast through the air … it will continue to move in that direction.
How do I stop my golf club from grounding?
2:175:12HOW TO STOP HITTING THE GROUND BEFORE THE GOLF BALLYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThat tee peg is obviously something three to four inches in front of the ball. So it's quickly goMoreThat tee peg is obviously something three to four inches in front of the ball. So it's quickly go foot again from the top I'm gonna feel up my belt buckle on my sternum worked in front of the ball.
How do I stop driving the golf ball into the ground?
0:281:52Topping your Driver? What are the Main Causes? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo for that you want to make sure that of course you stay bent down keep your chest. Low. Turn yourMoreSo for that you want to make sure that of course you stay bent down keep your chest. Low. Turn your right cheek towards the ground if you're a right-hander.
Why am I grounding my driver?
Hitting the ground first is because your angle of approach (angle at which the club is striking the golf ball) is too shallow. To put it in another understandable way, you are trying to hit the ball with an upwards motion.
Why am I hitting the ground first with my irons?
Generally speaking, a thin or fat shot is caused by having your swing center too far behind the ball at impact. This error causes your club to bottom out too far behind the ball and will cause you to hit the ground first (a fat shot) or hit the top of the ball (a thin shot).
Why can't I get my irons in the air?
Clubs are designed to get the ball in the air. In order for a golf ball to get airborne, the club head must contact the ball at the low point of the downswing. The ball gets trapped between the club-face and the ground. The ball then spins up the face of the club, and the loft determines just how high the ball goes.
How do I stop my golf drive going right?
10 ways golfers can stop missing their drives to the rightA good grip. ... A full turn. ... *Feel* like your arms outrace club. ... Keep your underarms close. ... Fold your lead arm on your release. ... Drop your back foot behind you. ... Relax your hands and arms. ... Tilt your shoulders away from the target.More items...•
How do you fix a straight draw?
0:010:49Driving: Straighten Out an Unwanted Draw | Fix Finder #11 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen the ball gets too far forward your shoulders start aiming this way your hands are underneath.MoreWhen the ball gets too far forward your shoulders start aiming this way your hands are underneath.
How do I fix my straight fade?
0:371:35Driving: How to Straighten Out a Slight Fade | Fix Finder #7 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt out use your steering wheel and guide that ball right down the middle of the fairway.MoreIt out use your steering wheel and guide that ball right down the middle of the fairway.
What does it mean when a golfer hits the ball to the right of the target but on a straight line
A right-handed golfer hitting the ball to the right of the target but on a straight line is hitting a push shot. Your divot, if there is one, will point right of your target line.
What causes a golfer to make contact with the ball?
Ball Position: The ball might be too far back in your stance. This causes you to make contact when the club is still swinging to right field. Backswing: You might be too far inside on the backswing, pulling the club away from the target line.
What is the difference between a right handed golfer and a left handed golfer?
If you are a right-handed golfer you are pushing the shot or pushing the ball. If you are a left-hander, you are pulling the shot or pulling the ball . Below, golf instructor Roger Gunn gives us a checklist of possible causes for these types of mishits, but the faults and fixes differ depending on the golfer's handedness.
Where should the golf club be on the downswing?
The club should be over your shoulder at the top, not over your head. Downswing: Your arms are likely pushing away from your body at the transition. Keep your arms in so that they pass close to the left pants pocket on the approach. Make sure your head doesn't move toward the target until after impact.
Is it a good sign to point right after a tee shot?
It's not usually a good sign when a golfer is pointing right after a tee shot, as Vijay Singh does here. Robert Laberge/Getty Images. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism.
What happens when you hit the golf ball way up with a driver?
Of the many problems that can afflict novice golfers, one of the worst is skied tee shots. The ball flies high in the air, costing golfers valuable yards off the tee, leaving long approach shots into the green and ballooning scores.
What happens if you play the ball too far forward?
If you play the ball too far forward, you hit the ball on the way up in the follow-through. Move the ball back slightly in the stance , taking notice of the ball’s position relative to the heel of the front foot.
Why do golfers skied their tee shots?
Tee Height. One easily fixed cause of skied tee shots is the height of the tee. When the ball is teed too high, the golfer is unable to make solid contact; the club head only makes contact with bottom half of the ball, lifting it high into the air.
How to keep golf club from coming down sharply on the ball?
To help cure this, when taking back the driver, focus on bringing the club head back low and slow. This will help reinforce the thought of a more elongated swing arc and keep the club from coming down sharply on the ball when making contact.
Where to play golf ball when skied?
When using a driver, you should generally play the ball off the inside of the front foot ( left for right-handed golfers). If you play the ball too far forward, you hit the ball on the way up in the follow-through. Move the ball back slightly in the stance, ...
How to stop hitting golf ball too high?
In order to stop hitting the golf ball too high, you need to ensure you have the proper setup position and equipment. You also need to correct any swing faults that are contributing to the issue.
Why is my golf ball flying high?
One of the most common causes of a high ball flight is tempo. When people swing too fast, they struggle to make contact with the sweet spot of the club. Without doing this, it’s difficult to achieve a consistent trajectory.
How to fix wrists in golf swing?
The fix: Instead of actively hinging your wrists in the swing, loosen your grip on the golf club. Then, swing back as though you are only using your hips, arms, and shoulders. Because you now have a lighter grip on the club with less tension, your wrists will hinge naturally as you swing the club back.
What causes a high ball flight?
There are a number of things that might be responsible for causing a high, weak ball flight, including: 1 Improper setup 2 Swing faults 3 Bad tempo 4 Improper equipment
What is the loft of a golf club?
Golf Club Loft. Most iron sets will have a standard loft for each club. For example, the standard loft of a 9 iron is 41 degrees, the loft of an 8 iron is 37 degrees, and so on. However, when it comes to the driver, there’s some variability. You can buy a driver with a loft of anywhere between 8 and 12.5 degrees.
What happens if the ball is too far forward?
The ball is too far forward in your stance. The more forward the ball is in your stance, the less lag the club will have at the point of impact. This means that extra loft is added to the club. Not only will less lag produce a high, weak ball flight, but it will also significantly reduce distance. The fix:
What happens if you put too much weight on your back foot?
If you place too much weight on your back foot, you risk hitting the golf ball too high. This is especially true when hitting driver off the tee. The fix: Instead, make sure your weight is a 50/50 split between your feet or slightly favoring your lead leg.
What happens when you hit behind the ball?
Hitting fat, hitting heavy, chunking the ball, grounding the club, whatever you call it, hitting behind the ball can cause huge issues in your game. Hitting behind the ball causes a divot to get between your club and the ball, resulting in an ugly mis-hit which tends only to jump 5 or 10 yards forwards. Hitting behind the ball can happen ...
How to avoid hitting the ball?
To avoid this, focus on your movement after striking the ball and ensure you are doing the following: Follow your swing and allow the momentum to turn your body towards your target. Keep your front foot planted and pivot your back foot to aid proper rotation.
What does it mean when your back shoulder drops?
Dropping the Back Shoulder. Similarly to a loose leading arm, dipping your back shoulder can give the same issue from the opposite side of your body. Allowing your back shoulder to drop causes you to make a scooping motion towards the ball, rather than hitting right through. The scooping motion causes you to take a divot and lose the shot.
Why does my head move forward in golf?
Moving your head forward causes your weight to shift incorrectly, changing your position over the ball before the club makes contact, causing it to hit the ground.
Why release the club early?
Releasing the Club Early. Also known as ‘casting’, releasing the club too early disrupts your swing plane, causing you to hit across the ball rather than through it . Not only is this an issue by itself, but it also promotes the hip movement we spoke about earlier.
How to keep your lead arm straight?
Your lead arm should be kept straight throughout your swing as if it is bent at the point of impact. Bending the lead arm will shorten your swing and cause you to miss the ball and hit the ground instead. Concentrate on keeping your arm straight, but not tense, at the point of impact.
How to follow through on a golf shot?
Using these tips, your follow-through should become natural and smooth for every shot. Remember; if your follow-through is off balance or inconsistent, your shot will be as well.
What happens if a player hits his first ball and finds it has gone OB?
Example: From the Tee. If a player hits his original ball (first shot) and finds that it has gone OB, he picks up the ball and takes a one-shot penalty (second shot), walks back to the tee, and hits a new tee ball (third shot). Alternatively, if he believes the first ball is OB, he is allowed to hit a provisional ball.
What does it mean when a golf shot goes out of bounds?
It is a sickening feeling: You stand on the tee, hit one of your longest tee shots of the day … and it goes out of bounds. Often simply referred to as being “OB,” out-of-bounds shots carry a stiff penalty that really hurts your score; however, you can incur even more penalty strokes by taking your OB penalty incorrectly.
What happens if a ball turns out to be OB?
If his original ball turns out to be OB, he simply picks it up, adds his penalty shots and plays the provisional. If, however, the original ball is in bounds, it is still in play; he plays his original ball without penalty, and just picks up the provisional ball.
What happens if a player believes the first ball is OB?
Alternatively, if he believes the first ball is OB, he is allowed to hit a provisional ball. If it was indeed OB, the provisional ball becomes his third shot, and he plays his fourth shot from where it landed. In either case, if he finds that the original ball is in bounds, he plays his second shot from there.
What is an OB in golf?
OB Defined. According to the USGA, out of bounds is defined as “beyond the boundaries of the course or any part of the course so marked.”. This boundary is marked by white stakes (and lines connecting them) that are considered “fixed,” which means players are not allowed to move them. A player can stand out of bounds to hit a ball ...
What is provisional ball?
Provisional Ball. In order to speed up the game, if a player believes that his shot has gone out of bounds, he may tell his playing partners that he is going to play a provisional ball.
Is a two stroke penalty a two stroke penalty?
In effect, this is a two-stroke penalty, since the player has gained no distance from the original shot; it is as if the original shot had never been played at all. Because of this, repeated OB shots can add several shots to a player’s score quickly.
