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why does my golf club hit the ground before the ball

by Rylan Davis II Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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When a player hits the ground before the ball it is generally because their club is attacking the ball from too shallow an angle. Golf coaches refer to this as the "Angle of Approach".Feb 20, 2015

Full Answer

Why do my golf clubs keep hitting the ground?

If your clubs are too long, as most woods are today, it's most likely the reason why you're hitting the ground. This is especially true if there are certain clubs in your bag that you hit great and others that you can never hit solidly.

Why do I hit the ground before the ball?

I'm excited to get to help you improve your game. We call hitting the ground before the ball drop-kicking and it can happen with all clubs, but is pretty common with woods. Hitting the ground before the ball can have many causes. Among them are: 1) Hanging back or fall back with your weight onto your rear side through impact.

Why do I pull up when I hit a golf ball?

Following are common causes of this humiliating result, and cures that will help you banish the top from your repertoire: Cause: Anxiety -- Any time we're nervous over a shot, the tendency is to swing more quickly and pull up early in anticipation of the result.

Why do golfers take the club back away from the ball?

One goal that every golfer has when they take the club back away from the ball is simply to get the shot in the air. Even if the ball doesn't fly perfectly toward your target, just getting it off the ground is enough to avoid embarrassment in front of your friends and other golfers.

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How do I stop hitting the ground before a golf ball?

3:385:12Check set up ball. Position weight distribution. And in the goal swing focus on a point two to threeMoreCheck set up ball. Position weight distribution. And in the goal swing focus on a point two to three inches in front of the ball shift. In front of it.

Why do I keep hitting the ground before the ball with my driver?

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. Also, when you stance is too wide, the potential locations the club has to hit the ground increases, which results in more inconsistent strikes.

Why am I hitting the ground first with my irons?

Instead of keeping their upper body over the ball (where the sternum is directly above the ball at impact), they lean back through the contact. This causes the sternum to move away from the target and the lowest point in the swing arc moves back too - causing the player to strike the ground before the ball.

How do I stop my golf club from coming too early?

Top 4 Tips To Cure Early Swing ReleaseTip #1 Practice One Handed. A great drill to perform when struggling with an early release is to practice hitting half shots with only your lead arm. ... Tip #2 A Penny for Your Thoughts. A Penny certainly isn't worth much these days. ... Tip #3 Firm Wrist and a Credit Card.

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 you hit irons pure every time?

3:197:25Right hand's on top logo towards the ground we're going to swing. Up rotate. And hold it.MoreRight hand's on top logo towards the ground we're going to swing. Up rotate. And hold it.

How do you make a golf ball first contact?

3:066:56If it's just forward of that bottom of the swing arc then you're on the way back up when you hit theMoreIf it's just forward of that bottom of the swing arc then you're on the way back up when you hit the ball.

Do you break your wrists during golf swing?

Contrary to many beliefs, there is no 'perfect' wrist hinge in the golf swing. Some players will hinge their wrists early in the takeaway, while others won't break their wrists until they reach the top of their backswing. There are even golfers who have almost no wrist hinge at all.

When should you start rolling the wrists in the downswing?

2:585:44If you get that yeah you get that right in it and it's all going right you're not going to slice it.MoreIf you get that yeah you get that right in it and it's all going right you're not going to slice it. So that's there's the first drop good one beautiful to focus on more on the downswing.

Can early release cause hook?

Another common cause of the hook is an early release of the angle in the hands through impact. In my experience, this happens because golfers stop rotating their bodies. A great tip that will help is simply to turn your left foot out a fraction at address (as above).

How do I stop hitting behind the golf ball with irons?

1:288:00This is your center marker this is where you want to stay centered to so make sure you do a practiceMoreThis is your center marker this is where you want to stay centered to so make sure you do a practice swing keeping the sternum. And the belt buckle. Over the top of that golf club as you rotate.

How do you hit the ball then the turf with your irons?

1:208:46If our body is leaning back as we come in to hit. It. Again this is where you're going to hit behindMoreIf our body is leaning back as we come in to hit. It. Again this is where you're going to hit behind the golf ball so i've got a mid-iron in my hand here and eight iron.

How do you hit a golf ball first before the ground?

21:1925:58My toe my heel is off the ground. And then i put that heel back down and that heel is down aboutMoreMy toe my heel is off the ground. And then i put that heel back down and that heel is down about halfway in my downswing my weight is starting to get there i press into the left side.

Should you ground your irons?

He says that setting the club on the ground promotes a hands and arms takeaway. Hovering the club, he said, engages your core from before you even hit the golf ball, which promotes a more powerful turn behind the ball.

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.

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 ...

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 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 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.

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.

Why is the lead hand the most powerful way to throw a ball?

Because the lead hand is ahead and it's the most powerful way to throw a ball and to generate speed - watch from 7 mins to see this exact drill. Get one of these as it will help you add speed and power to this motion. Now make some small swings with it, and toss the dog ball thrower into your practice net.

What is the club face?

1) Most people who hit the ground behind the ball, when they approach impact, the club face is an open position. Your body is smart, so what it does instead is it tries to do its best for you as you flick your wrists and try to the face up to the ball at impact. As a by-product, you will likely hit the ground first before the ball, or you will top it or thin it.

Does Danny Maude use a dog ball thrower?

One of his drills involves the use of a dog ball thrower. Yes, a dog ball thrower... ...

Why is it important to get the ball in the air on each swing?

Golf becomes far more interesting when you can reliably get the ball in the air on each swing, because you will be able to start planning shot shapes, picking specific targets, and more. Put in the time now to learn how to get the ball in the air and your future on the golf course will be much more exciting.

How to hit top shot golf?

One way to hit topped golf shots is to use only your arms as you swing the club back and through. If your legs aren't involved in the swing, you will have trouble transferring your weight onto your left foot, and you will be prone to hitting ground balls as a result.

How to get fear of the ground ball out of your mind?

Simply by seeing the ball get into the air on a consistent basis, you can take the fear of the ground ball out of your mind prior to your next round. Hitting topped shots on the golf course is never a fun experience. You may have to listen to a few jokes from your playing partners, and your score will suffer as well.

What is the difference between amateur golfers and professional golfers?

One of the big differences between amateur golfers and their professional counterparts is the way that the pros use their entire body in the golf swing. When you watch a professional swing the club, it is obvious that they are using their lower body and upper body together in harmony to hit powerful and accurate shots.

What happens if you don't hit down?

If you don't hit down, you will always run the risk of having the leading edge contact the ball first – leading to a topped shots. The problem is that hitting down through an iron shot requires plenty of confidence when you are actually out on the course.

What is poor balance in golf?

Poor balance. Many amateur golfers struggle with poor balance, and one of the side effects of that problem can be topped shots. You need to have your center of gravity in the correct place if you are going to strike the ball cleanly time after time.

Why is it important to stay on balance in golf?

Staying on balance will allow you to control the positioning of the bottom of your swing, which will allow you to avoid the dreaded ground ball. Arm-only swing. The whole body needs to be involved in a good golf swing – and when it isn't, bad things can happen.

What happens if you swing a golf club without wrists?

If you swing the club without firm wrists your elbows will pull apart ('the chicken wing follow-through'), in order to allow them room to swing, which could lead to making contact with the turf before the ball.

Why do golfers uncock their wrists?

Amateur golfers tend to un-cock the left wrist too fast which means they hit the ground before the ball and as a result the elbows pull apart ('the chicken wing follow-through') in order to allow them to play. If you play this practice drill shot correctly then you will avoid hitting your rib cage.

What does it mean when you finish on the yellow line?

Finishing on the yellow line will almost always mean you've struck the ball first.

How to start pressure on a golf club?

You should start with most pressure on the lead foot, shift to the trail foot on the backswing, and shift pressure back to the lead foot as you swing through. You can find more tips on pressure in the feet here. Third, check the butt end of your club at setup.

How to swing a golf ball with your feet together?

An easy way to do this is by standing with your feet together and the ball aligned with the center. Then, step your lead foot forward and your trail foot back and equal distance. Second, notice the pressure on your feet as you take your swing.

What does it feel like to chunk a golf shot?

All golfers know the pain of chunking golf shots. You take a powerful backswing, you feel like you’re about to hit a quality shot, then you swing down and feel the club hit the ground. When you look up, you see a huge piece of turf traveling down the fairway. Meanwhile, your ball has only gone a few feet. The chunk shot is a common problem.

Why is the low point of a golf swing important?

This is significant because the low point of your swing follows the pressure in your feet. If most of your pressure is still in your back foot when the club comes back down, the clubhead is going to hit the ground well behind your golf ball. You wind up chunking the shot.

Where should the ball be in your stance?

You want the ball in the center of your stance. Maybe slightly forward of center, but only slightly. You can learn more about the importance of ball position in iron shots here. To get proper ball position on your irons, simply start with your feet together at address, ball right between your feet. Then, simply take your lead foot ...

Helm Caminiti

I encountered a strange phenomenon last round I played, on about 6 drives I literally hit the ball straight into the ground. I don't believe I topped the ball as it felt like I hit the face clean. However, the ball left a 1-3 foot long shallow divot trail on the grass in front of my tee.

SunkTheBirdie

You are probably hitting down on it too much. I do exactly what you do sometimes.

Schnee

I had this issue too, and I've found that if I address the ball with a gap of about 6 inches (experiment with the distance) between the ball and my clubhead, I subconsciously hit it on the upswing. It's worked wonders for me

RJRJRJ

Maybe too far back in your stance? Youre obviously hitting it downward, so start from there.

nhowe

Everybody on here is saying prob hitting down on it too much. I think its the opposite- when this happens to me it seems that im hitting up on it too much (or standing up)

ksgolfcoach

Everybody on here is saying prob hitting down on it too much. I think its the opposite- when this happens to me it seems that im hitting up on it too much (or standing up)

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