What Is Happening When I Hit the Golf Ball Way Up With a Driver?

What Is Happening When I Hit the Golf Ball Way Up With a Driver?
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There are certain factors which could cause a driver to "sky" the golf ball, where the ball's elevation is too high, thus decreasing the distance of the shot. Driver loft, stance, swing plane, and tee height can play key roles in hitting your driver too high.

Teeing the Ball Too High

Teeing the ball correctly is the simplest solution to hitting your ball too high. If you are teeing too high, during the downswing, the driver hits the bottom half of the ball, which will cause an increase in loft and decrease in distance.

This is by far the easiest problem to fix, in that the ball should be teed lower. Typically, when you address the ball with your driver, only half of the ball should be higher than the driver. That way, when you swing the club, you do not have to be close to the ground to hit the middle of the ball on the sweet spot of the driver.

Weight Distribution

Consider the way your weight is distributed during your swing. If you put too much weight on your front foot, it could cause you to swing with too steep of an arch, thus causing you to hit the ball too high.

To fix this, make sure the majority of your weight distribution goes from your front to back foot during the back swing, and from your back foot to front foot during the downswing.

Ball Position and Weight Distribution

When addressing the ball with your driver, the ball should line up on the inside of your front foot.

Swing Arc

If you have a steep swing arc, especially with your driver, this can cause you to hit underneath the ball, take a divot, and hit your ball too high. When you hit your irons, you take a much steeper swing arc, allowing you to get underneath the ball, take a divot, and get the loft desired for the specific club. When you hit your driver, the arc should be much longer, in more of a sweeping manner.

Driver Loft

Some golfers who hit a 10 or 11 degree driver loft may just have too much loft in the driver. A 9 or 9.5 degree driver may be the best option for you. Check out some different drivers at your local golf store to determine what driver and loft fits your swing the best.

References

Article reviewed by Ecliptic Extremes Last updated on: Jun 30, 2010

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