Why Hitting Down at Impact Makes the Ball Climb Into the Air (Video) - by Peter Finch
Why Hitting Down at Impact Makes the Ball Climb Into the Air (Video) - by Peter Finch

So let's talk about why you should actually strike down on a golf shot. Now first of all, probably the first thing to actually look at is there are certain shots where you don't want to be striking down on a golf ball. So let's for example talk about your drive, in general terms the best driver in the world at the moment Rory McIlroy. He hits up on the driver by about four or five degrees. So his swing arch bottoms out before the shot and then he hits up on the ball. However, when that switches around to his eyeing shot and this is something you see with all the world's best ball strikers. Their swing arch bottoms out after the ball and they strike down. So if you want to kind of take a little bit of look at the best players in the world and use them as an inspiration, you can say, "Well okay they are striking down the ball so I should probably strike down on the ball as well." But if that's not quite enough, let me explain some of the benefits and the advantages that you will find if you do strike down the ball.

Now the first thing to say and probably the most important thing to say is when you're striking down with the irons and maybe the hybrid and some fairy woods as well, what it is ensuring, unless the light is very very poor, is a ball first then turf contact. Strike in the golf swing, strike when you're actually trying to control the ball flight is absolute king and it has been shown time and time again when that ball is lying on a fair way or a flat surface, if you can get the ball first and then the turf, you'll have much more control over that golf shot. Now what that will typically look like, is as you're coming down into the ball, those hands returning to impact ahead, the ball being contacted first and then the club passing into the ground. If you can do this, and if you want to do this, then you'll be increasing the angle of attack, the amount of divots that you take, the amount of control that you have over the golf ball, your ability to control the spin of the golf ball, your ability to hit it better out of difficult light amongst other things. So that is why you want to be hitting down on the golf ball. Now let's look at the technical reasons about why and how you can actually put that into your swing as well. 2016-06-10

So let's talk about why you should actually strike down on a golf shot. Now first of all, probably the first thing to actually look at is there are certain shots where you don't want to be striking down on a golf ball. So let's for example talk about your drive, in general terms the best driver in the world at the moment Rory McIlroy. He hits up on the driver by about four or five degrees. So his swing arch bottoms out before the shot and then he hits up on the ball. However, when that switches around to his eyeing shot and this is something you see with all the world's best ball strikers. Their swing arch bottoms out after the ball and they strike down. So if you want to kind of take a little bit of look at the best players in the world and use them as an inspiration, you can say, “Well okay they are striking down the ball so I should probably strike down on the ball as well.” But if that's not quite enough, let me explain some of the benefits and the advantages that you will find if you do strike down the ball.

Now the first thing to say and probably the most important thing to say is when you're striking down with the irons and maybe the hybrid and some fairy woods as well, what it is ensuring, unless the light is very very poor, is a ball first then turf contact. Strike in the golf swing, strike when you're actually trying to control the ball flight is absolute king and it has been shown time and time again when that ball is lying on a fair way or a flat surface, if you can get the ball first and then the turf, you'll have much more control over that golf shot. Now what that will typically look like, is as you're coming down into the ball, those hands returning to impact ahead, the ball being contacted first and then the club passing into the ground. If you can do this, and if you want to do this, then you'll be increasing the angle of attack, the amount of divots that you take, the amount of control that you have over the golf ball, your ability to control the spin of the golf ball, your ability to hit it better out of difficult light amongst other things. So that is why you want to be hitting down on the golf ball. Now let's look at the technical reasons about why and how you can actually put that into your swing as well.