I will be the first to admit, that hitting a low iron shot can be a truly frustrating thing. With the advancements in golf clubs, and the way these tour guys hit the ball these days, the ideal shot has become something with a lot of air… and carries for days. Hitting the ball too high can be extremely beneficial, and I know every one of you has battled with your trajectory at some point in your career, and if you are an avid golfer, you have worked on this at some point. During this section, I will cover how to hit the ball, and I will also cover the correct ball flight that you should actually be striving for. I realize there are a hundred different articles out there that tell you “what the correct way is” but I will cover what I have applied to my game through the years, and what has helped me to be as successful as I have been for so long.

The first thing we will discuss is how to hit the ball higher. While this is a benefit for all types of golfers, it does take some time to master the higher arching shot. The correct way to add height to your game is to look at a few of the following: Take more club and swing easier. Yes, the biggest flaw when trying to hit the ball higher (and ultimately further) is that golfers take the same club and try to swing harder. When you swing harder, you actually cause the ball to spin more, which actually hinders your ball flight… and the overall distance. This means your bad shots get worse. Keep the swing smooth, and just club up a bit to allow for the distance to remain the same. The next thing you want to do is grip down on the club, which allows you to have more control over your club. If you remember the once amazing Anthony Kim, he actually choked down on all clubs in his bag, regardless of the situation. I have applied this to my game as well, and it really has helped my add control and height to my game. The last thing you want to look at is ball position. If you have read my previous article on ball position, then you know exactly what I am talking about. Ball position plays a major part in the height of your golf ball. I realize that ball flight can be a monster to deal with, but apply these three simple steps and you will begin to see your ball not only go higher, but carry farther as well… which is everyone’s goal – right?

I have a few more tips that will help you launch the ball as high as you ever have, and we will continue to discuss them here. If you have read my article on hitting the ball lower, then do you remember how I said to swing slower to keep it lower? Well the opposite is the case when trying to hit it high. Swing faster to hit it higher. I don’t mean try to swing out your shoes, but when you swing faster, you increase the spin rate of the golf ball – thus, resulting in a higher ball trajectory. Also, make a conscious effort to swing down more on the ball. When you are on the range, focus on hitting down on the ball and making a divot with each shot. This will help pop the ball up faster, resulting in the higher trajectory. The next thing you want to look at is your hand position on the grip. As with the swing speed, the ball position plays a big role in hitting the ball higher. To add some height to your ball flight, simply push the ball position more forward. This will allow for the hands to release through the downswing, resulting in the increase in trajectory. The final thing to look at, is quite possibly the most important, and the most difficult to adapt to. Take your normal set up, and take a look at there the butt of the club is compared to the ball. To hit the ball higher, shift the hands (and the grip of the club) back a bit, which you should be behind your belt buckle if you are doing this right. From here, this will add a bit of lot to the club… which results in a higher trajectory, and a much higher ball flight. Although this may sound like an easy adjustment, you will truly need to invest some time to get this one down. I suggest investing an entire bag of balls to this motion alone, because it can feel a bit odd at first.

In all, there truly is not a correct answer when looking at ball flight. It is all about what you prefer to play, and the type of weather you will be playing in. Simply pay attention to the weather prior to hitting your shot, and decide how you would like to play it from there.