Whatever you do, don’t slow down your swing! You often hear amateurs giving their friends the advice to swing slowly. Slow equals low. The faster you swing, the more backspin you will impart and the higher you can flight your ball. If you watch elderly golfers or little kids hit the ball, it is difficult for them to hit it high because they lack clubhead speed. The great high ball hitters like Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman were also some of the longest hitters of their time. Geoff Ogilvy is a great example of a modern day player who hits his long irons nice and high enabling him to land it softly on the green. This is great for hitting par 5’s in two shots.
The ability to hit it high opens up a lot of scoring opportunities. You can carry bunkers, cut doglegs, and access tucked pin placements. Understanding when not to try to hit the ball high is important. Hitting it high into the wind is a mistake as it will disrupt your distance control. Never try to hit the ball high on a downhill lie. The slope delofts your clubface and trying to get loft leads to poor contact. Finally, don’t try to bring it in high to a back pin.
In my fifteen years as a golf instructor, one thing that has remained consistent is that all my students want more distance. If you are a low ball hitter but you have good clubhead speed, you may be losing distance because you do not have enough loft on your driver. Adding a few degrees will help you launch the ball higher and help you carry the ball farther. This is especially important for golfers who play in wetter conditions where the fairways are lush and don’t produce much roll. For those of you who have slow clubhead speeds, you should consider a 15 degree driver or switching to a 3 wood to get more distance. Lastly, pay close attention to the portion of the video where I describe the difference between how to hit it high with your driver versus your irons. Understanding the difference will improve your ball striking. -jz
