digging dirt

Question
QUESTION: Eddie,
I am having a couple of issues with my game lately and need some advice. Recently I started hitting the ball flat with my irons affecting trajectory and/or distance with the ball. The other issue that I am having is that I am paving a path all the way up to the tee when I drive the ball. I tried teeing the ball a little higher but it caused allot of pop ups in result. I usually tee it up at about an inch and a 1/2 or so from the ground. I also noticed that I have been hitting the heal of the driver upon contact. Could these issues stem from having a steep swing? I know height has nothing to do with it but I am 6'1" and I was told by golf instructor at a range that it is common with tall individuals? not sure if that is a fact or I was beat for the $60.00 lesson I paid.

ANSWER: Hi Xavier:

I assume when you say you are hitting the ball flat with your irons, that you mean hitting it thin.  Trajectory would be lower and you'd lose distance.  I also will assume when you say you are paving a path all the way up to the tee with a driver, that that means you are hitting those fat (behind the ball).  Teeing it higher causes pop ups and most of the hits are off the heel of the club.  Steep swing?  Probably.  Your height has nothing to do with it.  The golf instructor was partially correct.  But I have to ask:  What did the instructor tell you to do to fix your issues?  If he said you were too steep, what was the fix?  What did you pay for?

Hitting irons flat or thin (you'll need to correct me if I am wrong here, but I will proceed like I am correct) is usually a result of a swing that is too shallow, not steep.  Also, when you tell me that you dig a trench leading up to the tee when hitting a driver, that says too shallow, not steep.  If the club is approaching the ball on too shallow an angle, the club tends to bottom out about 6 inches behind the ball.  So if you happen to hit the ground (more so with longer clubs than shorter ones), you'll hit it fat and dig a trench.  If you miss the ground, then the clubhead is on the way up at impact and you'll hit those thin or top them.  If you tee your ball up higher with a driver and come in too shallow (or too low), you could throw the head right under the ball and pop it up that way.  

Wish I could see some video to know if you were to shallow or if indeed you are too steep.  All the symptoms you say are true to what I said.  

If you are too shallow, you are probably hanging back on your back foot in an attempt to lift the ball up or help the ball up in the air.  This causes your center to move backwards which then moves the bottoming out point of your swing behind the ball.  To fix this, make some practice swings on just your left leg.  Balance yourself by dropping back the right foot behind the left and having the right foot straight up and down so no weight is supported by the right foot.  All your weight will be on your left leg, almost like you can pick up your right foot completely.  

Then, make a few swings with a 7 iron.  Your backswing will be abbreviated.  Then, make a swing forward, hitting the turf and turning through the shot as much as you can without falling over.  Keep your balance and do it again.  If you are too shallow, this will quickly get you to feel more solid contact.  You'll notice you hit the ball first, then take a divot after that.  The divot should be on the target side of the ball.  Practice this and watch what happens.  

Whether you are too steep or too shallow, the clubhead would most likely be just outside the ball causing heel hits like you said.  If you can shoot me a video from Youtube, I could tell you in 2 seconds exactly what is wrong.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Eddie,
I apologize for the confusion and not explaining myself better. Nevertheless you are absolutely right! What I meant to say is that I am hitting behind the ball both with my irons and six inches behind the ball with the driver. When I spoke to the instructor he recommended that I should move my right foot slightly forward from the left and that I should lift my left shoulder slightly higher then the right. He did not mentioned anything about the shift in weight. When I drive the ball using this particular stance I get good distance when struck in the sweet spot but the flip coin to that is that I slice the ball if I don't make proper contact which probably explains the striking of the heel. I think the instructor gave me a temporary fix to the problem but I know it is not the proper way.

Answer
Xavier:

OK.  What does moving your right foot forward from the left and lift your left shoulder higher than the right have to do with anything?  How did he explain this to you?  What was that supposed to do, what could you expect as a result of doing that, why should you do that?????

I don't get it, yet I would have helped you more than that.  If you can't answer my questions, then you got ripped off of $60.  Sorry.  

My drill will still work for you.  It's exactly what you need to do.  The two directions the club needs to be swung are backwards and forwards.  NOT UP AND DOWN.  You are releasing the clubhead too soon in the downswing trying to hit the ball or help it up.  Instead, you must swing through the ball to a well balanced finish out on the left side.  Practice my drill and see the results.  

Eddie