Low ball flight

[Paddy1Putt]

I basically strive to do this with all my irons and especially with my lower irons 26 degree and my 23 degree irons (5 and 6) the ball flight is low. Do you have any thoughts on why this is? It actually works out well with my wedges and high lofted irons. I get compliments on them from way better golfers singles and scratches but after 7 the ball flight is absurdly low?

Is this a swing speed capability issue? My driver just recently was clocked at 93 MPH with a total distance of 245 (225 Carry) on trackman about 10 in a row so no anomalys. My 7 iron was on average about 145.

My birthday is right around the corner so my wife ended up getting me a used M6 hybrid 25 degree to replace the 5 and 6 iron. 39 inches, 25 degree loft....

Any thoughts here? I'm 46, 47 tomorrow. Programmer / Architect by trade so stiff quite a bit and not ridiculously athletic. I played highschool sports that was the extent.

I just don't want to keep chasing something that isn't feasible. If it's something stupid like ball position etc... Then it's worth a shot but my misses are thins usually on the lower lofted clubs and the hybrid and fairway woods seem to be WAY easier to hit. With good contact and performance, height and distance.....

 

[JonMA1]

I've been trying to achieve this for a long time as well.

My son no longer plays golf, but when he did his ball trajectory from his irons was like nothing I've ever seen. Low, piercing flight that continued to climb. Consequently, he would get 225 total yards from a 4i (measured with gps) compared to my solid strikes which balloon early and touch 175. It's because he had a naturally good swing that delofted the face to go along with better than average club head speed.

While I can't help you, hopefully someone on the forum will. At 47, I don't think you're too old to give up on long irons. My current iron set stops at 6i and my iron game is weak distance. That's because I've never been able to do what your linked video shows even though I have plenty of flexibility in my wrists. My hands stop and I release the club too early. I know what needs to happen but I'm unable to execute it, much less ingrain it.

I think you and most can develop this skill. That said, there's a reason so many players prefer hybrids. As much as l loved hitting the occasional flushed 4i, it just made more sense to go the hybrid route when solid contact became the exception.

Edit: I totally misread your post @Paddy1Putt and thought you were looking for lower ball flight. I'm an idiot. Carry on... nothing to see here.

 

[razaar]

The simple answer to a low ball flight is related to bad contact on the clubface. The ideal is to have the COG (centre of gravity) of the clubface compress the COG of the ball. When this doesn't occur, the collision twists the clubhead in the direction of the miss hit regardless of the shaft. For a strike below the clubface COG the face will twist down sending the ball on a low trajectory.

 

[rocullen]

The simple answer to a low ball flight is related to bad contact on the clubface. The ideal is to have the COG (centre of gravity) of the clubface compress the COG of the ball. When this doesn't occur, the collision twists the clubhead in the direction of the miss hit regardless of the shaft. For a strike below the clubface COG the face will twist down sending the ball on a low trajectory.

I was just gonna say hitting it thin and toward bottom of arc.
Of course, all the COG and clubface twisting down is directly correlated to that, but I was gonna keep it simple.

Really tho, getting technical is just one way to get better at golf.

 

[Nick20UK]

I basically strive to do this with all my irons and especially with my lower irons 26 degree and my 23 degree irons (5 and 6) the ball flight is low. Do you have any thoughts on why this is? It actually works out well with my wedges and high lofted irons. I get compliments on them from way better golfers singles and scratches but after 7 the ball flight is absurdly low?

Is this a swing speed capability issue? My driver just recently was clocked at 93 MPH with a total distance of 245 (225 Carry) on trackman about 10 in a row so no anomalys. My 7 iron was on average about 145.

My birthday is right around the corner so my wife ended up getting me a used M6 hybrid 25 degree to replace the 5 and 6 iron. 39 inches, 25 degree loft....

Any thoughts here? I'm 46, 47 tomorrow. Programmer / Architect by trade so stiff quite a bit and not ridiculously athletic. I played highschool sports that was the extent.

I just don't want to keep chasing something that isn't feasible. If it's something stupid like ball position etc... Then it's worth a shot but my misses are thins usually on the lower lofted clubs and the hybrid and fairway woods seem to be WAY easier to hit. With good contact and performance, height and distance.....

You're almost describing me too. 45 in a few months, 93 was my last driver speed on Trackman, and also struggle with peak height on longer irons (One Lengths). My bad strike is also a thin shot low on the face.

Subbing this thread with interest!

 

[alistaird]

I basically strive to do this with all my irons and especially with my lower irons 26 degree and my 23 degree irons (5 and 6) the ball flight is low. Do you have any thoughts on why this is? It actually works out well with my wedges and high lofted irons. I get compliments on them from way better golfers singles and scratches but after 7 the ball flight is absurdly low?

Is this a swing speed capability issue? My driver just recently was clocked at 93 MPH with a total distance of 245 (225 Carry) on trackman about 10 in a row so no anomalys. My 7 iron was on average about 145.

My birthday is right around the corner so my wife ended up getting me a used M6 hybrid 25 degree to replace the 5 and 6 iron. 39 inches, 25 degree loft....

Any thoughts here? I'm 46, 47 tomorrow. Programmer / Architect by trade so stiff quite a bit and not ridiculously athletic. I played highschool sports that was the extent.

I just don't want to keep chasing something that isn't feasible. If it's something stupid like ball position etc... Then it's worth a shot but my misses are thins usually on the lower lofted clubs and the hybrid and fairway woods seem to be WAY easier to hit. With good contact and performance, height and distance.....

Interesting - I'm back into golf after a gap of 20+ years and I'm over 60..... to me a 225 Carry with a 93mph swing speed is not a lot different from me but with my 7i I'm getting around 160 carry on a good strike.

I would have thought it would be worth a lesson or fitting on a launch monitor to see what's going on - that will help you with dynamic loft and 'smash factor' and might explain what you are seeing? Could be cheaper than investing in new clubs etc...

Just my 2c worth.

A

 

[Luchnia]

If you are hitting your long irons lower than you would like, IMO it may be more of a ball position or possibly shaft lean issue. In some cases even shafts can affect this. My buddy found recently during a fitting that his long iron distance issues was the shafts and he was amazed when he found the right shaft. All the rest of his irons were fine, just his 5 and 6 iron was short.

I have seen this video before, but this just did not fit my ball striking as it wasn't a wrist issue for me, but working with my ball position. Are you more of a digger when you strike the ball or a clean picker off the turf? I think a digger is actually a good thing, but definitely not in all cases and can get you some super low long irons. Higher lofted clubs tend to not be affected as bad.

So far what I have found in my case has always been my setup and ball position more than anything. I can move the ball a tad bit forward depending on the day and get a lot more height from my long irons and yet keep my shaft lean forward like I like it for nice ball compression. It doesn't feel like it when I hit it, but the ball flight shows it to be the case.

When I start getting my shaft lean too straight (vertical lacking forward lean) then I can wind up losing distance or topping a ball, but I would rather do that every now and then because I know that is a problem with my body extension and follow through when it occurs. I just write those few lost strokes off as history and quickly move on. Golf is so individual it is crazy weird.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

Thanks for the good suggestions. I'll def try the ball position maybe a little bit more back might help. Unless it's a shorty I play the ball up in my stance. Wedges center...

I did get fitted recently at CC ~2 months ago and they said I had a ton of shaft lean, so I am not sure if I am not releasing correctly or what..... It was embarrassing how low my 5 and 6 were going. According to the fitter the lofts on my F7's (game improvement) were too strong and that he would have recommended a different iron. His words (Unsure who you can play with this irons).

I run drills almost daily so eventually you have to chalk it up as a talent issue (Ithink). I hate to sing the losers anthem but not all of us can win the DNA lottery.
I ordered the 25 degree hybrid and have a 21 one coming in as well so I am curious to see if having these replacing my 5 and 6 how that will work.

 

[OldandStiff]

If you're working hard to press the dynamic in the short irons to good effect, but are getting a low long iron flight, you're either not releasing, or don't have the speed to get it in the air for that type of dynamic loft and release, or type of club. If I'm reading that right. Lots of guys press their short irons to compress them better and end up kind of burying the longs. I do it sometimes. At a lower speed I'd have to redo.. how I do all of that. You could try tweaking the lofts, combo'ing to something in the longs that gets up in the air easier (sound like you're working towards that) or work on taking a bit of press out or getting your hands moving earlier. If you're leaning it excessively, moving the ball up is usually just going to change your start line, shallow and wipe you out, or make you slide. That's my take. I think. lol

 

[Paddy1Putt]

@OldandStiff @Luchnia @alistaird

I went to the range today and boy was the grass beat to hell. So I tee'd it up very low like the tee flush with the ground but the ball was still up in the air, no peg was visible. I was able to hit the 26 degree (6) iron into the air with decent flight, 7 as you would expect 30 degree slightly higher, but I have to admit it tired me out swinging that 6 iron. I felt like I had to do everything perfect or I wouldn't get my desired strike. Maybe I am trying to "hack" the game but I really do think getting some hybrid / iron replacements might be the way to go. I am not a good golfer nor do I care if I become something special. 15 handicap a great goal and stablization point...

Anyway I think with my shaft lean and my average swing speed it just makes more sense to play a 25 degree hybrid and a 21 degree for iron replacements. I think the 25 should give me 165 carry easy, with a relax swing. I'm honestly trying to make the game as easy as possible..... I think I am going to keep my 7 iron 30 degree which is 145 - 150 carry then blend in the hybrids.. There is a large gap there, but who cares... lol

I just don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze on the 6 iron, 26 degree.

The truth is somewhere in between what @OldandStiff stiff said. I don't have the swing speed to hit offcenter iron shots on the 26 degree, they have to be perfect, but with hybrid or fairway woods that couldn't be farther from the truth. Off hits can still go 150 - 155 where as a 6 iron mishit could net you 130.....

 

[JB]

@OldandStiff @Luchnia @alistaird

I went to the range today and boy was the grass beat to hell. So I tee'd it up very low like the tee flush with the ground but the ball was still up in the air. I was able to hit the 26 degree (6) iron into the air with decent flight, 7 as you would expect 30 degree slightly higher, but I have to admit it tired me out swinging that 6 iron. I felt like I had to do everything perfect or I wouldn't get my desired strike. Maybe I am trying to "hack" the game but I really do think getting some hybrid / iron replacements might be the way to go. I am not a good golfer nor do I care if I become something special. 15 handicap a great goal and stablization point...

Anyway I think with my shaft lean and my average swing speed it just makes more sense to play a 25 degree hybrid and a 21 degree for iron replacements. I think the 25 should give me 165 carry easy, with a relax swing. I'm honestly trying to make the game as easy as possible..... I think I am going to keep my 7 iron 30 degree which is 145 - 150 carry then blend in the hybrids.. There is a large gap there, but who cares... lol

I just don't know if the juice is worth the squeeze on the 6 iron, 26 degree.

Interesting thoughts here. Generally speaking in a perfect world, your clubs would fly the same height at their peak. They launch differently to get there based on a number of factors including loft of the club and where the weight is placed. Obviously the biggest aspect would be impact.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

Interesting thoughts here. Generally speaking in a perfect world, your clubs would fly the same height at their peak. They launch differently to get there based on a number of factors including loft of the club and where the weight is placed. Obviously the biggest aspect would be impact.

Good points, impact, contact etc... whatever you want to call it is obviously more compromised with the longer ones. I am thinking with my average swing speed and the frequent mishits the 26 degree iron just doesn't add much value to my game. That's where the 25 degree hybrids or fairways come into play. Is it a one for one, absolutely not, the woods and hybrids are hot and push a little longer than the loft would indicate relative to the irons. However, all things equal with wind condiitions etc, I can fill in the gaps with the 7 iron (wind behind) and the 25 degree hybrid (wind in my face).

I even struggle a little with the 7 when it comes to GIR off the fairway, hooks etc... But on par 3 tees and some secondary advancement shots EG 2nd shot on a par 5 it works incredibly well.

What's that saying.... You are who you are.... Accept the limitations, buy the correct tech and play some good golf lol.

 

[Paddy1Putt]

I found this blog, I don't believe it to be a competitor and found the data pretty interesting.

What is the Average 6 Iron Distance?
The average distance of a 6 iron golf club is 150 yards (137 meters).

What is the Average 6 Hybrid Distance?
A 6 degree hybrid can cover a distance up to 158 yards (144 meters)

My 25 degree Callaway goes about 165 but it has a pretty big head, so am betting these numbers are pretty much in-line with my swing speeds. However with my 7 iron going 145 - 150, the 158 out of the hybrid would be really damn good for me. Especially on the mid-long par 3s and approaches.

6 Iron Vs 6 Hybrid Distance (Best Club Explained) - Golf Storage Ideas

6 Iron Vs 6 Hybrid Like any hybrid club, a 6 hybrid performs the function of a rescue club. It’s essentially a cross between a fairway wood and a

www.golfstorageguide.com

 

[McLovin]

The simple answer to a low ball flight is related to bad contact on the clubface. The ideal is to have the COG (centre of gravity) of the clubface compress the COG of the ball. When this doesn't occur, the collision twists the clubhead in the direction of the miss hit regardless of the shaft. For a strike below the clubface COG the face will twist down sending the ball on a low trajectory.

i'm probably somewhat of an anomaly, but i can hit the middle of the club face and get low ball flight. i don't disagree that gear effect on a low centered strike will lead to low launch, but in theory the spin should kick up to still reach a decent peak height albeit at a shorter distance.

assuming contact isn't the issue, i think it comes down to speed and dynamic loft. my speed is slightly above average, but my dynamic loft is low. most of the time i have a low launch, but also low spin, so i struggle to get enough peak height.