Hitting a high ball with a driver

[sawtooth]

This comes up everytime we play the short 18th at one of local courses. Its a dog leg but the green is drivable if you can get the ball up and over the trees in time.

My playing partner gets over the trees with ease, the drive of his looks more like a turbo charged 9 iron. He always hits the driver the same way, very high but long-ish at the same time.

Try as I may I go clattering into the trees about 3/4 up.

I'm quite happy with my length and trajectory of the tee and not lookng for a permanent change. I would just like to be able to play this type of shot on the odd occasion.

Any ideas?

 

[bobmac]

What loft is your driver?

 

[Foxholer]

Play it 'properly'!

Get the Birdie by hitting the second shot close!

Play to your own strengths, rather than being tempted into a high-risk shot.

 

[sawtooth]

9.5 degrees Bob. He has the same loft but the trajectory is a lot different.

 

[sawtooth]

Play it 'properly'!

Get the Birdie by hitting the second shot close!

Play to your own strengths, rather than being tempted into a high-risk shot.

Yeah I know but its so much more fun launching one over the top....if only I could.

BTW I would seldom attempt this type of shot in medal play, you're right far too much risk attached.

 

[bobmac]

Where is the ball positioned in your stance in relation to your left foot (right hander)

 

[sawtooth]

Quite forward in my stance in line with my left heel I would say.

 

[bobmac]

The next time you get to a range, experiment with teeing it up 3-4in further forward and see how high it will go.
If I want to get my 9 deg up over something, I get it opposite my left big toe.
Give it a try and let it fly

 

[garyinderry]

what about more of a tilt. left shoulder higher for this shot.

 

[Jay1]

If I want to hit a high drive I tee the ball higher and move it forward a bit in my stance.

 

[sawtooth]

Thanks for all the suggestions will give them a try.

 

[ScienceBoy]

When on the range put your left foot where the holes are for left handed tees and aim straight down the mat. This should put the ball in the correct position.

 

[sawtooth]

Just a quick update. Try as I may I cannot hit a higher ball with the driver. I moved the ball further forward in my stance and also tried teeing the ball higher. This resulted in hitting draws, hook, snap hooks but no noticeable difference in height.

I'm happy with the trajectory of my drives, they start lowish and rise to a reasonable height so I'm not looking to change my "stock" shot. I just thought it would be useful to be able to hit a high drive every now and then.

 

[Region3]

I usually hit a low ball with my driver, but have had some success hitting higher on purpose occasionally by doing as you've tried, but also by making sure that I feel like I'm really leaning back at impact.

Feel being the operative word. If you have good weight transfer now you won't suddenly end up hitting off your back foot, but you need to imagine you're hitting the ball well after the club has bottomed out and to do that you need to stay back a touch more.

 

[JustOne]

Go with a super wide stance, tee the ball up a fraction and keep your head behind the ball through the entire shot...... don't hit if there are any airplanes overhead

 

[garyinderry]

i have no idea how you cant hit a high ball. i balloon everything with such ease! im having great fun in the wind atm. honest

 

[ScienceBoy]

When I wish to hit a high driver its usually with a fade shape.

I retain everything the same except, like when doing a flop shot, I open the face before taking my normal grip. Then I open my stance slightly and move the ball a touch forward.

I used this to great effect recently to drive next to a par 4 green round a tree off the tee. Worked a charm and it would have been a lot closer to the pin if it had not been so boggy where the ball landed. The ball actually bounced backwards out of its pitch-mark about 2 feet and ended up about 4 feet off the green in the fairway.

 

[Oddsocks]

Science boy, how do you know that was its pitch mark, you was atleast 400 yards away :thup:

I agree with region and just one, a little higher and try to hold the weight transfer off slightly. Selsdon park had a similar 18, 240 yards carry if you cut it, or about 180 lay up to a 100 yard 2nd shot, I always take it on, just left of the big oak seems best

 

[sawtooth]

Will try again tonight, I dont want to make this too difficult, you know what its like when you start tweaking!!

In my case it gets the desired result and makes me smile or the swing goes completely to s**t and its back to square one.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Science boy, how do you know that was its pitch mark, you was atleast 400 yards away :thup:

I was almost certain, it was fresh, next to my ball and when I analysed the soil on my ball and the soil in the pitchmark using my handy pocket sized gas chromatograph I found them to be exactly the same.

Also 400 is a bit far off, I know I can hit a long ball but it was more like ~240 as the crow flies as its only about 280 with the dog leg.