What are the ramifications of a high ball flight?

[Alex1975]

Hi all,

What are the ramifications of a high ball flight? Clearly it’s going to get blown about more in the wind but apart from that is it an issue, is it a fault?
I was fitted with high launch shafts and to be fair they felt better than any other shaft I tried and they lowered my spin rate more than any other shaft. I still love them, they are stiff but with a soft tip and I really don’t have a problem with the way they strike.
I am hitting the ball better than I have ever done and it was almost like an out of body experience today at the range, like someone else was playing my shots. One thing though that was very clear to me was that the ball was going very high. Now I am aware that this may be to do with the way I am swinging and of course the shafts, I also know that with drivers these days the manufactures are trying to make the ball launch high as most of the distance on a driver is carry (correct me if I am wrong)

So I would like any and all info on the ramifications of a high ball flight. At the end of the day, am I losing distance, should I try and get it down. You can only take my word but I am flushing the ball and feel like I am on top of my swing not scooping or picking.

I am a tit, I am crushing the ball, its super accurate (in comparison to my old irons) my swing is becoming something I thought I could only dream of, I picked clubs with “proper” lofts and I am still obsessed with distance. I need a slap really.

Anyway, thanks for the info.

 

[ScienceBoy]

You could try practising taking an iron with less loft and grip down the shaft to get a lower flight?

 

[Alex1975]

You could try practising taking an iron with less loft and grip down the shaft to get a lower flight?

I could, but do I need to? is it a problem is it a fault? Its really info I am after. If it was a huge issue they would not make high launch shafts. Im just interested in the whys and wherefors.

 

[Whereditgo]

No expert but thought I would comment anyway lol

I too have always had a high ball flight, compared to the guys I play with and most of the time it is an advantage, the ball tends to land softer and stop quicker, especially from mid to long iron distances.

I've not really noticed a huge problem in playing in the wind (not more so than anyone else at least), although I do tend to club up and swing easy, as recommended on the forum, to reduce spin.

I think provided you are happy with the distances you are hitting, as in you hit them relatively consistantly, and your dispersion is good (I seem to remember reading on another post that you are very happy with dispersion?)then there is no problem.

 

[Imurg]

You may be losing distance compared to a lower flight that penetrates any headwind but if you're happy with those distances then I can't see that it's a "fault" as such. I guess a lower ball-flight is a little easier to control distance-wise though, more consistent.

 

[USER1999]

When I was fitted for my irons, they actually wanted a high ball flight. I thought I hit it plenty high enough, but the fitters were considering high launch for me too. I was quite suprised to see how high they considered normal.

 

[Imurg]

I read somewhere recently that the current way of thinking is that all your clubs should hit the ball the same height, but they reach that height at different points on the flight.
But as Murph says, how high is normal?

 

[Alex1975]

Thanks guys, Maybe Ethan or Bob will know more about how high is high.

 

[jeardley]

a high ball flight is fine so long as its still pushing forward and gets good distance. If it just balloons and fall short then you got a problem, the wind will kill this shot.

 

[The23rdman]

Maybe you just need to work on a shot for the wind. I have the same problem and just hit a punched 3/4 iron in the wind that goes only ten yards short of my normal distance, but much lower.

 

[Alex1975]

Thanks for the replies, I am not sure I am making myself clear though. I am interested in is why we have high and low launch shafts and what the ramifications of these are.

Ian made a little sense in that he said a lower flight would be more consistent, I guess as it’s less likely to affected by wind. Other than that it seems people don’t seem to know to this point. I am not looking for a way around it if it is what is best for me, if it is best for me then why?

Thanks.

 

[fundy]

The reason there are high launch and low launch shots are to enable people who hit it too high or too low for what is considered ideal.

If when fitted they thought you hit it too low they would give you a high launch shaft to counteract that, mine was the reverse, have always hit the ball very high so have a shaft designed to lower the ball flight and be more penetrating.

I wouldnt be obsessed with ball height as such, at the moment distance and distance control probably more important.

Are you worried theyve fitted the wrong shafts?

 

[Alex1975]

Are you worried theyve fitted the wrong shafts?

Not at all, just pure interest in the subject.

 

[JustOne]

There is no difference, just preference. There is however an ideal for maximum distance however that generally pertains to the driver (drop angle).