Hitting the Ball Thin
IN: Golf Instruction | by Wayne Thomas | 09 Nov 2007
Hitting the ball thin is a common problem among golfers and there can be many different reasons a golfer will do this; it is usually most evident using a wedge pitching the ball a short distance onto the green.
Three of the biggest reasons for hitting the ball thin I believe comes from:
Trying to lift the ball up. The intention of trying to lift the ball up will have the golfer hit the ball with the leading edge of the club and the ball shoots out too low with very little spin or the ball just scuttles along the ground.
Being afraid of hitting the ground. Being afraid of hitting the
ground can have the same effect, the golfer will throw the club
head early tying to hit at the ball rather than letting the left
arm swing and be forced to shorten the left arm too soon and
probably chicken wing the left elbow.
Trying to get under the ball. You cannot get the club head under
the ball the ground is in the way.
Unconscious instincts or reactions developed as a youngster playing bat and ball games is something many golfers are not aware of that are affecting their ability to create a sound golf swing and have solid strikes on the ball. It became obvious as a youngster that to hit a ball in the air we swing from under to up and the ball lifts as shown in Figure 1 with a racket. Well that is OK using a racket hitting a ball that is in the air; with golf the ball is on the ground so we need to develop a new set of instincts, our golfing instincts.
What feels like hitting the ball down, will hit the ball up – as illustrated in figure 2.
The Golf Club Design
A bit of study on how a golf club is designed and how it differs from a bat or racket has us discover there is loft built in; when we think about this for a moment it becomes obvious we no longer need to try lifting the ball up in fact we want to feel the opposite.
What feels like hitting the ball down, will hit the ball up – the loft (Fig 3) will launch the ball up for you.
A little more study of the golf club has us discover to get the sweet spot of the club face on the ball we need to meet the ball with a slightly forward leaning shaft allowing the head weight to fall with the bottom of the arc a little past the ball (under our left arm pit) ensuring the head strikes the ball a descending blow. The problem I see with many golfers is the more the ball is hit thin or scuttles along the ground their old instincts unconsciously kick in and they try harder to lift the ball up, the bottom of the arc is too early, (before the ball) the club head is rising and keeps hitting the ball with the leading edge of club. The sweet spot I show in Figure 4.
Mechanics
The left arm and shaft with a constant flat left wrist (for club face control) is your primary lever assembly and when you allow the left arm to swing freely from the shoulder the club head will naturally swing in an arc and the bottom of the arc will be under your left arm pit as per Figure 8.
If the ball is located about two inches inside the left heel this will mean the club head will strike the ball a descending blow with a slightly forward leaning shaft allowing the club face to come in contact with the ball as was shown in Figure 3.
(If the bottom of the swing arc is before the ball the club head will be rising and catch the ball thin on the leading edge and is the dreaded scoop shown in Figure 5.
When your head is steady and located behind the balls position you will maintain a spine tilt giving the left arm radius enough room to remain extended and the right arm should not fully straighten until at or after the club head reaches low point which is after the ball has been struck with the look again in Figure 8.
One of the difficulties in achieving a sound repeatable golf swing that consistently strikes the ball a solid blow is overcoming the urge to hit at the ball usually resulting in a loss of lag pressure known as throwaway. The right hand throwing to generate power will have the right wrist unbend and the right elbow straighten too soon (Fig 5). With no-where else to go the shaft passes the left arm, the left wrist bends, the left arm chicken wings (Fig 6) and the ball is hit thin.
The right arm is too short for golf so learn to develop a swing motion that accounts for this dilemma. In the downswing allow your hips and shoulders to rotate whilst maintaining a head position that is behind the balls location for spine tilt. Allow the left arm to drop in the downswing and let the club be swung freely. This will support some lag pressure allowing you too strike the ball with a bent right wrist and a bent right elbow.
What To Practice
Begin with short swings as per Figures 7, 8 and 9 using a lofted club like a wedge or nine iron with a tee pushed down in the grass about 4 cm past the ball to indicate the bottom of the arc. Monitor your right elbow and notice when it straightens. It’s OK if it straightens early to begin with the importance is that you can feel when it straightens. After a while you’ll notice the right elbow doesn’t straighten until the tee has been struck; that’s when you’ll notice the ball has been struck a solid blow and it launches easily.
Now if this feels like a lazy motion that has no control over the club you’re on the right track; the club will be freewheeling or swinging. Never be seeking power, when the club is swinging freely power will come. As the strikes improve and the confidence grows allow the club to travel further back and through and before long you are in full swings striking solid blows hitting ball then grass.
Learn to develop a swing motion that accommodates how the golf club is designed to function.
Be patient; have every practice session be constructive don’t just bash balls wildly, take your time in developing a sound golf swing that strikes the ball an accurate solid blow or suffer the long-term consequences of an inappropriate inconsistent motion.
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