3 wood question

[dant]

Why is it that I have a hard time getting my 3 wood in the air. I hit these line drives that r about 5' off the ground. I get good distance but I want more height. (this worse is when I'm in the fairway but a little better when teeing up.)
Thanks
Dant

[BrianW]

Re: 3 wood question

Experement with the ball position, you may be playing it too far back so that your hands are ahead of the ball at impact and delofting the clubface. Tee it a little higher and try to hit on the upswing to gain some height of the tee.

[GBergstrom]

Re: 3 wood question

Here's another coupla possibilities (coming from someone who went through a bout of low line drives):

Swing plane too flat - many times this is a result of getting laid off at the top or bringing your hands too far inside, then bringing the club into impact from below the swing plane. The only way to make contact with this sort of swing (also a source of duck hooks. I hate duck hooks) or to push it out to right field. The cousin of the laid off position is coming out of your spine tilt through the shot.Your hands get down so low you are afraid you are going to drive your 3 wood in to the ground, and you come out of it. The result is you hit the ball on the bottom of the clubface.

Stance too wide - Can also cause a flat swing plane, but to a lesser degree than getting laid off at the top.

Swaying or hanging back on your right side - by the time the club reaches the ball, it's off the ground, and you make contact with the bottom of the clubface. Having the ball waay to far forward can cause this too.

Left arm bent at impact - if it's returned more bent than you took it away (trying to crush it, muscles contracting), you'll likely to hit it on the bottom of the clubface.

What got my trajectory corrected was to get my swing more vertical going back, narrow my stance a skosh, and hold my hands under my chin rather than directly below my shoulders at address (a little more room makes for a little more confidence). In doing this I got the nice high shots that a 3 wood can generate by bringing the clubface in square at impact, having it bottom out at the ball, and catching the ball in the upper center of the clubface.

Oh yeah, watch out for the dreaded excessive hip slide starting the downswing.

Cheers, GB

[dagoos]

Re: 3 wood question

you say u get good distance ,,,so I can only guess you are hitting on the upswing striking the ball on the lower half of your club face,,,,which would indicate either ball position,,, or hanging back which without seeing your swing is a bad hip slide on the downswing, ball position is trail and error ,,,,for the hip slide you have to much weight on your left side at impact ,,,try and finish with a little more weight on back toe and your left butt cheek behind your left foot not over it ,,,hope this helps

[cyc53870]

Re: 3 wood question

Try some practice shots w the feet together...