Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

[bucknasty]

It seems that all my irons off the tee are going very high. Hell, i can't even get my 9 iron over 99 years with a tee! What are some of the common problems of hitting off the tee box "high". Even my 3 iron shots from the tee are "high".

Not straight up and down (pop-fly), but height is taking a good 30-40% of my distance. I am having to use a 8 iron to get 120 yards due to the extreme height on my tee shots. I am not teeing the ball high. My tee is almost flat into the ground.

Fareway shots are similiar, but not so bad. with all shots I am "mostly straight" with a small amount of fade to the right.

Suggestions?

thanks

[Mr_Change]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

if you are hitting down to much on your ball it will just pop up. or your could just have an open clubface. You may be just not transfering your clubhead power into your ball, that could be why you arn't getting distance. I hit my irons very high and get reasonable distance. I get about 150 yards from my 9 iron. Even my 3 iron i get about 205 yards but it falls from the sky with very little roll maybe 200 yards carry.

[bucknasty]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

if you are hitting down to much on your ball it will just pop up. or your could just have an open clubface. You may be just not transfering your clubhead power into your ball, that could be why you arn't getting distance. I hit my irons very high and get reasonable distance. I get about 150 yards from my 9 iron. Even my 3 iron i get about 205 yards but it falls from the sky with very little roll maybe 200 yards carry.

Thanks for the reply tips. What can I do on the range to try and fix? any type of drill or something a partner can watch my swing and look for.

if my clubface was "open" wouldn't I have a tendency to slice or "power fade" each shot?

Today I will try turning the face "in" more and see that that does. could I also be having issues with weight transferance...ie weight on back of my feet rather than the front of my feet?

[WedgeAssassin]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

Make sure the ball isnt in the very front of your stance like a driver. With irons off the tee I would play it play it towards the front but not off the inside of the front toe like a driver. This could cause you to hit it too high.

[TeachingPro]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

Even before we go into detail - answer a few questions:

1> Does impact feel and sound good to you?
2> What irons do you use (make and model)?
3> What shaft flex are in your irons?
4> After impact are you balanced at the finish?

Let's start there and then we can look at the problem but there's no point in shooting answers your way until I know some background.

[mackpayson]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

Hell, i can't even get my 9 iron over 99 years with a tee!

I know you meant 99 yards but I just wanted to mention that for me many afternoons it feels like 99 years! A Freudian slip perhaps?

[bucknasty]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

1> Does impact feel and sound good to you?

Yes, 90% of the time it is a great impact and sounds great. Every now and then off the tee, I will hit one "thin" but who doesn't in my "hacker" status

2> What irons do you use (make and model)?
Mizuno T-Zoid (steel shaft) with Titanium inserts

3> What shaft flex are in your irons?

Would that be the black ring that says P-42 near where the shaft an club face meet?

4> After impact are you balanced at the finish?

If you mean do I almost topple forward or backward or feel like I am going to fall one way or another, no. I feel very balanced at the end of my swing.

Yesterday, there was a 133 par 3. I took and 8 iron and ended up short! Grrr, I know I should be able to hit a 9 iron at least 110, correct? Couple of years ago I could hit that 8 almost 140 years easy. I am returning to the game after 2yrs. I have been at the range at least twice a week and sometimes 5 times during the week

I am 43yrs old and the most disgusting thing is I have been playing on/off since I was 18yrs old. More off than on. But over the years have had several lessons. Also, I have a Medicus swing trainer a 5-iron. That has really helped when I come off a long non-playing spell to help with my swing path and mechanics.


Thanks

[TeachingPro]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

Okay ... so it's not an equipment problem, like you are playing with spades that kick the ball up vertically (ie. most cavity backs! ). Mizuno T-Zoid Ti's are very nice clubs. Good shafts so that's not a contributing factor.

You should hit an 8-iron 140-150ish I'd say not short on a 133yarder. That should be a nice 9-iron or easy 8-iron.

Right, so now we know all of that we look at your impact alignment.

What I'd like you to do even before we talk ripping your swing apart bit by bit trying to solve your problem is to head to the range range and do this for me:

Get a bucket of golf balls and tee up a 7-iron, tee it up to help you get through impact without having to worry about 'the strike' and divots etc. Setup with the ball just ahead of centre. Swing normally BUT MAKE 100% SURE YOUR HANDS ARE AHEAD OF THE BALL AT IMPACT. You should have a significant forward lean of the shaft at impact, about 6 or 7 degrees.

Don't punch the ball or try to hit low on purpose ... just feel as though your hands are ahead of the ball at impact with a braced (not stiff) left arm and wrist.

Practice that 'feeling' like this: set up to the ball without a club and impact the back (knuckle side) of your left hand if the club. Now sweep over the ball from an address position keeping the left hand, wrist and arm braced ... feel it? Feel the forward lean?

Okay, go and do that for me and let me know how you progress. This drill and practice routine normally eliminates both an early release and steep approach into impact as well any unintended addition to the loft ofthe club by having your hands behind the club and ball at impact.

If that doesn't work don't panic, come back and we'll move onto the next step.

[bucknasty]

Re: Hitting all Irons "high" almost pop-flys

thanks, will give that a try this week after work and let you know.