Coaches Corner: Getting the Ball in the Air

 

I often ask my students what gets the ball to go in the air? A good majority get it right. It’s not complex with a ton of scientific equations, it’s quite simple…loft. Every club has it to a varying degree (pun intended). Putters have 2-3 degrees of loft and wedges go all the way to 64*.

This is great news to all golfers of all ability levels…IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO GET THE BALL TO GO IN THE AIR. It’s the job of the club companies who build the clubs. They manufacture the clubs with loft so the club comes out of the box and works. Your job is to simply put the club face on the back of the ball. The loft will do the rest.

I see people all the time try and getting the ball to go in the air by flipping their hands at the ball. This will lead to skulled shots that do not get in the air or hitting the ground behind the ball. You CANNOT be consistent by trying to help the ball in the air.

Practice by taking a swing and just brush the ground 3-5 times with no ball. Then hit a ball still trying to just brush the ground. If your club comes into the ball fairly level, the loft will get the ball to go into the air and the contact will be much more solid.  

 

Coaches Corner:The Coaches Corner is brought to you by our Oaks Course Golf Pro, Brad Patton. Brad is the Lead Staff Instructor and PGA Assistant Golf Professional. He has real a passion for golf and instruction, and has been part of the Oaks Course team for several years.