How To Control The Trajectory Of The Shot

How To Control The Trajectory Of Your Shots

One of the many factors that separate the good golfers from the great golfers is the ability to control the golf ball in all conditions. As you progress with your game, it’s no good only being able to score 36 points in perfect playing conditions.

Controlling the flight of the ball enables players to avoid danger on the course and can allow the player to access any pin position.

If you are unable to (relatively) consistently deliver the center of the club face to the ball, then forget about controlling the flight and get some lessons to achieve this first. However, if you are someone who strikes the ball consistently, then read on!

In this article, I am going to cover how to control the trajectory of the shot. This is incredibly useful to scoring, particularly in windy conditions.

Hitting It Lower

Flighting the ball is very useful when playing either into the wind or in cross winds. It allows the ball to hold its flight more effectively and prevents it from being buffered about in the wind.

To hit the ball lower and keep it low, you need to create a steeper angle of approach into the ball whilst at the same time reducing the amount of loft presented by the club face. Where many players struggle is they simply hit down on the ball more and do not consider loft, this results in more backspin and the ball just balloons up into the wind and often will come up way short of the target.

Below I have highlighted 2 ways to create a steeper angle into the ball, and 2 ways to reduce the loft presented. Try combining one from each and see which works best for you.

Steeper Angle

1. Moving the ball position further back in your stance. This will move the lowest point of the swing arc further in front of the ball, creating a steeper angle of approach into the ball.
2. Position more weight over your left side at address (60-70%) and focus on maintaining that in the backswing. (in the downswing complete your normal weight transfer finishing with hips facing the target, 90% of weight over left foot and pivoted onto right toe)

Decreasing Loft

1. Using a longer, less lofted club (obviously, this will decrease the loft presented, it may also benefit you to swing slower as this will help to reduce backspin)
2. Keep the back of your left hand facing the target as long as possible. This feeling will create more forward shaft lean which is great for reducing loft at impact.

Hitting It Higher

Hitting the ball higher also has its benefits, it can help you to stop the ball quicker on downwind holes, enable you to access tricky pin positions that may be tucked in behind bunkers and also get the ball over trees and potentially out of trouble.

To launch the ball higher, you need to create a shallower angle of attack and deliver more dynamic loft.

Here are 2 ways you can increase loft and create a shallower angle of approach which (assuming a good strike) will help you launch it high in the sky and land it softly on the green.

Again, try combining one from each section and see which combination works best for you.

Shallower Angle

1. Move the ball position slightly forward in the stance. This means the lowest point of the swing arc will be slightly behind the ball creating a shallower angle of approach. (be careful not to do it too much as it can result in poor strikes low on the club face)
2. Left shoulder slightly higher than the right (for right handed golfers) this additional tilt in the spine helps to create a more sweeping strike on the ball.

Increasing Loft

1. Use more loft and hit it harder. Swinging harder MAY help the shaft to bend more at the bottom of the arc which increases loft.
2. Move the hands slightly back at address, this can reduce forward shaft lean which helps to increase the amount of loft presented at impact