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I myself have struggled with it my irons correctly. A couple of months ago I went to see my local PGA pro who stated I had an "Over the Top Swing" which caused me to cast, hit fat, and toe shots. He stated that I needed to "hit down" on the ball. After a month of still casting, coming over the top, hitting fat etc I took another lesson from a different PGA pro who stated that the term hitting down was an incorrect analogy. Instead he told me to swing my arms "out" towards the ball like a baseball swing. When I did this I hit the most crisp shots of my life. He stated that the idea of "hitting down" is what causes most people to do the above things I was doing beacuse the idea of "hitting down" means just that hit down. I went from barely breaking 100 to shotting ing the mid 80's. What do you guys think?

I think the "hitting down" term is used so that people realize that they need to swing through the ball and continue to strike downwardly at impact with the ball, in order for the ball to rise from the clubface and soar through the air. Baseball swinging is not the greatest of thoughts either in my opinion.

In the most recent golf magazine, AJ reveals his "secret". More importantly, there is a great visual with a picture of a large nail being driven into the ball. I think this visual is appropriate and is probably more correct than simply hitting down.

BTW...there are many bad terms in golf instruction like "flipping". I think the intent of the instructors is correct, but the interpretation can be mis-leading, as you have pointed out.

Hitting down is having the hands/grip of the club leading which is the opposite of casting.

I've always thought of clipping the grass/tee...that way it gives you the visual needed to "hit down" on the ball without having the image of actually swinging to strike down on the ball. I always play better when I make a swing and let the ball get in the way.

keep with that pro because he seems to be able to get the best from you, not all pros are good for everyone, the pro that always helped me has just left the area so I am now looking for another will most probably cost me till i find one to suit. MM

I was having a problem striking down on the ball until I started leading with my hands. I was sweeping the ball and was having sucess and shooting low scores here at home. But when I went to Myrtle Beach and had to play on some of those tight plush fairways I couldn't sweep it like at home. I feel my ball strikeing has improved incredibly and my distance has changed by as much as 2 or 3 clubs. By hitting down and through and compressing the ball. You can hear the difference too.

When I get to coming over the top, my swing thought is to hit from the inside back of the ball to the outside front of the ball...about 30 degrees in my mind, although I know it isn't that much, and to keep my head behind the ball. This really helps me get back on track.