golfrewind.com

Hi I'm a new golfer, and have a basic problem/question. How do you hit down on the ball? I'm striking the ball with the edge of my iron on the backside of the ball. I know that's not right, because I get grounders and low line drives. Where should I be hitting the ball excatly? Right now, I go pretty straight, but very short (50-75 yards) no matter what club I use. What part of the club should I be hitting with, and where should it strike the ball? I know this isn't a very smart question, but I would appreciate any tips or advice. thanks, Dave

Go to a local course and take some lessons.
That is the only advice for beginners.

Hi, dabtm. Tommyboy doesn't mince words, does he? LOL

Anyway, lessons would get you off to a good start and climb the "learning curve" more quickly. Ideally, you would take private lessons from a PGA member who has teaching credentials. Probably you could find such a person at one of the better courses in your area. If that's too expensive, possibly you could take group lessons offered through your local community education. Or, if you have a friend who's not a bad golfer, maybe that person could give you some pointers. It helps to have someone knowledgeable and supportive observe you personally and correct bad habits before they get deeply ingrained. Best wishes!

i definitely agree with the advice of taking a couple lessons. i've had the same problem, and the pro was able to help me iron out some of my technique. i'm still have the problem of topping the ball on some shots, but i'm hitting much better than i did before the lessons.

you should check out the thread with subject "topping the ball." that might help.

Hi Dave, welcome to the club. As everyone has said you need someone you knows what they're doing take a look at your swing. An experienced golfer friend might do if you don't want to spring for a lesson. I'll hazard a couple of tips, though. It sounds like you may be trying to "lift" the ball at impact and not hitting "down and through" or your clubhead is getting out in front of your hands at impact. Your hands need to be in front of the clubhead at impact and if you truly hit down & through the clubface will strike the ball, as it should, instead of the edge of the club. The loft of the club will get it airborn. Good luck & there are no stupid questions.

Actually, I need to go take lessons myself. I have never taken lessons and able to get my handicap to just above 16. I am just afraid that the pro will tell me my swing is all messed up and I have to make a lot of changes. I will definitely go next spring tho since I have dedicated myself to breaking 80 before June. If I take it now, I may just forget everything over the winter months and go back to my old habits.

Just trying to mentally create the shot you describe . hmmmm
First thing id say is "dont" forget how you play this shot - there will be times when its needed
You say your going straight? im picking your swinging maybe a little in to out which is a good thing
Where to hit - the bottom of the club is shaped to make the clubhead cut into the ground under the ball by maybe 1/2 an inch and then to lift ITSELF and the ball
So- i expect you have you hands too far forward and the ball too far back in your stance and are actually hitting DOWN on the ball , which isnt exacty what you want to do
You actually want to be hitting into the back of the ball - but at a point in the arc of the swing that will have the club going down at a point under the ball .hard to explain really
but picture this - the ball gets pinched between the ground and the clubhead then is squeezed out with the grooves of the clubface biting into the ball causing spin "backspin" which makes the ball climb . moreso into head winds
if you are right handed . try this- 5iron ball in line with your left nipple "look out here come the naughty word nazis" and your hands in line with your nose
a few other things - come into the ball a little slower making sure you are still speeding up THRU the ball
And i expect your swing is very low - around your body
you will need to change a few things - take the club up a little higher on the backswing and where the follow thru finishes- id pick your right arm is accross your chest at the finish of the swing ? finish with your hands almost against your left ear
theres a lot of stuff here . some may be irrelevent for you .
good luck !

It takes time for you to see the clubs seperate in distance be patient.

Inorder to contact the ball on the middle of the clubface start with the following:

1. There are three grips, learn the one that fits the size of your hands. The correct grip is more in the fingers than the palms.

2. Use a light grip pressure, 2 or 3 in a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the tightest.

3. Replace the thought of "striking the ball" with "stroking or sweeping the grass". This will allow the bottom of the club to swing lower than the middle or the equator of the ball which help you get the ball airborne.

4. Learn the correct posture over the ball:

Bend from the hips and relax you knees.

Note: If you take an iron in one hand and the ball in another at eye level and place the ball on the center of the clubface you will see that the sole or bottom of the club is very low or lower than the ball. This is how the club should contact the ball.

The advice of "hitting down on the ball" always confuses me as well. My uncle tells me this a lot, but it means nothing to me, as I don't know how to implement this.