Solutions for a low ball flight

Bigborgel

Lately, my ball flight with driver has gotten kind of low. I'm playing a 12.5* Cally GBB, with an Reg shaft (SS is about 82) most of my drives, although straight, are lower than I would like and limiting my distance. The way I see it, my solutions are are follows:
1. Go up in loft from 12.5 to 14.0
2. Switch to a softer tip shaft (maybe a Graphite Design)
3. Switch to a senior A flex shaft
4. I'm already playing my ball on a high peg, so I'm thinking moving the ball more forward in my stance, in order to hit it with a more ascending blow.

Any thoughts out in Buzzard land?

Par4QC

Bigborgel 1. Go up in loft from 12.5 to 14.0
2. Switch to a softer tip shaft (maybe a Graphite Design)
3. Switch to a senior A flex shaft
4. I'm already playing my ball on a high peg, so I'm thinking moving the ball more forward in my stance, in order to hit it with a more ascending blow.

a few thoughts here....

What if that 12.5 is actually 14 and the 14 you might buy turns out to be 11? You probably don't really know what you have, if it's not been checked.
If the shaft you are using is the stock shaft that came in the club, it's most likely already a soft tip. OEMs do this to help the consumer.
Going with an "A" flex, just because you are a "senior", or have a slow swing speed, is just plain old BS. Means nothing. And could very well lead to more problems.
When moving the ball forward in stance you may have to adjust tee height again. Too high, sky marks. Too low, hitting down on ball still. Put some tape on the top until you find the correct height.

#4 is about the only thing you can do on your own with no OOP expense. The others, I'd suggest finding someone
that could check lofts and possibly watch your swing. Maybe a club pro or a local fitter.

You are not alone with the driver problems. I lose several yards every year about this time of the season. No explanation; I just play on. It will come around, don't dwell on it, enjoy the round! It makes you think more on the ensuing shots; may have to use clubs that never get pulled otherwise.

rsvman

Make sure to keep your head and body behind the ball when you swing.

sdandrea1

Hit the ball higher. You're welcome. 😎

Seriously, one thing to look for is the possibility that your are "hooding" the clubhead with your hands at impact - IOW, closing the clubface down and thereby reducing the loft.

raggmann54

At 70 years old I finally went to the "geezer" flex in all clubs but wedges - just don't have that flexibility and swing speed anymore. Has helped my game tremendously - better height and distance. I found myself I was concentrating more on a smooth, slow back swing. Works for me.

ZWExton

Moving the ball forward a little and trying to really stay on your spot (instead of sliding forward a bit) are real cheap experiments compared to changing your club.

Also never belittle a ball in the middle. How much distance do you think you stand to gain with a club overhaul?

Provisional

I'm right there with you man.

Why don't you try an A shaft and post how it works so I can use your experiment's results with out having to experiment too. You'd save me from the $ /effort?? Naw, I'm gitin' too lazy to change again and I'm thinking my old Ping is giving nearly all distance I'm going to get.

Seriously though , I had a factory TFC ? Ping R flex shaft in my 12* G15 , soft tip from v good professional fitter to help my distance 5 yrs ago when swing was nearer 90s which worked a while, but not lately and I broke it mi"shit"ting it. I added 3 grams lead tape to bottom tail which may help raise it's trajectory a little .

I have also tried the 12 Cleveland 270 UL driver/Miyazaki 50 g R flex shaft cut to 45". Most of time my old 12 G15 I reshafted with low buck r flex 55 g Mitsubishi Rayon wins the straight & longer contests . Any drive over 200 carry is a happy thing. 3 or 4 times a round on good days. Nada on not so good ones. Thinking of adding some lead tape to the Cleveland to see if pushing it's weight up to about 290 grams works better for me . Still waiting to give the Miyazaki shaft some more chances . I'm working on my swing too, but much change at my age is kinda slow tough.

Bigborgel

Provisional Thanks for all your suggestions. Yesterday I went to Eddie Watts and in the used rack, I found a Ping G30 driver SF Tec at 12 with their A flex shaft, I adjusted it to 13 , and went to the range with my golf bud(it was "feels like" 105-110 heat index. What he saw was that I was was hooding the face about 5 degrees and not getting good height. Worked on hitting squarely and height improved noticeably, distance didn't increase much at all, but I owe that to swinging more slowly to work on the squareness issue. I think my speed will return as I get used to hitting squarely. I find if I set up a bit open it squares up by the time of impact. I like the G30's feel and forgiveness, got it for $112 minus ti of $74 for my Cally GBB.

kchacker

One of the guys I play with is losing distance, quickly. He's trying to overcome the inevitable by throwing his body through the swing and trying to snap hook the ball around. Once in awhile he'll catch one and it will scream, albeit very low (the fact that he's catching the occasional ball isn't helping). Most of the time it is a weakly struck thin shot that goes nowhere and barely gets off the ground. He's fighting Father Time, and getting his ass kicked. It's especially notable with the driver, because the ball is teed and he can "sort of" get away with it.

You probably aren't going to the extreme my friend is, but you may be trying to make the club do something it isn't intended to do as the numbers creep the wrong direction. Perhaps slowing your tempo and releasing the club a bit earlier (if your swing allows) would make it start rising again, and hopefully picking up a few yards in the process. I don't think a higher lofted driver would help.

The easier flexed shaft may aid in this process.

DonM

At 82 MPH, 12.5* could be fine if your mechanics are okay. An A flex shaft is probably called for, but as suggested above you are delofting it somehow, too. Or are you hitting it low on the face? I feel that your club affects your swing. If the club is too heavy or too low in loft or too stiff, your swing will be affected. If it was me, I'd install an A flex 50-something gram shaft.

Also consider changing golf balls. The "soft" balls launch higher in general. They are not all created equal, so you might have to try a few. Those with fewer dimples fly higher than those with more dimples. I can't go as soft as the Duo or Cally Supersoft, because with my insert putter the feel sucks with those two. But there are plenty of others. Lately I've been playing the Srixon Soft Feel, and it goes nice and high, and putts well.

Provisional

Practiced 9 holes yesterday with my 2 drivers, added lead tape to tail my 270 UL Cleveland . Had good luck, changed approach swing into ball a smigin' . My super sr 80 ish swing speeds gave me all 200 yds + change and still think little better swing for more height in trajectory could net a few more yards. Baby draw was working which is usually good for rollout help . Even had two drives at ~230 yds with good doen hill roll, first in LONG time!

Thinking most of my luck yesterday was from the very small changes in my swing path. I concentrated on taking the tee from under the ball and tryed to complete my back swing turn with slight transition pause. I've been rushing too early into ball , giving early release and lots of pulls.
Hope this positive trend continues so I can try fixes to my iron strike issue .
GOOD LUCK & let us hear about your driving.

SVonhof

I am there with you on the ballflight, but not swing speed. I am younger (45), so I can still get the head moving, but even with my driver at 11.5, I struggle to get any height, because I am constantly de-lofting and also turning the head over.

I have no solution yet as I just cannot stop doing it for the life of me. Lessons are what I think I need, somebody to tell me what I am doing wrong (I am sure it's more than one thing, but I can't see it).

Provisional

SVonhof
I'm last one who should offer ANY swing advice but this is true for me: I always seem to get higher trajectory with a cut shot over a draw. Not over cooking it into a slice in the effort is the challenge this approach gives me. My natural shot tendency a pull, draw, or snaphook. Uugg!
My $0.02, probably twice what it's worth, but for me hitting a low fade/ cut is almost impossible .

therod

You also might try just standing a little farther from the ball. If I crowd the ball a little, my ball flight drops. It's how I hit knock downs. So why not go the other way. Just stand a little farther from it and see if your ball flight comes back up...

jamez

A grip with a strong right hand will cause also cause this. Of course it may cause hooks too.

RobertThomas

5" inch tee..........