Great players have diversity in their golf game. Scratch golfers control their golf balls. They can hit a draw on command and a fade when needed.
We want to help you add more tools to your golf toolkit. Today we will focus on how to hit a golf ball higher.
Do you ever watch the PGA tour on TV? When you do, listen closely to the conversations between the players and their caddy.
You will notice they rarely just hit a shot. They adjust the trajectory of their shots depending on the wind and slope of the green.
Learn how to hit the golf ball higher, and you will be one step closer to being a professional golfer.
In this article, we will cover:
- Why Do You Need To Learn How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher?
- How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher When Driving
- How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher With Irons
- How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher When Chipping
- 8 Tips on How to Hit The Golf Ball Higher!
Let’s dive in!
Why Do You Need To Learn How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher?
Before we jump into the how let’s spend a few minutes discussing the why.
Here are some situations you will encounter on the golf course and you will need to launch the ball high in the air:
- Take advantage of a par 4 or par 5 that is playing downwind – hit your driver high and let the wind give you more distance.
- The flag/pin is tucked behind a bunker, and you need your approach shot to land softly on the green.
- There is an obstacle (tree) in your way – you need to get your ball up and over it.
- You have missed the green in a tough spot – only a flop shot will give you a chance to save par.
If you play golf, you will end up in spots that call for a high shot. Not let’s learn how to hit one!
8 Tips That Will Teach You How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher
How you approach hitting a golf shot will depend on the club you are using – the approach will change if you hit your driver versus a 7-iron.
With this in mind, we will journey through your golf bag and provide you with different swing thoughts.
How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher With Your Driver
#1: Tee It High & Let It Fly
The tee box is the one place on the golf course where you get to place your ball on a tee. If you want to hit your driver high, you must take advantage of this rule.
Find the longest golf tee in your bag and use all of it. Get your ball as high off the ground as possible.
We want you to launch that ball into the air, and your golf tee is your launch pad!
#2: Front Of Your Stance
If you are a right-handed golfer, the front of your stance is near your left foot. The ball should always be in front of your stance when hitting your driver.
We want you to “kick it up a notch”! Move the ball even with or in front of your left foot.
This will help you add loft to your driver and get it sailing through the air.
You have probably noticed that we have provided two tips on hitting a golf ball higher and haven’t even talked about your swing yet.
You must adjust your setup and golf swing to hit different golf shots (high, low, draw, fade).
#3: Stay Back & Swing Up
Your driver in a unique club. It is the only one you want to hit “up on” the golf ball, especially when you want to hit a high shot.
Learning to hit a golf ball higher with your driver is a two-step process. First, you have to stay back.
You always want to shift your weight to your right side (right-handed golfer) during your backswing and shift your weight to your left side during your downswing.
To hit your driver high, we want to keep your weight back (on your right side) longer than usual.
The second step is to swing up at the ball. If you do these two steps correctly, you will launch your Titleist high!
How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher With Your Irons
#4: Hit Down On The Ball
Yes, this is the opposite of what we just told you about your driver when hitting irons higher, and it is counterintuitive but true.
Iron shots are different in a couple of different ways. First, you are hitting them off the ground. Second, they have more loft than your driver.
You never want to try and lift an iron shot into the air. Instead, you hit down on the golf ball and let the loft of the club launch the ball up.
Easy swing thought to remember. “Hit down to make the ball go up.”
#5: Move It Up A Bit In Your Stance
This tip on how to hit a golf ball higher with your irons is very similar to the driver tip above (#2).
The location of your golf ball in your stance should change depending on the iron you are hitting.
A 5-iron should be near the front of your stance, but an 8-iron will be closer to the middle of your stance.
Do you want to hit a high iron shot? Move the ball slightly further up – need a high 8-iron? Place the ball closer to the front of your stance.
#6: Open The Face
Learn how to hit a golf ball higher by developing your ability to control the clubface. You can add loft to any iron by twisting the face open.
Adding loft will help you hit any club higher. The tricky part is pulling this off without hitting a giant slice.
This is the most challenging of our tips, so practice this on the driving range before you try this on the course.
How To Hit A Golf Ball Higher When Chipping
A high flop shot might be your only solution when you are in trouble near the green. This is a tricky shot, but it can save your strokes once you learn it.
#7: Open The Face Wide Open
One way to describe a flop shot is that you hit a “bunker shot from the grass,” to that point, you must open the face the same way you do in a greenside trap.
You need to use your sand wedge or lob wedge and open it up. It should almost be flat.
You want as much loft on your wedge as possible.
#8: Cut Under The Ball With Speed
Learning to hit a golf ball higher when chipping is not for the timid. You must be bold, aggressive, and fully committed.
You must cut under the ball, and your club needs to move fast. If you do it correctly, the ball will quickly land softly (like a butterfly with sore feet).
If you make a scared attempt at a flop shot, it can end in tragedy. You could duff the ball, shank the ball, or blade it out of bounds.
Do you want to check out some examples? Phil Mickelson is famous for executing flop shots.
We hope our tips have helped. Learn how to hit the golf ball higher, and you will have more options when you play.
The more options you have, the better. The more shots you have in your repertoire, the more birdies you can make on the course. Good luck, and play well!
