Ball Flight

[thedue]

It seems as if most club manufacturers and even a lot of the teaching professionals are designing the clubs and swings for a high ball flight. I've seen it on the monitor that once I position the ball to a higher launch angle I can gobble up a lot more yards.

Is it possible to match these characteristics with one of the lower trajectory balls to create a more piercing ball flight? Not sure it would be worth while and I know it's something I would need to see for myself, but kind of cold right now, lol. Does anyone standardly try to combine these components to create this type of flight?

 

[bonknhead]

It seems as if most club manufacturers and even a lot of the teaching professionals are designing the clubs and swings for a high ball flight. I've seen it on the monitor that once I position the ball to a higher launch angle I can gobble up a lot more yards.

Is it possible to match these characteristics with one of the lower trajectory balls to create a more piercing ball flight? Not sure it would be worth while and I know it's something I would need to see for myself, but kind of cold right now, lol. Does anyone standardly try to combine these components to create this type of flight?

I sort of did. I have an '07 TM Burner, which I believe its head launches the ball high. I put in a UST ProForce V2 shaft, a stiff 67gm one, which gives a lower ball flight than the stock 50gm shaft, and play a lower-spinning ball, a Bridgestone e6+. The ball flight is perfect with my driving last season the best it's ever been.

 

[thedue]

I like the higher ball flight most of the time. Not too great for windy day's, but more so looking for the added distance if available by creating a different trajectory.

 

[C-Tech]

I sort of did. I have an '07 TM Burner, which I believe its head launches the ball high. I put in a UST ProForce V2 shaft, a stiff 67gm one, which gives a lower ball flight than the stock 50gm shaft, and play a lower-spinning ball, a Bridgestone e6+. The ball flight is perfect with my driving last season the best it's ever been.

Since I started playing the Burner driver, I have struggled with higher ball flight. I always like a more piercing trajectory, but this 9.5 degree Burner launches it higher than the 10.5 Nike Sumo2 I used to play. I may have to play with the shafts as well.

 

[Fourputt]

It seems as if most club manufacturers and even a lot of the teaching professionals are designing the clubs and swings for a high ball flight. I've seen it on the monitor that once I position the ball to a higher launch angle I can gobble up a lot more yards.

Is it possible to match these characteristics with one of the lower trajectory balls to create a more piercing ball flight? Not sure it would be worth while and I know it's something I would need to see for myself, but kind of cold right now, lol. Does anyone standardly try to combine these components to create this type of flight?

Players who don't hit the ball a long ways (like older seniors, juniors, some women) deliberately go for a lower trajectory in order to get more roll. For that sort of player the roll from a lower flight counts for a lot more distance than the added carry from a high trajectory. It's not for the piercing aspect but for the added roll.

It's also handy when playing in high winds, although you can accomplish the same thing by playing a punch shot. When hitting into the wind, I focus on not swinging the driver as hard to reduce backspin and the subsequent ballooning effect, then punch most other shots. otherwise I usually prefer a higher trajectory.

 

[bigvivec]

If you boys want a lower trajectory, look to the shaft not the ball...graphite design pershing and throttle are two very good shafts going for pretty cheap right now that feature low trajectory...Prolaunch red is another...

 

[JB]

If you boys want a lower trajectory, look to the shaft not the ball.

The shaft does a great job of lowering trajectory, but the ball can do quite a lot. for instance the Bridgestone e5 compared to the e7 will dramatically change the ball flight high to low without a shaft change.

 

[thedue]

Honestly, I must not have worded this correctly. I have a pretty descent distance for a midget, lol. I generally can keep up with the Joneses, just sort of experimenting a bit. When in the wind I generally do about like Fourputt suggested, moving the ball towards my back foot, staying off the throttle a bit and more of a punch.

I've just always used a higher flight ball and it's worked for me to the most part. Just curious how the lower flight balls match up to the higher flight equipment and swing setup, if that makes sense?

edit: I do plan some shaft work this year for some extra tinkering.

 

[provisional]

How much does ball position at address, coupled with tee height effect the trajectory of the ball flight? Or, the two separately?

 

[thedue]

A lot for me. We have more than our share of wind in this area of Nebraska, pretty flat. I don't generally change the tee height, but moving the ball back a little really lowers the flight for me, but also the distance.

 

[Fourputt]

A lot for me. We have more than our share of wind in this area of Nebraska, pretty flat. I don't generally change the tee height, but moving the ball back a little really lowers the flight for me, but also the distance.

Another thing to consider. Depending on your swing, moving the ball back can lead to a more descending blow, which can in turn impart more backspin, causing the ball to actually rise higher. The game is funny... sometimes it seems to fly in the face of logic. :confused2:

 

[thedue]

Another thing to consider. Depending on your swing, moving the ball back can lead to a more descending blow, which can in turn impart more backspin, causing the ball to actually rise higher. The game is funny... sometimes it seems to fly in the face of logic. :confused2:

Good point. My somewhat coach loves to say that everything in golf in opposites or backwards. What I call moving it back traditionally is very little. Many times only a couple inches.

 

[chilly]

Good post. I've only recently started trying to hit my driver and have these same questions. I hit an extremely high ball with all clubs, so much so that I wonder if it hurts distance.

Right now I have an '09 Tour Burner driver with stock reax Stiff shaft. It actually seems to hit the ball mid trajectory, even with the loose stock shaft. I imagine the head is quite low spin. I like the combo but the shaft is too loose causing some hooks that I need to get rid of, and if I have a late release the ball will push right a bit and balloon. This "bad" swing doesn't really cause other combos to balloon.

I also play a Hibore XL with stock Red fujikura in Stiff. This hits the ball a bit higher then the Burner on "good" swings, but the shaft is more stable and I am more consistent. I do seem to give up some yards to the '09 Burner as well. I can only assume by the name that this is a high launch clubhead, yet combined with the low launch shaft seems to still give me mid to high launch. Just as an aside, does anyone know what aftermarket shaft closely imitates the red Fujikura in the Clevelands?

I just put together an '07 Burner with 85g NV in Stiff, I picked up the cheapie pink shaft from the Aldila store to try as an experiment. I'm hoping this gives me the flight I want, my research indicates this should be mid launch but not exactly sure how the 85g will react as I couldn't find anyone who had experimented with this combo.

 

[Esox]

I don't typically mess around with ball position with the driver. I hit my FT-i with a Matrix XCon 6 for a piercing ball flight, and a Titleist 907D1 with a stock Titleist Blueboard in for a higher ball flight. I find I can generally hit the ball higher out of a more open stance, too, but then I have to play a slightly bigger fade than normal.

Kevin

 

[thedue]

I don't typically mess around with ball position with the driver. I hit my FT-i with a Matrix XCon 6 for a piercing ball flight, and a Titleist 907D1 with a stock Titleist Blueboard in for a higher ball flight. I find I can generally hit the ball higher out of a more open stance, too, but then I have to play a slightly bigger fade than normal.

Kevin

So Esox, do you carry a second driver on windy day's or one driver with an open stance into the wind and choose between the two? I've never even heard of the Xcon 6, sounds kind of cool, lol.

 

[Esox]

So Esox, do you carry a second driver on windy day's or one driver with an open stance into the wind and choose between the two? I've never even heard of the Xcon 6, sounds kind of cool, lol.

Only one driver in the bag. Usually the FT-i. It's supposed to be high launch/low spin, but I hit mid trajectory darts with it. I can bring it up if I open up. Our home course last year was perfect for it. Usually windy with hard fairways. The place I'll be playing next year the Titleist will see more play because the fairways are softer and wetter. Unless I find the right FT-9.

If you don't mind the square heads, I think Cally Pre-owned is selling the FT-i with the XCon 6 for pretty cheap. I love Cally Pre-owned.

Kevin

 

[thedue]

I guess I'll have to give square a try. I've really looked at them as sort of a gimmic, but some do well with them. Never even heard of the xCon 6, I take it thats a good shaft?

 

[Esox]

I guess I'll have to give square a try. I've really looked at them as sort of a gimmic, but some do well with them. Never even heard of the xCon 6, I take it thats a good shaft?

I like it. It seems to have a pretty good reputation on the Internet. Like I said earlier, the theory is it's high launch, low spin. The FT-i, by the way, is also the straightest driver I've played. It's actually kind of hard to shape shots with it.

Find one and hit a few shots. Please don't spend money on my advice alone.

Kevin

 

[Hanks]

I guess I'll have to give square a try. I've really looked at them as sort of a gimmic, but some do well with them. Never even heard of the xCon 6, I take it thats a good shaft?

Due- check out Golf Galaxy, etc. they've been running the Dymo2's for $150. I was never a believer in square either until I went and hit one. Straighter, more forgiving, and seemed to hit it more consistently vs. the traditional shape.

 

[thedue]

Due- check out Golf Galaxy, etc. they've been running the Dymo2's for $150. I was never a believer in square either until I went and hit one. Straighter, more forgiving, and seemed to hit it more consistently vs. the traditional shape.

I'll have to do that. I like my R9 well enough, but never hurts to hit a few others. What I really want to do this year is a good fitting with plenty of shaft options.