Instruction
Low Point: Can Trackman’s newest parameter indicate golfer skill level?
One of the things I have enjoyed most about teaching golf the over the past two decades is the advent of new technologies that have helped me improve as an instructor. One of my favorites, as you might know by now, is Trackman.
Trackman currently measures 26 different data parameters, which is more than enough to help golfers improve their game. The company continues to push the envelope, listen to instructor feedback and embrace new technologies, however, with the goal of making the game easier to learn and teach.
In a few months, the company will release its newest data parameter called Low Point. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Low Point: The distance from the club head’s geometric center to the lowest point on the swing arc at the time of maximum compression
We’ve all watched golf on TV and seen golfers make sizable divots. For accomplished golfers, this indicates ball-first contact and a downward angle of attack that creates a Low Point that is in front of the ball.
As a general rule, golfers have the most downward angle of attack, or AoA, with their wedges and short irons, and their Low Point is generally a few inches in front of the ball. As the irons get longer and golfers move into their hybrids and fairway woods, however, the angle of attack shallows and the Low Point moves closer to the front of the golf ball. In a perfect world, a golfers would actually have an upward attack angle with their driver, which would create a low point that’s slightly behind the ball.
Knowing this made me start to wonder if the Low Point of golfers varied between handicap levels, and if so were there any correlations? So I contacted Trackman and took a trip to their headquarters in Denmark to do some testing with their new Low Point parameter to see if my hypothesis was indeed valid.
Who we tested
- A recent major champion and top-10 player in the world (PGA Tour)
- A PGA Tour player
- A Web.com Tour player
- A scratch player
- A 10-handicap golfer
- A 20-handicap golfer
- A 30-handicap golfer
The Process
We had each of the players hit five “stock” shots with their 6 irons on Trackman using the new Low Point parameter. We would have had them hit more, but we had limited time with each player.
Sample Trackman screen showing Low Point.
Major champion and top-10 player in the world (PGA Tour)
- Range of Low Point: 3.9 to 4.4 inches (after)
- Difference: 0.5 inches
- Average Low Point: 4.16 inches (after)
PGA Tour Player
- Range of Low Point: 4.0 to 5.1 inches (after)
- Difference: 1.1 inches
- Average Low Point: 4.55 inches (after)
Web.com Tour Player
- Range of Low Point: 3.7 to 5.5 inches (after)
- Difference: 1.8 inches
- Average Low Point: 4.58 inches (after)
Scratch Player
- Range of Low Point: 4.2 to 5.2 inches (after)
- Difference: 2 inches
- Average Low Point: 4.78 inches (after)
10 Handicap Player
- Range of Low Point: 3.9 to 6.2 inches (after)
- Difference: 2.3 inches
- Average Low Point: 4.98 inches (after)
20 Handicap Player
- Range of Low Point: 3.9 to 6.3 inches (after)
- Difference: 2.4 inches
- Average Low Point: 5.54 inches (after)
30 Handicap Player
- Range of Low Point: 4.9 to 7.2 inches (after)
- Difference: 2.3 inches
- Average Low Point: 6.5 Inches (after)
Conclusions
- As the players’s skill level decreased, their Low Point moved forward with a 6 iron. To me, this seems to correspond to the tendency of a golfer’s swing path to move more leftward of the target (for a right-handed golfer) as handicap increases, as well as more rightward alignments of the torso.
- The ranges of Low Point grew wider as the player’s skill level decreased, indicating a lack of Low Point control. That falls right in line with the average player’s lack of consistency at impact as it pertains to solid shots.
- Better players have better sequencing and the upper body and tend to stay “behind” the ball a touch more than the average player. You can see this in their Low Points, which are closer to the ball.
- With the world-class golfers in this test — Major Champion, PGA Tour Player and Web.com Player — the Low Point difference ranged from 0.5 inches to 1.8 inches on all their shots, giving us an idea as to just how narrow the Low Point margin is for the world’s best golfers.
- The top-10 player in the world had a Low Point difference of only 0.5 inches, showing us that extreme Low Point consistency is an essential component of major championship consistency.
- AoA is influenced by where Low Point occurs relative to the ball. So if your low point is faulty, you can get more or less handle drag in efforts to hit the ball solid. Thus, having a consistent Low Point will help you control your dynamic loft at impact.
- A consistent and predictable Low Point is the key to solid iron play.
Low Point Drill
So now that you know you must control your Low Point, you, of course, want to know the best way to do so on the range at home. As I mentioned earlier, Trackman’s newest parameter is coming in a few months. Until then, the simplest way for you to audit and “see” your Low Point is to use the line drill shown below.
Draw or scrape a line on the driving range, using spray paint or the tip of an alignment stick. Place the ball on the line and hit several shots, moving across the line as you do. You will notice a pattern — or lack thereof — within a few shots.
The general rule with a mid iron is to create a divot in front of the line that’s neither too deep or too shallow, although turf conditions will be a factor. If you find that your Low Point is inconsistent from shot to shot, that’s a good indication that a lesson should be in your future. Remember, with iron play consistency is key!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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talljohn777
Jul 19, 2016 at 4:38 pm
Sorry, but higher handicap players are not hitting the ball first and then taking a divot in front of the ball. Complete lunacy…
Peter
Sep 24, 2015 at 4:45 pm
These results make no sense. The good golfer gets his weight and hands ahead of the ball, has a late release and strikes the ball first. The divot starts just in front of the ball and may extend four to six inches. The poor player hangs back on the right side, releases early with the hands behind the ball at impact. The most common result is a fat hit that may start three to five inches behind the ball or, sensing that this will occur, he /she pulls up out of the shot, takes no divot and tops the ball. Perhaps being monitored on Trackman is causing the high handicappers to really try to hit the ground in front of the ball. My 60 years in the game says that this does not happen on the golf course.
Waldy37
Sep 26, 2015 at 8:15 pm
Hi Peter, I know, sounds like it make no sense. I agree most poor player hangs back on the right side, releases early with the hands behind the ball at impact & the most common result is a fat shot or a thin shot. Most golfers never get the right AoA (or delivery or Approach as I like to call it) or correct low point, its poor on both sides of the hitting area.
However there more golfers with a over plane swing than under plane swing. Im sure you agree there are more golfers with a slice than a hook. When we get over plane the club is desending from a higher point. This causes early release and early right arm extension. This makes the clubhead in fact too early & steep at the same time making it nearly imposslibe for the correct appoach. Shots are either fat or thin.
When we release early there is no release at the hitting area, again making it nearly imposslibe to hit the base of the ball. Good players stays centered maintain right arm flex on downswing then they release the club before impact which shallows out the club which allows them to hit the base of the ball first. The body is angled back (all great players right shoulder is lower at impact than at address) but right arm is still flexed at impact. Post Impact the right arm extends and the club head rotates. Hips will also start to move up through impact.
Conclusion?
Right arm flex creates lag!
Release of the golf club (unhinging) combined with lowering of right shoulder creates shallowing of the club. The leading edge is level to the base of the ball at impact.
The right arm extension creates the downward movement of the club!
The rotation of the club and the rising of the hips creates the club to move upwards (the club moves on a arch)
So in fact most poor golfers who make contact with the ground have a divot that starts thin and ends thick. Sometimes the divot does not fly!
A good players divot is round /saucer shaped so although the club does move downwards its wanting to move upwards.
So this creates a earlier low point for better players. Lets say in relation to where the divots starts.
So I hope this makes some kind of sense now!
P.s This is my understanding and in golf there is in someway no real one way to do things!
rich
Oct 14, 2015 at 5:28 pm
i agree,turf first isnt correct,,,slow motion on tv shows this everytime…reading that article i thought he would be putting ball 4 inches behind that line??? this is why only pro’s whos dads were pro’s make it on tour half the time,,conflicting advice everywhere
Nestor
May 20, 2016 at 5:35 pm
This is exactly what I was thinking. Can someone please explain why the less-skilled player takes a divot further in front of the ball than the PGA Champion?
JeffL
Sep 23, 2015 at 5:33 pm
I agree with many of the commenters above. Most high-handicappers hit fat, and hang or fall back. No way is their low point in front of the ball. I’m just not buying this article.
That guy
Sep 22, 2015 at 8:06 am
So how does this play into sweepers and diggers? You are saying that sweepers are a horrible way to hit a ball? I disagree. I am a sweeper. I almost never take a divot, and when I do it is a result of my shot being fat. I don’t agree with being told that a divot is a must. A divot is not a must. A clean consistent shot can occur with or without a divot.
Ernie Happala
Sep 21, 2015 at 6:05 pm
As a former PGA Pro, I am interested in, is this info for just you or do you actually give the student all the numbers. Now admittedly I have been out of the business for 10 years, I guess I just see the numbers as something else to put a student on tilt…I have been around a decent amount of tour pros and I always heard from them, “I don’t want to know”… Do I need to update my brain with new software or are any semblance of a point I made make sense…
James G
Sep 21, 2015 at 3:54 pm
Interesting to note the Trackman Maestro, Joe Mayo, says that shallowing all irons and not really taking a divot works best for most amateurs. I don’t know all the details behind it but he has indicated it was verified by the Trackman. Just an interesting side note to all this.
One other note is that I would have thought most amateurs would have hit more fat shots. The tendency I’ve always heard is that amateurs bottom their swing out before the ball not after.
TJames
Sep 19, 2015 at 1:04 pm
These results seem backwards. I’m a high handicap golfer, and I would say my divots are much closer to the ball if not in front of the ball resulting in fat shots or thin shots. I would have imagined as the handicap went up, the divots got closer to the ball and even in front of the ball (fat).
Skip
Sep 22, 2015 at 12:44 pm
Agreed. Surprised to see the 20 and 30 handicapper consistently make ball-first, ground-second impact consistently.
Waldy37
Sep 29, 2015 at 6:38 am
Hi Guys, I understand your reasoning, the fact is that high hcp golfers hit a lot behind the ball and on top too, thin shots. The big difference is that good ball strikers approach the ball from a shallow angel, however not from below but pretty level. Yes even with a wedge (watch pros on slo mo videos). This is caused by a good release. Again high hcp golfers whether they hit before or after the ball the approach in general is too steep, thats why its hard to get to hit the base of the golf ball on any shots. When the approach is steep the divot is thin in the beginning and thick at the end. The divot sometimes get stuck in the ground. Where as a ball striker divot is arched making often the low point not as deep. After low point the divots continues but on a upward motion. Creating a early low point but a long divot. Important to understand the difference between a divot and low point! We can learn so much about the golfer by looking at the divot. In fact if you hit the base of ball first we dont need one.
Scott K.
Sep 18, 2015 at 9:06 pm
Tom, with respect, can you differentiate “your hypothesis” from previously known information about low point and handicap relationship? I would also point to Bobby Clampett’s published work “impact zone”, but he in no way took credit for being the first to recognize and measure this fundamental difference between golfers of different handicaps and If I recall has a predictive chart of hcp based on impact. There are many other published works with this observed. Expand on how your view is different or takes this knowledge to a new level please. If your purpose was simply to test trackmans new data point accuracy that is not made clear in the article. Thanks, Scott
Waldy37
Sep 18, 2015 at 4:34 pm
I totally agree. I have been teaching golf for over 35 years and have always taught the low point of the leading edge of the golf club at impact parallel to technical instruction. Great players or lets say great ball strikers always have a good low point. For me there are two points they get right. First they hit the base of the ball first. Then the club moves downwards creating a long divot. Why does a great play have a earlier low point? Well a golf swing is a arch and even though the club is moving down it is in fact starting to move upwards. A divot should no look like a Continuous downward hitting motion where the front of the divot is thin and the end of it is thick. This will in fact create a later low point and shorter divot, what I call a stop divot. Sometimes the divots will not fly, this is a classis divot of a higher hcp player.
The other important thing is to understand why this is so and what is the common denominator!
parker
Sep 19, 2015 at 1:24 am
Love your insight Waldy. Being a terrible (but improving) golfer for the 23 years of my life, I’ve noticed that most beginning and casual players have a terrible idea of ideal impact and I think that directly relates to the low point.
I played with an inexperienced player recently… he started his round OK, bogeys and doubles, but after like 5 holes this turned into shanks and “I’ll just pick up”. His reasoning? “I’m just not getting under the ball”. So in my opinion, to answer your question of “why this is so” with higher handicaps and beginners, I think proper impact and the desired low point is not taught early enough to new golfers. I shot high 40’s for 9 for years without understanding proper contact. Understanding good impact is the thing that helps me play my best, more than any mechanical advice, as I think this applies to everything in golf, especially to the many shots we face that are not simple, full-swing iron shots.
What is the common denominator? I have no clue, and am interested as well.
Waldy37
Sep 19, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Thanks for reply Parker. I agree most players dont understand impact or AoA. ( I like to call this the delivery or the approach) In general we dont get much input on how we deliver the golf club. I think its so important the information we receive is specific and what we say is more exact and precise. We often get to hear hit down on the ball. As a beginner we often miss the ball or top it. This causes poeple to lean backwards or flip the wrist causing them to hit behind the ball. They are trying to lift or get under the ball, as the ball is on the ground in golf, this is not possible! However most beginners & most average golfers come to much from above. (Over plane) So what should we say?
Well try a little test first. Put a ball on a low peg and then put a peg about 1 cm behind the ball slightly higher than the fist peg. Can you get the leading edge at the base of the ball?
Try it for yourself!
I will tell you the answer now so dont have to wait. Its pretty near on impossible. What does this tell us? (even without a trackman)
Yes! We need to shallow out before impact. Not below, slighty above but very little. So a good golfers shallows out in time. Allowing the loft to lift the ball. Most poeple shallow out to late!
Watch slowmo videos, watch how top players even with a wedge shallow out the club.
What is shallowing out?
Shallowing out is in fact the unhinging of the wrists. The release of the golf club! Yes as we release we are shallowing out the golf club. (Which is also a power Source!) With a good release the AoA is shallower which in effect gives us a earlier low point after impact! Trackman numbers are spot on!
However the longer the club the earlier release. So for example a driver swing is shallower than a wedge.
Courtney
Sep 18, 2015 at 4:32 pm
This will make Bobby Clampett very happy. He preaches the 4 inches forward mantra constantly in his “Impact Zone” teaching / book / DVD’s. But I’m with some of the other guys who are confused by the positive numbers for mid and high handicappers.
Saylor
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:15 pm
Great Article! Thanks for the research!
Brian
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Great Article! Thanks for the research!
Jason
Sep 17, 2015 at 10:46 pm
I think the bottom line (no pun intended) is that good players are consistent and bad players are not. Everyone’s good shot is good but great players do it more often and the difference been bad and good are not as drastic. Great article. Technology continues to help us understand this complex game
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 4:05 pm
…and that gap widens with the increase in HCP
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 4:03 pm
I would think that if this were indeed the case then the difference between a tour player and a scratch golfer would show more that a tour player may enter the ground in a similar place to the scratch golfer, but the club would leave the ground at a more consistent distance meaning all ball flight factors would be more predictable due to a more consistent and repeated swing arc/path…
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 4:10 pm
never mind my comments… i think i just typed a bunch of non-sense trying tie the two articles together…
Tom Stickney
Sep 17, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Balls hit from the ground need a downward aoa and a forward low point to create backspin which helps the ball with lift.
Balls hit off of a tee can be hit slightly down on but for optimal distance a slight upward hit provides better launch conditions.
Tom Stickney
Sep 17, 2015 at 3:57 pm
The other low point article was not written by me. If the low point is behind the ball you will hit up on it this it will have forward spin and not get airborne off the ground.
As far as Clampett’s research goes I’m not sure what technology, if any, they used to determine their information. To my knowledge there are only two systems that can measure low point…gears and now TrackMan. Think his measurement data came before these systems were out. Might be a question for them.
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I wonder if the initial article is referring to the start or the divot (or contact with the ground) and not the bottom of the swing arc…
If that were the case then it would make a whole lot more sense
Tom
Sep 17, 2015 at 4:38 pm
I know at one lesson I complained about how shallow my AoA was and my pro told me it was not that bad as he had seen a number of folks with +AoA. Would not a +AoA from the ground indicate a low point behind the ball? Also is not back spin created by spin loft not AoA?
Anyhow how did the AoA compare to the low point? Did it make sense?
JeffL
Sep 23, 2015 at 5:39 pm
> If the low point is behind the ball you will hit up on it this it
> will have forward spin and not get airborne off the ground.
Is this what you’re refuting? If so, you’re right, it’s not true. The only way to give a ball “forward spin” (the opposite of backspin) is hit it above the center line (top it). You can hit behind the ball a bit and still get plenty of backspin. Especially if it’s on a tee.
Mike
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:47 am
This seems counterintuitive. I would expect that as a golfers handicap increased the average low point would move closer to the ball. This would equate to less forward shaft lean and a more shallow AoA, resulting in less consistency in the strike. There was an article last year that talked about this called “Find the bottom of your swing arc by learning to read your divots”. In that article the author gave this table in relation to handicap and the bottom of a divot:
(Handicap) = (bottom of divot)
•+3 = 4-to-5 inches
• 0 = 3-to-4 inches
• 4 = 2-to-3 inches
• 8 = 1-to-2 inches
•12 = at the ball or up to 1 inch in front
•16 = 1 inch behind the ball
•20 = 2 inches behind the ball
•24 = 3 inches behind the ball
•28 = 4 inches behind the ball
Am I reading this wrong or do these two these two articles contradict each other?
Scooter McGavin
Sep 17, 2015 at 1:43 pm
I was wondering about this too.
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 3:55 pm
x3
Mat
Sep 17, 2015 at 9:21 pm
x4
And that delta… seems to skew the results on “scratch”.
Also, explain to me how a 30 index can strike a ball without topping it, while still having the low point over 7 inches in front of the ball? That’s 9 inches after contact… I am trying to imagine anything other than an ice hockey slapshot…
Large chris
Sep 17, 2015 at 3:38 pm
Good article but Yep I’m wondering this as well – also seems to be opposite to Bobby Clampetts Impact Zone book. Also launch monitors don’t handle divots very well, will be interesting to see how the technology develops.
parker
Sep 19, 2015 at 1:29 am
I’ve been thinking about this too, and in my head, spin and spin loft probably have a greater influence than where exactly the low point is
Adam
Sep 17, 2015 at 3:58 pm
I wonder if the initial article is referring to the start or the divot (or contact with the ground) and not the bottom of the swing arc…
If that were the case then it would make a whole lot more sense
Teaj
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:28 am
Scratch Player
4.2″ – 5.2″ —- Delta = 1″ not 2″
Looks like the scratch player is a great ball striker
Kyle
Sep 17, 2015 at 1:49 pm
Yeah I noticed this too…. either a typo or a subtraction error there.
Ted
Sep 18, 2015 at 4:54 pm
Or… A confirmation bias.
TR1PTIK
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:04 am
Great article. However, when talking about the driver in your second paragraph you said, “In a perfect world, a golfers would actually have an upward attack angle with their driver, which would create a low point that’s slightly in front of the ball”. Did you mean to say BEHIND the ball? Otherwise, I’m confused…
Zak Kozuchowski
Sep 17, 2015 at 11:08 am
You are correct, TR1PTIK, and we have edited the story accordingly.