Table of Contents
Overview
“Compressing” the golf ball is mostly misunderstood as a term in golf instructions. Also, there is a shortage of information on compression theory and how to measure the amounts to compress golf shots. There is something fulfilling about hitting a golf ball correctly on its perfect spot, especially when you use an iron. The fulfilling sound that endears other golf player’s look and the satisfying feeling that tells that your ball is going low, strong, and straight before seeing it happen.
PGA Tour golfers impress fans at tournaments with their capability to take control of the trajectory and spin iron shots. Professionals hit crisp irons since they wholly compress the golf ball between the ground and clubface. When the ball compresses on the club’s groove, it will pick up spin; then the ball will jump from the face just like a tennis ball coming off the court. For you to have the whole Compression, you should strike the ball using the club shaft that leans to the target so that you can first hit the ball and have a divot.
What is Compression in Golf?
As hinted, Compression happens when the ball strikes against the face of the club when you have contact in the swing. It is the way the club makes the ball to come forward through compressing it at impact and having interaction along with the core.
Practically, imagine two trajectories. First is the iron’s face loft that’s right on the impact. While the second is when the trajectory went by the clubhead on the impact. Think of a line inside the two trajectories; that’s the golf ball Compression.
The aim is to keep the line in between the two trajectories short. It could create longer shots. If your shots are conspicuously shorter even when your swing speed is faster or similar to your mates, then it might be due to the lack of Compression.
Are you going to hit down? While you are technically compressing the two trajectories distance, the club’s face angle and the clubhead direction will both go downwards. It will cause a clunky and short shot.
How to Compress Iron Shots
These are some mandatory tips you should consider before compressing your iron shots;
The Swing Technique
In compressing iron shots, you should swing the club on your body using a shallow plane of a backswing. A shallow backswing plane induces a shallower pathway to the ball back on the forward swing, creating a thin, long divot in the ball’s front that is a symbol of full Compression.
You should hinge your body wrists in the backswing for a 90-degree angle formation between your forearms at the swing top and your club shaft. More so, on the downswing, your club is required to lag behind your hands and arms until the impact to have the shaft leans to the target. Hinging your wrists on the backswing would aid in making the lag possible.
Endeavor to lead your downswing via shifting weight to the left of your leg while you pivot your hips so that your belt will buckle and turns to the target. Your arms and shoulders should follow the lower body; this will bring the club to the ball last using hands ahead.
You should resist your lower body pull against the upper body from the beginning of the downswing. It will enhance your downswing lag, creating further Compression at impact.
Also, turn your left-hand knuckles down to the ground at impact. When you have your knuckles turn down at impact, you could wholly compress the ball and get a shallow divot in the ball front.
The Practice Drill
To have a better iron play, endeavor to practice drills. Hit about 50 to 60-yard shots to practice the feeling of having contact with the shaft that leans to the target. Hinge the wrist on your backswing and make the downswing using the lower body. Indicate the follow-through to improve your hand’s sensation causing the club to impact.
Further, make a handed swing using a dominant hand in the swing. When you feel good in swinging with the right hand, get your right palm to points at the impact ground. When you are more satisfied using your left hand, hit the ball with your left hand back bowed and pointing downwards.
Finally, practice the chipping of the ball off a bunker, first hit the ball, and then take a divot from the sand. It would teach you the form of impact you should use to totally compress the ball using irons. See tips for playing golf this winter.
Golf Balls and Compression
Golf balls have a range of compression rates. The lower number represents a lower compression. A golf ball that has a low compression is less tight and is seen as softer. A ball that has a higher compression is tighter and is considered harder.
Easy Tips on How to Compress to Impress
Compressing a golf ball is about the attack angle. To hone an excellent pathway through impact, consider this drill: you should slide a tee to the ground beside the ball. While setting up, envisage the clubhead taking the tee far in the ground under the ball. After, make a swing that will match. The golf ball will quickly take it off. See categories of golf-workouts.
Conclusion
The strategy to hit consistent iron shots is by compressing the golf ball, hitting well down and via the ball with just a shaft lean instead of trying to make the ball lift to the air in a scooping motion, which produces the stand to hit it thin and fat.
A significant way to achieve this feeling is to have an alignment stick against the club shaft with it extending across the grip and against the left of your side.
On a final note, you should put all these tips together. If you are yet to master it, make it a duty for yourself to move by shifting the lower part of your body before you perform the backswing. This will condition your body to make a move.
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