The old swing tip, “down means up”, suggests that you should try to hit down on the ball for more height. That might work if you have speed, but for most golfers, down means down. In other words, line drives that don’t hold the green. To boost trajectory, you need a higher launch and more backspin.
How do you get a high launch? You hit more into the ball and less down on it, and that comes from swinging on a wider arc. The resulting strike is more level, so you make contact lower on the ball – below its equator – and launch it higher. Swinging wide also increases speed, the key producer of backspin. How? A wide backswing promotes an inside path down to the ball, and swinging from the inside typically means more speed.
A wide arc sets up more speed and high launch.
OK, enough geometry. For middle irons, play the ball just forward of centre in your stance (slightly back of that for short irons; slightly forward for long ones). Set your weight 50-50, and push your hands a touch towards the target. That setup promotes the ideal amount of down at impact. Now for the swing.
To create a wide arc, feel like your trail arm is moving away from the ball, not up, in the takeaway [above]. Remember, width in the backswing sets up the inside path for a slightly downward strike and a high launch. Add the speed you can get by swinging from the inside, and you’re increasing backspin, too. It’s high launch, high spin – and towering iron shots.
Read on for more instruction from Michael Breed and Australian Golf Digest.
–Michael Breed is based at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, New York City and he spoke with Peter Morrice
