Ball Trajectory Drill

Who Is This Drill For?

Anyone wanting to explore the effect of ball position on launch angle and ball trajectory. 

Equipment Needed

Stance IQ training mat
Hitting Net / Range / Sim

Skill Levels

Intermediate: You're hitting consistently enough to recognise changes to your ball flight and notice how sometimes the ball comes out lower than expected. 
Advanced: You actively adjust your ball position to change your shot trajectory, but are not always successful. 
Expert: You regularly adjust your ball position to change your shot trajectory, which leads to more successful shots on the golf course.

Stage 1 - Increase Launch Angle

The goal of this stage is to achieve an increased launch angle from your shot through a forward ball position. 

Step by Step

1. Choose the club you want to work on (we'd suggest starting with a mid iron) and setup to hit from your preferred ball position and stance width for that club.
2. Hit 5 shots towards a target from that same preferred position, focusing on making clean contact with the ball.
3. Now setup as you were previously, but move the ball 1 inch (1/2 a ball width) forward from your preferred ball position for that club.
4. Hit 5 shots from this new position, taking note of the launch angle, shot trajectory. Also note the change in distance that can occur from a higher ball flight. 

Stage 2 - Decrease Launch Angle

The goal of this stage is to achieve a decreased launch angle from your shot through a backward ball position. 

Step by Step

1. Choose the club you want to work on (we'd suggest starting with a mid iron) and setup to hit from your preferred ball position and stance width for that club.
2. Hit 5 shots towards a target from that same preferred position, focusing on making clean contact with the ball.
3. Now setup as you were previously, but move the ball 1 inch (1/2 a ball width) backward from your preferred ball position for that club.
4. Hit 5 shots from this new position, taking note of the launch angle, shot trajectory. Also note the change in distance that can occur from a lower ball flight. 

Note: You can experiment with more extreme ball positions to see the effect it has on launch angle and ball trajectory. Research suggests that moving your ball position one ball width (1.7") forward or backward can change the club's angle of attack by up to 3°, which is the equivalent of clubbing up or clubbing down. Try for yourself and see what effect ball position has on your shots.