How to Hit the Golf Ball Higher

Struggling to get your golf shots airborne can be one of the most frustrating parts of the game, leaving you short of greens and stuck behind obstacles you feel you should clear easily. The good news is that hitting the ball higher isn't about raw power or some secret, complicated swing change. This guide will walk you through the fundamental setup and swing adjustments that create a higher ball flight, giving you the tools to attack more pins and play with greater confidence.

Busting the Biggest Myth About Hitting the Ball Higher

Before we touch a single part of your setup or swing, we need to correct the most common misconception. Many golfers who want to hit the ball higher intuitively try to help it into the air. They hang back on their trail foot, try to "scoop" under the ball, or flick their wrists in an effort to lift it.

Ironically, this is the exact opposite of what you need to do. Trying to lift the ball almost always results in topped or thin shots that barely get off the ground. That scooping motion moves the bottom of your swing arc behind the ball, causing you to catch it on the upswing (with the club's leading edge) instead of compressing it with the clubface. You end up with screaming low liners or chunky shots that go nowhere.

Here’s the fundamental truth you need to accept: to make the ball go up, you must hit down on it (with an iron). The loft of the club is designed to do the work. Your job is to deliver that loft to the ball correctly. The rest of this guide is about how to do just that.

Understanding the Launch Equation: Angle of Attack and Loft

Hitting a great, high golf shot comes down to two things: your club’s loft and your angle of attack. Think of them as the two-ingredient recipe for trajectory.

• Loft: This one’s straightforward. It's the angle built into your clubface. A 9-iron has more loft than a 5-iron, which is why it naturally flies higher and shorter. What many don’t realize is that the loft you present to the ball at impact, called dynamic loft, is what really matters.
• Angle of Attack: This is the direction (up or down) that the clubhead is traveling when it strikes the ball. For irons, you want a slightly negative or downward angle of attack. For your driver, you want a positive or upward angle of attack.

When you hit down on the ball with an iron, you compress it against the clubface. This compression, combined with the club’s loft, is what generates backspin and sends the ball soaring upwards on a stable flight. Your goal is for the lowest point of your swing to happen just after the ball.

So, forget "lifting." Your new mindset should be "compressing" and letting the clubface do its job.

Your Pre-Shot Blueprint: Setup Changes for More Altitude

The easiest way to influence your ball flight is before you even start the swing. Your setup programs your swing path and angle of attack. Here’s what you can adjust.

Ball Position: Move it Forward

This is arguably the most effective adjustment you can make. The standard position for a mid-iron is the center of your stance. To encourage a higher launch, simply move the ball forward, about one or two inches (a ball-width or two) toward your lead foot. For a right-handed golfer, that's left.

Why this works: Moving the ball forward means the club will make contact with it slightly later in the swing arc. Since your swing arc is a circle, encountering the ball later means you’re catching it closer to the bottom of the arc (or slightly on the upswing, in the case of a driver). For an iron shot, this shallow's your angle of attack and increases the dynamic loft at impact, sending the ball higher. Be careful not to move it too far forward with irons, as that can lead to thin contact.

• Short Irons (Wedge-8 iron): Place it one ball forward of center.
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Place it one to two balls forward of center.
• Fairway Woods & Hybrids: Off the instep of your lead foot.

Spine Tilt: Lean Back for Launch

Your spine angle at address has a direct impact on your angle of attack. Many golfers stand too "level," with their shoulders parallel to the ground.

To promote a higher launch, you want to create a slight spine tilt away from the target. At address, feel like your lead shoulder is slightly higher than your trail shoulder. Your right shoulder should feel lower for a right-handed player. This naturally presets your body to swing on a shallower, more sweeping arc, and with the driver, it helps create that desirable upward strike.

Don't overdo it. It's a subtle athletic move, not a dramatic lean. Imagine yourself as a pitcher throwing from a set position - you have an athletic base, ready to move.

Tee it High and Let it Fly (Driver Specific)

When it comes to the driver, this is the easiest gain you can make. A low tee height promotes a flat or even downward strike, which robs you of launch and distance. You are leaving yards in the bag.

For a modern 460cc driver, you should tee the ball so that at least half of the ball is above the crown of the club when you set it down at address. This gives you the room you need to swing up on the ball. When you combine a high tee with a forward ball position (off your lead heel) and a slight spine tilt away from the target, you’ve built a powerful launch pad for high, towering drives.

Swing Mechanics for a Higher Launch

Once your setup is dialed in, you can reinforce a higher ball flight with a couple of key swing thoughts.

Make a Full, Unrestricted Turn

A short, choppy backswing often leads to a steep, downward chop at the ball. To get the club on a shallower planes - one that promotes height - you need to give yourself time and space. That means making a full shoulder turn.

Focus on turning your lead shoulder back until it’s over your trail foot. Feel a coil in your upper body against your stable lower body. This fuller rotation helps drop the club slightly "in the slot" on the downswing, preventing that over-the-top move that leads to steep, low-launching shots. A powerful turn is the engine, you're just channeling its path.

Your Finish Position Tells the Story

A great indicator of a proper swing path is your finish position. Golfers who hit low, weak shots often have a "cut-off" or abbreviated finish. They stop their body rotation and swing with just their arms.

To hit high, powerful shots, you must rotate fully through to a complete finish. Your chest and belt buckle should be facing the target (or even slightly left of it for a righty). Your hands should finish high up, near your lead ear, and your trail foot's heel should be completely off the ground. A high, balanced finish is a sign that you released the club head fully through impact instead of stalling and trying to manage the strike.

Drills You Can Actually Use at the Range

Knowledge is great, but feeling it is better. Here are two simple drills to groove a higher ball flight.

Drill 1: The Low-Point Control Line

This is perfect for mastering the downward strike with your irons.

1. Take a can of foot powder spray or draw a straight line on the grass with the heel of a club.
2. Place a ball directly on the line.
3. Your goal is to hit the ball and have your divot begin after the line.

This drill gives you immediate feedback. If your divot starts before or on the line, you're "scooping." When you start consistently making your divot on the target side of the line, you're compressing the ball correctly and will see your trajectory improve.

Drill 2: The Uphill Lie Simulation (for Driver)

This drill helps you feel the sensation of staying behind the ball and hitting up on it with the driver.

1. Tee up a ball normally.
2. Place a spare golf ball or a rolled-up towel under your trail foot’s heel (your right foot for a right-handed player).
3. Hit drivers.

This setup artificially creates an "uphill lie" and forces you to stay back and launch the ball upward. It helps eliminate the lunge toward the target that causes many golfers to hit down with their driver. After hitting a few like this, take the object away and try to replicate that same feeling.

Final Thoughts

Hitting a great, high golf shot is all about proper sequence and a clear mindset. Stop trying to lift the ball and instead focus on correct setup principles - a forward ball position, a slight spine tilt - and a swing that finishes high and balanced. Trust the loft on your club, it’s designed to get the ball airborne if you deliver it a certain way.

Getting this kind of personalized feedback used to require a private lesson, but now there are tools that put a T-box guru right in your pocket. We designed Caddie AI to provide instant, expert-level feedback anytime, anywhere. Imagine standing over a tricky shot from the rough and being unsure if you can even get the ball high enough to clear the front bunker. With our app, you can snap a photo of your ball and its lie, and the technology will give you a smart, simple recommendation on the best way to play it, helping you make committed swings with more confidence.