Staring down the fairway as your golf ball refuses to get airborne is one of the most maddening feelings in the game. You took a full swing, you made solid contact, but the ball shot off like a fizzling rocket, never reaching more than a few feet off the ground. If you're tired of hitting those low, scuttling shots - often called worm-burners or screamers - you're in the right place. This guide will walk you through the most common reasons your shots fly too low and give you simple, actionable fixes to get that beautiful, high ball flight you're looking for.
Before we break down the specific swing faults, let's understand the core concept. The main reason a golf ball stays low is because the clubface has been de-lofted at impact. Every one of your clubs, from your sand wedge to your driver, is built with a specific amount of loft —, the angle of the clubface relative to the shaft.
An 8-iron might have around 35 degrees of loft, while a 4-iron has closer to 22 degrees. This loft is what makes the ball go up. When you execute a swing that removes this built-in loft, you essentially turn your 8-iron into a 4-iron (or even a 2-iron). Your objective is to learn how to present the club's natural loft to the ball at impact, not remove it.
Let's look at the most common ways golfers accidentally de-loft the club and how to fix them.
The position of the ball in your stance is one of the most fundamental yet overlooked parts of the setup. It has a massive influence on the launch angle of your shot. The golf swing moves in a circle or an arc around your body. The lowest point of that arc should be just after you've hit the golf ball (when using an iron). If your ball position is incorrect, you're fighting an uphill battle before you even start your takeaway.
The most frequent error, especially for players who hit the ball low, is playing the ball too far back in their stance. When the ball is back towards your trail foot (right foot for a right-handed golfer), your hands are naturally going to be well ahead of the clubhouse at impact. This pushes the club handle forward, aggressively de-lofting the face and producing a low, driving shot. While this can be a useful shot to have on purpose (like hitting a low punch under tree branches), it's a major problem when it's your only shot.
A good setup is a consistent setup. Here is a simple guide for proper ball position that will help you use the club's built-in loft correctly:
Practice Drill: Take two alignment sticks. Place one on the ground pointing at your target. Place the second stick perpendicular to the first, forming a "T". Place your golf ball at the junction of the "T". Now, practice setting up with your different clubs, using the perpendicular stick as a reference to check that the ball is in line with the center of your stance, your lead heel, etc. This removes the guesswork and builds a repeatable, correct setup.
Lots of golfers have heard the advice to "hit down on the ball" and "compress it." This is good advice, but it's often misinterpreted. Players take it to mean they need to drive their hands as far forward as possible at impact, creating an extreme amount of "forward shaft lean."
While a slight forward lean of the shaft is desirable with irons (it ensures you hit ball-then-turf), amateurs often overdo it. They actively try to hold the angle in their wrists through impact, pushing their hands way past the golf ball. As we discussed, this drastically reduces the dynamic loft of the clubface. It feels powerful, but it's a launch-killer. You'll often see this player hit thin shots that travel a long way but never get off the ground.
Your goal isn't to hold wrist an angle forever, it's to release it through the ball. The clubhead needs to catch up to and pass your hands just after impact. This allows the club to present its loft to the ball.
Practice Drill: The "Throw The Clubhead" Feel
Power and a high launch do not come from the arms and hands alone. They are the result of the body rotating and unwinding in the correct sequence. Many golfers who hit low shots have a swing that is dominated by their upper body and arms, with very little lower body rotation involved.
A common fault is the "sway and lunge." The player slides their hips away from the target in the backswing and then lunges their upper body forward to start the downswing. This throws the entire sequence out of whack. It puts the low point of the swing arc too far behind the ball, forcing the player to make last-second compensations with their hands - usually leading to hitting it thin and low or chunking it fat.
The downswing is a chain reaction that should start from the ground up. Think about a baseball player hitting a homerun or a quarterback throwing a deep pass —, the power starts with their feet, moves through their hips, then their torso, and finally out through their arms.
Practice Drill: The Step-Through Swing
While swing technique is almost always the primary cause, your equipment can sometimes contribute to a low ball flight. If you've worked on all the fixes above and are still struggling, it's worth considering your gear.
If you suspect an equipment issue, the best course of action is to see a professional club fitter who can measure your swing and match you with the right specs.
Getting your ball to launch higher is rarely about swinging harder or trying to "scoop" it into the air. True launch comes from correcting fundamental flaws in your setup and swing sequence, like moving your ball position forward, delivering the club's natural loft at impact, and letting your body power the shot. By diagnosing which of these issues might be holding you back, you can start hitting towering shots that land softly on the green.
Of course, it can be tough to diagnose your own swing faults. This is where modern technology can provide an incredible advantage. We built Caddie AI to act as a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket. You can take a video of your swing, and our AI will analyze your movements, point out issues like incorrect ball position or a lack of body rotation, and provide you with personalized drills to fix it. Instead of guessing, you get immediate, clear feedback so you can practice smarter and see results faster.
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