You’ve just lined up a 7-iron from 155 yards, hitting it clear of the center of the face. The ball takes off on a perfect trajectory, lands gently and checks three feet from the pin. That sensation, that sharp compressed contact, is what we’re all after.
Two swings later, same lie, same club, same target. Except this time, you chip it, the bat sounds into the ground well behind the ball. The shot limps forward maybe 110 yards. How exactly did the same swing produce two completely different results?
The answer is not your swing. This is where that swing ends.
The problem with “just hit it”
Every golfer has heard this instruction. Hit the ball. Take a break. Lock it in the field. All true, but completely useless without understanding what actually creates that downward stroke.
So what do most players do? They try to force the club down. They throw their upper body towards the target, thinking that forward motion equals a downward strike. Or they hold their weight back and try to get under the ball to help it, terrified of smashing another into oblivion.
Moving your body forward often causes your low point to move back. It’s counterintuitive, but your body is smarter than you think. When you throw your chest and head toward the target, your subconscious mind knows that the club will hit the ground. too steep so it pulls its arms to protect you. The result? The club stands behind the ball. Healthy city.
Pros make it look easy. They understand that controlling the low point is not about lowering or helping to rise. It’s about rotating around a stable center by managing where your pressure goes. Get those two things right and the low point takes care of itself.
What actually controls where the bottom of the club lands
Think of your golf swing as an anchor point and a pivot point. The anchor is your head and upper center. The moving point is your pressure and lower body. When these are working properly, the arc of the club falls in front of the ball without any manipulation.
Most golfers never consider this relationship: your low point roughly corresponds to your head position at impact. Not where your head started at address, but where it is when the club hits the ball. Pull your head forward three inches when landing? You just moved the low point back three inches. Physics is unbeatable.
Now, this does not mean that your head should be locked in a vise. Some lateral movements occur naturally; maybe an inch or two is fine, even normal. What kills your low point control is the significant forward shift where your head moves a few inches toward the target during the downstroke. This is what pushes the lower arc of your swing behind the ball and creates unstable contact.
This is why the best ball hitters in the world maintain extremely stable head positions even as their hips move forward aggressively. Their pressure moves forward, sometimes 85 percent or more on the lead side, but their head stays back. This combination creates a low point that is in front of the ball.
There’s a second part that’s just as important: the path your trail shoulder takes. When it drops down and rolls under your lead shoulder through the stroke, you maintain the spinal tilt that allows for a downward stroke. When it’s pushed forward and out toward the ball, your spine straightens, everything lifts, and you either thin it out or accommodate it by rotating your hands and hitting it fat.
Your arms? They are mostly passengers. Stop trying to drive the club into the ground. Let your body roll and swing put the club where it needs to be.
How to diagnose your low point problems
Split test: Get a can of spray paint or powder foot spray. Mark a line on the ground, place a ball on that line and hit some shots. Where is yours? division start? If it starts behind the line, your low point is too far. You must either keep your head from moving forward or shift your pressure more aggressively to your leading side. No separation at all? You are probably hanging or helping the ball up.
Video control: Set up your face phone about 15 meters away. Hit five balls and see where your head is at address versus impact. If it’s moved toward the target, you’ve found your problem. Even an inch of forward head movement can push your low point several inches behind the ball.
Shoulder Plane Exercise: This takes some awareness, but it’s worth it. On the kick, lift and feel where your shoulders are. Is your trail shoulder lower than your lead shoulder? Okay, this is the anime you need. Are they level, or worse, is your trail shoulder higher? You’ve been standing up during impact and your low point will wander all over the place.
A practical plan that actually works
Hit 25 balls with a wedge, placing a mallet on the ground instead of a ball for the first 10 swings. Don’t try to hit the tee, just make a normal swing. Where’s the split on the tee? Adjust until the split consistently starts at the top and moves forward.
Once you get it, add a ball. Same focus: the pressure shifts forward on your lead foot while your head stays centered or even shifts slightly back. Let your trail shoulder drop and roll down. Stop trying to help him. Stop trying to force it down. Just spin and let the club fall into place.
You’ll know you’ve got it when the kick sounds different. Cleaner, cleaner, more authoritative. This is compression. This is a controlled low point. And that’s the difference between hoping for good contact and knowing exactly how to make it every time.
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