Todd, Author at Golf Journey 365

Golf can be a confusing game at times. One time a golfer hits their 7 iron 150 yards and the next time they might fly it 165 yards. They start thinking mechanics or swing tempo and wonder what caused the extra 15 yards. The most common reason this type of shot occurs in golf is due to the flyer lie which causes the flyer. What Is A Flyer in Golf? A flyer most frequently occurs when the grass from the rough gets between the clubface and the golf ball at impact, reducing the amount of backspin, which causes the ball to fly further. The golfer might hit the ball anywhere from 10-20 yards further than they intended to. Many golfers end up shocked or surprised that they flew the ball over the green. They start wondering what happened and think they did something differently in their swing, when the reality is that they simply had a lower spin rate on the shot. The better golfers are able to understand what took place and anticipate this extra distance and make some adjustments wedge positioned behind golf ball in grass What Is A Flyer Lie in Golf? The flyer lie most frequently occurs in light to moderate rough. The ball might be sitting up just a bit with some extra grass in there. The combination of a higher launch angle and the lower spin rates due to the grass between the golf ball and the club causes the extra yardage. These flyer lies actually give the golfer a feeling of some extra distance and many amateur golfers prefer the first cut, especially when it is a touch bit longer than a tight fairway to hit their iron shots. These types of lies with a bit longer grass helps the golfer hit the ball higher and further. For some golfers, the tight fairway lie can cause issues just as much as the really thick rough, due to a struggle to hit the ball solidly in both cases. Further Understanding the Flyer Shot in Golf! The science behind the flyer shot in golf has to do with launch angle and spin rate. Here are some numbers to consider with launch angle and spin rate and how it impacts total distance. Spin Rate Matters! Spin rate is often under studied and understood by amateur golfers. Have you ever hit a driver that seems to balloon and not carry very far? You didn’t all of a sudden lose 15 miles per hour of swing speed, but instead you had a higher spin rate that cause the ball to balloon and fall short of your normal distance. Why is spin rate important in golf: Complete Post Consider some of these numbers below: The average spin rate on the PGA Tour with the driver is in the 2600 RPM range with a launch angle of 10.9 degrees.The average spin rate on the PGA Tour with a 4 iron is in the 4800 RPM range with a launch angle of 11 degrees.The average spin rate on the PGA Tour with a 7 iron is in the 7000 RPM range with a launch angle of 16.3 degreesThe average spin rate on the PGA Tour with a 9 iron is in the 8600 RPM range with a launch angle 20.4 degrees If a PGA Tour player were to hit a driver at the same launch angle, but with a spin rate of 4000 RPM, they would lose potentially 20-30 yards of total distance as the ball would balloon and not carry as far. Bottom Line: Spin is great around the greens to help you control and stop the ball. Too much spin with the driver causes you to lose distance, too little spin with your irons causes a flyer. In our situation here with the flyer lie and the flyer shot from the rough, the golfer might only spin their 6 iron at 4000 RPM with a flyer lie and 6000 RPM with a fairway lie. This causes the ball to go further on these flyer lies. Golf strategy for short hitters! The flyer lie with water in front is a tough combination! What Adjustments Can A Golfer Make With A Flyer Lie? Once the golfer has become proficient at reading the flyer lie and understanding when it might happen, the next step is making some adjustments. I would recommend the following: Take one less clubSwing at 80% of your full swing amountPlay a controlled, lower ball flight with a 3 quarter swing. The uncertainty from these flyers lies can cause a golfer to 2nd guess and doubt their swing. Our recommendation is to practice from these flyer lies and try to learn and feel how these shots best fly. Measuring the Flyer Lie I would recommend investing in a launch monitor for many reasons, but one way you can work with a launch monitor is through spin rate and reading what takes place on flyer lies. I own a Skytrak Launch Monitor, which I use in my golf simulator setup and can also take it with me to the driving range of golf course to get a reading on what takes place in different lies. Once you hit enough shots with a launch monitor you can get a better idea of the impact that spin rates has on every golf shot and start to better understand your distances! The Skytrak is an affordable option for the amateur golfer that can provide some great feedback in the following areas: Carry and Total DistanceSpin RateSpin AxisLaunch Angle Price out a Skytrak Launch Monitor here! The shorter the shot the less impacts the flyer lie has on the total distance! Next Steps: Take Action At a minimum, head to the driving range and test out different lies and compare the distance your ball flies on different lies. Getting a feel for these shots is your best chance at managing the situation on the golf course. If you can take the extra step and utilize a launch monitor you can add some science and technology behind your readings and create different shot charts for every club in your bag while better understanding the impact of spin rate. My Secret To Golf Improvement Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About five years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world. This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences. It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat. Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing: Rain or Shine GolfRain or Shine Golf Financing OffersRain or Shine Golf Packages