Many golfers struggle with hitting the ball with enough height and distance, and often wonder how they can improve their angle of attack. I am one of those golfers. The angle of attack refers to the angle at which the clubhead strikes the ball, and can have a significant impact on the trajectory and distance of the shot. Whereas my friend and I can be side by side with a tree in front of us, my friend can and will hit over the tree and I would hit a line drive into the tree. We almost always see the same or very similar distances with clubs. 142 to the green with no wind, I know we are both hitting 8 irons.
So in this article, I’m presenting the research I’ve found in how to change your angle of attack in golf. So let’s get right into it. Apologies if I repeat myself as it it sometimes how I drill things into my head to remember.
One way to change the angle of attack is by adjusting the position of the ball in the stance. Placing the ball more forwards in the stance, opposite the left foot, can help to hit more on the upswing. Additionally, having a wider stance can exaggerate this effect. Another method is to tilt the spine away from the target at impact, which can help to get the head more behind the ball and promote a more upward strike. We will see instances of this below with the image of how I hit the ball using SkyTrak and then the video with Shawn Clement.
Changing the wrist angles can also help to change the angle of attack. By adjusting the wrist position at impact, golfers can promote a more upward or downward strike. Learning how to increase the attack angle can be an efficient way to gain more distance off the tee. While many golfers focus solely on swing speed or ball speed, delivering the golf club at impact can have a significant impact on the distance and accuracy of the shot.
Understanding Angle of Attack
What is Angle of Attack?
Angle of attack in golf refers to the angle between the clubhead and the ground at impact. It is the measurement of how steep or shallow the clubhead is moving into the ball. A positive angle of attack means the clubhead is moving upward at impact, while a negative angle of attack means the clubhead is moving downward at impact.
Why is Angle of Attack Important?
Angle of attack is an important factor in determining the trajectory, spin, and distance of a golf shot. A golfer’s angle of attack can affect the launch angle, spin rate, and distance of their shots. A golfer with a positive angle of attack will launch the ball higher with less spin, while a golfer with a negative angle of attack will launch the ball lower with more spin.
How Does Angle of Attack Affect Your Golf Game?
The angle of attack can affect a golfer’s swing, impact, and overall performance. The angle of attack can also affect a golfer’s divot pattern. A golfer with a steep angle of attack will take a deeper divot, while a golfer with a shallow angle of attack will take a shallower divot. A golfer’s swing speed can also affect their angle of attack, as a faster swing speed can lead to a steeper angle of attack.
In summary, understanding and adjusting your angle of attack can have a significant impact on your golf game. By optimizing your angle of attack, you can achieve a better trajectory, spin rate, and distance, resulting in more accurate and consistent shots.
How to Measure Your Angle of Attack
To measure your angle of attack, you can use a launch monitor or a swing analyzer. Not just any launch monitor or swing analyzer so make sure whatever device you are using can show angle of attack or sometimes call AoA. These tools can provide you with data on your swing, including your angle of attack. Alternatively, you can look at the divot pattern after hitting a shot. A shallow divot indicates a positive angle of attack, while a deep divot indicates a negative angle of attack. The strange thing is my friend with his high launch angle and me with my low launch angle, rarely take divots.
I have a SkyTrak Launch Monitor which does not measure angle of attack but we can ummm errrr infer from simply looking at numbers. In the below, the first 5 shots were with an 8 iron and placing the ball in the middle of my stance. The last 5 shots were with the ball placed off the front heel, like I would normally hit driver. Notice the higher launch angle, height, and descent in the last 5 shots. What I don’t care for is how much more offline I was in what I considered the more shallow angle of attack.
Adjusting Your Swing to Change Your Angle of Attack
There are several ways to adjust your swing to change your angle of attack. One way is to adjust your setup. For example, moving the ball forward in your stance can encourage a more upward strike. Another way is to adjust your technique. For example, you can try to swing more from the inside to promote an upward strike. See the Michael Breed video below.
Drills to Improve Your Angle of Attack
Here are some drills to help you improve your angle of attack:
- Tee drill: Place a tee in the ground just in front of the ball. Try to hit the ball without touching the tee. This drill encourages a more upward strike.
- Towel drill: Place a towel under your lead armpit and hold it there throughout your swing. This drill encourages a more upward strike and promotes a more connected swing.
- Alignment stick drill: Place an alignment stick in the ground just outside your target line. Try to swing without hitting the stick. This drill encourages a more inside-to-out swing path, which can promote an upward strike.
Improving your angle of attack takes practice and patience. By using these drills and adjusting your swing, you can become more consistent and hit longer shots with your irons and driver.
Impact of Angle of Attack on Distance and Accuracy
How Angle of Attack Affects Distance
Angle of attack is a crucial factor that affects the distance of a golf shot. If the angle of attack is off, the golfer will lose distance on all shots. The driver, in particular, is affected by the angle of attack. Changing a few degrees of negative angle of attack to a few degrees of positive angle of attack can create 20 to 30 more yards, with the same club head speed. Hitting up on the ball as much as possible is beneficial to maximum distance.
How Angle of Attack Affects Accuracy
The angle of attack also affects the accuracy of a golf shot. If the angle of attack is too steep, the golfer will produce a lower trajectory and more spin, which can result in a shorter carry distance and less accuracy. On the other hand, if the angle of attack is too shallow, the golfer will produce a higher trajectory and less spin, which can result in a longer carry distance but less accuracy. So we need a happy medium.
A good drill may be to attempt to change your angle of attack (through measurement with a launch monitor, etc…) and produce both a steep and shallow AoA and also see how distance, accuracy, and apex (height) of the golf ball are affected.
The golfer needs to find the right balance between the angle of attack, swing speed, and trajectory to achieve maximum distance and accuracy. The swing arc, clubhead speed, and loft also play a vital role in determining the angle of attack.
Shawn Clement shows how body angles can affect angle of attack. Absolutely makes sense.
The golfer needs to find the right balance between the angle of attack, swing speed, and trajectory to achieve maximum distance and accuracy. Hitting the sweet spot of the clubface and adjusting the position of the ball in the stance can also help improve accuracy.
Expert Tips and Advice
Golfers looking to improve their game should consider changing their angle of attack. Here are some expert tips and advice to help you do just that.
PGA Tour Professionals on Angle of Attack
PGA Tour professionals know that angle of attack is critical to their success on the course. They use a variety of techniques to improve their angle of attack, including:
- Adjusting ball position in their stance
- Changing their wrist angles
- Placing the ball more forward in their stance
- Having a wider stance
- Increasing spine tilt away from the target at impact
By experimenting with these techniques, golfers can find the ones that work best for them and improve their angle of attack.
Michael Breed’s Angle of Attack Lesson
Michael Breed, host of The Golf Fix, has a lesson on how to improve your angle of attack. He emphasizes the importance of understanding angles and how changing the angle of attack with your club can improve your short game. By practicing with a launch monitor like TrackMan, golfers can see the difference in their angle of attack and make adjustments accordingly.
Improving Your Short Game with Angle of Attack
Improving your angle of attack can also help with your short game. By changing your angle of attack, you can control your launch angle and spin rate, which can lead to more accurate shots and fewer strokes. Additionally, a better angle of attack can lead to longer drives, as you will be hitting the ball on the upswing and maximizing your distance.
In conclusion, golfers looking to improve their game should consider the differences which can be made in using angle of attack to your advantage. By following the examples above, golfers can improve their short game, hit longer drives, and ultimately lower their scores.
