Golf Tip: Angle of Attack

The angle of attack (aka AoA) in golf is the vertical (up-down) angle your golf club is moving at the time of impact on the ball. A positive AoA means hitting up on the ball, while a negative AoA means hitting down on the ball. Since everyone has different swings, there’s no exact formula for your angle of attack with all your clubs. But understanding how AoA works and how to use it to your advantage can take your game to new heights (pun intended.) We recently asked our Head Golf Professional, Keith Kelly, for some basic guidelines on the proper angle of attack for hitting higher and lower. Here’s what he has to say:

“To change the height of your ball flight, you must change the angle of attack on the golf ball. We all find ourselves in the woods at some point in a round of golf. This means we may have to hit over something or under something.

To go over something (hit it higher), you must make your angle of attack steeper to get the ball up in the air quicker than your normal ball flight. You can also move the ball up slightly in your stance if something is directly in front of you. Just realize the ball will lose some distance since it is going up quicker.

To go under something (hit it lower), you must make your angle of attack flatter to keep the ball lower than your normal ball flight. You can also move the ball back in your stance slightly to keep the ball very low. This ball will get on the ground quicker, so it will also tend to go a shorter distance than your normal ball flight.

Due to lost distance with both shots, you may require more club to get the ball to the target.”

Speaking of clubs, it’s a good idea to work on setting up yours to match your unique delivery. Also, proper ball position and proper stance are other factors that can help improve your AoA. For more tips on upgrading the strick and trajectory of your shots, we’re happy to help. Our friendly golf pros offer private and group golf lessons for people of all ages and skill levels. Moreover, playing our award-winning Weiskopf/Morrish-designed course is an enjoyable activity you’ll not soon forget. We invite you to experience it for yourself — call the Pro Shop to arrange lessons or book your tee time online today.