How to Hit a Knockdown Shot

The knockdown shot is an effective means to controlling the ball in the wind. The knockdown shot can either played with or against the wind. The knockdown shot is a low, boring, wind penetrating golf shot to defeat the affect that the wind has on a golf ball.

To hit the knockdown, setup with the ball slightly back in the stance. A ball back position will encourage a lower ball flight.

The key to hitting the knockdown is to swing slowly and easily through the ball. The harder a ball is hit, the higher it will go. That won't work well when hitting into the wind as a hard hit ball will balloon very high and will be halted by the wind and will end up well short of the intended distance. -So always swing easy when playing the wind. With the wind, a harder hit ball will easily travel much further than thought possible.

Generally, for every 10 mph that the wind is blowing, a shot will lose 10 yards when played into the wind. Conversely, a shot will gain 10 yards for every 10 mph when played with the wind.

With that little piece of knowledge, when playing against the wind, take one more club for every 10 mph of wind and take one less club for every 10 mph of wind when playing with the wind.

The knockdown backswing should be less than shoulder high or between 50-75% of full swing speed. The smaller backswing will encourage hitting the ball with less than full speed.

The follow through swing should be abbreviated, stopping at less than shoulder high. Achieving an abbreviated through swing will be confirmation that the ball was struck at less than full speed.

Hitting the ball from a 9 o'clock back swing to a 9 o'clock through swing will ensure that you hit the ball smoothly and at a slower pace which will suggest a lower ball flight to penetrate the wind. When playing with the wind, the addition of more club for each 10 mph of wind strength will compensate for the smaller swing and the ball should travel the correct distance if hit correctly. The opposite is true when hitting with the wind while taking less club for each 10 mph of wind strength.

Hit correctly, smooth and slow that is, the struck ball should launch low and should resemble a line drive. The effects of the wind should be minimal. That is a knockdown shot and it is an important shot to learn as golf is rarely played in no wind situations.

-Just remember to swing easy and take more club (or less with the wind) to hit the knockdown shot. Swinging too hard will cause the ball to balloon in the air and go nowhere.

Hit it Low