In this episode of Ask Malaska Golf, Certified Coach Billy Fitzgerald from Chicago answers a great question from member James Kirkwood, who noticed he’s able to hit high, soft shots when striking the ball off the toe of the club. Billy confirms this is more than just a feel – it’s a reliable technique for producing a deadened, lofted shot around the greens.
Billy explains that when the ball is struck off the toe, it loses a bit of energy compared to a center strike, which makes it fly higher and land softer – perfect for delicate short shots. He also breaks down how toe-down club positioning at address helps create the right face angle and bounce use through impact. Setting the toe slightly down lifts the heel, subtly opens the face, and helps the toe glide through the turf – rather than dig.
By contrast, if the toe is up and the heel catches, the face tends to close or deloft, resulting in a hotter, lower shot – exactly what you don’t want when you need soft control.
Billy walks through the setup and motion for the shot, emphasizing the feel of the toe gliding through the grass with a slightly open face and upright shaft. The result is a soft-landing, high-lofted chip that’s ideal from tight lies or fringe areas.

What You’ll Learn in This Video:
• Why hitting off the toe deadens the shot and adds softness
• How toe-down club positioning encourages clean turf interaction
• Why heel catching can shut the face and increase ball speed
• How to set up and feel the toe gliding through the grass

Key Insights
Toe contact isn’t a mistake – it’s a tool. Striking the ball slightly off the toe reduces energy transfer, creating a softer, higher-launching shot that lands with minimal rollout.
A toe-down setup at address (where the heel is slightly raised) encourages the face to stay open and the bounce to engage, helping the toe glide through the turf instead of digging.
This subtle setup tweak improves face angle and turf interaction, especially on delicate shots from tight lies or firm greenside conditions.
Conversely, if the toe is up and the heel catches, the clubface tends to shut down or deloft, producing a lower, hotter shot with less control – the opposite of what’s needed around the green.
This technique helps eliminate guesswork around the greens. With the right setup and feel, you can reliably hit high, soft shots without manipulating your hands or wrists.
The M-System promotes this kind of instinctive control, letting club design, setup, and feel do the work instead of forcing mechanics.

“When the toe glides and the heel is slightly up, the face stays open and the shot comes off soft and high.”
– Billy Fitzgerald