Fat shots are one of the most frustrating shots to play golf.
Sometimes you will hit a great shot, setting yourself up to make a quick 100-yard drive to the pin. This ball will hit the hole about ten feet away from you, setting you up to make an easy birdie.
If you hit the ball fat, your shot will be about fifteen yards ahead.
You can stop hitting fat shots. You can get the ball hitting clean and crisp again by tweaking your address position, ball position, and spine angle. These are my top 5 tips to stop hitting the ball fat.
What causes a bad shot in golf?
Fat shots are caused by hitting the ball with a divot in front of it. This can be due to improper weight transfer, excessive head movement, or even a misguided mental picture of how it feels to hit a golf club up in the air.
Fat shots are a common error in golf. Many players would rather hit the golf ball thinly than fat.
How does this compare with hitting a thin shot?
If you hit a fat shot, your golf club hits behind and the ball touches it. A thin shot is one that strikes the golf ball only or partially towards the center. Fat shots are often hit when the club is still moving down, while thin shots are hit when the club moves up.
Here are 5 tips to stop hitting your golf balls fat
Here are some ways to stop you from hitting the ball fat. You can usually fix the most common causes of hitting your ball fat with a few sessions at a range.
Keep Your Head Printed
Your head moving in your golf swing can be one of the most common reasons for hitting behind the ball. Video clips of great players will show that there is a little head movement.
However, most of the time, the head stays level, and it can return to the same exact position when it’s time to strike the ball. This head movement is a major problem for many players. As they turn back, their head drops, and then it must move up at impact.
As you might guess, this movement up is never achieved. Thus, the club is too far.
You will be less likely not to hit the ball if you can keep your head still and focus on the task at hand.
Check Ball Position
Amateur golfers often overlook ball position. It’s kind of boring to work on ball position in your golf swing; we get that. However, it’s incredible how one tiny golf ball positioning can make or break your ability to have the clubhead strike in the proper position.
For right-handed players, a ball position that is too forward towards the left foot can cause problems. It is better to keep the ball closer to the center.
As we mentioned, a fat shot is when the ball hits the ground first. If the ball is too high, it will hit grass first. To help you align your shot, use a series alignment sticks.
You can map the correct feet position and ball position.
Move Weight to the Left Foot
Every golf swing should end with your weight forward on your left leg, and a full rotation. Most players end up stumbling on their back legs. This leaves them feeling like they can’t get full distance, and it often results in hitting fat shots.
Sometimes lazy golfers have a bad swing that keeps their weight back. Others may overswing and find it difficult to gain weight.
I recommend starting with a little bit of weight on your left foot. Don’t load up so that 90% of the weight is on the right foot at setup. Take a few swings in this manner and you will feel the weight moving to the left.
You can experiment with this balance until it is the right one for you.
Mental Perception Changes
Are you one among those golfers who believe that you must lift the ball in the air to make it fly? If so, you should get rid of that thought. Golfers often hit fat shots because they believe they must lift the shot with their hands.
Don’t do this!
The launch, ball flight and distance of the golf ball will be perfect if it is hit at the bottom of the swing arch. You can start to visualize the ideal impact position in your head.
Golf balls and golf clubs are designed in a way that you can quickly lift the ball by hitting down and through it. Don’t overcomplicate the process by trying to lift the ball yourself.
It is easy to grasp this concept if you practice chipping. You will find it easier to hit a crisp, clean shot when you practice chipping.
A narrow style with room to swing
We’ve already talked about the ball position. But there are other important things golfers need to know and practice. The swing is not the only thing that can cause fat shots. Sometimes, the way you approach the ball can make it easier to hit a fat shot.
First, you need to adopt a narrow stance. It may be difficult to transfer the weight if your stance is too wide. There are not many negatives to a narrower stance, as long as you maintain balance and stability.
Many golfers who struggle with their swing will try to control it by adopting a narrower stance. The goal is to get back to the standard position.
Next, ensure you have enough space to swing the golf club. You will hit behind the ball if your feet are too close to it. Your hands will get too close to your legs as you move through the impact position. This causes you to hit the ball behind your back.
You can play with distances between the ball and the club. The farther you are from the ball the longer the club. Also, ensure you can transfer your weight completely and reach the forward position with all your weight on the left side.
