2 Easy Fixes for Fat and Thin Golf Shots

Proper Form: Stop Hitting Fat and Thin Shots

Starting with the set up, we want to make sure that we have everything organized and that we have the spine tilted forward (towards the ball) and not leaning to the right (away from the target).

Cause of Fat and Thin Golf Shots

A big cause of fat shots is placing the hands ahead of the body by leaning the body to the right, or away from the target. We want to get the ball right under the sternum, if anything with the weight leaning slightly left. The big issue to making solid contact is really in the motion, here is where you make mistakes that lead to mis-hit shots.

In making your backswing, even if it is a good backswing, when you use too much arms and your body is stagnant the club will bottom out behind the ball. This will cause you to either hit the ground behind the ball or you hit the middle of the ball as your club bounces off the ground.

How to Fix Fat and Thin Golf Shots

The solution is to practice chip shots or punch shots. What we want to have happen in our swing, after a good set up and as we are moving into the ball, is that the body should to be moving into the front leg and around that leg. What this movement does is shift your weight forward and move the bottom of the swing forward of the ball so that you contact the ball before you hit the ground.

• So a key element in hitting solid golf shots is the timing in the swing and the body, and chip shots and punch shots are a great way to learn how to use the center of the body in time with your hands. This will get you to drive the ball forward more and actually is great practice for the contact portion of the swing.
• The goal is to get the bottom of your swing slightly forward of where it started when your club was resting on the ground during your set up. Remember, center that position, time the body with the hands.

You can see that motion will create an impact where you hit the ball before the club hits the ground. So practice these chip shots and punch shots to work on improving your contact. It is a key element, especially to good iron play.