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Fixing the ‘Hitting Behind the Ball’ Golf Swing Fault

ByThe Golfer

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Common Faults & Fixes


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Quick Answer

  • Keep your spine angle solid from address through impact.
  • Make sure your weight shifts smoothly to your front foot on the downswing.
  • Drill it: focus on hitting the ball first, then the turf.

Who This Is For

  • Golfers who can’t seem to hit the ball cleanly, chunking it like a gardener.
  • Anyone tired of leaving those big divots before the ball.
  • Players looking to compress the ball consistently for more distance and accuracy.

How to Stop Hitting Behind the Golf Ball: What to Check First

  • Ball Position: Is it too far forward? Too far back? This is a big one. For most irons, the ball should be slightly forward of center. For a driver, it’s off the lead heel.
  • Posture: Are you set up like a solid tree or a wilting flower? Check that spine tilt. You need to be tilted forward from your hips, not just bending your back.
  • Grip: Are you squeezing the life out of it? Too much tension messes with your swing. A relaxed grip allows your wrists to hinge properly.
  • Weight Distribution: Where’s your weight at the top of the backswing and at impact? It needs to move. You should feel balanced, not falling over.
  • Clubface Awareness: Are you looking at the clubface at address? It should be square to the target.

Step-by-Step Plan to Fix Hitting Behind the Ball

1. Establish a Consistent Address Posture.

  • Action: Stand over the ball like you mean it. Get into your athletic setup.
  • What to look for: Balanced stance, slight knee flex, spine tilted forward from the hips. Feel the weight centered on the balls of your feet. You should feel athletic and ready to move.
  • Mistake to avoid: Slouching or being too upright. Slouching puts you in a bad position, and being too upright makes it hard to maintain your spine angle.

2. Maintain Your Spine Angle Throughout the Swing.

  • Action: Focus on keeping that forward tilt from your hips throughout your entire swing motion, from backswing to impact.
  • What to look for: Your head should stay relatively still, and your chest should rotate around your spine. Think of your spine as a stable axis, like the pole of a merry-go-round.
  • Mistake to avoid: Standing up too early in the downswing. This is a classic fat shot trigger. It’s like trying to hit a ball sitting on the floor while standing up – you’ll miss it.

3. Execute Proper Weight Transfer.

  • Action: Feel your weight shift to your trail foot on the backswing, then aggressively to your lead foot on the downswing.
  • What to look for: Your belt buckle should turn towards the target during the downswing. At impact, your weight should be predominantly on your lead heel, and you should feel pressure there.
  • Mistake to avoid: Staying stuck on your back foot or swaying. Swaying is moving your body laterally instead of rotating. If your weight is still back, you’ll hit behind the ball.

4. Focus on the Ball and the Downward Strike.

  • Action: Make a conscious effort to hit the ball first, then the ground. Visualize striking down and through the ball.
  • What to look for: Imagine a tiny dot just in front of the ball and try to hit that dot. The divot should start after the ball’s position.
  • Mistake to avoid: Looking up too soon or lifting your head. This makes you try to scoop the ball. Keep your eyes glued to the ball’s spot until after impact.

5. Practice with Impact Drills.

  • Action: Use drills designed to promote hitting the ball first. The “towel drill” is a classic.
  • What to look for: Place a small towel about 4-6 inches behind the ball. If you hit the towel, you’ve hit behind the ball. Successfully hitting the ball without touching the towel is the goal. Another drill is hitting off a slight uphill lie, which naturally encourages a descending blow.
  • Mistake to avoid: Rushing the drill or not focusing on the feedback the drill gives you. Treat each practice swing like it counts.

6. Adjust Ball Position for Different Clubs.

  • Action: Understand how different clubs require slight adjustments in ball position and swing dynamics.
  • What to look for: Shorter clubs (wedges, short irons) usually need a more centered ball position and a steeper attack angle. Longer clubs (hybrids, fairway woods, driver) can have the ball slightly more forward, allowing for a slightly shallower or even an upward strike with the driver.
  • Mistake to avoid: Using the same ball position and swing thought for every club. This is a recipe for inconsistency.

7. Feel the Release and Lag.

  • Action: Work on allowing your wrists to unhinge naturally through impact, releasing the clubhead.
  • What to look for: A smooth, free-flowing release where the clubhead whips through the ball. You should feel the clubhead passing your hands.
  • Mistake to avoid: Holding onto the angle in your wrists for too long (casting) or decelerating. This often leads to hitting behind the ball because the club is still descending when it meets the turf.

How to Stop Hitting Behind the Golf Ball: Troubleshooting and Common Mistakes

Here’s where we dig into the weeds. Fixing this fault requires attention to detail.

  • Mistake: Incorrect Ball Position
  • Why it matters: If the ball is too far forward in your stance, you’ll tend to swing too early in your downswing, hitting the ground behind it. If it’s too far back, you might catch it on the upswing, which can also lead to fat shots or thin shots.
  • Fix: For irons, aim for the ball to be just forward of your stance’s center. For longer clubs like hybrids and fairway woods, move it slightly further forward. For the driver, position it off the inside of your lead heel. Always check your setup for each club.
  • Mistake: Standing Up During the Swing
  • Why it matters: This is a huge culprit. When you stand up in the downswing, the low point of your swing arc moves forward, causing you to hit the ground before the ball. Your body essentially “lifts” the club up and out of the hitting zone too early.
  • Fix: Focus relentlessly on maintaining your spine angle. Imagine your chest rotating around your tilted spine. Feel your lead hip clearing but your upper body staying down and rotating through the shot.
  • Mistake: Poor Weight Transfer
  • Why it matters: If your weight stays stuck on your back foot through impact, you lose power and control. You’re essentially trying to hit a stationary ball with a swing that’s already finished its forward motion. This often leads to hitting behind the ball because your body hasn’t moved into the shot.
  • Fix: Practice feeling your weight shift aggressively to your lead side in the downswing. At impact, you should feel the pressure on the inside of your lead heel.
  • Mistake: Trying to “Lift” or “Scoop” the Ball
  • Why it matters: This is a common mental error. Golfers think they need to lift the ball into the air, so they try to scoop it with an upward motion. This causes them to hit the ground early and send the clubface upward, resulting in a fat shot.
  • Fix: Forget about lifting. Focus on hitting down and through the ball. Think of compressing the ball against the turf. The loft on the clubface will do the work of getting the ball airborne.
  • Mistake: Over-Swaying
  • Why it matters: Instead of rotating around your spine, you shift your weight laterally away from the target in the backswing and then back towards it in the downswing. This instability makes it very difficult to find the sweet spot consistently, and you often hit behind the ball because your body is out of sync.
  • Fix: Feel a controlled rotation. Your weight should shift, but your head should stay relatively centered over the ball’s original position throughout the backswing. Imagine turning your shoulders around your spine.
  • Mistake: Grip Too Tight or Incorrectly
  • Why it matters: A death grip restricts the movement of your wrists and forearms. This can prevent proper lag and release, leading to a “casting” motion where you unhinge your wrists too early in the downswing. Casting often results in hitting behind the ball.
  • Fix: Practice gripping the club with just enough pressure to keep it from slipping. Imagine holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing it out. Ensure your hands are aligned correctly on the club.

FAQ

  • What is the most common reason for hitting behind the golf ball?

The most frequent cause is standing up too early in the downswing, which moves the low point of your swing arc forward, making you hit the ground before the ball.

  • How does ball position affect hitting behind the golf ball?

If the ball is too far forward in your stance, you’ll naturally tend to swing the club down too early, hitting behind it. If it’s too far back, you might catch it on the upswing, leading to inconsistent contact and often fat shots.

  • Can a poor grip cause me to hit behind the golf ball?

Yes, absolutely. A grip that’s too tight or misaligned can restrict your wrists and forearms, preventing a proper release and leading to a cast, which often results in hitting behind the ball.

  • How can I practice fixing this without going to the course?

At the driving range, use impact tape on your clubface to see precisely where you’re making contact. Practice the towel drill (towel behind the ball) or hit balls from a slight uphill lie. You can also use alignment sticks to ensure your setup is correct.

  • Should I see a huge divot after hitting the ball correctly?

Ideally, yes. A good, controlled divot taken after the ball indicates you’re hitting down and through the ball, which is the desired action for solid ball striking. The size of the divot can vary, but its location is key.

  • How can I tell if I’m maintaining my spine angle?

A good indicator is keeping your head relatively still during the swing. If you feel your head lift significantly or move forward and backward a lot, your spine angle is likely changing. You can also have someone film your swing from the side.

  • Is it possible to hit too far behind the ball?

Yes, this is the classic “fat shot.” It happens when the club hits the ground well before the ball, taking a large chunk of turf and leaving the ball barely moving or not moving at all. It’s a sign that your swing’s lowest point is significantly ahead of where the ball is positioned.

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