Golf Swing Faults: Identifying and Fixing Fat Shots

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Common Faults & Fixes

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Quick Answer: What is a Fat Shot in Golf?

• A fat shot in golf means your club digs into the ground behind the ball, not at it. This kills your distance and accuracy.
• Usually, it’s a problem with your swing path, how you shift your weight, or using your hands too much.
• The fix? Learn to hit the ball first, then the turf. Simple, but takes practice.

Who This is For

• Anyone who’s tired of seeing their ball fly only a fraction of the distance they intended, thanks to a chunked shot.
• Golfers looking to gain confidence and consistency by eliminating those frustrating heavy strikes.

What is a Fat Shot in Golf: What to Check First

Before you go changing everything, let’s look at the usual suspects. These are quick checks that can point you in the right direction.

• Divot Location: Where is your club digging? Ideally, it should start just after the ball’s position. If it’s a foot behind, that’s your clue.
• Angle of Attack: Are you hitting down on the ball, or are you trying to scoop it up? Scooping is a guaranteed way to hit it fat.
• Weight Distribution: Where’s your weight at impact? If you’re still heavily on your back foot, you’re likely to hit behind the ball.
• Ball Position: Is the ball too far forward or back in your stance for the club you’re using? This can drastically alter your strike point.
• Swing Path: Is your club coming from too far inside or outside? An excessively steep or shallow path can lead to digging.

Step-by-Step Plan for Fixing Fat Shots

Alright, let’s get to work. This is about making solid contact, consistently.

1. Focus on the Divot: Take some practice swings, really feeling the ground.

• Action: Make practice swings and observe where your club enters the turf.
• What to look for: A divot that begins just forward of where the ball would be. This shows you’re hitting the ball first.
• Mistake to avoid: Ignoring the divot. It’s your best diagnostic tool. Don’t just swing; analyze.

2. Prioritize Ball-Then-Turf: This is the core concept.

• Action: Imagine a coin placed just in front of the ball. Aim to hit the coin, then the ball.
• What to look for: A crisp strike on the ball, followed by a shallow divot that moves forward.
• Mistake to avoid: Trying to “lift” the ball into the air. This scooping action forces you to hit the ground before the ball.

3. Master Your Weight Transfer: Get your body working for you.

• Action: Feel your weight shift from your trail side to your lead side as you swing through the ball.
• What to look for: Your hips rotating through the shot, with the majority of your weight on your lead foot at the finish.
• Mistake to avoid: Staying “stuck” on your back foot. This prevents proper body rotation and leads to hitting behind the ball.

4. Smooth Out Your Tempo: Consistency comes from rhythm.

• Action: Focus on a smooth, unhurried transition from your backswing to your downswing.
• What to look for: A flowing motion from top to bottom, without any sudden jerky movements. Think of a pendulum.
• Mistake to avoid: Rushing the downswing. This throws off your timing, makes your swing plane inconsistent, and often results in hitting fat shots.

5. Check Your Clubface Control: A square face is key.

• Action: Feel the clubface remain relatively square through impact, guided by your body rotation.
• What to look for: The clubface closing naturally through the hitting zone, not being forced by your hands.
• Mistake to avoid: Trying to “help” the clubface close with excessive hand or wrist action. This can lead to an early release and fat shots.

6. Utilize Alignment Aids: Get some visual feedback.

• Action: Place alignment sticks on the ground to help guide your club path.
• What to look for: Your club approaching the ball from the inside, creating a sweeping motion rather than a steep chop.
• Mistake to avoid: Swinging across the ball or leaving the clubface open. This often leads to an outside-in path and fat shots.

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Understanding Common Causes of Fat Golf Shots and How to Fix Them

Let’s get granular. These are the little things that can really mess with your swing.

• Mistake: Trying to lift the ball.
• Why it matters: This is the classic “scooping” motion. You’re trying to help the ball up, which forces you to hit the ground before the ball. It’s the opposite of a descending blow.
• Fix: Focus intently on hitting down on the ball. Imagine the club brushing the grass after impact. Think “brush the grass,” not “lift the ball.”
• Mistake: Poor weight shift.
• Why it matters: If you stay too much on your back foot during the downswing, you can’t get the clubhead to the ball efficiently. Your body isn’t rotating properly, and the club will naturally fall behind the ball.
• Fix: Make a conscious effort to transfer your weight to your lead side as you swing through. Feel your hips rotate, clearing the way for the club. Practice drills that emphasize this shift.
• Mistake: Rushing the downswing.
• Why it matters: When you hurry the transition from backswing to downswing, your body gets out of sync. This leads to an inconsistent swing plane, poor timing, and a higher likelihood of digging too deep into the turf.
• Fix: Cultivate a smooth, deliberate tempo. Feel a pause or a slight “gathering” at the top of your backswing before starting down. This allows your body to sequence correctly.
• Mistake: Incorrect ball position.
• Why it matters: Where the ball is in your stance dictates where the club is naturally in its arc at impact. If it’s too far forward, you might be hitting it on the upswing, which can lead to fat shots if your timing is off. Too far back, and you’re almost guaranteed to hit behind it.
• Fix: Verify your ball position for each club. For irons, it’s typically slightly forward of center, but this can vary. A good starting point is to check your setup against standard guidelines.
• Mistake: Overuse of hands and wrists.
• Why it matters: Trying to “power” the shot with aggressive hand and wrist action often leads to a steep downswing and an early release of the clubhead. This “casting” motion causes the club to hit the ground far behind the ball.
• Fix: Let your larger muscles and body rotation lead the downswing. Your hands and wrists should be a natural consequence of this rotation, not the primary driver. Think of your arms and club as being “thrown” by your body.
• Mistake: Trying to hit the ball too hard.
• Why it matters: When you swing with maximum effort, your body tends to tense up, leading to a loss of fluidity and control. This often results in a steep, rushed downswing and a fat strike.
• Fix: Focus on making a smooth, controlled swing. Often, a more controlled swing at 80% effort will produce better distance and accuracy than a wild 100% swing.

FAQ

• What is the most common cause of fat shots in golf?
• The most frequent culprit is hitting the ground significantly behind the ball. This is often due to an incorrect angle of attack (hitting too steeply) or a failure to shift weight properly onto the lead side, causing the club to bottom out too early in the swing.
• How does ball position affect fat shots?
• Ball position is critical because it determines where the club is in its arc relative to the ball at impact. If the ball is too far forward in your stance, you might be hitting it on the upswing, which can lead to fat shots if your timing is off or your swing path isn’t ideal. Conversely, if the ball is too far back, you’re naturally more likely to hit behind it.
• What is the ideal divot location for a solid golf shot?
• For most iron shots, the divot should start just after the ball and move forward, indicating that you’ve made contact with the ball first, followed by the turf. The divot should be shallow and point in the direction of your target.
• Can a bad grip cause fat shots?
• Absolutely. An overly strong grip can cause the clubface to close too quickly, leading to pulls and fat shots. An overly weak grip might lead to an open clubface and a tendency to swing too steeply, also resulting in fat shots. Ensuring a neutral grip is a good starting point for solid contact.
• How important is tempo for avoiding fat shots?
• Tempo is incredibly important. A smooth, consistent tempo allows for proper sequencing of your body’s movement, effective weight transfer, and a consistent swing plane. Rushing the downswing, often due to poor tempo, is a primary reason golfers hit it fat.
• Should I try to hit the ball further by swinging harder?
• Swinging harder is often counterproductive when trying to fix fat shots. It usually leads to a loss of control, a steeper swing, and more fat strikes. Focus on making a more efficient, well-sequenced swing. Often, a better strike will yield more distance than simply swinging faster.
• What’s the difference between a fat shot and a thin shot?
• A fat shot is when the club hits the ground behind the ball. A thin shot, also called a “bladed” shot or “skulled” shot, is when the club strikes the ball first, but the bottom groove of the club hits the ball high on its face, resulting in a low, often errant shot with minimal distance.

Sources:

• Common Causes of Fat Golf Shots and How to Fix Them