A fat shot is where the club (usually an iron) comes into contact with the surface and sinks into it before reaching the golf ball. This poor contact usually has two effects: it slows down the club and creates a layer between the club and the ball.
Most new players face this problem of hitting fat shots when they start playing golf. When you hit a fat shot, you get a lot lesser speed on the ball and very little or no curve. This problem can be avoided by understanding what causes a fat shot and ways to avoid it. So, how to stop hitting the ball fat is important to know. This article throws light on some tips that you can follow to avoid hitting a fat shot.
Fat Shot Explained
A fat shot is the one in which the club hits the mud and sinks into it before reaching the golf ball.
This poor contact usually has two effects: it slows down the club and creates a layer of mud between the flat side of the club and the ball. Because the ball may never hit the club’s grooves, this usually results in poor contact, less ball travel, and no ball spin.
The fatter and slower the shot is the well behind the ball your club gets in contact with the ground. Although hitting a bunker shot fat and some shots in the rough is typically a good idea, playing any other type of shot fat can be devastating.
Fat shots are usually steeper, resulting in a bigger and deeper hole than usual. These divots are also known as fat divots, which might be the basis of the name “fat shot.”
Causes of a Fat Shot
1. Your Stance On The Ball Is Not Correct:
If you are standing very well behind the ball, there are great chances that your swing hits the ground first, and then it hits the ball.
2. Your Swing Is Longer:
If you extend your swing pretty far from your body, it is obvious that your club will hit the ground before the ball, causing a fat shot.
3. You Lean More On The Back Foot:
If you lean your weight on your back foot throughout the downswing, you will tilt your upper body backwards, and your club will swing towards the ground before reaching the ball, causing you to hit it fat.
4. You Lean More Towards The Front:
During the downswing, avoid crouching or lowering your head downward. Your swing angle will lower, and you will be more likely to drive your club into the turf before hitting the ball.
5. Trying To Hit The Ball Forcefully
Also, a less skilled golfer who attempts to push a shot or “kills” the ball is far more likely to make a rapid shift at the peak of the swing phase and come into the ball too steeply. As previously said, this will most likely result in a fat shot.
Tips to Stop Fat Shots
You may look at a video of your swing or have someone else look at your motion and look to find the problem.
Looking at your technique and figuring out why you’re touching the floor before the ball is the greatest strategy to correct the fat shot.
I’ll try to make things as straightforward as practicable; after all, many so-called “experts” overcomplicate the full range of motion unnecessarily.
I’ll go over various possible causes and movement cycles below, any of which might lead to a shot being struck fat. The main objective in hitting a golf shot is to hit the ball before the ground. However, you may significantly minimize their occurrence and be ready to be on your way to developing your golf game.
- Place the ball back in your stance and try tilting your club shaft forward during the address.
- You could be leaning your shoulders upper-body too much in your swing rather than rotating it. Keep your shoulders level, turn them across the swing, and swing broader to produce a shallower swing path and combat fat inclinations.
- In the downswing, shift your weight to the left (for right-handed golfers). Shifting your weight from the backswing to the downswing is vital for every successful golf swing. This weight shift will create a forward swing arc concerning the ball, increasing your chances of striking the ball first.
- Throughout the swing, continue to maintain your head steady and your knee height. According to Jack Nicklaus, sloppy head movement is the most prevalent cause of a fat shot. Of course, keeping your head still is difficult — best golfers tilt their heads substantially lower and to the right in reaction to their hips thrusting — but as far as you have a consistent technique that creates solid ball contact, you should be alright.
Stop Hitting the Ball Fat- Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the disadvantages of hitting a ball fat?
Ans. Hitting a ball fat has two major disadvantages. Firstly, when you hit a fat shot, your club hits the ground first, and its speed is reduced, ultimately reducing your shot’s power. Secondly, when your club comes in contact with the ground, a layer of mud sticks to the club’s grooves and flattens it. Grooves of the club cause spin in the ball. So, if you hit a fat shot, you may not get spin.
Q2. Does shoulder positioning cause a fat shot?
Ans. Yes, your shoulders position plays an important role in golf shots. If your shoulder leans forwards or backwards, or you do not rotate your shoulders with the swinging arm, you will most likely hit a fat shot.
Wrapping Up- How to Stop Hitting the Ball Fat
Here, I have covered some of the most common mistakes players make, causing a fat shot. There can be more factors causing a fat shot. So, you should try out each tip one by one or try a combination of two tips that we have provided and see if you can now avoid a fat shot. You can ask any further queries by commenting below. We hope this article explains “how to stop hitting a ball fat?”.
