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what are fat and thin shot golf

by Prof. Edwin Funk III Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago
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The fat shots occur from not making enough room to fit the radius and you hit behind the ball. The thin shots occur from you finally getting smart and realizing "this ain't working" and you bend the left elbow "chicken wing" to shorten the radius from hitting the ground. To fix this, enjoy the video below!

A lot of golfers never get over the instinct to lift the ball off the ground. They swing off their back foot or flip their hands through impact, both of which make the club bottom out too soon. As a result, they hit the ground first (fat shot) or catch the ball on the upswing (thin shot).Mar 2, 2020

Full Answer

What is a thin shot in golf?

A thin shot is the opposite of a fat shot (in which the golfer's club hits the ground before contacting the golf ball). Thinning it is preferable to hitting it fat.

Is your golf swing too fat or too thin?

Unfortunately this experience is not what most golfer experience on a shot to shot or day to day basis. The fat and thin golf shots have one thing in common, the bottom of the swing is too far behind the ball.

What is a fat shot in golf?

A "fat shot" happens when the golfer's club hits the ground prior to making contact with the golf ball. That's not something the golfer ever wants to do (except with bunker shots), and it leads to grass or even a chunk of turf/sod coming between the clubface and the ball.

How can I Fix my Fat and thin golf shots?

Fixing your fat and thin shots could be as simple as the ball being too far forward in your stance. Work on your set up with a mirror to feel like a vertical line would intersect down from your left eye through your hands and through the ball, as in Photo 1 .

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What are fat shots in golf?

The opposite of a thin shot, a fat shot is a shot in which the club (typically an iron) makes contact with and digs into the ground before it reaches the golf ball. This normally does two things: it slows the club down immensely and it throws up a layer of sod/turf between the clubface and the ball.

What does it mean to thin a golf shot?

In golf a thin shot – or a golf shot hit thin – is one that see the club hitting the ball below its equator. But in contrast to a better shot that sees the clubface striking the ball inside the sweet spot hitting it thin will often see the leading edge of the club making contact with the ball.

What does a thin golf shot look like?

6:0515:12[SIMPLE FIX ] Stop Hitting Thin Shots During Your Golf Game - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBad part or the thin shot would be if you spin excessively passive and just rotate. Yeah you'reMoreBad part or the thin shot would be if you spin excessively passive and just rotate. Yeah you're gonna bring both so to fix. Both steep. And thin just deep and shallow. Take the club up to the top let

Why do you hit fat golf shots?

The main reason that a fat shot occurs, though, is that a player has unnecessarily moved their “swing center.” You can think of your center as one of two things, either your head or your sternum. I tend to use the head reference more often because it doesn't twist throughout the swing as the sternum does.

What does hitting it fat and thin mean?

Golfers thin the ball when our swing bottoms out in the wrong place. If your swing bottoms out behind the ball, the result is a fat shot. If the swing bottoms out ahead of the ball, the result is a thin shot.

Why do I FAT my irons?

One of the main reasons that golfers hit fat shots is they are desperately trying to get the ball in the air. Instead of keeping their upper body over the ball (where the sternum is directly above the ball at impact), they lean back through the contact.

How do you avoid fat shots in golf?

2:4615:34GOLF: How To Stop Hitting Fat Shots - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe more forward or towards the target the weight is in my feet the odds of me not hitting behindMoreThe more forward or towards the target the weight is in my feet the odds of me not hitting behind the ball get better or the more of my weight or body is to the right or behind the ball.

How do I stop hitting fat iron shots?

4:208:39HOW TO STOP HITTING BEHIND THE BALL INSTANTLY (No Joke)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOkay we get the weight off the heel. Then the club will clear and you will instantly eliminate fatMoreOkay we get the weight off the heel. Then the club will clear and you will instantly eliminate fat shots. So you've hit a fat.

Why do I hit my driver well but not my irons?

There is a myriad of reasons why you hit your driver better than your irons. However, the root cause for most golfers stems from posture, the position of the ball in your stance, and your swing plane. Plus, the optimal ball speed and forgiveness produced by a driver make it easy to launch.

Can a strong grip cause fat shots?

Fat shots. One of the other signs of an overly strong grip is the tendency to hit the ball fat, especially on short iron shots. As mentioned above, a strong grip makes it easy to release the club on the way down, and an early release could cause you to stick the club in the ground behind the ball.

Why am I hitting the ground first with my driver?

Hitting the ground first is because your angle of approach (angle at which the club is striking the golf ball) is too shallow. To put it in another understandable way, you are trying to hit the ball with an upwards motion.

Should you take a divot with a 5 iron?

You should take a divot when striking a golf shot, but not with every club. Wedges and short irons when hit correctly will create a clear divot, imparting backspin on the ball, yet longer clubs like 5-irons and hybrids should 'brush' the turf, rather than take a deep chunk out of the ground.

No. 1: Ball Position

Fixing your fat and thin shots could be as simple as the ball being too far forward in your stance.

No. 2: Excessive Head Movement

In an effort to create power, players will often move too far off the ball to the right for a right handed player (Photo 3).

No. 3: Reduction of the Length of the Arms at Impact

It does not take long after hitting the ground behind the ball that your arms will figure out how to shorten to avoid this impact condition. The result is now you a thin shot and it is bladed across the back of the green. I show this position in Photo 6.

No. 4: Club Points Too Far Right of the Target at the Top of the Swing

From this position ( Photo 14) the club will tend to rebound and approach the ball too much from the inside the target line at impact. Players with this condition will also tend to block and hook the ball away from their intended target.

What is a thin shot in golf?

Updated April 29, 2019. A "thin shot" in golf is one in which the clubhead strikes the golf ball too high (near the midpoint of the golf ball, or slightly lower or higher), which typically results in a low, sometimes slicing shot. A thin shot also often produces much more vibration that is felt in ...

How does a thin shot affect golf?

A thin shot also often produces much more vibration that is felt in the golfer's hands. It's impossible to predict how a thin shot will turn out. If it's a low screamer but one that stays up in the air and then gets lots of roll-out, the ball can overshoot the target by a lot. If it's a ball that barely gets off the ground and then drops, ...

Why do golfers thin the ball?

Thin shots happen when the golf club impacts the golf ball too high on the ball - near or a little below the ball's equator. But what causes that ? Golfers thin the ball when our swing bottoms out in the wrong place. If your swing bottoms out behind the ball, the result is a fat shot. If the swing bottoms out ahead of the ball, ...

Why does my golf swing thinning?

Another common cause of thinning it is when the golfer raises up just before impact, lifting his or her head and torso. This pulls your arms up, too, which raises the club. In that case, even if the bottom of the swing is in the right place, the club will contact the golf ball too high on the ball's surface.

How to stop hitting a golf ball thin?

Start with the easiest things to check: your basic setup positions. Make sure you aren't positioning the golf ball in your stance way off normal; make sure you aren't setting up with your shoulders aligned well right or left. These things can throw off where your swing bottoms out.

What happens if you hit a thin shot?

If you're hitting from the fairway with a short iron or wedge and hit a thin shot, the ball might wind up way over the green. A thin shot is the opposite of a fat shot (in which the golfer's club hits the ground before contacting the golf ball). Thinning it is preferable to hitting it fat.

What does "thin to win" mean?

Which simply means that thin shots (which, depending on the severity of the mishit, still sometimes work out) are preferable to fat shots.

What does it mean to fat a golf shot?

That one we know for certain. Golfers might also refer to them as “fatting it”, or they may instead say “I fatted my swing”. Sometimes, they may also refer to it as “I caught the swing fat” or “That hit was fat”. So if you hear those sorts of terms from more seasoned golfers, or if you’re new and you start hearing that term around, now you know what they’re talking about!

Why do I hit fat shots?

As a result, the club hits the ground before it makes contact with the ball. Which is just another way to say that you’re bottoming your swing out behind your ball.

What happens if you hit a fat shot?

If you use an iron, hitting a fat shot will result in your club digging into the turf hard. This will produce a deeper divot – and a larger one – as compared to normal. And so as you might imagine, you’ll have a fat divot. Sounds like that might be the origin for this term!

Is golf a difficult sport?

Golf is a technically difficult sport. If you think that you are going to get into golf and be great at it right from the outset, prepare to be disappointed! Unless you’re a natural prodigy, chances are there are a ton of different ways in which you can improve your game. It’s rare for people to be immediately great at this sport, and that’s simply the truth. But hey, at least everyone starts mostly from the same spot – and you won’t need to be worried about making mistakes.

What is the advantage of slower speed in golf?

As a result, slower speed players will get a great advantage out of this, being able to hit it farther and carry the ball longer distances in the air. It will also be a very good option for players playing from lush fairways, or where the ball is sitting up nicely.

What does it mean when your divot is behind the ball?

It is a sign that your low point is behind the ball.

Is it dangerous to play a low point?

This can be a dangerous one for amateurs, as many of you already have a low point which is too far back, or even behind the ball. For this reason, make sure to consult your instructor on the best way for you – they can also guide you with how to do it.

What is the difference between a fat golf shot and a thin golf shot?

Fat golf shots end up with an impact position with less weight on the front leg, the hands may lag behind and the ground will be struck before the ball causing the golfer to hit the ball towards the top of the clubface. A thin golf shot will be the opposite.

How to fix a thin shot in golf?

Moving the ball slightly back in your stance may solve the problem. For golfers hitting thin shots, check to ensure you’re not putting the ball too far behind your breast bone (center of the chest). You may not need to adjust your feet, but you may need to adjust your weight to distribute more onto the back leg. 2.

How to shallow out a golf swing plane?

One of the best drills for shallowing out your swing plane is the roll the ball backward drill. This drill is exactly what it sounds like. Start with the normal golf ball you plan to hit and place second golf ball about 12 to 18 inches directly behind the ball.

Why is my golf ball so far forward?

You can have the ball place perfectly when it comes to your feet, but your weight distribution is off, which puts the ball too far forward in your stand. When the golf ball is too far forward in your stand, you’re more likely to hit a fat golf shot. A fat golf shot happens when you hit the ground before the ball.

How to turn your body with a golf club?

Tee the ball up higher than normal and lay a towel down on the ground where you will put your knees. Swing around your body and hit the golf ball with the club. When done properly, you will learn how to turn your body with a quiet lower body.

Why is my golf club so thin?

Posture Makes a Difference. A common cause of thin golf shots is lifting up during the swing. In other words, you could start with perfect posture and a good spine angle, but by the time you get to impact, you’ve straightened your spine some causing the clubhead to strike the top half of the golf ball.

What does it mean when you hit a fat golf shot?

A fat golf shot happens when you hit the ground before the ball. It’s most common with short irons and wedges but can also happen with fairway woods and long irons. Even on occasion, you might hit a fat golf shot with your driver, but this is not as common.

What is a good image for a tennis player?

A good image is that you’re back-handing the ball, like a tennis stroke. If you get those two moves right, you’ll swing into impact with your weight forward and your wrists firm—two things every good ball-striker does.

Who were the two golfers in the 2003 Presidents Cup?

In the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa, two of the sweetest swingers at that time, Adam Scott and Stuart Appleby, were matched against two of the most unconventional, Jim Furyk and Jay Haas. As they warmed up, murmurs from the crowd suggested the “pretty” swings had it made. At one point, Jay said to Jim, “I bet those people don’t give us much of a chance.” Jim laughed, and the Americans went on to win, 6 and 5, one of the most lopsided victories in the history of the event. Don’t get me wrong, Adam and Stuart are tremendous talents. (I taught Adam for years.) But the only real barometer of a golf swing is the shots it produces.

How to hit a tennis ball with your back?

First, make your initial move from the top a little bump onto your front foot. Feel like you’re shifting toward the target, so your chest is over the ball. Second, get to impact with the back of your top hand facing the target (left), not pointing upward. A good image is that you’re back-handing the ball, like a tennis stroke.

Do golfers hit the ground first?

A lot of golfers never get over the instinct to lift the ball off the ground. They swing off their back foot or flip their hands through impact, both of which make the club bottom out too soon. As a result, they hit the ground first (fat shot) or catch the ball on the upswing (thin shot).

Bunker Setup - Getting Off the Beach!

In this follow up post on the bunker shot I am covering the crucial setup piece you need to get off the beach! To help you pack up your beach chair and get off the sandy area quickly you need to understand the purpose of the sand wedge and how it was designed. On every wedge you have what is called bounce.

The Foundation to Great Bunker Shots

Another fear that golfers have is landing on the beach...I mean the bunker. The beach would be more pleasant for most golfers, but for the sandy areas around the greens it seems not so much.

Tour Player's Secrets of the Pitch Shot

One of the most frustrating things for golfers is to hit 2 solid shots from the tee to the green and miss by a few yards to be faced with a daunting 10-15 yard pitch shot.

What is lag shot golf?

The lag shot golf training aid helps you eliminate thin golf shots and hit them flush. The good news is it’s not difficult to fix once you identify what’s causing the shot and then finally implement some simple drills. I used to hit many thin golf shots but learned how to hit compressed golf shots in the Rotary Swing system.

Why is my golf ball thin?

Another common reason for hitting the golf ball thin is what’s called flipping or casting which happens in the golf downswing. This is when the clubhead overtakes the hands prior to reaching the rear thigh in the downswing and the clubhead reaches the golf ball on an upward trajectory exposing the lower or leading edge of the club.

How to maintain lag angle in golf?

2. As you commence the downswing you need to maintain the angle you had at the top of the backswing between your right arm and the shaft (call lag angle). 3. Ideally you’ll want to maintain this angle until you reach the rear thigh and then you can release the golf club at the golf ball.

How to fix lag in golf club?

To fix you need to do a couple of things: 1. Ensure you have a light grip pressure particularly in the right hand (right-hander) so that when you start the downswing you are not pushing against the golf club and reducing the lag angle. 2.

Why is it so hard to catch the sweet spot in golf?

If your golf ball is positioned particularly too far forward in your stance, it makes it difficult to catch the sweet spot because the bottom of the swing arc is usually well before it reaches the golf ball. This exposes the bottom of the clubface leading to thinned golf shots.

How low does a golf ball travel?

The golf ball will typically travel very low to the ground or at least lower than your normal centred strike. Typically you won’t get a lot of spin on the golf ball, and if you’re lucky enough to hit the green it will most likely run through the back into trouble. Additionally, a thin shot will result in no divot being taken ...

How to fix a butt in golf?

To fix this you need to train your body to stay in posture by doing several (at least 30) repetitions of hitting golf shots whilst your butt stays against a chair or similar. You can practice this at home or ideally at the golf driving range.

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