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 causes thin shots in golf?
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.
What happens when you hit the ball thin?
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. This results in a ball that doesn’t travel as high and a shot that doesn’t feel as good in the hands of the golfer that produced it.
What does it mean to hit a thin shot?
Which simply means that thin shots (which, depending on the severity of the mishit, still sometimes work out) are preferable to fat shots. Golfers have various expressions when they hit a thin shot:
Is it better to hit it fat or thin in golf?
Thinning it is preferable to hitting it fat. In fact, the best golfers, who are talented enough to hit it slightly thin on purpose, have an expression: "Thin to win," or "thin it to win it." 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 hitting thin mean in golf?
Golfers who hit a lot of thin shots tend to swing the club too steeply into the ball. That's because they slide past the ball on the downswing and have to force the club down to make contact. When they slide too far, they catch only the top half of the ball, hitting it thin.
What happens when you hit it thin?
1:467:11HOW TO STOP HITTING THIN GOLF SHOTS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo a thin shot is when the bottom edge of the club is too much against the ball or up high on theMoreSo a thin shot is when the bottom edge of the club is too much against the ball or up high on the ball like that that's what that is now. Listen there's no na benefit to hitting way down on the ball.
What does it mean to hit it thin?
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.
How do I stop hitting the golf ball thin?
7:3012:28HOW TO STOP HITTING THIN SHOTS - Strike The Golf Ball Pure - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLeg. That's going to encourage the lowest. Point of our golf swing the lowest point on the swing arcMoreLeg. That's going to encourage the lowest. Point of our golf swing the lowest point on the swing arc to end up being behind the golf ball if we do it quite extreme.
What does hitting it fat mean 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 is a fat or thin golf shot?
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).
How do I stop hitting irons fat and thin?
2:377:33How to stop hitting topped, thin and fat iron shots - 3 Causes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the club and arms go around my body my shoulders will turn a little bit on it and a further planeMoreSo the club and arms go around my body my shoulders will turn a little bit on it and a further plane. And that way I build her to come in this way.
How do I stop my wedges from thinning?
2:033:14How to Stop Thinning your Wedge Shots - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSome shots getting the feeling of what it feels like with your arms in a more extended. Position andMoreSome shots getting the feeling of what it feels like with your arms in a more extended. Position and the second one where you force the weight onto the back foot.
Why do I skull my irons?
Skulling the ball often results from a golfer lifting up just before impact - raising his hands, or raising the upper body which in turn lifts the hands. And that can be caused by a feeling of trying to help the ball get into the air - a sense that you need to "scoop" the ball up to get it airborne.
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 my irons so low?
One reason amateurs tend to hit irons too low is that they narrow their swing radius, taking the club back by letting the lead arm (left arm for right-handers) bend too much. It doesn't have to be locked, but it should maintain a fairly straight appearance all the way to the top.
Why do I hit behind the ball with my irons?
A common problem is to whip the club inside on the takeaway and over rotate the hips. When this happens the backswing becomes flat and inside and it's very easy to hit behind the ball. To avoid this, feel as though the hands, arms, and club move away as one piece during the takeaway.
Why do you hit shots thin?
Generally speaking, a thin or fat shot is caused by having your swing center too far behind the ball at impact. This error causes your club to bottom out too far behind the ball and will cause you to hit the ground first (a fat shot) or hit the top of the ball (a thin shot).
Why do I hit my chips thin?
Early head movement is common. One of the classic causes of thin chip shots is early head movement. As your club swings forward through the ball, your head should be perfectly still. If there is any movement at all above your shoulders, it is going to be difficult to make clean contact.
Why do I hit fat chip shots?
2:486:48Why Do I Hit Golf Chip Shots Fat and Thin? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn its anger will attack through the ball. Now what this could cause it can cause you to hit theMoreIn its anger will attack through the ball. Now what this could cause it can cause you to hit the ground before the ball. But it can also cause you to hit that thin.
How do I stop hitting fat?
5:358:39HOW TO STOP HITTING BEHIND THE BALL INSTANTLY (No Joke)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMove right there you're using your arms to release early so that would be hitting with your arms.MoreMove right there you're using your arms to release early so that would be hitting with your arms.
Why does the bottom of the swing move?
The position of the bottom of the swing arc may have moved from where it should be thanks to the swaying swing error. Specifically, a golfer who is said to sway will move his hips laterally during the course of the swing, moving them back during the backswing before bringing them forward during the downswing.
What is a thin shot in golf?
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. This results in a ball that doesn’t travel as high ...
What to do if you are using the ball forward positioning option?
If you are using the ball forward positioning option and are struggling with thin shots, move to a positioning mechanism that sees the position of the ball vary according to the club in hand.
Why is my right shoulder lower than my left?
Because your right hand is positioned lower on the grip of the club than your left hand, it is natural for your right shoulder to find itself slightly lower than the right. Some golfers fight this natural stance and position their shoulders level to the ground instead. Doing so can produce thin shots.
Does flipping the club head cause swing error?
Specifically, it involves letting the clubhead catch up to your hands at impact instead of seeing your hands ahead of the club and ball at impact. Doing so, while not a swing error per se, can result in one when it is not done purposefully. Indeed, flipping the club will tend to move the bottom of the swing arc back behind ...
Can the bottom of the swing arc be too high?
Alternatively, the bottom of the swing arc can also be too high in contrast to where it should be. A pure strike at the ball will see the clubface hitting the ball in the sweetspot whereas a thin shot will see the bottom of the clubface and oftentimes its leading edge hitting the ball instead. This can happen as a result ...
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.
Why is my golf club flipping?
2. Flipping the golf club or casting in the downswing. 3. Poor ball position in the golf set up. A few other reasons include the reverse pivot in golf which is related to golf weight shift, swaying too much, stance too narrow or wide, standing too tall, and incorrect weight distribution at set up.
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 ...
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.
Checkpoints for Practice
Hitting the ball low on the club face prevents you from making solid contact - this is a thin shot
Video Transcription: Hitting Shots Thin
Another common miss in the one plane swing is for golfers to hit it thin. What I mean by "thin" is that as they're coming through impact they'll hit it a little bit low on the club face, so rather than catching it more in the center of the club face they'll actually hit it a bit low so the club face can't hit it and make solid contact.
What Is A Thin Shot in Golf?
The thin shot in golf occurs as a result of the golf club striking the golf ball too high. This causes the ball to come out low and the golfer loses carry distance on the shot. The cause is often associated with the center of the swing being too far back at impact.
3 Drills to Help With Ball Striking
The ultimate goal is to end the thin and fat shots and this starts with putting some drills in place to help control the low point of the swing, keeping the center far enough forward and getting your task or mind right to ensure you can swing free of tension and with confidence.
Final Thoughts: The 3 Basics of Golf
Whether you are new to the game or have been playing for years, when you are struggling or looking to get better, it is always a good idea to return to the three basics of playing golf:
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
What is the perfect posture for Henrik Stenson?
Henrik Stenson has a perfect posture in the address position! One posture-related fault is when your pelvis moves towards the ball during the downswing – often it starts at the end of a long range session when you start to get tired and all too often it quickly gets grooved into your game.
What is the first checkpoint when hitting thin irons?
If you are hitting thin iron shots, your first checkpoint is with your posture. While the golf swings of the best players in the world differ greatly, one thing they all have in common is a good posture at address. This lies at the heart of consistent ball striking.
Why does Dustin Johnson shorten his arm?
Lots of amateurs shorten or bend their arm to prevent them from hitting the ground. This is a ‘saving’ move that is often required because the golfer’s plane or angle of attack is too steep.
What does it mean when a golfer whiffes his shot?
A whiffed shot refers to an attempt made by a golfer to hit his ball through a live swing, i.e., not during a practice swing, and missing it entirely. The name comes from the sound made by the club traveling at full speed without the expected ball striking noise that is a staple of a golf stroke. Consequence: Whiffing a ball will result in ...
What does it mean when a golfer hits the ball fat?
A golfer is said to have hit the ball fat when his club will have penetrated through the ground before striking the ball. Ideally, in a successful strike at the ball, the clubface will come in contact with the ball first before it continues its forward descent into the ground. Consequence: Hitting a shot fat will result in a loss ...
What is a shank shot?
Shank. A shanked shot will occur when the ball will shoot straight off to the right of the intended target line on a very low trajectory. It usually comes as a result of the ball being hit by the hosel of the club instead of its clubface. Consequence: A shank shot will often put the golfer in catastrophic situations for the next shot.
What is the name of the second shot that a golfer is allowed to take without penalty?
Happy Ball. The name of the second shot that a golfer is allowed to take without penalty, specifically from the tee-box on hole #1. Or in other words, a happy ball is the alternative name for a mulligan when it is hit from the very first hole.
What happens if you whiff a golf ball?
Consequence: Whiffing a ball will result in the total loss of distance, i.e., the ball will remain in its original spot. In accordance to the official rules, the golfer will need to count a whiff as a full stroke, even though the club has not touched the ball at all. More on: How to Fix Whiffs.
What is double tap in golf?
A double tap occurs when the golfer’s clubhead strikes the ball twice, the first time when the ball is on the ground and the second time shortly after when the ball is off the ground. This type of golf shot error usually occurs near the green during chip shots, when the ball is launched slowly enough for the club to catch up to it ...
What is overclubing in golf?
‘Overclubing’ is the act of taking a club that will send the ball over a longer distance than what would normally be required. For example, a golfer will overclub if he selects his 7-iron – which he normally uses for 150 yard shots – for a target that is 140 yards away. It should be noted that overclubing can be done mistakenly or it can be done strategically. Indeed, a golfer who is facing a shot that is directly against the wind will be smart to overclub since the wind will shorten the distance traveled by the ball in the air.