There are three main causes of the thin shot in golf:
- The center of the swing is too far back.
- The golfer fears taking a divot.
- The golfer stands up and early extends in the golf shot.
What is a thin shot?
In a similar way to fat shots, thin shots are fundamentally produced by errors related to the arc of the swing itself and more specifically to the position of its bottom.
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.
Are thin golf shots better than fat shots?
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 thin to win mean in golf?
"Thin to win" is an old golf proverb signifying that a thin shot – where the ball is struck near the bottom of the clubface – is better than a fat shot, or one where the club hits the ground before the ball.
What does it mean to hit a shot thin?
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 causes thinning golf shots?
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.
What is a fat golf shot?
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 a thin golf shot look like?
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 you avoid thin golf shots?
1:447:11HOW TO STOP HITTING THIN GOLF SHOTS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou hardly need any downward hit to hit that solidly there's room under the ball to push the sweetMoreYou hardly need any downward hit to hit that solidly there's room under the ball to push the sweet spot against the ball. Just a slight slight downward hit is enough for solid. Contact.
How do I stop thinning the golf ball?
3:1610:34How to Stop THINNING Your Irons! (Simple Drill) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipShot is the leading edge contacting. Too far up the golf ball essentially. The golf club is not lowMoreShot is the leading edge contacting. Too far up the golf ball essentially. The golf club is not low enough as it reaches arrives at the golf ball.
Why do I keep topping my 3 wood?
The tendency for most golfers with a fairway wood is to put it all the way off your front foot because it appears easier to get in the air. But this will make you hit it on the way up and thus, thin or top it. Instead, put the ideal ball position will be about 1-2 ball lengths behind the inside of your front foot.
Should you hover your irons?
Soling the club in such a lie can set off a chain reaction which could move the ball, incurring a penalty. By hovering the club, you not only eliminate that risk, you reduce the tendency to snag the clubface in the grass, both on the takeaway and on the way down to the ball.
Why am I hitting the ground before the golf ball?
When a player hits the ground before the ball it is generally because their club is attacking the ball from too shallow an angle. Golf coaches refer to this as the "Angle of Approach".
Why do I hit fat and thin golf shots?
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 am I hitting 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 I hit fat shots with 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.
What causes fat and thin golf shots?
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).
How do I stop my iron from thinning?
0:573:37How to stop thinning your irons - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipInto that left heel as the weight goes into the left heel. The body will be more open. And then youMoreInto that left heel as the weight goes into the left heel. The body will be more open. And then you can rotate through that shot easier the more you're able to get open with the body.
Why do my iron shots stay low?
Low shots are the result of a faulty impact position (the position of the clubface as it strikes the ball) that de-lofts the clubface. Impact is the moment of truth in golf. Ben Hogan said, "The ultimate judge of your swing is the flight of the ball," and impact determines ball flight.
How do you fix a high weak iron shot?
5:049:51GOLF: Stop Hitting Weak/Right Iron Shots - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd just do a little hip high hip high first grip strong hands forward club face at the ball clubMoreAnd just do a little hip high hip high first grip strong hands forward club face at the ball club face at the ground just with a little pitch. Shot.
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 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.
What is a thin shot in golf?
A thin golf shot is one that is struck below the sweet spot on the face of the club. There are a range of thin shots, from ones that are hit only a groove or two below the sweet spot, all the way to shots that miss the club face completely and are only hit with the leading edge. You will know immediately that you have it a thin shot because ...
What does "thin to win" mean in golf?
"Thin to win" is an old golf proverb signifying that a thin shot – where the ball is struck near the bottom of the clubface – is better than a fat shot, or one where the club hits the ground before the ball. While that's true more often than not, it's really a lesser-of-two-evils proposition.
Why do thin shots fall short?
Thin shots present a two-fold problem. With longer clubs on full swings, they tend to fall short of the target because they miss the sweet spot. With wedges or partial swings from 100 yards and in, thin shot s usually sail too far – as in over the green.
What are the skills of a golfer?
One of the most important skills you can possess as a golfer is the ability to hit the ball the right distance time after time. Hitting shots off line is part of the game, but if you can improve the control you have over the distance of your shots, you will instantly become a better player.
Do thin shots fly on line?
Thin shots will actually fly on line quite frequently, but they will rarely travel the right distance. Prioritize the ability to make contact on the sweet spot and you will find that the game becomes much easier. All of the instruction contained below is based on a right handed golfer.
Is tempo good for golf?
Just like eliminating the reverse pivot, building a reliable tempo in your golf swing is something that is good for your game as a whole, not just for eliminating thin shots . Tempo, along with balance, is one of the key building blocks within any good golf swing.
Do golfers hit the ball thin?
Every golfer hits the ball thin from time to time. Even the best golfers in the world miss the sweet spot, and some of those misses come off as thin shots. You shouldn't expect perfection from yourself in terms of ball striking – instead, your goal should be to consistently improve as you practice and gain experience.
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 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 is flipping a golf club?
Flipping the club – or scooping the ball – involves losing the lag in the clubhead which is necessary in order to create the ideal conditions for hitting down on the ball. 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.
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.
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 ...
Can flipping a golf club cause a swing error?
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 the ball and will oftentimes see the club hitting the ball below the sweet spot of the clubface, or worse through the leading edge.
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), ...
How to get rid of fat shots in golf?
Make sure the golf ball isn't positioned too far forward in your stance. Check the Mishit Tip Sheets feature for a checklist of possible additional causes of fat shots.
How do golfers talk about fat shots?
Golfers might talk about "fatting it," or say, "I fatted that one" or "I caught that one fat" or "I hit it fat."
What does it mean when a golfer hits the ball fat?
In addition to resulting in a terrible shot, hitting the ball fat can also be jarring to a golfer's hands, wrists and arms, depending on just how "fat" (how badly the club digs into the turf) the shot is. A fat shot is the opposite of a thin shot.
Why is the golf ball traveling shorter distances?
That kills much of the energy of the shot, resulting in the ball traveling shorter distances. The more severely "fat" the ball is hit (meaning the more turf is between the club and ball), the shorter distance the ball will travel.
What does it mean when you hit behind the ball?
Most people who hit an occasional (fat shot) move their heads backward as they start their downswings, which means that they hit behind the ball.". A similar approach to stop hitting the behind the ball (one using an object to block the club from bottoming out too early) is demonstrated in a YouTube videos.
