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why do i hit the ground behind the golf ball

by Leonard Sawayn Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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What Causes Hitting Behind the Golf Ball?

  • Overview. Hitting behind the golf ball, or hitting it "fat," is a common problem, especially with high handicappers.
  • Ball Position. ...
  • Sliding the Hips. ...
  • Head Slide. ...
  • Loose Leading Arm. ...
  • Back Shoulder Dip. ...
  • Improper Weight Transfer. ...
  • Early Release. ...

During the backswing, the player's weight is on the back foot. Failure to naturally transfer the weight through the ball and onto the left commonly causes the club to drop behind the ball. The body and the club must work together in a proper weight transfer.

Full Answer

What causes hitting behind the golf ball?

Aug 26, 2020 · Why am I hitting Behind the Ball? There are many factors which can affect your shot and cause you to hit behind the ball such as; Your position over the ball. Movement during your swing. Improper weight distribution and/or transfer. Some are easier to spot than others. Ball Position. The best place to start is the scene of the crime.

What happens if you hit behind the ball?

Oct 28, 2018 · The goal is to keep the same feeling as the swing gets larger. The golf club should work down, hit the ball, and then the ground. The “flip” or early release is a killer in the golf swing. Not only can it cause you to hit behind the ball, it is also robs you of power and distance.

Why do I fall to the right in golf?

Jun 27, 2021 · Hitting the ground before the golf ball is mainly caused by an incorrect golf swing technique. There are many factors to consider, and some can compound others. These include hip slide, head movement, dipping the shoulder, bending your lead arm, releasing the club too early, and not distributing your weight through your swing correctly.

What happens if you play the ball too far back in your stance?

Apr 01, 2021 · So, why does this happen? Understand that every swing is unique and there are a number of factors that cause amateurs to hit behind the ball. The most common reason is amateurs lift with their right side (trail side) going back and lift with their left side (lead side) going forward. This is the exact opposite of what the pros do.

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How do I stop hitting the ground behind the ball?

How to Stop Hitting Behind the Ball
  1. Weight Transfer. One of the leading causes of the heavy golf shot is weight transfer. ...
  2. Rotate, Don't Sway. In order to have the proper weight transfer, you will need to keep your chest pointed down at the ball throughout the entire iron swing. ...
  3. Set Up. ...
  4. Focusing On Post Impact. ...
  5. TL;DR.
May 15, 2019

Why do I hit the ground when I golf?

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".Feb 20, 2015

How do I stop hitting the ground first in golf?

Unless you can get the center swing moving forward to meet back up with the golf ball, you're going to hit it fat. A good way to stay centered is to get more weight on your front foot at address. The centrifugal force of the golf swing naturally tries to pull your weight away from the target.Oct 28, 2018

Why am I hitting the ground first with my irons?

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).Sep 2, 2008

What happens when you downswing a golf ball?

During the downswing, many players tend to slide their heads or will want to look at where they hit the ball . Unfortunately, this prevents the player from watching the club strike the ball and, in turn, will cause the entire upper body to move forward once again and impede proper recoil.

What is the shape of a golf club?

A golf club (your swing) actually moves through the shape of a circle, meaning when you swing your club, you are swinging it in the form of a perfect circle. Reaching the bottom part of that full circle swing in golf is known as your “low point.”.

What foot is the right foot?

For right-handed players, it is the left foot , and for left-handed players, it is the right foot. This can be further compounded by using shorter clubs. Remember that golf club shafts do come in varying lengths depending on how tall you are and how long your arms are.

What is a fat shot?

When you are striking the ball at a shallow angle, the low point of your swing is situated behind the ball, and this will cause you to hit what are known as “fat” shots. You will recognize these types of shots as they will also take divets out of the ground behind where the ball is placed.

Why does my golf club drop behind the ball?

Failure to naturally transfer the weight through the ball and onto the left commonly causes the club to drop behind the ball. The body and the club must work together in a proper weight transfer.

What does it mean when you hit behind the ball?

Hitting behind the golf ball, or hitting it "fat," is a common problem, especially with high handicappers. It is a frustrating mishit that results in added strokes to the scorecard.

What is the dip in golf?

Dipping the back shoulder during the downswing causes the body and hands to scoop at the ball (commonly called a "chili dip"). Keeping the upper body upright during the swing and concentrating on leading with the front shoulder can remedy this habit.

What happens when the left arm isn't straight?

When the leading arm (left arm for right-handed players) isn't straight, it causes a short backswing and prevents the upper body from making the proper coil. Keep the left arm straight, but not tense, and lead the body into the shot with the head and hips behind the ball.

Who is Jim Hagerty?

Jim Hagerty is a writer and journalist who began writing professionally in 1996. He has had articles published in the "Rock River Times," "Builder's Journal" and various websites. He earned a Bachelor of Science in public relations and journalism from Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

Sweeping Swing

One of the reasons for hitting behind the ball is that you are trying to assure you will get the ball in the air by swinging up at the ball. This is often the case with new or high-handicap golfers. To swing up at the ball, you have to start your swing from below the angle of impact.

Ball Position

Playing the ball too far back in your stance can cause you to hit the ground behind the ball and keep you from getting the accuracy and distance on the shot that you want. Playing the ball further back in your stance can be useful at times if you want to make sure your shoulders stay closed and you want to punch the ball to the target.

Lack of Hip Rotation

A full and complete swing involves rotating the hips during your downswing. Many golfers fail to either turn their hips or turn their hips completely through the ball. Think of it as a baseball swing. If you are a right-handed power hitter, you want to hit the ball into the left field bleachers. That involves turning your hips as you make contact.

Why is my golf shot so heavy?

One of the leading causes of the heavy golf shot is weight transfer. When at the top of the swing, the majority of your weight has been transferred to your back foot. This is tough spot because you can't have too much weight going back because it will be difficult to recover from.

Where should the golf ball be in your stance?

For most shots off the grass, basically wedge through fairway wood, the ball should be in the center of your stance. The way to check this is by making sure the ball is in line with the center your chest for these shots.

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