SETUP:
The most common reaction when hitting the ball fat is to move the ball back in your stance. Short term gain or what some would consider a Band-Aid. We recommend you try moving the ball forward and this may give you the answer you are looking for.
What does it mean to hit the ball Fat?
Hitting the ball fat is when you hit the ground before the ball and as a result you have grass and dirt get between the club and the ball. The result to your performance is you lose distance.
Angle of attack:
- The farther back the steeper the club will come down on the ball.
- The farther forward the ball is in your stance the shallower the club will come down on the ball.
- Of these two stances the more forgiving will likely be the forward stance for someone hitting a fat shot. Even if we do hit behind the ball with a forward stance, the result may not be as severe.
Setup Cues:
A few guidelines to consider when adjusting your setup are:
- The ball position with an iron should stay between your heels.
- Try playing the golf ball slightly forward of center, or under the lead ear.
- The shaft should be sitting straight up and down. If our grip is too far in front of the golf ball, this could lead to a steep angle of attack.
During the SWING:
A very common reason we hit a fat shot is because we stay on our back foot. This limited weight transfer will deliver the club behind where we setup. By placing the ball slightly more forward in our stance, we may be able to encourage ourselves to transfer our weight in our golf swing.
Watch this helpful video that helps illustrate how to correct the action of hitting it FAT. A way to correct this action is practicing these drills on the Driving Range. If you are still struggling with how the club contacts the golf ball then please consider a lesson with a PGA of BC Golf Professional.