Paul,
Since I started working with your book (May 2012), I hit many fat ones during summer but it is getting better. I feel better I general about all my bad shots because a least I have an good idea why. Knowing keeps me calm and cool most of the time.
As I said the fat shots are good plus they are easy to fix. Just keep doing practice swings feeling the weight come off this heel and you will clear the club.
Paul
I’ve watched and encorporated your technique ever since I joined Ignitiongolf in Sept 2012…..and the “powerless arms” really works! My friends, many who have golfed for decades, are shocked! I’ve only started golf in August of this year…..haven’t swung a golf club since 1988 (no lie!),and I’m well over 50. Initially was hitting “fat ” just as in this video,and now I don’t ….just like you said…..be persistent!
I’ve managed to ‘distill’ your swing videos down to 10 points and wonder what you think.
The backswing is “left sided” just like the “swing machine”
1. left hand pushes club back
2. left arm straight and extended right until the top when it bends alittle
3. left shoulder coils forward so chin touches it
4. left foot stays planted
5. left wrist (both in reality) hinge feeling “slightly out of control”
“arms dead,wrists loose”
Downswing is Right sided, just like the “swing machine”
1. Right hip rotates forward in a circular rotation
2. Right foot instep “pushes off”
3. Right leg touches straightened left leg
4. Right shoulder follows “passively”
5. Right wrist “rolls over” left wrist slightly after impact and then you “stretch it out” towards the target (feels slightly out of control) and follow through so club parallel to ears and perpendicular to the target.
Looking forward to your golf school in the spring
Mike Shannon
A little off topic but I was wondering if it was normal to push, push/cut the driver when speeding up my hip turn (right knee touching left)? If so, is there a swing thought that can straighten out the ball when trying for a little extra distance) I am starting to hit my driver more consistently but looking for more distance. The ball flight is usually a slight cut.
About one out of 20 drives I hit one that goes 15-20 yards longer when my arms and wrists are so loose that I can feel the club rotate in my hands through impact. The ball flight is a slight draw. I wish I could repeat that more often.
Thanks
Jim, yes you will hit pushes and push fades if you drive the lower body too hard. If this is happening roll the wrists and get the ball hooking. Once you are hooking it forget the arms and try driving the lower body hard again to straighten it out. If you push/push fade it again you have not rolled it enough so your wrists are locking back up. You may want to gradually speed up the lower body instead of going all out.
I did a tip on RG about this but it is not posted on this site yet. I need to get that one on here.
Paul
Golfs prety much over for the year up here in canada, you had given me some suggestions a couple of weeks ago , to work on over the winter , i am hiting balls into a net in my garage and am finding it much easier to reach the touch knees and follow through position then when you are out in the wide open course. one question i have is when i hit balls i seem to hit them much more solidly and finish much more balanced(touch knees and b position) if ihave the sensation of swinging up at the ball. i still try springing off my right foot to touch knees but it doesnt seem as smooth as the swing up sensation. Does this swinging up sensation cause you to automaticly start the downswing with lower body ,is this something i should continue on with or should i work more on spring the right foot around. Love your above comment on taking the club back slowly, i find this really helps to take arms out. thanks.
Barry, You need to not only hit balls but do practice swings over and over again without the ball. I prefer people watching themselves swing in a mirror so they can see what they are doing. It is about the movement and you perfecting it. Do the positions I teach looking for the feedback all winter. If you do you will not know any other way to swing. Then you add the ball and you will not lose your swing.
Swinging up is a good feeling just don’t swing up too much. To swing up your body have to be tilted to the right or behind the ball in the downswing. This will allow you to swing out at it slightly. Keep at it.
Hi Paul Finally getting feel of powerless arms hitting straightest shots of my life, one question , as this video say, i find now i am hitting 30% of my full wedges fat but only off of tight lies, i use the feeling of pushing off my right toe to start downswing ,seems to work fine with the other clubs,with wedges is it better use the belt buckle turn rather than driving right toe.wondering if maybe i am driving to hard with right toe will this cause increase fat shots by putting me to far behind ball.
I get the feeling you are pressing down with the right toe. Pressing down is keeping the weight on this foot. Just get the back heel off the ground at impact the club will clear. Remember what this is doing. By getting off the back foot you are stopping your body from getting too close to the ground. The lower you get the more the club will hit behind the ball so the arc will not clear. So get off the back heel at impact and feel taller then the club will clear.
I hit these same fat shots. I do feel pressure in the right to. I’ve always “hung back” on my right side and hit fat shots. What drills do you recommend to get the weight over before impact? I can pick the back heel up but sometimes still have this pressure on the right to.
You just do a few practice swings “feel the heel” feel it lift a few inches through impact. Once you get the feeling apply it to your shots. If so, you won’t hit it fat. If the heel is lifting your weight is shifting.
I’m usually in the 70’s before I came across ignition golf went to play today shot 81 with a 6 or 7 fat shots but close to the green got up and down for par 4 times with the new chipping/pitching technique you teach after the round I was thinking why was I hitting fat shots I never hit fat shots before
maybe once a round so I was saying to myself you know what I need to go back to my old swing, I used to hit the ball more solid with my arms and hands involved BUT then I remember a tip that said LOVE FAT SHOTS
didn’t actually see it before because just the word fat shot don’t interest me
so when I got home today actually got to see it make sense to me I was staying on my right foot all day today I guess is going to take time for me to get better at this swing it looks simple when you swing. any tip on not hitting fat shots hate them ***thanks paul
I love fat shots. This tells you that your arms are letting go and starting to stretch out. The problem is this is a wider arc than your old golf swing would allow so you are trapped on the back foot at impact. Most people would quit and go back to their old golf swing (which does not work). Instead you kept hitting fat shots. Now, keep the same feeling but get the weight off the back foot. If you do you will no longer hit these shots and you will be using a wider arc which means more clubhead speed and consistency.
Keep at it. It sounds like you are making progress.
No. Allow the weight to shift to the right going back. Then feel it end up on the left into the follow through. If you keep your weight on your left there is no way to turn properly. You will have to move laterally which is exactly what I am trying to get people to avoid.
Topping the ball is decreasing. Fat shots happen but I keep going with powerless arms. Hit one of the best shots of my life with powerless arms today. Holes called heartbreak ridge. On in 4 after two baddies. Down in 6 for 3 pts stable ford. It’ not Augusta,but for me, pretty special. Thanks for your kind instruction
Hi Paul,
Unbelievably, with all the good tips you have made, this one was top ten. It was liberating to know that what is bad, the fat shot, would be an indicator of a good process. I used it today and was able to continue working on the arm extension, knowing that the fat shot was putting me on the correct path. When i struck the ball correctly it went a bit farther than with my previous shots. This brings me to a more general problem: when i try to work on something and i make an unsuccessful shot, i start to question everything i’m not working on which caused the error. Consequently, i start fixing other things and lose sight of the original goal of the trip to the driving range. Any thoughts on this? Or am i the only one doing this?
thanks,
ter
Everyone keeps dwelling on the negative. Why not see the positive? Then you know you are getting it. There are only 3 parts to a shot. Spin, Direction and Contact. Start seeing it this way and you will change your outlook. If you see a consistent flaw emerge then spend time working on that flaw.
Paul ,I ‘ve seen a slow motion video of DUSTIN JOHNSON’s swing.He has a tremendously wide arc .To do this,his take away is very low to the ground ,then he raises his arms very high ,but also (That what it seems to me !) he dips his left shoulder quite some .Is this a model to emulate or is it better to keep the shoulders turning in a more circular and horizontal move which is your standard technique,but then the arc is less wide .
I must say I’m more comfortable by keeping a horizontal rotation backwards ,but then the arc of the swing is less wide !
You and me are not Dustin Johnson. We are going to coil going back. As we get tightly coiled we are at the top. At this point you are uncoiling you legs and hips and not thinking about the shoulders. Coil/uncoil. Hinge/re-hinge.
I have found that, as I have worked my way into the body swing, I do hit some shots fat, which is OK. But I also have found that, especially with the very short irons, I have to address the ball out towards the toe — otherwise I’m liable to shank the shot. This is off the subject of the current tip, but, try though I might to relax the wrists (every day practice), I’m still not getting the ball to turn right to left with any consistency and still hit a lot of pushes. Any suggestions?
I do have all of these fixes on the site. All you had to do was type in the search box to the right of the red nav bar “shank” and these 2 tisp would have come up. Shanking is easy to fix.
The pushes are you either sliding or trying to drive your lower body way too hard. So you need to hook it first by following the roll over drill below. Then follow the timing tip. Simple.
Good one Paul. I’m a fat shot golfer and the weight transfer is my biggest problem. Instinctively I have tried to get my right heal off the ground but it has always felt so out of sequence but in watching this video I find I was on the right track. Now I can go back to what will work if I practice it.
Exactly. Fat shots are such and easy fix yet I talk to people who have been hitting these shots for years and have no clue how to fix them. Stick to the heel lifting and the shift and in no time they will be gone.
Fat shots and casting are cousins.your tip on casting was fabulous and finally I understand lag and see how it leads to the turn I’m looking for. Great communicating!
Hi Paul, To be fat shots I’ve really concentrated on my follow through and turning the shoulders to face the target. But I notice on the follow through that if I try to get my club shaft to touch the back of my head, I open up my left elbow away from the body. Is that correct? I thought that left elbow had to be folded up against the body on the follow through. Thanks. Jon
I’ve been taking in as many of your videos as time allows and have been to the range everyday since joining a week ago. Would it be possible to add a section in the future for people just to post how a round they played went, general feedback not for instruction, but just to rave about your program, talk about what’s working, etc? I feel the need to keep you updated on my progress because of the positive impact in such a short time, and want others to know how easy your instruction is to implement if done correctly.
I’m 40 and started playing when I was 17, and probably play about 40x a season at this point, only because I live in Northern NJ, and play mostly the Crystal Springs courses if you know the area. I also run a 40 man league there and was so discouraged I was about to quit running the league and only play if someone asked me to do an outing. Your instruction not only taught me what a golf swing is, but refueled my passion for the game in a week when I was about to quit for the most part.
For the first time ever I never think of hitting the ball, only the positions, and body movement. I’ve never consistently hit it so pure, effortlessly, or even understood why a bad shot occurred. Now I can say, “that was because of no touching the legs, or I tried to hit the ball”. Even started the putting and chipping drills, another eye opener. Today will be my first round in the league since last weeks worst round since being in the league for 7 years. Good or bad I want to share what tonight brings with your members. If there is an ongoing thread for this please let me know.
I’m very excited to play tonight with no expectations for the first time. Only the understanding of the swing mechanics, and the how much I will learn from mistakes I will make.
I will see if there is a plug in that can be added. I know there are testimonial plug ins where people can add their own. This could be used for the purpose you are after.
You are young and started young so this is definitely an advantage. Glad you have the spark again. I quit for 2 years many years ago. I will tell the story at some point on the site. It took another 8 years to figure it out so I can certainly feel your pain.
Glad you are working on the short game too. This will make up for bad shots and keep you scoring.
Tournament play is different so just keep doing what you are doing and keep playing in these events. You will get used to it in no time and see some great results. Definitely keep us posted. I love hearing it.
Sorry this message is going to be so long, but I wanted to update you on how things went playing early before my league and during the league. FYI, if your site is built on WordPress maybe adding a forum section would allow users to comment on their progress. You can make any forum topics you’d want allowing users to discuss what they are learning more in depth with not only you, but each other. I’ve built blog and ecommerce sites in the past and used wordpress so I’m familiar with it. I found this site (no affiliation at all) that has some forum plugin suggestions in case you wanted to check it out https://themeisle.com/blog/wordpress-forum-plugins/. And if you ever had an affiliate program I’d be the first to sign up and help sell this to others. Clickbank.com sells digital products and you could have people selling for you. They do the work and you get your much needed product out there to the people who need it. AGAIN (NO AFFILIATION, JUST TRYING TO BE HELPFUL).
Back to golf. I played 9 holes before the league as I usually do with a couple of guys, so here’s my take away from that and the league after. These 2 guys knew how bad I’ve been struggling so they were shocked with what they saw. We play from the white tees btw. 1st hole, 349yd par4, not really a driving hole but I usually hit driver. I was really nervous because I’ve worked hard on your program so when I felt the nerves I just cleared my mind and thought, “feel the weight of the club, and don’t hit with my arms” I did this and hit a fade (never do that) dead center fairway 65yds from the pin. That’s a 284yd 1st tee, nervous tee shot. Then I used your pitching technique and put it 15′ from the pin, 2 putt par. Don’t worry, won’t do every shot, just ones where your instruction helped greatly.
Next hole 451yd par 5. Same preshot thoughts, dead center 146yds to the pin, that’s a 305yd drive (never broke 300 before) granted about 270 out it starts to go downhill then flaten out again so I got more roll, but roll or no roll I’ve never broke 300yds with the driver. Next shot I pulled it pin high left. Most importantly I knew why (not enough leg drive, didn’t feel the weight of the club, tried to hit the ball, no touching of the head at follow through, and more).
3rd hole, 394yd par4 (elevated tee box about 15′ from the fairway). Dead center fade exactly 90yds from the pin. Another 300+ yd perfect drive. Then using your swing instruction, loose free swing, hit a 54 degree wedge 10′ from the pin, 2 putt par. I’ve also incorporated your putting technique, thumbs down the shaft, putt like I was throwing a ball to the hole and visualize how it would roll out to the hole.
In any case the only other techniques I used were the bunker shots, and chipping just off the green. Had a downhill lie as well, but only watched that video today and forgot what you said to do, hit that short of the green. As far as sand shots, previously I would skull the ball out of the bunker 20+ yards over the green or it would stay in the bunker. Today the two I had were on the green. I did chunk 2 of my chip shots today, but got them to somewhat rollout on the green, 2 other chips were pretty good, but definitely need work.
During the league I continued the good driving, hit both par 3’s within 30′ of the pins, hit my mid irons pure for the most part, and putted well. I made some course management mistakes, and took a couple of chances from bad lies I shouldn’t have. All in all for 18 holes I shot an effortless, relaxing, 92 and for the first time ever I understood everything I did right and knew why I did something wrong. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer brings. I did lose my match by 3 holes, but he’s the number 2 player in the league out of 40 guys and I made it tough on him at times.
And if ever you get to where members can see this in a general section I want them to realize the following.
1. I’m 40
2. I’m 5’6″ tall
3. I’m overweight at 210lbs, but I used to lift so I’m stocky, but still a smaller player in stature. My league partner is 6’1″ 230lb solid and I’ve never seen him drive the ball as I did today, and we play the same clubs from the same distances proving what you say about using the right technique and getting the arms out of the swing.
4. I gained one full club in distance. Before implementing what you teach my 9iron was max carry 135, today I played the par 3’s at 150 with my 9iron pin high (practice on the range had me more in tune with my distances before play) On the last hole I hit my 8 iron 20′ from the pin straight on from the fairway 175 out, probably carried 160-165 then rolled out.
5. I’ve only been practicing your program for 1 week on the range.
These are just some of the things I want your members to take away from this. Amazing when you can undo 23 years of bad habits, unintelligent, misinformed golf and change it that fast.
Thanks for the info. I did have an affiliate program. No time to run it. I may think about this in the future. I would rather do it for the products not IG.
The forum is an issue in that it becomes a full time job keeping spammers off. I have one briefly and it was a nightmare.
I like everything your were saying. So glad you were seeing the results. Over 300 is great and you did it numerous times. The short game needs a little work but that is simple. Fat chips = too much weight on the right at impact. Lean left and keep it there. I really think you are mid to low 80’s in no time. Just keep doing what you are doing and do the lots of practice swings working on the positions. I want you beating these guys. Glad it wasn’t a total disaster. You can do it.
Hello Paul
I continue to hit shots. On my practice swings I am able to lift the back foot & follow thru to the touch the head position however when I take the shot I am on my back foot & hit a fat shot which is embarrassing & frustrating. How can I stop this continuing fat shot problem.
Thanks
Marco V
Fat shots are going to be too much weight on your back foot at contact. It sounds like you are either trying to keep your head down too long or your are swinging too hard with your arms which is catching you on your back foot by thte time you hit the golf ball. I would start by slowing down then feeling like you use your lower body sooner and getting off of that back heel. Check out this tips:
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38 Responses to “Love Fat Shots”
November 9, 2012
WadeThamesPaul,
Since I started working with your book (May 2012), I hit many fat ones during summer but it is getting better. I feel better I general about all my bad shots because a least I have an good idea why. Knowing keeps me calm and cool most of the time.
Thanks!
November 9, 2012
Paul WilsonWade,
As I said the fat shots are good plus they are easy to fix. Just keep doing practice swings feeling the weight come off this heel and you will clear the club.
Glad you are getting better. Keep at it.
November 9, 2012
MichaelShannonPaul
I’ve watched and encorporated your technique ever since I joined Ignitiongolf in Sept 2012…..and the “powerless arms” really works! My friends, many who have golfed for decades, are shocked! I’ve only started golf in August of this year…..haven’t swung a golf club since 1988 (no lie!),and I’m well over 50. Initially was hitting “fat ” just as in this video,and now I don’t ….just like you said…..be persistent!
I’ve managed to ‘distill’ your swing videos down to 10 points and wonder what you think.
The backswing is “left sided” just like the “swing machine”
1. left hand pushes club back
2. left arm straight and extended right until the top when it bends alittle
3. left shoulder coils forward so chin touches it
4. left foot stays planted
5. left wrist (both in reality) hinge feeling “slightly out of control”
“arms dead,wrists loose”
Downswing is Right sided, just like the “swing machine”
1. Right hip rotates forward in a circular rotation
2. Right foot instep “pushes off”
3. Right leg touches straightened left leg
4. Right shoulder follows “passively”
5. Right wrist “rolls over” left wrist slightly after impact and then you “stretch it out” towards the target (feels slightly out of control) and follow through so club parallel to ears and perpendicular to the target.
Looking forward to your golf school in the spring
Mike Shannon
November 9, 2012
Paul WilsonMike, I’m glad you are making the arms powerless and impressing your friends. Maybe they will try it too!
1. Good. You can also take it back with your shoulder rotation.
2. Left arm is extended but not locked.
3. Good. Make sure chin is up so your shoulder goes under it.
4. I like the foot on the ground.
5. Left wrist hinged will feel out of control until you get used to it then you are not thinking about it.
—————————————–
1. You can used the right hip or left hip or the other triggers just so long as the lower body is initiating the downswing.
2. Push from the right instep if you can.
3. Legs are touching at the end of the swing with the left leg locked.
4. Shoulders uncoil due to firing the lower body. You are not even thinking about the shoulders in the downswing.
5. Wrists release after the ball is hit and the right arm becomes fully extended.
——————————————–
Here are other points you should add to your list:
1. Relaxed grip and powerless forearms at setup.
2. Take the club back slowly.
3. Slow transition with a slight pause/hesitation at the top.
4. Unmistakeable feeling of hitting the ball with the legs not the arms.
5. Focus on getting to Point B the follow through. Holding it and checking to make sure it is perfect every time.
That’s it for now. Keep at it and stick to these points. If you do you will keep shocking your friends.
November 9, 2012
jimmarlowPaul
A little off topic but I was wondering if it was normal to push, push/cut the driver when speeding up my hip turn (right knee touching left)? If so, is there a swing thought that can straighten out the ball when trying for a little extra distance) I am starting to hit my driver more consistently but looking for more distance. The ball flight is usually a slight cut.
About one out of 20 drives I hit one that goes 15-20 yards longer when my arms and wrists are so loose that I can feel the club rotate in my hands through impact. The ball flight is a slight draw. I wish I could repeat that more often.
Thanks
November 9, 2012
Paul WilsonJim, yes you will hit pushes and push fades if you drive the lower body too hard. If this is happening roll the wrists and get the ball hooking. Once you are hooking it forget the arms and try driving the lower body hard again to straighten it out. If you push/push fade it again you have not rolled it enough so your wrists are locking back up. You may want to gradually speed up the lower body instead of going all out.
I did a tip on RG about this but it is not posted on this site yet. I need to get that one on here.
November 9, 2012
barrybowerPaul
Golfs prety much over for the year up here in canada, you had given me some suggestions a couple of weeks ago , to work on over the winter , i am hiting balls into a net in my garage and am finding it much easier to reach the touch knees and follow through position then when you are out in the wide open course. one question i have is when i hit balls i seem to hit them much more solidly and finish much more balanced(touch knees and b position) if ihave the sensation of swinging up at the ball. i still try springing off my right foot to touch knees but it doesnt seem as smooth as the swing up sensation. Does this swinging up sensation cause you to automaticly start the downswing with lower body ,is this something i should continue on with or should i work more on spring the right foot around. Love your above comment on taking the club back slowly, i find this really helps to take arms out. thanks.
November 10, 2012
Paul WilsonBarry, You need to not only hit balls but do practice swings over and over again without the ball. I prefer people watching themselves swing in a mirror so they can see what they are doing. It is about the movement and you perfecting it. Do the positions I teach looking for the feedback all winter. If you do you will not know any other way to swing. Then you add the ball and you will not lose your swing.
Swinging up is a good feeling just don’t swing up too much. To swing up your body have to be tilted to the right or behind the ball in the downswing. This will allow you to swing out at it slightly. Keep at it.
May 8, 2013
barrybowerHi Paul Finally getting feel of powerless arms hitting straightest shots of my life, one question , as this video say, i find now i am hitting 30% of my full wedges fat but only off of tight lies, i use the feeling of pushing off my right toe to start downswing ,seems to work fine with the other clubs,with wedges is it better use the belt buckle turn rather than driving right toe.wondering if maybe i am driving to hard with right toe will this cause increase fat shots by putting me to far behind ball.
May 8, 2013
Paul WilsonBarry,
I get the feeling you are pressing down with the right toe. Pressing down is keeping the weight on this foot. Just get the back heel off the ground at impact the club will clear. Remember what this is doing. By getting off the back foot you are stopping your body from getting too close to the ground. The lower you get the more the club will hit behind the ball so the arc will not clear. So get off the back heel at impact and feel taller then the club will clear.
January 11, 2018
RichardWareI hit these same fat shots. I do feel pressure in the right to. I’ve always “hung back” on my right side and hit fat shots. What drills do you recommend to get the weight over before impact? I can pick the back heel up but sometimes still have this pressure on the right to.
January 12, 2018
Paul WilsonRichard,
You just do a few practice swings “feel the heel” feel it lift a few inches through impact. Once you get the feeling apply it to your shots. If so, you won’t hit it fat. If the heel is lifting your weight is shifting.
Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-cure/
Stop Fat Shots When Working On Moving Your Head: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-moving-your-head/
May 19, 2013
carlosgomezPaul,
I’m usually in the 70’s before I came across ignition golf went to play today shot 81 with a 6 or 7 fat shots but close to the green got up and down for par 4 times with the new chipping/pitching technique you teach after the round I was thinking why was I hitting fat shots I never hit fat shots before
maybe once a round so I was saying to myself you know what I need to go back to my old swing, I used to hit the ball more solid with my arms and hands involved BUT then I remember a tip that said LOVE FAT SHOTS
didn’t actually see it before because just the word fat shot don’t interest me
so when I got home today actually got to see it make sense to me I was staying on my right foot all day today I guess is going to take time for me to get better at this swing it looks simple when you swing. any tip on not hitting fat shots hate them ***thanks paul
May 20, 2013
Paul WilsonCarlos,
I love fat shots. This tells you that your arms are letting go and starting to stretch out. The problem is this is a wider arc than your old golf swing would allow so you are trapped on the back foot at impact. Most people would quit and go back to their old golf swing (which does not work). Instead you kept hitting fat shots. Now, keep the same feeling but get the weight off the back foot. If you do you will no longer hit these shots and you will be using a wider arc which means more clubhead speed and consistency.
Keep at it. It sounds like you are making progress.
May 19, 2013
carlosgomezanother question paul should I keep my weight on the left side until I get better at rotating my hips just a tought thanks
May 20, 2013
Paul WilsonCarlos,
No. Allow the weight to shift to the right going back. Then feel it end up on the left into the follow through. If you keep your weight on your left there is no way to turn properly. You will have to move laterally which is exactly what I am trying to get people to avoid.
July 14, 2013
HaroldBaldockHi Paul,
Topping the ball is decreasing. Fat shots happen but I keep going with powerless arms. Hit one of the best shots of my life with powerless arms today. Holes called heartbreak ridge. On in 4 after two baddies. Down in 6 for 3 pts stable ford. It’ not Augusta,but for me, pretty special. Thanks for your kind instruction
Harold.
July 14, 2013
Paul WilsonHarold,
Glad you like the tips and are improving. Things are starting to happen. Just keep at it and it will get better and better.
November 16, 2017
terrybadgerHi Paul,
Unbelievably, with all the good tips you have made, this one was top ten. It was liberating to know that what is bad, the fat shot, would be an indicator of a good process. I used it today and was able to continue working on the arm extension, knowing that the fat shot was putting me on the correct path. When i struck the ball correctly it went a bit farther than with my previous shots. This brings me to a more general problem: when i try to work on something and i make an unsuccessful shot, i start to question everything i’m not working on which caused the error. Consequently, i start fixing other things and lose sight of the original goal of the trip to the driving range. Any thoughts on this? Or am i the only one doing this?
thanks,
ter
November 16, 2017
Paul WilsonTerry,
Glad you found one that hit home.
I see this all the time. That is why I did these tips:
See The Good In Your Shots: https://ignitiongolf.com/see-good-in-the-shot/
See The Good In A Pull and Pull Hook: https://ignitiongolf.com/see-good-pull-pull-hook/
See The Good In A Push or Push Fade: https://ignitiongolf.com/see-good-push-push-fade/
Everyone keeps dwelling on the negative. Why not see the positive? Then you know you are getting it. There are only 3 parts to a shot. Spin, Direction and Contact. Start seeing it this way and you will change your outlook. If you see a consistent flaw emerge then spend time working on that flaw.
January 12, 2018
RaymondCHASTELPaul ,I ‘ve seen a slow motion video of DUSTIN JOHNSON’s swing.He has a tremendously wide arc .To do this,his take away is very low to the ground ,then he raises his arms very high ,but also (That what it seems to me !) he dips his left shoulder quite some .Is this a model to emulate or is it better to keep the shoulders turning in a more circular and horizontal move which is your standard technique,but then the arc is less wide .
I must say I’m more comfortable by keeping a horizontal rotation backwards ,but then the arc of the swing is less wide !
January 12, 2018
Paul WilsonRaymond,
You and me are not Dustin Johnson. We are going to coil going back. As we get tightly coiled we are at the top. At this point you are uncoiling you legs and hips and not thinking about the shoulders. Coil/uncoil. Hinge/re-hinge.
January 12, 2018
DavidJarrettI have found that, as I have worked my way into the body swing, I do hit some shots fat, which is OK. But I also have found that, especially with the very short irons, I have to address the ball out towards the toe — otherwise I’m liable to shank the shot. This is off the subject of the current tip, but, try though I might to relax the wrists (every day practice), I’m still not getting the ball to turn right to left with any consistency and still hit a lot of pushes. Any suggestions?
January 12, 2018
Paul WilsonDavid,
I do have all of these fixes on the site. All you had to do was type in the search box to the right of the red nav bar “shank” and these 2 tisp would have come up. Shanking is easy to fix.
Why You Shank It: https://ignitiongolf.com/why-you-shank-it/
How To Cure the Shanks: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-shanks/
The pushes are you either sliding or trying to drive your lower body way too hard. So you need to hook it first by following the roll over drill below. Then follow the timing tip. Simple.
DRILL: 3 Ways To Roll It Over: https://ignitiongolf.com/3-ways-to-roll/
Roll Around The Stick: https://ignitiongolf.com/roll-around-stick/
Clarifying the Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/clarifying-roll-drill/
Modified Roll Over Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/modified-roll-over-drill/
Then:
DRILL: Golf Swing Timing For More Distance: https://ignitiongolf.com/timing-more-distance/
January 12, 2018
MichaelSoltysExcellent tip. Relaxed arms extend the “width” of
the arc which requires the weight to move forward
in order to hit the ball first and then the turf.
January 12, 2018
Paul WilsonMicheal,
Glad you liked it. Sometime bad shots give us important info. Too bad every sees the bad in the shot and not the good.
I did this tip a long time ago and all I got was crickets:
Good Flaws: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-good-flaws/
January 13, 2018
FrankHalsteadGood one Paul. I’m a fat shot golfer and the weight transfer is my biggest problem. Instinctively I have tried to get my right heal off the ground but it has always felt so out of sequence but in watching this video I find I was on the right track. Now I can go back to what will work if I practice it.
January 15, 2018
Paul WilsonFrank,
Exactly. Fat shots are such and easy fix yet I talk to people who have been hitting these shots for years and have no clue how to fix them. Stick to the heel lifting and the shift and in no time they will be gone.
January 15, 2018
FrankHalsteadFat shots and casting are cousins.your tip on casting was fabulous and finally I understand lag and see how it leads to the turn I’m looking for. Great communicating!
January 16, 2018
Paul WilsonFrank,
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
January 21, 2018
JonathanComptonHi Paul, To be fat shots I’ve really concentrated on my follow through and turning the shoulders to face the target. But I notice on the follow through that if I try to get my club shaft to touch the back of my head, I open up my left elbow away from the body. Is that correct? I thought that left elbow had to be folded up against the body on the follow through. Thanks. Jon
January 21, 2018
Paul WilsonJohnathan,
The elbows should be folded at follow through. Watch this tip. This will give you the idea.
https://ignitiongolf.com/chicken-wing-cure-3/
June 19, 2018
ScottSprichHi Paul,
I’ve been taking in as many of your videos as time allows and have been to the range everyday since joining a week ago. Would it be possible to add a section in the future for people just to post how a round they played went, general feedback not for instruction, but just to rave about your program, talk about what’s working, etc? I feel the need to keep you updated on my progress because of the positive impact in such a short time, and want others to know how easy your instruction is to implement if done correctly.
I’m 40 and started playing when I was 17, and probably play about 40x a season at this point, only because I live in Northern NJ, and play mostly the Crystal Springs courses if you know the area. I also run a 40 man league there and was so discouraged I was about to quit running the league and only play if someone asked me to do an outing. Your instruction not only taught me what a golf swing is, but refueled my passion for the game in a week when I was about to quit for the most part.
For the first time ever I never think of hitting the ball, only the positions, and body movement. I’ve never consistently hit it so pure, effortlessly, or even understood why a bad shot occurred. Now I can say, “that was because of no touching the legs, or I tried to hit the ball”. Even started the putting and chipping drills, another eye opener. Today will be my first round in the league since last weeks worst round since being in the league for 7 years. Good or bad I want to share what tonight brings with your members. If there is an ongoing thread for this please let me know.
I’m very excited to play tonight with no expectations for the first time. Only the understanding of the swing mechanics, and the how much I will learn from mistakes I will make.
Thanks so much
June 19, 2018
Paul WilsonScott,
Glad to have yo on board.
I will see if there is a plug in that can be added. I know there are testimonial plug ins where people can add their own. This could be used for the purpose you are after.
You are young and started young so this is definitely an advantage. Glad you have the spark again. I quit for 2 years many years ago. I will tell the story at some point on the site. It took another 8 years to figure it out so I can certainly feel your pain.
Glad you are working on the short game too. This will make up for bad shots and keep you scoring.
Tournament play is different so just keep doing what you are doing and keep playing in these events. You will get used to it in no time and see some great results. Definitely keep us posted. I love hearing it.
June 19, 2018
ScottSprichHey Paul,
Sorry this message is going to be so long, but I wanted to update you on how things went playing early before my league and during the league. FYI, if your site is built on WordPress maybe adding a forum section would allow users to comment on their progress. You can make any forum topics you’d want allowing users to discuss what they are learning more in depth with not only you, but each other. I’ve built blog and ecommerce sites in the past and used wordpress so I’m familiar with it. I found this site (no affiliation at all) that has some forum plugin suggestions in case you wanted to check it out https://themeisle.com/blog/wordpress-forum-plugins/. And if you ever had an affiliate program I’d be the first to sign up and help sell this to others. Clickbank.com sells digital products and you could have people selling for you. They do the work and you get your much needed product out there to the people who need it. AGAIN (NO AFFILIATION, JUST TRYING TO BE HELPFUL).
Back to golf. I played 9 holes before the league as I usually do with a couple of guys, so here’s my take away from that and the league after. These 2 guys knew how bad I’ve been struggling so they were shocked with what they saw. We play from the white tees btw. 1st hole, 349yd par4, not really a driving hole but I usually hit driver. I was really nervous because I’ve worked hard on your program so when I felt the nerves I just cleared my mind and thought, “feel the weight of the club, and don’t hit with my arms” I did this and hit a fade (never do that) dead center fairway 65yds from the pin. That’s a 284yd 1st tee, nervous tee shot. Then I used your pitching technique and put it 15′ from the pin, 2 putt par. Don’t worry, won’t do every shot, just ones where your instruction helped greatly.
Next hole 451yd par 5. Same preshot thoughts, dead center 146yds to the pin, that’s a 305yd drive (never broke 300 before) granted about 270 out it starts to go downhill then flaten out again so I got more roll, but roll or no roll I’ve never broke 300yds with the driver. Next shot I pulled it pin high left. Most importantly I knew why (not enough leg drive, didn’t feel the weight of the club, tried to hit the ball, no touching of the head at follow through, and more).
3rd hole, 394yd par4 (elevated tee box about 15′ from the fairway). Dead center fade exactly 90yds from the pin. Another 300+ yd perfect drive. Then using your swing instruction, loose free swing, hit a 54 degree wedge 10′ from the pin, 2 putt par. I’ve also incorporated your putting technique, thumbs down the shaft, putt like I was throwing a ball to the hole and visualize how it would roll out to the hole.
In any case the only other techniques I used were the bunker shots, and chipping just off the green. Had a downhill lie as well, but only watched that video today and forgot what you said to do, hit that short of the green. As far as sand shots, previously I would skull the ball out of the bunker 20+ yards over the green or it would stay in the bunker. Today the two I had were on the green. I did chunk 2 of my chip shots today, but got them to somewhat rollout on the green, 2 other chips were pretty good, but definitely need work.
During the league I continued the good driving, hit both par 3’s within 30′ of the pins, hit my mid irons pure for the most part, and putted well. I made some course management mistakes, and took a couple of chances from bad lies I shouldn’t have. All in all for 18 holes I shot an effortless, relaxing, 92 and for the first time ever I understood everything I did right and knew why I did something wrong. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer brings. I did lose my match by 3 holes, but he’s the number 2 player in the league out of 40 guys and I made it tough on him at times.
And if ever you get to where members can see this in a general section I want them to realize the following.
1. I’m 40
2. I’m 5’6″ tall
3. I’m overweight at 210lbs, but I used to lift so I’m stocky, but still a smaller player in stature. My league partner is 6’1″ 230lb solid and I’ve never seen him drive the ball as I did today, and we play the same clubs from the same distances proving what you say about using the right technique and getting the arms out of the swing.
4. I gained one full club in distance. Before implementing what you teach my 9iron was max carry 135, today I played the par 3’s at 150 with my 9iron pin high (practice on the range had me more in tune with my distances before play) On the last hole I hit my 8 iron 20′ from the pin straight on from the fairway 175 out, probably carried 160-165 then rolled out.
5. I’ve only been practicing your program for 1 week on the range.
These are just some of the things I want your members to take away from this. Amazing when you can undo 23 years of bad habits, unintelligent, misinformed golf and change it that fast.
Once Again, THANK YOU!!
June 20, 2018
Paul WilsonScott,
Thanks for the info. I did have an affiliate program. No time to run it. I may think about this in the future. I would rather do it for the products not IG.
The forum is an issue in that it becomes a full time job keeping spammers off. I have one briefly and it was a nightmare.
I like everything your were saying. So glad you were seeing the results. Over 300 is great and you did it numerous times. The short game needs a little work but that is simple. Fat chips = too much weight on the right at impact. Lean left and keep it there. I really think you are mid to low 80’s in no time. Just keep doing what you are doing and do the lots of practice swings working on the positions. I want you beating these guys. Glad it wasn’t a total disaster. You can do it.
June 26, 2020
MarcoVitoloHello Paul
I continue to hit shots. On my practice swings I am able to lift the back foot & follow thru to the touch the head position however when I take the shot I am on my back foot & hit a fat shot which is embarrassing & frustrating. How can I stop this continuing fat shot problem.
Thanks
Marco V
June 29, 2020
Paul WilsonFat shots are going to be too much weight on your back foot at contact. It sounds like you are either trying to keep your head down too long or your are swinging too hard with your arms which is catching you on your back foot by thte time you hit the golf ball. I would start by slowing down then feeling like you use your lower body sooner and getting off of that back heel. Check out this tips:
How I Would Hit A Fat Shot – https://ignitiongolf.com/hit-fat-shot/
Break the Chain – Stop Hitting It Fat – https://ignitiongolf.com/break-chain-fat/