Paul, you always had a kack for knowing just what I need to hear. Thanks. I did just this last time out a few times and was not sure at all what to do. I actually just hit so into the dirt that a huge chunck came out and the ball had no quality flight. So, I see now that I put too much emphasis into the rotation and failed to also get that weight shifted.
Is this what causes this to happen. We become too focused on the rotation and making sure our arms are loose and long and hence we can lose sight of getting our weight to shift. Its really all three things are a MUST. Loose arms, coil and feel the tightness, and finally push off the back foot a little to make sure you get yourself moving forward. Thanks.
Hi Paul-
Do you find that over doing it with raising the back foot to start the turn can end up with coming over the ball/ shanks? Some eyes on the tee mentioned to me my back foot was coming up too early (as I hit the ball pretty thin/left). Seems like it needs to find a happy medium-I’m curious if the two issues are related or separate issues. Thank you.
You can overdo it with coming off of the back foot. Typically this causes topped shots but driving the lower body too hard can cause pushes, push fades etc. All you have to do is hit 10 shots flat footed on the back foot. This will slow it down and stop it from coming off too much.
Yes, you just need to get off this foot. If you are flat footed with the back foot you may hit the ground if the arms are pulling the club down. Just get off the back foot and the club will clear.
Paul,
Can you get David Breslow to back away from the camera. It is very annoying to have him dominate the frame and seem like he is going to jump out of the frame.
Paul, good concise tip. I struggle with this. Sometimes i feel my head may move over the ball and this causes fat shots as well? So I concentrate on staying behind the ball at contact but struggle with this being the cause.
It is great that you are moving back over the back foot but if you stay there while the arms come down you will hit it fat. So yes, get they are related. Continue to load but make sure you get off this foot and you will make better contact.
Your recent tip along with this tip really helped me. Soon I saw the relationship of both tips are one and the same with”How to Cure a Slide” and How to Break the Chain—-Sop Hitting it Fat”. For non beginner but still relatively high handicap golfers which is the maority of golfers these two tips will ultimately cure a high handicap.
I found success if my Left Foot comes up intentionally and then actively stomps down so to quote you “locks”. I feel the PIVOT on balls of the right foot to the right foot
Paul,
can you give me some clue on how to generate more distance with my driver,
I have no trouble hitting a 7 iron 150 metres but I struggle to hit my driver 190metres and it always seems to have back spin !!!
There are many things that can help generate more distance. I did a whole series on this which can be found in the red navigation bar under POWER.
Basically to generate more power you need loose wrists, faster body rotation, more lag angle and better contact.
Right now I would be working on the roll over drill first. This will get the clubface closing which will take loft off of your club and it will loosen your wrists. The problem is the ball will be going left. Once you get the ball consistently hooking you then stop thinking about the wrist roll over and you start focusing on your body rotation to start the downswing. This means you have to be firing the lower body way faster than you currently are. This takes understanding, effort and practice. If the lower body start the downswing first the plane will flatten causing the club to swing out at the ball so the hook will straighten out and you will be hitting it straight. Take it in these steps and you will get there:
I find that most of my fat shots occur when I sway forward instead of turning.
It almost seems like my shoulder drops back when I sway forward.
Is that also a common reason for fat shots ?
Hi I have been trying out the new swing for a few days now with good results at home of range mat and impact net. I went to the golf range last night and hit quite well. After a while i decided to hit a few shots off the grass in front instead of the range mat which we are not supposed to do whoops 🙂 ….anyway off the grass my shots were fat and low right but off the mat perfect. I will be working on your hitting fat drills etc..but my question is what do you recommend for an indicator of fat shots of a range mat ?? are there any gadgets, ideas something you can do etc.. for knowing a good contact off a range mat. I know your club can bounce on range mats and give the impression of a good shot. Unfortunately we have no grass practice ranges here in the UK.
This is really just experience of feeling the shot and listening to it. If you hit it fat off a mat you will hear it make contact before the ball. Just realize that if you are hitting it fat you have too much weight on the back foot at impact. So you do a few practice swings feeling this back heel coming off the ground about 3-4 inches with irons and 5-6 inches with woods. Once you do a few practice swings go back to hitting feeling this very same thing.
Another thing you can do is tee the ball up when first going to the grass then gradually lower the tee. It is a different feeling when going from mats to grass so it may throw you off both mentally and while you are swinging.
I most often hit fat when I am concerned about not hitting the ball far enough such as hitting over a hazard. Subconsciously I must be afraid of not hitting the ball far enough so I try to apply more power and start the down swing with the arms and shoulders and hit fat as you describe in the video. Unfortunately this happens even more when I feel some pressure which makes the fat shot seem as much a mental issue as it is a physical one. I need to reprogram some how that the extra power comes from the lower body not the arms and shoulders. I suppose there is no easy way to break this habit other than focusing on the lower body over and over again. Somehow I need to trust it even when the pressure is on.Your thoughts?
Related to this, don’t you have to hit harder with arms and shoulders to get any distance out of deep rough?
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18 Responses to “Break the Chain – Stop Hitting It Fat”
December 31, 2012
RalphWilkinsonPaul, you always had a kack for knowing just what I need to hear. Thanks. I did just this last time out a few times and was not sure at all what to do. I actually just hit so into the dirt that a huge chunck came out and the ball had no quality flight. So, I see now that I put too much emphasis into the rotation and failed to also get that weight shifted.
Is this what causes this to happen. We become too focused on the rotation and making sure our arms are loose and long and hence we can lose sight of getting our weight to shift. Its really all three things are a MUST. Loose arms, coil and feel the tightness, and finally push off the back foot a little to make sure you get yourself moving forward. Thanks.
December 31, 2012
CraigSmithHi Paul-
Do you find that over doing it with raising the back foot to start the turn can end up with coming over the ball/ shanks? Some eyes on the tee mentioned to me my back foot was coming up too early (as I hit the ball pretty thin/left). Seems like it needs to find a happy medium-I’m curious if the two issues are related or separate issues. Thank you.
December 31, 2012
Paul WilsonCraig,
You can overdo it with coming off of the back foot. Typically this causes topped shots but driving the lower body too hard can cause pushes, push fades etc. All you have to do is hit 10 shots flat footed on the back foot. This will slow it down and stop it from coming off too much.
December 31, 2012
Paul WilsonRalph,
Yes, you just need to get off this foot. If you are flat footed with the back foot you may hit the ground if the arms are pulling the club down. Just get off the back foot and the club will clear.
Those are 3 good thoughts.
December 31, 2012
GaryBracePaul,
Can you get David Breslow to back away from the camera. It is very annoying to have him dominate the frame and seem like he is going to jump out of the frame.
Thanks,
Gary
December 31, 2012
Paul WilsonI will let him know. Thanks.
December 31, 2012
RichardLongPaul, good concise tip. I struggle with this. Sometimes i feel my head may move over the ball and this causes fat shots as well? So I concentrate on staying behind the ball at contact but struggle with this being the cause.
Are they related?
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Dick
December 31, 2012
Paul WilsonDick,
It is great that you are moving back over the back foot but if you stay there while the arms come down you will hit it fat. So yes, get they are related. Continue to load but make sure you get off this foot and you will make better contact.
January 1, 2013
MichaelBlockYour recent tip along with this tip really helped me. Soon I saw the relationship of both tips are one and the same with”How to Cure a Slide” and How to Break the Chain—-Sop Hitting it Fat”. For non beginner but still relatively high handicap golfers which is the maority of golfers these two tips will ultimately cure a high handicap.
I found success if my Left Foot comes up intentionally and then actively stomps down so to quote you “locks”. I feel the PIVOT on balls of the right foot to the right foot
January 1, 2013
Paul WilsonMichael,
Thanks for the feedback. I love it when people get that “breakthrough.” Now you just have to keep making it better and better.
January 5, 2013
terrytempestPaul,
can you give me some clue on how to generate more distance with my driver,
I have no trouble hitting a 7 iron 150 metres but I struggle to hit my driver 190metres and it always seems to have back spin !!!
January 5, 2013
Paul WilsonTerry,
There are many things that can help generate more distance. I did a whole series on this which can be found in the red navigation bar under POWER.
Basically to generate more power you need loose wrists, faster body rotation, more lag angle and better contact.
Right now I would be working on the roll over drill first. This will get the clubface closing which will take loft off of your club and it will loosen your wrists. The problem is the ball will be going left. Once you get the ball consistently hooking you then stop thinking about the wrist roll over and you start focusing on your body rotation to start the downswing. This means you have to be firing the lower body way faster than you currently are. This takes understanding, effort and practice. If the lower body start the downswing first the plane will flatten causing the club to swing out at the ball so the hook will straighten out and you will be hitting it straight. Take it in these steps and you will get there:
Roll Over Drill:
Manually Square the Clubface: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-clubface
Manually Square the Clubface (Follow Up): https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-face-follow-up
Body Rotation:
Legs Touching: https://ignitiongolf.com/touch-knees
DRILL: Swing Off Ground: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-swing-off-ground
Drill: Swing Off Ground Variation: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-variation-favorite-drill/
Drill: My Favorite Drill
January 24, 2013
MarcSofflerPaul,
I find that most of my fat shots occur when I sway forward instead of turning.
It almost seems like my shoulder drops back when I sway forward.
Is that also a common reason for fat shots ?
Marc
January 24, 2013
Paul WilsonMarc,
Fat shots are too much weight on the back foot. What you are doing is probably causing you to not get off this back foot.
Watch:
Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-cure
Fat While Staying Back: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-hanging-back-impact
February 7, 2013
PeteDavisHi I have been trying out the new swing for a few days now with good results at home of range mat and impact net. I went to the golf range last night and hit quite well. After a while i decided to hit a few shots off the grass in front instead of the range mat which we are not supposed to do whoops 🙂 ….anyway off the grass my shots were fat and low right but off the mat perfect. I will be working on your hitting fat drills etc..but my question is what do you recommend for an indicator of fat shots of a range mat ?? are there any gadgets, ideas something you can do etc.. for knowing a good contact off a range mat. I know your club can bounce on range mats and give the impression of a good shot. Unfortunately we have no grass practice ranges here in the UK.
Many thanks Pete UK
February 7, 2013
Paul WilsonPete,
This is really just experience of feeling the shot and listening to it. If you hit it fat off a mat you will hear it make contact before the ball. Just realize that if you are hitting it fat you have too much weight on the back foot at impact. So you do a few practice swings feeling this back heel coming off the ground about 3-4 inches with irons and 5-6 inches with woods. Once you do a few practice swings go back to hitting feeling this very same thing.
Watch:
Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-cure
Fat While Staying Back: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-hanging-back-impact
Another thing you can do is tee the ball up when first going to the grass then gradually lower the tee. It is a different feeling when going from mats to grass so it may throw you off both mentally and while you are swinging.
October 15, 2018
JohnKubalaI most often hit fat when I am concerned about not hitting the ball far enough such as hitting over a hazard. Subconsciously I must be afraid of not hitting the ball far enough so I try to apply more power and start the down swing with the arms and shoulders and hit fat as you describe in the video. Unfortunately this happens even more when I feel some pressure which makes the fat shot seem as much a mental issue as it is a physical one. I need to reprogram some how that the extra power comes from the lower body not the arms and shoulders. I suppose there is no easy way to break this habit other than focusing on the lower body over and over again. Somehow I need to trust it even when the pressure is on.Your thoughts?
Related to this, don’t you have to hit harder with arms and shoulders to get any distance out of deep rough?
October 15, 2018
Paul WilsonJohn,
You need to do numerous practice swings feeling the heel through impact before you hit this type of shot.
Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-cure/
How To Cure Fat Pitch Shots: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-fat-pitch-shots/
Meltdown at the 12th: https://ignitiongolf.com/meltdown-at-the-12th/
Break the Chain – Stop Hitting It Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/break-chain-fat/