What Causes Fat Golf Shots? And How to Fix the Problem


Nobody likes to hit fat shots in golf.


Hitting fat golf shots causes mental frustration and can easily ruin any round on the course.


  • Your dream is never to hit fat golf shots again.


But it’s not that easy…


  • You're frustrated with the inconsistency of your shots and you don't know why it happens. 


  • You always think you're going to be an amazing golfer and then you hit a fat shot.


Do you want to be frustrated and disappointed?


Do you want to be satisfied and happy?


The answer is easy: stop hitting fat golf shots!


After every fat shot, you immediately start second-guessing your grip, stance, which clubs to use, etc. 


It's the worst feeling.


Every golfer knows the pain of making a bad shot. 


Shots that always seem to go in the bunker or in the water, shots that go into the woods, and worst of all- fat golf shots. These shots are embarrassing and often lead to an even worse score.


You ask yourself:


  • How do I stop fat golf shots?
  • Why do I hit fat golf shots?
  • What causes fat shots in golf?


The problem is you don't know how to fix it, or if you do you can't remember how to do it in time for the next shot. It's frustrating and will make you want to go home before your round is over.


But there’s a solution…


If you follow these simple steps, your shots will have the power, accuracy, and consistency they deserve. All it takes is a few changes in technique... 


The information in this article will help you stop hitting fat golf shots now.


Golfer with white glove and teal shirtGolfers know the pain of making a bad shot. And the worst of all - fat golf shots.

What Causes Fat Golf Shots?


A fat shot is basically you having the lowest point in your swing before the ball. You bottom out your swing and golf club before the ball, causing your swing to be fat when you hit the turf before the ball.


Did you know that what causes fat golf shots is actually the same thing that causes thin golf shots. And the fix for your swing is the same for both kinds of problems...


The downward swing of the club can cause fat or thin shots for many different reasons.


Just to name a few:


- Poor grip

- Weak wrists or poor hand action

- Not properly set up to the ball

- Too much weight on the back leg and not enough weight on the front leg


I struggled with this for a long time, before I finally figured out what caused my fat golf shots…


The Science Behind Fat Shots


In golf, a fat shot is an improper golf shot, similar to a hook or slice, in which the swing path moves from inside the target line to outside the target line.


A fat shot differs from a hook or slice because it generally does not result in hitting the ball well at all.


A fat shot is usually more difficult to recover than other shots, but can be used for strategic purposes on some occasions.


Here's a few things to improve in order to hit the ball better and more consistently…


1. Hand Path


The golf swing has many phases and the hand path is one of them.


A golfer will use his or her hands to create momentum and transfer power into the golf ball. 


To create a good hand path, you need to keep your fingers together, hands in front of their body, arms close to their body and the club face pointing downwards on takeaway. This should be done in rhythm with the body's natural motion while swinging back.


2. Club Face at Impact


The club face should be square and the impact spot should be in the center of the ball. The club head at impact should also be perpendicular to the ground or parallel to it.


(Yes, depending on skill level one can argue whether the club face should be square or not.) 


The club face is an important part of a golf swing, because if it's not square then the ball will not go in a straight line. You have to make sure that your body is rotated correctly and that you have a good grip on the golf club before you finish your swing.


3. Center of Gravity


A golfer's swing is determined by his or her center of gravity, the pivot point around which the entire body rotates. The center of gravity is located in the middle of your body, between your feet.


When you get this right, everything will be easier for you… 


4. Body Alignment and Posture


Body alignment and posture is a crucial aspect in golf. Experts recommend focusing on the body's natural stance to avoid injury and improve performance.


A proper stance in golf is one that takes into account the natural position of our body, or what we refer to as a "neutral spine". If the golfer enters the ball from a poor angle, he or she is more likely to swing off-balance and create a lot of unnecessary tension leading to poor shots.


5. Club Head Speed and Distance from the Ball


An upsetting discovery is that golfers even with good club head speed still can hit a fat shot.


The number of different factors that determine the distance from the ball is very big. There are a few of them that you can easily change, however. The most important factor is club head speed.


In order to achieve better results, you should improve your club head speed by practicing more and changing your grip style if necessary to improve impact.


How To Cure Hitting Fat Golf Shots


There can be many reasons for fat golf shots.


It could be due to the way you strike the ball, your stance, or your swing speed.


Some common causes of fat golf shots are:


  • Poor grip on the club which leads to a more open clubface at contact and a more lofted shot.
  • Closed clubface at contact which leads to a more descending shot.
  • A lack of body rotation before and during the backswing which leaves the left arm too straight through impact and blocks any weight transfer from occurring.
  • A steep angle of attack on the ball as the club is swung back which leaves little room for error as there is insufficient time to react.


But fat shots can still be confusing…


  • What causes fat golf shots? 
  • What are the most common causes of fat shots?
  • What are some ways to prevent fat shots on the golf course?


Let’s take a look at some golf fat shots drills. 


When you understand these drills and put in some time to practice, you will soon figure out how to cure hitting fat golf shots.



I like this video a lot since it gives me an easy way to visualize weight transfer and timing and its effect on my iron shots. I guess this video will be the solution for you too on how to stop hitting fat golf shots with irons and to enjoy the game more…


Conclusion


Fat golf shots are caused by a number of factors.


Let’s recap..


What are the causes of hitting fat golf shots?


  • If you have a clubface that's not square to the ball, you'll hit fat golf shots.
  • If your swing speed is too fast for your tempo, you'll also hit fat golf shots.
  • It might be that your swing is too steep or you're not keeping your head still.


There are other causes for this issue as well.


One way to avoid a fat golf shot is to use a shorter backswing, which will also help you control the distance of your swing. Another good technique for avoiding fat golfer's curse, or hitting fat shots, is to stay smooth and follow through with your swing.


Fortunately…


How to fix hitting fat golf shots isn’t that hard though, as you saw in the video above.


There are harder things to learn in golf than correcting your fat shots…


Show / Hide

Related Pages