Hitting the Ball Fat

Hitting the ball fat is not as common as the slice, but it
can be just as frustrating. As with all golf swing
mechanics, once you know what you are doing wrong, you can
begin working on correcting it.

When trying to correct this problem, it is nearly
impossible to see what you are doing wrong without someone
else’s help. If possible, get a golfing buddy to watch
your swing, and ask him or her to be on the lookout for
the items discussed below.

If you find yourself hitting the ball fat, you are most
likely dropping your rear shoulder. This is the one that
is farthest away from the target: right shoulder for
right-handed golfers, left shoulder for left-handed
golfers.

When your rear shoulder drops, the club hits the ground
before it should, resulting in a messy shot. More often
than not, hitting the ball fat happens when a player tries
to swing too hard, causing the downswing to start with a
lot of hip motion.

As an example, try this simple exercise. Take a club and
assume your normal address. Bring the club up to the very
top of your backswing and stop. With the club at the top,
slide your hips toward the target area, horizontally, and
notice what happens to your rear shoulder. It naturally
dips down too!

If your friend is around, do this exercise again, slowly,
and ask him or her to watch your hips and shoulder and see
if your shoulder drops. If so, you’ve likely found the
cause of the problem.

To correct this issue, you have to learn how to use your
lower body properly during the swing. Your hips need to
twist, but don’t allow them to slide. A simple way to make
this happen is to concentrate on starting the downswing
with your arms, and your hips will naturally follow.

Another good technique is to concentrate on keeping your
forward shoulder down. If you do this over several
practice shots, your body will get the message and your
shots will improve.

Remember to keep your forward arm straight as you go into
your backswing. When you get to the top, think “down” for
your forward shoulder, and then move into your downswing.
Your hips will uncoil, but do not allow them to slide
laterally.

The tips presented here are easy enough to apply, but they
require some time spent practicing and experimenting. The
best place to do this is at the practice range, which is
also a good place to pick up a helper to watch your swing.

As you work on this fix, remember to go through all of
your clubs, not just the driver. Hitting the ball fat can
occur with any club, and you need to practice with each
one to truly master a solid, crisp ball strike. Many
players prefer to start with the short irons and work
their way up when learning a new skill set.

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