Tips or advice for not hitting the ground BEFORE you hit the ball?

[JMarq83]

sometimes ill hit the ground on my swing about 3-4 inches behind the ball, it doesnt happen all the time but enough to frustrate me at times. thanks

[Stretch]

Isn't that exactly what you're supposed to be doing? As long as your divot is in front of the ball, you're in good shape.

Edit: Whoops, title and post don't agree. Sounds like you're actually hitting it fat. Lot of potential causes of that affliction. Can you post a swing video?

[JMarq83]

sorry i had to edit my post, i meant behind the ball lol

[jamo]

Push the hips forward. It's as simple as that.

[JMarq83]

hmm im going to try that next time i hit the range, maybe im not transferring my weight. thanks jamo

[jamo]

hmm im going to try that next time i hit the range, maybe im not transferring my weight. thanks jamo

Also make sure they don't shift backwards on the backswing.

[JMarq83]

so you're saying i should be about 50/50 weight distribution at address and my back swing? then shift all of it on my downswing?

[imtomtomim]

eye on the ball!

Most times I see fat or thin shots, it's when people stop focusing on the ball. It's called hand-eye coordination, not "don't look and expect to hit the ball" coordination.

[Dave H]

I struggle with hitting fat shots and for me it's definitely related to the hips. If I hit a fat shot, I'll take a few practice swings focusing on sliding my hips forward to get the right feeling back before hitting another shot.

[Travtex]

In one of those odd instances of feel opposing reality -- I was having (And occasionally regress to) severe fat/thin problems. At one point, I all but elimited them both by the seemingly counterintuitive feel of keeping my hips further -down- as I thrust them forward. Almost like I was full-on shoving my arse at the target (At the time, it felt almost like I was "sitting down" at the target). Farewell fats and thins.

For that day, anyway... Now it's just a matter of my brain remembering... *whistle*

[burnabao]

hmm im going to try that next time i hit the range, maybe im not transferring my weight. thanks jamo

That's exactly what does it for me. I have a hard time convincing myself when it happens on the course, though, that what I need is

more moving parts in my swing!

[Goowa]

For me my fat shots are from either not shifting my weight, which normally happens when I'm trying to kill the ball off the tee, it amounts to keeping my weight on my right and dropping my right shoulder.

My other problem is my weight can get too far out on my toes, and I end up leaning into the ball which causes me to hit behind the ball also.

[kleinrider]

i had/have the same problem... This has to be the most frustrating mistake in golf, cause your shot will on go 20 yards.. Anyway, i was working with a pro and he suggested i slow my take away and a ever so slight pause at the top then start your downswing. My hands were moving faster than the club so the club would hit the ground first. It has been a huge help. I used to hit 15-20 balls fat in one round (i am high handi) now i may only hit 1 or 2. Of course the proper weight shift help, and weight being forward.

i hope this is little bit of a help.

[JMarq83]

Thanks to everybody who had a say in this thread! Alot of things I need to work on at the range.

[jamo]

so you're saying i should be about 50/50 weight distribution at address and my back swing? then shift all of it on my downswing?

Basically. I don't want to go all S&T; on you, but the best players all have limited weight shift on the backswing (the weight on you arms goes back, but you want to feel like the weight is 50/50-ish). If you took a video of your backswing, you would not want the hips to omve backwards. Then on the downswing move the hips (and weight) forward.

[kilbyman]

Basically. I don't want to go all S&T; on you, but the best players all have limited weight shift on the backswing (the weight on you arms goes back, but you want to feel like the weight is 50/50-ish). If you took a video of your backswing, you would not want the hips to omve backwards. Then on the downswing move the hips (and weight) forward.

+10000

A lot of the shifting back stuff is confusing to me personally, and whenever I try to shift my weight back on purpose through a turn or whatever, I always feel stuck. This is really good advice. If the hips don't move backwards, you should be in a good position to strike the ball.

[JMarq83]

Basically. I don't want to go all S&T; on you, but the best players all have limited weight shift on the backswing (the weight on you arms goes back, but you want to feel like the weight is 50/50-ish). If you took a video of your backswing, you would not want the hips to omve backwards. Then on the downswing move the hips (and weight) forward.

once again thanks for the advice from everybody, now I just hope I don't have a hundred things running through my head the next time I play lol

[tm22721]

After the inital sling of the club in takeaway, turn off your bicep muscles in your arms keeping them (and your wrists) totally passive. I know this is hard to do for most people but it is THE most crucial point. As the club reaches the top initiate the downswing by throwing your right shoulder at the ball. Again, resist the impulse to fire your biceps ! The clubhead will 'tip back' initially as you start down, then STAY BACK if your right shoulder continues to move STRAIGHT AT THE BALL. The clubhead releases very late into the ball.

My swing is TARGET focused, I am consciously trying to turn my entire left side to the target from setup, especially as I initiate the backswing. This keeps me centered and my lower body NEVER TURNS AWAY FROM THE TARGET even in the backswing. Only the shoulder girdle moves. Your hands cannot go behind your right pocket in the takeaway. There is a WALL that your club will ride against up to the top after you sling it. The constant target focus of the left side automatically shifts your weight to the target in the backswing. No need to perform a conscious lateral shift with its problematic critical timing.