Hitting it fat

This a problem My Father has. He hits everything fat. He takes huge divots with nearly every club. When he does hit a clean shot it usually goes straight right.

What's funny is when he does a practise swing he doesn't take a divot. Yet put a ball there and he takes these monster divots.

Has anybody got any advice for him ?

Thanks

Fat shots are simply taking a divot before the ball. They are the result of the deepest point of the arc being behind the ball. The biggest cause of fat shots is the clubhead passing the hands before impact. When the clubhead passes the hands it swings up and before it can swing up it has to first pass through the low point and if this low point is behind the ball we get a fat shot. 3 causes of the clubhead passing the hands before impact are;

<>1) the false assumption that the clubhead passing the hands creates scoop that lifts the ball in the air – clubface loft creates the lift. <>

2) the false assumption that the clubhead passing the hands is what gives us clubhead speed – when the clubhead passes the hands it’s actually settling into deceleration. Only when the clubhead is trying to catch up with the hands is the clubhead accelerating. We want to hit the ball with acceleration not deceleration. <>

3) the false assumption that the clubhead passing the hands is what squares the clubface – the rotation of the lead wrist squares the clubface not the bending of the lead wrist. <>

A forth thing that can cause fat shots is the weight being on the back foot at impact instead of the front. <>

A fifth is trying to swing the club in a circle rather than a straight line. When you try to swing in a circle you develop centrifugal force. Centrifugal force is what releases the club and if it becomes over-taking too soon it will cause you to release too early causing the clubhead to pass your hands prematurely. Moving in a straight line avoids centrifugal force so your effort should be trying to swing the hands straight line to their impact location. Note I said your effort should be straight line but the club will still swing in a circle around your left shoulder. <>

First check to make sure his weight is on his front foot at impact. He should have the feeling his downswing is around his left leg and foot. Second, make sure his shaft leans forward at impact. From his point of view it should look like his hands are pass his front foot but if he looks in a mirror his hands will be even with to slightly ahead of the ball. It’s known as parallax error. 4 things golfers need to learn and incorporate to assure the hands lead the clubhead are;<>

1) using the rotating lead wrist to control the clubface. Grip a club in your lead hand and rotate your hand back and forth. Notice how it controls clubface alignment. <>

2) hitting the ball before the club reaches maximum extension, i.e. the club should still be trying to become in-line with the lead arm at impact. This assures we hit the ball with acceleration not deceleration.Remember that clubhead speed is measured by how fast the clubhead goes through the ball not how fast the clubhead passes your hands. <>

3) trying to drive the ball into the ground not the air. This will prevent any scooping action. The club has more than enough loft to lift the ball <>

4) making all downstroke motions straight line. <>

To answer your question why he doesn’t take a divot with a practice swing it’s because he’s not trying to hit a ball. Put a ball in front of him and he does any or all of the 3 points listed at the top of this post.

Just 2 things to add:

A lot of golfers think that becuase there is a monster divot, the shot was 'fat'. That's not always the case ... often the ball is truck first then the ground making an excavation rather than a divot but it was a clean shot.

Secondly, often fat shots are a result of dipping into impact and nothing else. Check the height as your father swings down and the height at impact - there should a SLIGHT dip but not many inches.

As far hitting right when he doesn't take a divot - well, that is is easy to explain. When you dip, you get cramped up with very few places for the club to go. Because the club is moving forwards and there is space on the right of target, most times your hands push the club through right hitting the ball right. The other common 'move' is for the hands to speed up ahead of the club to make space for the club and that results in an often club face which sends the ball right.

Then again, there is the most common of all to make space and that is to let the club go underground!

So, my advice: check if he's dipping or not. Start there, I always do when a student comes for 'hitting it fat'.

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Another drill to help prevent fat shots is to grip the club slightly tighter with the top 3 fingers of your left hand (right handed golfer) or right hand (left handed golfer).

Many thanks to the 3 people who have answered so far. I will post to let you know of any progress.

Just been thinking about not taking divots on practice swings.

I don't really do this either but i used always hit it fat aswell when there is a ball there.

If you watch the pros, they very rarely take divots on practice swings if at all. Your not really meant to take divots on your practice swing, i dont think, as if everyone took a divot on there practice swings courses would become very churned up.

If your trying to take a divot on your practice swing, a reason for not taking 1 is that there is no ball there so there isnt anything to focus on the ground and so your swing is slightly off the ground. Try focusing on the ground where the ball would be and that should help. Although I wouldnt recommend doing this too much as the greenkeepers won't be too chuffed.

__________________
Craig

My bag:

Taylormade r7 9.5* Stiff stock shaft
Sonartec SS2.5 3+ 13* Stiff Fujikura Tour Platform shaft
Taylormade Utility 2 16* XS Fujikura TP stock shaft
Titleist 904F 4 wood 17* Stiff Aldila NV85 shaft
Mizuno MP67 3-PW S300 shafts
Cleveland 588 47*, 53*, 56* DSG, 60*
Odyssey White Hot #4 putter

To CCT

Thanks for your 3 fingers drill. My Father tried it out today and he didn't hit one shot fat.

Many Thanks

Glad to hear it helped.

Gripping the club tighter may cause other faults, so make sure your father doesn't make his whole grip tighter.

Let me know of your fathers progress.