Catching it fat

[TheChamp]

Hello all, new poster here. Looking for some advice...

Every now and again i seem to be hitting the odd iron shot fat. It comes out of nowhere really, but unfortunately normally when i'm centre of the fairway with a great line in!

My question is, what would be causing me to do this? I'm thinking that i'm maybe coming in a little too steep at times. Can anyone confirm/deny and or recommend how i can fix this problem?

 

[Twire]

This is something that happens to me now and again.

For me, I can guarantee it's when my left arm breaks (lack of concentration) I'll always hit it fat then.

 

[Cernunnos]

Hello all, new poster here. Looking for some advice...

Every now and again i seem to be hitting the odd iron shot fat. It comes out of nowhere really, but unfortunately normally when i'm centre of the fairway with a great line in!

My question is, what would be causing me to do this? I'm thinking that i'm maybe coming in a little too steep at times. Can anyone confirm/deny and or recommend how i can fix this problem?

It maybe possible you are coming in a bit steep, but this time of year the ground tends to be a bit softer, so taking a deep divot ro being a bit heavy at times can happen.

Another possibility is you might be dipping in the swing, or even overswinging...

TBQH, many of us could reel off numerous reasons for hitting heavy or behind the ball, or simply taking large divots, but the real answer is to go see a pro for expert advice. Though if you get yourself on film you might spot the reason before going for a lesson, especially if you've had lessons before.

 

[TheChamp]

That's a good shout re dipping in the swing. Could very well be possible. I caught myself doing this at the range a couple of times at the weekend. Was quite painful on the wrists hitting in to the hard mat too!!

I think a few check up lessons could be the answer in January/February.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I went through a phase with my short irons especially 9 and PW. It turned out I was swinging much slower in an attempt to get it close and that my arms were breaking down on the downswing.

I cured it by hitting some balls with the old feet together frill to promote a smooth even tempo

 

[andiritchie]

Hitting balls with your feet together will stop dipping and improve the strike a player of your standard will have it sorted no worries

Welcome on board

 

[birdieman]

Steepness in the swing is the main reason for a fat or heavy strike. Fat is an Americanism but a good word nonetheless.

Correction is to flatten the swing a little - flex knees, back straight, chin up and get the club going back on a good line.

Good way to flatten swing is to practice hitting from a sidehill with your feet below the ball.

 

[andiritchie]

Good shout i tend to hit irons off the driver tee when warming up just to shallow my swing plane a little

 

[TheChamp]

Cheers lads for the advice and Andie for the welcome!

I must try that drill at the range this week. One of the things i've been thinking is that my stance has gotten a little too wide, particularly on the shorter irons.

The most recent lessons i had, the pro told me that i was stopping a little and that i should try and lift my backside and chin up. This was to try and eliminate a vicious hook i had developed.

If i'm being honest, i probably haven't worked hard enough at it. The bad hook has now gone, but is it possible that the stoop could be causing me to catch it heavy?

 

[rgs]

Spit_Nolan Welcome from a fellow Dub---

What club do you play out off?

 

[TheChamp]

Hi Rgs, i' m playing out of Royal Tara. How about yourself?

 

[USER1999]

Get some heal lifts put in your shoes. Or stand on a pallet.

I normally find fat (or thin) shots come from lifting my head to see where the ball has gone, before impact. I normally thin the ball, but on the odd occasion I can hit it fat too. I often wonder why my clubs have a sweet spot at all, all I really need is the shank, the bottom edge and the toe.

 

[rgs]

Spit_Nolan I play out of Roganstown.

 

[TheChamp]

Spit_Nolan I play out of Roganstown.

Lovely course rgs! Played with a young lad from there not so long ago. He was off 9 at the time but i believe he's now down to 5 or so. Kennedy i think his name was.


Thanks for all the suggestions folks... hopefully i'll get it sorted out over xmas!

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
To the 2 guys from Dublin I just live round the corner from roganstown lovely course I find the only time I hit it heavy/fat is when I decelerate on the swing.
Mike

 

[rgs]

Spit_Nolan--there are two Kennedy lads aged 15 & 12. The elder is off 5 and the younger is off 11. Both great young men and a credit to their families---Golf is in great hands if these lads are the future of the game.

 

[TheChamp]

It was the elder lad i played with. As i say he was off 9 or so that day i played with him, but i could just tell he would be tumbling fairly soon. I looked him up on Howdidido recently and it was proved to be so... really nice young lad and a good temprament for the game too. I expect he will go much lower this season too!

 

[TonyN]

Welcome Nolan, Seems you have an abundance of answers for your problem, but I thought I would just add, the Only time I ever hit fat (and not often, I would thin it more often) is when I try to hit the ball harder than I should, or knock the socks off it

Is normally only with the longer irons I do that. I dont take a great divot dont really suffer fat shots. I did, however, spend a few weeks swinging a mid irons and brushing he grass without a ball present for about 20 minutes a day.

I found this helped me to practice my plane and get the right height of the clubhead to ground.

A few practice swings to relax normally does the trick for me before the long irons.

Hope your sort the problem, once again, welcome in.

 

[Smiffy]

The times I tend to catch it fat are when I'm hitting an "easy" wedge or chipping onto the green and tend to look up fractions before I hit it to see where it has gone or if I am between clubs on a par 3 and try to ease or steer the bigger iron in. I guess I'm decelerating and that's not good.
Rob

 

[viscount17]

deceleration is the killer for me, that plus trying to steer the ball instead of letting the club do the job.