Curing fat shots
 

All of a sudden, I've started to hit numerous fat shots. I haven't had this problem since I first started playing. Any ideas as to causes and cures would be appreciated. Thank you.

teach

i) Cramming on extra power with right wrist action at impact.

ii) Cramming on the power from the top (casting) and running out of right arm in the process.

iii) Ball too far back in the stance - curiously enough.

iv) Ball too far forward in the stance and bottoming out prior to impact. Also causes thin shots if you get that far without bottoming out.

v) Hitting at the ball rather than swinging through it.

vi) Conciously hitting down on the ball (see v), above, also) and overcooking it.

There's half a dozen to chew over but the list is not exhaustive.

Get your hands well ahead of the ball at impact.

Take a divot.

Keep a stable center, holding your finish and keeping your balance.

When the left arm and clubshaft are in a straight line - the primary lever assembly is at its most extended state. When the left wrist bends - the clubhead arc or circle around the left shoulder center becomes reduced and therefore hitting fat is not caused by scooping. Very often the golfer with severe downwards 'bobbing' will scoop to reduce his clubhead orbit to stop hitting it so fat because his computer tells him that his clubhead orbit would probably bury the clubhead in the ground but the main culprit however was the head position.

Here is the reason YOU are doing it:

You have recently 'improved' your "flip piont."

But—like Mathew points out—your radius is set for your old flip.

So....like Denny and Edz pointed out, keep your left shoulder moving away from the ball while you keep your hands forward—ie NO flip.

Hit 'em good.

Brian—Golf's Answer Man

Flip Point?
 

What is the "flip point" and what is it's function?

Hey Brian I have heard your name a lot from other TGMer's! Where do you teach? Do you have a site aslo? Do you have videos? Heard a lot of great things about ya.

Thank you and follow-up
 

Thank you all for your responses. i have two follow-up questions:

1. On one fat shot I still had my weight on my rear foot at the finish. Assuming that this can also cause fat shots (as well as a huge power leak), how might I correct this? I should also note that this problem developed when I was working on fixing my OTT problem.

2. What does running out of right arm mean?

Thank you.

teach

1. Work on the 2nd Essential, Balance.
2. Running out of right arm means that at follow through (8-11), your right arm is unable to straighten because of an off plane right shoulder (7-13)

Flip Point:

The point where you start to throw it away.

In other words—something you don't want to have.

My website is www.manzellagolfforum.com

The expression Running out of Right Arm is associated with the straightening of the right arm, for whatever reason, prior to impact.

At impact, provided that the right shoulder has made its way down plane then the amount of right elbow bend that was factored in at set up will be maintained - i.e "not run out of" - and throw away will not have occured, nor will the shot have been hit fat.

At the end of follow through, the only place in the golf stroke, the right arm and left arm will both be in a straight line condition; but that is a good thing.