Why Do I Hit The Golf Ball Fat?

New golfers usually form a strong attachment to their sport after hitting one or two good shots. The feeling of taking the club back and launching a shot that flies high and straight over the fairway can be quite addicting. However, golfers make plenty of mistakes on the way to developing a consistent and repeatable swing. One of those mistakes is hitting the ball "fat."

Hitting It Fat

A golfer who hits too much of the ground before his clubhead makes contact with the ball is said hit the ball fat. When you hit the ball fat, it will cause you to lose significant yardage off of your shot. A fat shot can also change the angle of the clubhead when it contacts the ball and send it squirting off to the left or right. This is often a mistake that is regularly associated with new or inexperienced golfers. Strong amateurs and professionals will make mistakes occasionally, but they rarely hit their shots fat.

Hitting Behind the Ball

Golfers are taught to "take a divot" when hitting the ball from the fairway. This means the clubhead makes contact with the ground slightly before it hits the ball. Ideally, this will be about an inch or two before the clubhead strikes the ball. This is done to make sure the clubhead fully engages the ball. When your clubhead hits the ground three inches or more before the clubhead meets the ball, you hit it fat and a poor shot is the result.

Topping the Ball

The opposite of hitting the ball fat is topping the ball, meaning the clubhead makes contact with the top half of the ball. This means the clubhead will likely drive the ball into the ground. Your clubhead does not get slowed down by hitting the ground, but you don't make enough contact with the ball to get significant distance.

Stance

Golfers who have a poor stance are unlikely to hit the ball well and may hit the ball fat or thin. If you are too close to the ball, you can jam yourself when you swing. Your arms need to be flexed to keep you from jamming yourself. If your arms are jammed in tight to your body, you will likely hit the ground before hitting the ball by three or more inches. The result will be a fat golf shot.