Cure For A Fat Shot

The Cure for a Fat Shot


This problem may be easier to fix than you think. You may not realize it, but your back
shoulder may be dipping towards the ground. This move forces the club to hit the ground
too early. Most of the time it happens when you are really trying to get into the ball.
ImagineYou're 200 yards out and you've chosen to hit the 4 iron. When you've got it in
your head that you have to hit the ball hard to get it there, it's natural tendency to start
your downswing with the hips in an effort to "really get into the ball". That may work in
baseball, but not in golf.

I'd like to take you through what happens if you make that move in golf. First, get in the
your setup position, now take your backswing and hold it at the top. Now move only
your hips horizontally towards the target, and notice the way it forces your back shoulder
to "dip". If you've made that "dip" with your back shoulder, it's over. You are going to
hit behind the ball 90% of the time, and if you do make good contact, you'll probably end
up with a killer slice. Lateral movement is no good for the golf swing.

To avoid this problem, and to simplify your golf swing, keep the lower body out of the
equation. If you really want to get into the ball, start your downswing with your arms. It's
tough to do if you have a habit formed, but once you get used to it, you won't be hitting
the ball fat anymore. Most golfers over-emphasize the weight shift. If you keep your hips
still, the weight shift will still occur, but it will happen naturally.

Get to the top, keeping your leading arm as straight as possible. Now start down at the
ball with your leading arm fully extended. Your head hasn't moved laterally, and your
hips haven't moved laterally. Now to take this to the next step, imagine the entire golf
swing, through impact, occurring underneath the upper body.

Concentrate on keeping your front shoulder strong and "down" on the ball. This will
enable you to keep your swing on the correct plane, and it will help your hands to keep
up with your body. Don't let that shoulder come up and away from the target before
impact as that will cause your body to get ahead of your hands leading to fat shots and
slices.

About the author
David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their
full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of "The Simple Golf Swing"
which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today. You
can find more of his golf instruction by going to http://www.golfswingguru.com