Question:
My golf instructor told me there are basically two reasons you hit a fat shot – 1. your head moves in front of the ball, instead of staying behind it during the shot, and – 2. releasing (casting) your wrist cock to early. My main problem was the second, casting. Now whenever I hit a fat shot, I think to myself to hold the wristcock longer, and sure enough the next shot is almost always clean. It’s nice to know the solution to a problem – makes practicing a lot more fun. Jim Peplow please, no jokes about holding my cock longer 
Heh-heh! Darn…I really wanted to, but I think you took care of that yourself! <g Seriously though…I find that I hit the ball fat when I swing "over-the-top". Usually has to do with my right shoulder dipping (actually up, over, and then dipping from the top of the backswing) just before impact, which makes my whole body dip. If I’m struggling with the fat shots, I usually focus on (1) keeping my head motion quiet during the downswing or (2) initiating the downswing with my arms to give the clubhead a chance to drop down from the inside instead of up & over like it tends to do when I start the downswing with my hips. Just my .02, FWIW, and your mileage may vary. Scott Newell
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Response:
I have a tendency to hit short irons fat. Even if I play the ball back near my right heel I still take a divot about 2 inches before the ball. I know i should hit the ball first and the divot should be in front of the ball. any sugestions would be helpful.
My golf instructor told me there are basically two reasons you hit a fat shot – 1. your head moves in front of the ball, instead of staying behind it during the shot, and – 2. releasing (casting) your wrist cock to early. My main problem was the second, casting. Now whenever I hit a fat shot, I think to myself to hold the wristcock longer, and sure enough the next shot is almost always clean. It’s nice to know the solution to a problem – makes practicing a lot more fun. Jim Peplow please, no jokes about holding my cock longer
Response:
I have a tendency to hit short irons fat. Even if I play the ball back near my right heel I still take a divot about 2 inches before the ball. I know i should hit the ball first and the divot should be in front of the ball. any sugestions would be helpful.
I think the fat shot is the most natural shot in golf, because just about everything you want to instinctively do to hit the ball causes them. Some causes are: Hitting off the right side, releasing too early (sounds like your problem), and losing your spine angle. Another cause not often mentioned is trying to hit the ball on the sweetspot. Try this: Get a 9 iron and mark on the clubface where you think the sweetspot is. Now using a table top or other hard flat surface lay the clubhead behind the ball and note where the sweetspot is in relation to the center of the ball. I bet it’s above the center! So by trying to hit the ball on the sweetspot (center of the clubface) you have to bring the leading edge of the club into impact too low causing you to strike the ground before the ball. If you take another look at the ball on the table top you will notice an ‘under cut’. This is the area under the ball between its center and the table. The only way for the club to hit the ball before the ground is if the leading edge of the club is swung into this ‘under cut". With correct impact this is what happens, the leading edge is driven into the under cut allowing you to hit the ball before the ground, any lower and the leading edge strikes the ground first. Now that you are aware of the correct clubface-ball impact attitude you need to practice what ever will allow you to strike the ball in this manner. David Golf Instruction Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/3628/
Response:
I have a tendency to hit short irons fat. Even if I play the ball back near my right heel I still take a divot about 2 inches before the ball. I know i should hit the ball first and the divot should be in front of the ball. any sugestions would be helpful. thanks toni
Response:
I have a tendency to hit short irons fat. Even if I play the ball back near my right heel I still take a divot about 2 inches before the ball. I know i should hit the ball first and the divot should be in front of the ball. any sugestions
For all iron shots the hands should be slightly in front of the club premature release, decelerating, dipping back shoulder during downswing, worrying about topping so you hit down too much, casting the club vs. swing it. Try starting with 1/2 power shots minimizing leg action then increase gradually. Even the short irons should have a relatively shallow divot for most players – unless they are playing on loose thick sod or are trying for a superspin short shot. If the problem persists, see your swing doctor. BDW