What causes fat contact?

Hanging back on your trail foot: Leaving your weight on your back foot during the downswing keeps the lowest point of your swing arc behind the ball, causing the club to strike turf first. Dropping height or tilting excessively: Dropping your height or lowering your trail shoulder in the downswing drives the clubhead too deep into the ground before impact. Releasing the club early: Throwing or straightening your trail arm directly downwards early in the downswing forces the bottom of the swing arc to occur prematurely behind the ball.

Fat contact: why it happens, and what fixes it

Striking the turf before the ball. Distance vanishes and the divot starts in the wrong place.

1,231 videos by 118 coaches set out to fix fat contact.

What fat contact looks like

You feel the club dig into the turf before reaching the ball, slowing down the clubhead so the shot comes off weak and falls well short. Your divot starts behind the ball rather than ahead of it.

Why it happens

Hanging back on your trail foot Leaving your weight on your back foot during the downswing keeps the lowest point of your swing arc behind the ball, causing the club to strike turf first. How to tell: Check video of your swing to see if your weight remains on your trail foot at impact rather than shifting over your lead leg. The idea: Weight Transfer. From Golf Studio, Golf-Ed. "Educate Your Game", Eric Cogorno Golf, Athletic Motion Golf.
Dropping height or tilting excessively Dropping your height or lowering your trail shoulder in the downswing drives the clubhead too deep into the ground before impact. How to tell: Look at video to see if your chest sinks lower at impact than it was at address or if your back shoulder drops toward your trail pocket. The idea: Posture. From Warren Bennett Golf Academy, James Ridyard, AlexElliottGolf, Top Speed Golf - Clay Ballard.
Releasing the club early Throwing or straightening your trail arm directly downwards early in the downswing forces the bottom of the swing arc to occur prematurely behind the ball. How to tell: Watch a recording of your swing to see if your trail arm straightens early rather than releasing smoothly around your body. The idea: Release. From Danny Maude, Meandmygolf, Get Good At Golf!.

The fix

The drills that fix fat contact

Most-taught first, each with the coaches who teach it.

Towel Behind the Ball Drill: A towel laid on the ground a few inches to a foot behind the ball; strike the ball without touching it. 11 coaches teach it, and we filmed it.
Line Drill: used by 12 coaches in 14 videos that fix fat contact, and we filmed it.
Line in the Sand Drill: used by 9 coaches in 10 videos that fix fat contact.
Ball Forward Drill: used by 4 coaches in 8 videos that fix fat contact.
Bunker Line Drill: used by 4 coaches in 5 videos that fix fat contact.
Thumbs Off Drill: used by 4 coaches in 5 videos that fix fat contact.
Coin Drill: used by 3 coaches in 6 videos that fix fat contact.
Feet Together Drill: used by 3 coaches in 6 videos that fix fat contact.
Pump Drill: used by 3 coaches in 4 videos that fix fat contact.

Who to watch first

The coaches who fix it most

Ranked by how much of their library is this miss.

Dan Grieve, PGA Pro · GB: 75 videos on it.
Meandmygolf, PGA Pro · US: 57 videos on it.
Danny Maude, GB: 48 videos on it.

The videos

The videos that fix fat contact outright

Ranked by fit: this is the miss each one sets out to fix.

Why you hit it fat (and thin): it's the same mistake by Golf Studio. Fat shots happen when the low point is behind the ball; thin shots happen when the low point is too high.
If Your Struggle To Strike Your Irons, Just Do This Before Every Shot by Danny Maude. Position roughly 70% of your weight and your chest forward over your lead foot at setup and maintain it through impact.
Fats and thins on the course? by GRF Golf. Fat and thin shots are typically movement problems regarding pressure shift, not club issues.
STOP Tilting and START Pivoting - The Secrets of a Rotary Swing by Warren Bennett Golf Academy. Excessive tilting (right shoulder dropping toward the right pocket) causes the club to get 'stuck' behind the body, leading to fat shots and hooks.
Clean Contact Starts With Ball Placement #golfswing #golftips by Meandmygolf. Placing the ball too far back often causes golfers to stay on their trail side and release the club early.
Clean Contact Starts With Ball Placement #golfswing #golftips by Meandmygolf. Placing the ball too far back often causes golfers to stay on their trail side and release the club early.
This RIDICULOUSLY Easy Chipping Technique... Takes JUST 5 Seconds to MASTER!! by Get Good At Golf!. Synchronize the club, hands, and body rotation to ensure the club bottoms out consistently in the same spot.
Left Handed Impact Fix: 8 Drills for Pure Contact #golf #golfswing #golfer #golflife by Golf-Ed. "Educate Your Game". Preset your trail knee inward to keep pressure on the instep and prevent a power-sapping sway.
The Simple Fix for Better Chip Shots #GolfTips #TheArtOfSimpleGolf by The Art of Simple Golf. Place approximately 70% of your weight/pressure on your front foot during the setup.
The #1 Tip To Strike Your Irons PERFECTLY Every Time! by Giles Gill Golf. The 'low point' of a pro iron shot is typically 4-5 inches past the golf ball, whereas amateurs often strike at or behind the ball.
If You’re Afraid of Duffing Chip Shots, This Is What’s Really Going Wrong by Meandmygolf. Neutralize your setup by keeping your spine and head level rather than tilting away from the target.
If You’re Afraid of Duffing Chip Shots, This Is What’s Really Going Wrong by Meandmygolf. Neutralize your setup by keeping your spine and head level rather than tilting away from the target.