Thin contact: why it happens, and what fixes it

Striking the ball above its center. Flight is low and hot, often running through greens.

951 videos by 110 coaches set out to fix thin contact.

What thin contact looks like

You will hear a harsh sound at impact as the leading edge of the club catches the ball near its equator rather than compressing it cleanly. The ball launches with a low, hot trajectory and fails to get proper elevation, often running straight through the back of the green. You will usually feel minimal contact with the ground, missing the turf entirely.

Why it happens

• Hanging back on the trail foot Failing to shift your body mass and pressure onto your lead side leaves the lowest point of your swing behind the ball. As a result, the club reaches its low point too early and strikes the ball while travelling back upward. How to tell: Observe whether your weight remains stuck on your trail foot at impact rather than moving over your lead ankle. The idea: Weight Transfer. From Golf Studio, GRF Golf, Scratch Golf Academy, Giles Gill Golf, Eric Cogorno Golf.
• Standing up through impact Straightening your spine, legs, or body posture early in the downswing lifts the entire swing arc. Raising your chest up through impact pulls the clubhead off the ground, causing the leading edge to strike the upper half of the ball. How to tell: Check a side-view video of your swing to see if your chest rises and your spine straightens before contact. The idea: Posture. From Golf Studio, Michael Kanev Golf, Performance Golf.
• Scooping to force elevation Trying to manually assist or lift the ball into the air causes you to flick with your hands through impact. This scooping motion prematurely advances the clubhead, raising it above the ground as it meets the ball. How to tell: Look at your impact position to see if your trail wrist flips and the clubhead passes your hands before contact. The idea: Release. From Golf Studio, Dan Grieve, Golf-Ed. "Educate Your Game".

The fix

The drills that fix thin contact

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

1. 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.
2. Line Drill: used by 6 coaches in 8 videos that fix thin contact, and we filmed it.
3. Ball Forward Drill: used by 4 coaches in 5 videos that fix thin contact.
4. Forward Tee Drill: used by 4 coaches in 5 videos that fix thin contact.
5. Tee Drill: used by 4 coaches in 5 videos that fix thin contact.
6. Line in the Sand Drill: used by 4 coaches in 4 videos that fix thin contact.
7. Feet Together Drill: used by 3 coaches in 6 videos that fix thin contact.
8. Coin Drill: used by 3 coaches in 4 videos that fix thin contact.
9. One Handed Chipping Drill: used by 3 coaches in 3 videos that fix thin 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: 40 videos on it.
• Danny Maude, GB: 42 videos on it.
• Meandmygolf, PGA Pro · US: 38 videos on it.

The videos

The videos that fix thin contact outright

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Thin & Topped Shots? This Is Why It Keeps Happening! by Easiest Swing. Muscle tension shortens reach: Tight hands and shoulders contract muscles, lifting the club head above the equator of the golf ball.
4. Thin & Topped Shots? This Is Why It Keeps Happening! by Easiest Swing. Muscle tension shortens reach: Tight hands and shoulders contract muscles, lifting the club head above the equator of the golf ball.
5. Fats and thins on the course? by GRF Golf. Fat and thin shots are typically movement problems regarding pressure shift, not club issues.
6. Stop Topping the Ball in Golf: Tips for Crisp Contact #GolfTips #BOOM by Michael Kanev Golf. Topping the ball is often caused by 'early extension' where the spine and legs straighten too soon.
7. Can He REALLY Flop Shot Over the Golf Cart?? by WhyGolf. Avoid excessive shaft lean at address and impact when trying to hit a high flop shot.
8. NFL Hall-of-Famer asked me to Fix his Golf Swing | Fixin's by Performance Golf. A lack of wrist hinge effectively makes the club 'longer,' forcing the brain to compensate by standing up and causing thin shots.
9. 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.
10. The Towel Drill That Fixed My Thin Shots #golftips #golf #golfswing by Scratch Golf Academy. Thin shots and tops are caused by the swing's low point being behind or at the ball instead of ahead of it.
11. 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.
12. The SIMPLE Towel Drill for Perfect Ball Striking! ⛳️ #scratchgolfacademy #golfskill #golfgear by Scratch Golf Academy. Place an alignment stick or driver opposite your lead shoe to keep your head from drifting forward during the swing.

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