Of the 3 death moves, this is the one hardly anyone talks about… And it may cost more shots than
PGA instructor James Ridyard identifies 'lining the club up too soon' as a critical short game error that causes fat shots and poor distance control. He demonstrates a technique to delay the clubhead and lead with the hands to achieve a sharper strike and flatter flight. This approach helps golfers gain better control over their trajectory and strike consistency.
Lining the club up too early (getting 'wide' too soon) leads to fat shots and excessive loft.
To fix this, focus on returning the hands to the ball's position while keeping the clubhead delayed by a couple of feet.
A hands-first impact creates a sharper strike and a lower, more controlled ball flight.
Correcting this 'death move' improves both distance control and clubface closure stability.
Go deeper
Fat contact — Causes, drills and coaches for this miss