Hitting Turf Before Ball

[Jjmorris]

Here's the dealio:

Golfed Saturday and hit a 103 (personal best). Had a birdie, 2 par's, quite a few bogies, and a few REALLY bad holes. It was a great day for me though as I really started putting the pieces together.

Tonight I went to the range just to hit a few ball and try to get my distance figure out better but EVERY ball i hit (used 60*, 6i, and 3h) I was hitting turf first and flinging sod 15 yards.. ball would barely go. I am hoping I was just forgetting something fundamental and simple but I can't place what It was..

I will post some swings i did a few days ago when I get the editing software to work

Thanks!

[Hawk]

For me, the fatties are all about weight shift. Getting my weight to my back foot on the backswing and to my front foot on the downswing. Can't say that it's the source of your fatties, but that was my experience.

Edit to say: you may hear ball position is the problem, but my experience also showed me that wasn't the case.

[Jjmorris]

Thanks Hawk. I am pretty sure ball position is not the case because I could feel myself doing it without a ball, I could tell it was fat because I was digging, not on the follow through.

I was trying weight shift but when I tried to shift my weight to my front font on the downswing, I noticed it was worse.. maybe I was trying to shift it too fast?

[Custom Method]

Make sure when you shift your weight your not leaning in on the ball. That is one of my problems that leads to poor contact and a low trajectory.

[Hawk]

Thanks Hawk. I am pretty sure ball position is not the case because I could feel myself doing it without a ball, I could tell it was fat because I was digging, not on the follow through.

I was trying weight shift but when I tried to shift my weight to my front font on the downswing, I noticed it was worse.. maybe I was trying to shift it too fast?

Honestly, I have no clue lol. The best advice I could give you would be to get a lesson. It will probably be the best $50 you spend on golf this year. I thought I was getting my weight back on my right foot, but it turned out I wasn't even close. Self diagnosis is a good way to prolong your problems.

[Jjmorris]

Make sure when you shift your weight your not leaning in on the ball. That is one of my problems that leads to poor contact and a low trajectory.

Could be, I will try to see how I shift it, this could very well be something I am doing

Honestly, I have no clue lol. The best advice I could give you would be to get a lesson. It will probably be the best $50 you spend on golf this year. I thought I was getting my weight back on my right foot, but it turned out I wasn't even close. Self diagnosis is a good way to prolong your problems.

Thanks, I am looking into lessons right now!

[Hawk]

Seriously, just do it. It's the one thing you'll wonder why the hell you didn't do before. It's actually really fun too, because you'll see some very fast improvement, especially at the level you are right now.

[oiler3535]

Hawk is right on the lesson part, but I will say I discovered via video evidence that I was hitting well behind the ball because I was casting the club way before contact. If I ever do it anymore, I take a few practice swings where I set up, and before any movement back I fully cock my wrists, then take a full swing. I believe it's a Faldo drill. When it was really bad I added in some stepped downswings where I don't uncock my wrists at all until the very bottom. Solved my problem literally in 2 range sessions.

[CapC]

This is my miss...

I found it is normally due to casting in my case. This might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORwru01wfBw&feature=related

If you are hitting it really fat you may have been sweeping more than normal in your swing.

[Jjmorris]

Seriously, just do it. It's the one thing you'll wonder why the hell you didn't do before. It's actually really fun too, because you'll see some very fast improvement, especially at the level you are right now.

Wednesday 5:45 it is! Hopefully this lesson helps :)

Hawk is right on the lesson part, but I will say I discovered via video evidence that I was hitting well behind the ball because I was casting the club way before contact. If I ever do it anymore, I take a few practice swings where I set up, and before any movement back I fully cock my wrists, then take a full swing. I believe it's a Faldo drill. When it was really bad I added in some stepped downswings where I don't uncock my wrists at all until the very bottom. Solved my problem literally in 2 range sessions.

Will try that tomorrow and see if it helps, thanks Oiler

This is my miss...

I found it is normally due to casting in my case. This might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORwru...eature=related

i see some tips in that video that I will apply as well! (minus the bat and cardboard tube :])

[Rweltzin]

I tend to do this when my weight is not on the balls of my feet. Its an old bad habit that shows up when i get lazy during my pre shot routine, and it causes me to sweep.

[SW]

Hawk is right on the lesson part, but I will say I discovered via video evidence that I was hitting well behind the ball because I was casting the club way before contact. If I ever do it anymore, I take a few practice swings where I set up, and before any movement back I fully cock my wrists, then take a full swing. I believe it's a Faldo drill. When it was really bad I added in some stepped downswings where I don't uncock my wrists at all until the very bottom. Solved my problem literally in 2 range sessions.

Love that drill. I should probably do it more often. I hate fatties, well on the course anyway.

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Tapatalk2

[Damaikis]

I still hit fat shots sometimes. I hate it. I'm working on holding my angle for as long as possible to maximize distance, but sometimes I hold it for too long and nearly break my wrist because I slam the club into the ground behind the ball. So maybe that's your problem too.

[h0ss66]

Actively trying to hold your wrist set on the downswing will cause the fats, I used to do this and I didn't improve for months. Artificially trying to create lag just won't work. Now I think "dead hands" in my back swing and I can hit the ball clean 90% of the time. I don't try to cock my wrists int he back swing, I just let the momentum of the club do it for me. Has helped me 100%, literally went from shooting in the 100s to carding an 86 in a two day span.

To the OP, think "dead hands" but also check your shoulder turn on the downswing, you may be tilting them vertically (i.e. left shoulder up, right shoulder down in an uppercutting fashion) instead of turning around your spine.

[McRock]

I find most fat shots for are the result of shoulders. I personally refer to it as 'dropping my right shoulder.' (Note, I'm right handed). Others talk about the relationship between the shoulders and spine angle. Sometimes, I just take a deep breath, and let my muscles, body and hands relax before starting the swing.

~Rock