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Swing Fix · Ball Striking
How to Stop Hitting Behind
![Golf fat shot chunk divot behind ball close up]()
![Correct divot position after golf ball iron strike]()
![Golf ball position in stance for irons setup visual guide]()
![Golf weight transfer forward shift drill impact position]()
![Golfer at driving range practicing iron shots with alignment sticks]()
How to Stop Hitting Behind
the Golf Ball
Fat shots are the most destructive miss in iron play. One chunk can cost you a full stroke. Here are the 5 root causes and 4 proven drills to start making ball-first contact — every time.
Fat Shot Divot · img1
The dreaded chunk — the club hits the ground before the ball, killing distance and accuracy
There's no worse feeling in golf than watching your iron shot travel 30 yards instead of 150. You made a full swing, it felt solid-ish — but you hit the ground first, and the ball just dribbled forward. That's a fat shot, and it's one of the most common misses in the amateur game. The good news? Fat shots have clear, fixable causes. They're almost always a low-point problem: the bottom of your swing arc is landing behind the ball instead of just after it. Fix the low point, and the fat shots disappear. This guide shows you exactly how.
Part 01 · Understanding the Problem
The Low Point: Where Your Swing Bottoms Out
Every golf swing has a "low point" — the very bottom of the arc where the clubhead is closest to the ground. On a well-struck iron shot, the low point should be 2-4 inches after the ball. The club hits the ball first, then takes a shallow divot in front of where the ball was sitting. That's compression. That's how tour pros create those crisp, spinny iron shots.
On a fat shot, the low point is behind the ball. The club digs into the ground before it reaches the ball, absorbing energy that should be going into the shot. The result: a weak, short shot that goes nowhere near the target.
FAT SHOT
Low point is behind the ball. Club hits ground first, loses energy. Ball travels 30-50% of intended distance. Divot starts before the ball position.
PURE STRIKE
Low point is 2-4 inches after the ball. Club compresses ball first, divot is forward. Full distance, full spin, full control.
Correct Divot Position · img2
The divot should start after where the ball was sitting — this means you hit ball first, ground second
Part 02 · Root Causes
Why You're Hitting Behind the Ball
01
Poor Weight Transfer
The #1 cause. If your weight stays on your back foot through impact instead of shifting to your lead foot, the low point moves behind the ball. By impact, 70-80% of your weight should be on your front foot.
02
Ball Too Far Forward
When the ball is positioned too far forward in your stance (toward the lead foot), the club reaches the ground before it gets to the ball. For mid-irons, ball position should be center to just ahead of center.
03
Early Release (Casting)
Releasing the wrist angle too early in the downswing causes the clubhead to reach the ground prematurely. The hands should lead the clubhead into impact — not the other way around.
04
Swaying Off the Ball
Lateral movement (sway) during the backswing shifts the low point backward. If you move 2 inches off the ball in the backswing but only recover 1 inch on the downswing, you'll hit behind it.
05
Loss of Posture (Standing Up)
Rising out of your posture during the downswing changes the radius of your swing arc. This is often called "early extension" — the hips move toward the ball, the chest lifts, and the low point shifts unpredictably.
Ball Position Guide · img3
Ball position for irons: center of stance for short irons, one ball-width forward for mid-irons, two for long irons
The quick diagnostic: After your next range session, look at your divot pattern. If divots start behind your ball position, it's a low-point problem. If they start at or after the ball but are too deep, it's an angle-of-attack issue. Both are fixable.
Part 03 · The Fixes
4 Drills to Eliminate Fat Shots
Weight Transfer Drill · img4
Proper weight transfer — by impact, 70-80% of weight should be on the lead foot
Drill 1: The Towel Behind the Ball
- Fold a towel and place it 2 inches behind the golf ball on the ground.
- Hit shots with a 7-iron, focusing on hitting the ball without touching the towel.
- If you hit the towel, your low point is behind the ball — that's instant feedback.
- As you improve, move the towel closer (1 inch behind) to tighten your low-point control.
- Hit 30 balls. By the end, you'll naturally start shifting your weight forward to avoid the towel.
Drill 2: The Tee Peg Target
- Push a tee into the ground about 3 inches in front of where your ball sits.
- Ignore the ball. Your only goal is to hit the tee with your divot.
- This forces your low point forward, creating the ball-first, ground-second contact you need.
- Start with half swings, then build to full swings. The tee acts as your visual target.
- Tour pros like to say: "hit the spot in front of the ball, not the ball." This drill teaches that feel.
Drill 3: The Step Drill (Weight Transfer)
- Set up normally with a 7-iron. As you start your backswing, step your lead foot toward your trail foot.
- As you start the downswing, step your lead foot back to its original position and swing through.
- This forces you to transfer weight forward on the downswing — it's physically impossible to hang back.
- It feels awkward at first, but within 15-20 swings, you'll feel the correct weight transfer timing.
- Once the movement feels natural, make normal swings while trying to replicate that "step through" feeling.
Drill 4: The Line Drill (Low Point Control)
- Draw a line on the ground with chalk, a stick, or use the edge of a range mat.
- Without a ball, make 10 practice swings trying to brush the ground just after (target side of) the line.
- Check where your divot or scuff mark starts. It should be on the target side of the line every time.
- Once you can consistently brush the ground after the line, add a ball — placing it half a ball behind the line.
- This is the single most effective low-point drill. Many tour coaches use it as a daily warm-up.
“A perfect golf shot strikes the ball first and creates a divot after the ball. If your divot starts behind the ball, you have a low-point problem — and low-point problems are the most fixable issue in golf.”
Part 04 · Your 2-Week Fat Shot Elimination Plan
Week-by-Week Practice Schedule
WEEK 1
Low Point Focus. Every range session: 10 line drills (no ball) → 20 towel drills (7-iron) → 20 normal shots. Don't hit driver. Only irons. Focus 100% on ball-first contact.
WEEK 2
Add Difficulty. Start each session with 10 step drills. Then alternate: 5 tee-peg target shots, 5 normal shots. Introduce all irons (5-iron through PW). Play 9 holes mid-week — count how many greens you hit with ball-first contact.
Range Practice · img5
Structured practice with a purpose — every session should include at least one drill before hitting normal shots
The Fitting Room Perspective: If you're hitting fat shots consistently with well-fitted irons, it's a swing issue, not an equipment issue. But if you're playing irons with shafts that are too long for your height, or a lie angle that's too upright, equipment can make a borderline swing worse. A 15-minute lie angle check at any fitting studio can rule this out.
The Bottom Line
- Fat shots are a low-point problem: the bottom of your swing arc is behind the ball instead of after it.
- The #1 cause is poor weight transfer — weight staying on the back foot through impact.
- Ball position matters: for mid-irons, center to one ball-width forward. Too far forward = fat shots.
- Early release (casting) drops the clubhead into the ground before it reaches the ball.
- The Towel Drill and Line Drill give instant, binary feedback on your low point. Do them every range session.
- The Step Drill fixes weight transfer in 15-20 swings. It feels weird but works fast.
- Follow the 2-Week Plan: low-point drills in Week 1, add difficulty in Week 2, play 9 holes to test.
The Fitting Room Golf · www.thefittingroomgolf.com · @THEFITTINGROOMGOLF