Irons · Drill
Use a Line to Stop Fat Shots
Part of our irons programs for fat or chunked, weak contact. Build a program with it
A fat shot means your swing bottoms out behind the ball. You need to move that low point forward. Get your weight onto your lead side earlier. Keep your arms extended. A line on the ground shows you exactly where the club hits. Mark one with spray paint or a tee. Put the ball just past it. Swing and see where your divot starts. If it starts behind the line, shift forward more.
The drill
- Mark a line on the turf.
- Set the ball just past the line.
- Swing and check where the divot starts.
- If it's behind the line, shift forward sooner.
- Repeat until divots start at or after the line.
Why it works
A fat shot happens when the lowest point of your swing arc is behind the ball. The club hits the ground first and loses speed before it reaches the ball. When your weight is on your lead side at impact and your arms stay extended, the low point moves forward to the ball or just past it. The line gives you a fixed spot to measure that against, so you get clear feedback on every swing.
Common mistakes
- You hang back on your trail foot and lean away from the target at impact.Feel your weight move to your lead foot during the downswing so your chest ends up over or ahead of the ball.
- You let your arms fold or pull in, which lifts or drops the club before impact.Keep your arms extended through the strike so the club reaches the turf in front of the ball.
- You place the ball on the line instead of just past it.Set the ball just past the line so a divot that starts at or after the line means you hit the ball first.
How you'll know it's working
- Your divots start at the line or just past it, not behind it.
- The ball is struck first, with a crisp feel and no heavy thud through the grip.
- The ball starts on your intended line and travels farther than your fat shots did.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use a short iron and a smooth, half-length swing so you can focus on shifting forward and see the divot clearly.
Harder: Hit with a longer iron or a full swing, or hit shots in a row without checking the divot until you finish the set.
Common questions
Why do I keep hitting the ground before the ball with my irons?
Your swing is bottoming out behind the ball. This is usually caused by weight staying on your trail side or your arms losing extension before impact.
How do I know where my divot should start?
For a right-hander, the divot should start at the ball or just in front of it, toward the target. A divot that starts behind the ball means you hit the ground first.
