Hitting the turf before hitting the ball is not only a concern in the full swing, it is a problem in the short game as well. Okay – so it isn’t really a problem when putting, or at least it shouldn’t be. Unless you have major problems with your putting technique, you should be able to roll the ball toward the hole without hitting your putts fat. Chip shots and pitch shots, on the other hand, are a whole different story.

It could be argued that amateur golfers have more trouble hitting chips and pitches fat than they do full swings. The problem usually has a lot to do with concern about hitting the ball too far. When the average golfer swings a wedge for a chip shot, he or she is often nervous about getting the distance just right. A swing which is too careful will leave the ball short, and a swing which is too aggressive will send the ball too far. Often, this concern leads the player to decelerate the club right before impact, which creates a fat shot. If you lose the speed of your swing before you make contact, the club is very likely to bottom out before you can strike the ball.

The key to avoiding fat shots in the short game is confidence. You have to believe in yourself enough to think that you are making a quality move through the ball. If you are constantly doubting your ability to hit the ball the right distance, you are inevitably going to decelerate on some of your shots – and those shots will be hit fat as a result. The cure for a lack of confidence is, of course, practice. By spending more time working on your short game, you will build up belief in yourself. Then, when you get out onto the course and are facing a difficult chip shot, you won’t have to fight off those doubts in the back of your mind. You can simply play the shot to the best of your ability, strike the ball cleanly, and hope for a good result.

Striking the turf prior to the ball is an extremely frustrating mistake. For one thing, you will instantly know that the ball is going to come up short of the target. You won’t even need to look up – you’ll just know from the way the shot feels coming off the club. Also, fat shots tend to be particularly damaging to your score card, since many hazards are placed to catch approach shots that come up short. Without a doubt, you need to what you can to take this annoying fault out of your game. We hope the advice provided in this article has been helpful. Good luck!