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Had a nightmare at the range last night - anyway Ive been 'trying' unsuccesfully to try to hit down into the ball and take a divot just after and trying to STOP hitting being the ball.  Had my son watching me last night and he says its at least 2 or 3 inches behind ball which of course is leading to horrible fat shots.

Ive been trying after seeing the video here with the piece of wood without a section cut out to stop hitting behind the ball - the guys a bit of a nutcase but the ideas good:-

You''ll see what I mean if you just jump it on until the bit with the piece of wood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6fmMzrs_zI

Its harder than I thought anyway, I keep trying but I just cannot seem to hit down into the back of the ball and last night literally felt like when I just started playing golf a few years ago. 

Until I tried this I didnt realise how far behind the ball I am hitting - I must somehow come down on a shallower plane and hit the board approx 3 inches before the ball.

Any ideas anyone please?   on possible causes of this? or drills for hitting into the ball.

I'm generally ok off the tee and also within 100/ 130 yards of the green with PW and 9 iron  I dont have any problems - it tends to be 7 6 and 5 iron I have most problem with.

I'll probably try again tonight and take my video camera.

thanks all for any tips

John

Simon

Your wrist hinge is probably straightening too quickly or your casting the club??

Are you bringing the club into the ball with your hands still behind it, do a video facing you at 90' and when you play it back in slow motion you should see where your hands and club is in relation to the ball.

Wayne

I'm fairly sure I'm not casting.  I try to retain the wrist hinge till just before impact and also trying to make sure that back of my left hand is flat and facing target at impact.

I recently tried to start moving my hips more in the downswing and maybe this could be causing a problem.

When i first did this it gave me quite a bit more distance but perhaps ive started using my hips too much and is causing me to hit behind the ball,  i'm not sure.

thanks

J

Well John....It sounds to me like you may be experiencing the problems I was having.

Mine was due to three factors.....Firstly I was coming down too steeply into the ball, the second was that I had the ball too far forward in my stance and finally I was trying to hit the ball too hard....All of these factors combined ruined my game for almost a year, to the point that I was seriously thinking of giving up.......Wayne knows the problems I was having, my scores in The Algarve this year proved it.

So the cure that worked for me...Position the ball more centrally in your stance...If you can hit your PW and 9 iron, then try having the ball in the same position you hit these irons.  You will need to alter this position as you become more confident. Take the club away on your back swing with a nice slow, low and wide rhythmical swing.  Make sure you keep watching the ball until after impact, your head will come up naturally as your arms move forward after you have hit the ball....Above all keep the swing smooth, don't try to leather it.

Hopefully this will help you out....It sorted me out the the point where I am hitting the ball beautifully at the moment 

Mine was due to three factors.....

David your comment is true on the basis of:

1) Your OLD.

2) You can't play.

3) You keep dozing off if it's after midday.

I had a feeling I would get that kind of reply from you Waynetta.

So how about you put your money where your mouth is.....

Just a thought..But as you are playing next year with the Welsh group and soppy Sobey. How about we have a match between your lot and the Golfshake group?

I had this problem a lot I then discovered that it was because my weight was on my heels or the flats of my feet. As soon as I started to lean forward a touch and put the weight on the balls of my feet, and concentrating on keeping my posture throughout It stopped happening.

Of course I still get fat shots every now and then.

I am not saying this is the cure to your fault, just that it was for mine.

Totally agree with TD.  If you hit 2-3 inches behind the ball, move the ball back 2-3 inches. 

Other reasons could be lateral movement in your body when swinging, ie. moving right on the backswing and staying back. Or you may just not be upright enough at address, perhaps stooping slightly. Im talking from experience here as a small posture change helped m.

Your lower body may collapse slightly through the shot. Remember when youre trying to compress the ball nicely to still swing through where the ball is sitting and dont get caught up in trying to hit into the ball, which may subconsciously get your hands doing funny things. 

You need instructions that could help you

better click on this link

http://golfersmd.com/Health_Concerns/tabid/971/Default.aspx?id=2&getit=2
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I'm not as technically aware as Dave or Wayne but have picked up that you said it's ok with a 9 iron or PW.

that indicates soemthing diff in your swing, likely trying to hit a 5 iron too far and ball a bit too far forward.

video your pw swing and your 5 iron and see where they differ.

If it was every club then worry, if it's just some it's fixable!!