How to Stop Hitting Thin Golf Shots
Thin golf shots are every golfer’s nightmare!
That awful feeling when you make contact and know instantly it will be a low, weak dribbler.
Unlike thin shots, fat shots occur when the club makes contact with the ground behind the ball, resulting in much shorter distances.
But don’t worry. You’re not alone.
Thin shots plague golfers of all skill levels, and thankfully, they are fixable.
In this article, we’ll explore the common causes of thin shots and provide you with practical tips and drills to help you eliminate them from your game.
Get ready to say goodbye to those frustrating thin shots and hello to more consistent, powerful ball striking!
Understanding Thin Golf Shots
A thin golf shot is a type of golf shot where the ball is struck too low on the club face, below the sweet spot of the golf club.
This results in a shot that flies lower, lacks distance, and has unpredictable trajectories and curves.
Thin shots are often characterized by a lack of compression, and the club tends not to come into contact with the ground, creating an uncomfortable stinging sensation in the hands.
When you hit a thin golf shot, the ball typically skims along the ground rather than taking off with a proper trajectory. This can be particularly frustrating when you’re trying to hit a precise iron shot or approach the green.
The lack of height and spin makes it difficult to control the ball, often leading to missed targets and higher scores.
Understanding what a thin golf shot is and why it happens is the first step in fixing it.
By recognizing the symptoms and causes, you can start to make the necessary adjustments to your swing and set up to achieve more consistent, solid contact.
Causes of Thin Golf Shots
Golf swing mechanics are crucial in hitting shots thin, a common frustration for many golfers. They happen when you contact the ball too high on the clubface, resulting in low, weak shots that don’t travel very far.
Let’s explore some of the main reasons why you might be hitting it thin:
Swing Errors
1. Swing Arc and Angle of Attack
Your swing arc is the path the clubhead travels on during your swing. Ideally, you want a slightly downward angle of attack into the ball to compress it properly.
Improper contact with the leading edge can result in thin shots, causing undesirable ball flight and feel.
If your swing is too flat or you’re trying to help the ball up into the air by scooping it, you’re more likely to catch it thin.
2. Weight Distribution and Shift
As you swing, your weight should shift smoothly from your back foot to your front foot. If you hang back on your back foot during the downswing, you’ll tend to hit the ball thin.
A good lead leg weight shift helps you hit down on the ball, which leads to better compression and more solid shots.
3. Chicken Wing
This is when your lead elbow bends excessively and points outward through impact. It causes the clubface to open up, and that often leads to thin, off-center hits.
Address and Setup Position Errors
Thin shots happen when you hit the ball too low on the clubface.
Setup errors can lead to hitting golf balls thin, which occurs when the club strikes the ball below its equator, resulting in a lower trajectory and less desirable shot feel.
Here are some setup mistakes that cause those dreaded thin shots:
Shoulder Alignment
Your shoulders should be aligned parallel to your target line. If your shoulders are open or closed, it can throw off your swing path and lead to thin shots.
Ball Position
For most irons, the ball should be positioned just forward of center in your stance. If the ball is too far forward, you might hit it thin.
Stance and Weight Distribution
Your stance should be about shoulder-width apart for iron shots. Keep your weight balanced evenly on both feet.
Shaft Lean and Posture
At address, your shaft should have a slight forward lean, with your hands a bit ahead of the ball. This helps you hit the ball first, then the ground. Maintain good posture with a slight knee bend and a straight back.
Common Faults During the Swing
Even with a good setup, swing errors can creep in:
Pelvis Movement: Your pelvis should rotate smoothly during the swing. Don’t restrict its movement or sway too much.
Knee Bend: Keep a consistent knee bend throughout your swing. Avoid straightening your legs or bobbing up and down.
Swing Arc: Try to keep your swing arc smooth and on the plane. Avoid dipping your shoulder or lifting your arms during the downswing.
Swing faults can also lead to hitting golf shots thin, which occurs when the ball is struck lower on the clubface. Proper technique and compression are crucial to avoid this common issue.
Pay close attention to your setup and swing, and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit to find what works best for you. With practice, you’ll be hitting crisp iron shots in no time.
Swing Errors Leading to Thin Shots
Thin shots are often caused by swing errors made during the downswing. Hitting thin iron shots can be caused by common swing errors such as improper weight shift or losing spine angle.
Here are a few common culprits:
Standing Up
One of the most frequent mistakes is “standing up” at impact. This means that as you swing down, you straighten your legs and raise your upper body.
This changes the angle of attack and causes you to hit the ball higher on the clubface, resulting in a thin shot.
Swaying
Swaying is another common error where your body moves laterally instead of rotating. This can cause you to lose your balance and make inconsistent contact with the ball, often leading to thin shots.
Reverse Pivot
A reverse pivot occurs when you shift your weight to your front foot at the top of the backswing and then back to your back foot on the downswing.
This disrupts the proper sequence of motion and can cause various problems, including thin shots.
Flipping the Club
Flipping the club happens when you try to scoop the ball into the air by using your wrists instead of maintaining your spine angle and letting the clubhead release naturally.
This can lead to inconsistent contact and thin shots.
Maintaining Spine Angle
Maintaining a consistent spine angle throughout your swing is crucial for solid contact. If you lose your spine angle during the downswing, it can alter your swing path and lead to thin shots.
By being aware of these common swing errors and focusing on maintaining a consistent spine angle, proper weight shift, and a smooth swing plane, you can reduce the occurrence of thin shots and improve your ball striking.
Creating Lag for Better Contact
Lag refers to the angle created between the club shaft and your lead arm during the downswing. Creating and maintaining lag helps you generate clubhead speed and hit the ball with more power and accuracy.
It also promotes a downward angle of attack, which is essential for solid contact and avoiding thin shots.
By creating lag, you can prevent hitting a ‘shot thin,’ which is a common issue among amateur golfers.
Thin vs. Skulled Shots
While both are undesirable, thin shots and skulled shots are different:
Thin shots: These occur when you hit the ball too high on the clubface, resulting in a low, weak shot.
Skulled shots: These happen when you hit the ball with the very bottom of the clubface, often leading to a shot that flies low and fast with little spin.
Drills for Creating Lag
Here are a couple of simple drills to help you feel and develop lag in your swing:
Towel Drill: Place a small towel under your lead armpit and make swings while keeping the towel in place. This helps you maintain the connection between your arms and body, promoting lag.
Impact Bag Drill: Use an impact bag to practice hitting down on the ball and feeling the proper release of the clubhead. This helps you develop a feel for compressing the ball and creating lag.
By incorporating these drills into your practice routine, you can improve your lag, hit the ball more solidly, and avoid those frustrating thin and skulled shots.
Stance and Posture: The Foundation for Avoiding Thin Shots
In golf, your stance and posture are the bedrock of a consistent swing. If your setup is flawed, it can easily disrupt your swing and lead to those frustrating thin shots.
Proper stance and posture can help avoid thin iron shots, where the ball is struck with the leading edge of the club rather than the sweet spot.
Let’s break down how to establish a solid foundation:
Shoulder Alignment and Tilt
First, ensure your shoulders are aligned parallel to your target line, not open or closed.
Visualize a line connecting your left shoulder to your right shoulder (for right-handed golfers) and ensure it’s pointing directly at your target.
Additionally, maintain a slight shoulder tilt, with your front shoulder positioned a bit lower than your back shoulder. This tilt promotes a more downward angle of attack, which is crucial for solid contact.
Stance Width
The width of your stance should adjust based on the club you’re using.
For shorter clubs like wedges, adopt a narrower stance. As you progress to longer clubs like fairway woods and driver, gradually widen your stance.
This adjustment helps you maintain balance and generate power throughout your swing.
Maintaining Posture
Think of your spine angle as the anchor of your swing. Keeping a consistent spine angle from start to finish is vital for achieving clean contact.
Avoid the common pitfalls of straightening up or hunching over during your swing. A helpful visualization is to imagine your chest maintaining the same distance from the ball throughout the entire swing motion.
By diligently focusing on these key elements of stance and posture, you lay the groundwork for better contact and banish those thin shots that haunt many golfers.
Weight Transfer and Balance for Solid Contact
Many amateur golfers struggle with hitting the ball thin, and often the culprit is poor weight transfer during the swing. Proper weight transfer is essential for achieving solid contact and consistent ball striking.
Importance of Weight Transfer
Think of your weight transfer as a pendulum motion. As you swing back, your weight naturally shifts to your back leg.
During the downswing, your weight should smoothly transition to your lead leg. This shift helps you generate power and hit down on the ball, creating a clean, crisp contact.
Training Aids for Weight Transfer
If you’re having trouble feeling the correct weight transfer, training aids can be helpful.
A pressure plate, for example, can provide instant feedback on your weight distribution throughout your swing.
By practicing with a pressure plate, you can develop a better sense of how your weight should move during the swing.
Common Weight Transfer Errors
Hanging Back: One common mistake is hanging back on your back leg during the downswing. This causes you to hit up on the ball, leading to thin shots and loss of power.
Reverse Pivot: A reverse pivot occurs when your weight shifts to your front foot at the top of the backswing and then back to your back foot on the downswing. This disrupts the natural flow of the swing and can cause a variety of issues, including thin shots.
Focusing on proper weight transfer and using training aids to improve balance and feel can significantly improve ball striking and help you achieve more consistent results on the course.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a thin shot in golf?
A thin shot occurs when the club strikes too high on the golf ball, often near the equator.
This causes a low, skimming trajectory with little backspin, typically reducing height, distance, and control, making it difficult to hold greens or achieve consistent ball flight.
How to stop thinning iron shots?
To stop thinning iron shots, focus on proper ball position, weight shift, and posture. Keep your chest over the ball, ensure a downward strike, and avoid lifting during the swing.
Practicing a slight forward shaft lean and maintaining knee flex through impact can also promote cleaner, more solid contact.
What causes thin wedge shots?
Thin wedge shots are caused by improper weight distribution, early extension, or scooping at impact. Lifting the body too soon or failing to strike with a descending blow leads to inconsistent contact.
To prevent thinning wedge shots, ensure a steady posture, proper ball position, and crisp, downward ball-first contact.
Why do I thin my chip shots?
Thinning chip shots usually result from flipping the wrists, poor weight distribution, or improper ball position.
Keeping hands ahead of the ball, maintaining a steady weight on the lead foot, and using a firm wrist angle through impact ensures clean, controlled chips with the proper loft and spin for consistent results.