Why do I thin my irons?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 17, 2026
Generally speaking, a thin or fat shot is caused by having your swing center too far behind the ball at impact. This error causes your club to bottom out too far behind the ball and will cause you to hit the ground first (a fat shot) or hit the top of the ball (a thin shot).
Why do I keep thinning my irons?
If you're thinning your irons the most likely cause of this will be that you're not hitting down on the ball. You may also be trying to scoop the ball or keeping your weight backwards. What I want you to do is bring your weight shift forward into the strike.
How do I stop hitting the thin shots in golf?
This move leads to your shoulders rising which lifts the arc of the swing and the clubface catches the ball on the equator. So, to rid yourself of this, set a strong, athletic posture at address and then aim to keep the angle of your pelvis through impact - this is an essential element in how to swing a golf club.
Why do I skull my wedges?
Skulling the ball often results from a golfer lifting up just before impact - raising his hands, or raising the upper body which in turn lifts the hands. And that can be caused by a feeling of trying to help the ball get into the air - a sense that you need to "scoop" the ball up to get it airborne.
How do you avoid blading chip shots?
“A lot of people don't put enough weight on their front foot, and stand too far from the ball,” says Rose. When you're addressing a shot inside 30 yards, Rose says to stand a little closer than usual, grip down, put the ball in the middle of your stance, and keep most of your weight on your front foot.
15 related questions foundWhy am I hitting the ground first with my irons?
Instead of keeping their upper body over the ball (where the sternum is directly above the ball at impact), they lean back through the contact. This causes the sternum to move away from the target and the lowest point in the swing arc moves back too - causing the player to strike the ground before the ball.
Why do I hit behind the ball with my irons?
A common problem is to whip the club inside on the takeaway and over rotate the hips. When this happens the backswing becomes flat and inside and it's very easy to hit behind the ball. To avoid this, feel as though the hands, arms, and club move away as one piece during the takeaway.
Why do I hit the ground before my golf ball?
When a player hits the ground before the ball it is generally because their club is attacking the ball from too shallow an angle. Golf coaches refer to this as the "Angle of Approach".
Why do I top my irons?
Typically, a ball is topped because the club has not gone far enough down towards the ball or you catch the ball on the way up, instead of at the bottom point. A lot of things can cause this to happen: A club that's too short. An awkward stance.
How do you hit the ball first with irons?
Move your right foot back as you start a short backswing. Move your left foot back and touch the right finishing your short backswing. Move your left forward towards the target. As your left foot moves forward, commence your downswing and try to hit the ground right where your iron was at set up just in front of the ...
What causes thin shots in golf?
Golfers who hit a lot of thin shots tend to swing the club too steeply into the ball. That's because they slide past the ball on the downswing and have to force the club down to make contact. When they slide too far, they catch only the top half of the ball, hitting it thin.
Do you look at the front or back of the golf ball?
THINK AHEAD: KEEP YOUR FOCUS IN FRONT OF THE BALL
Telling golfers to keep their heads down and watch the ball has been a staple of bad advice since the game was played with wooden clubs and goose-feather balls. Trying to keep your eye on the ball pretty much ensures that your club will bottom out too soon.
How do you hit irons pure every time?
Start back with your arms: Achieving a sound position at the top is critical to hitting pure irons tips. But you can't achieve a solid top position without executing a proper backswing. If your backswing is off, your top position will be off. If your top position is off, your downswing will be off.
Should you hover your irons?
Soling the club in such a lie can set off a chain reaction which could move the ball, incurring a penalty. By hovering the club, you not only eliminate that risk, you reduce the tendency to snag the clubface in the grass, both on the takeaway and on the way down to the ball.
Why am I thinning my pitch shots?
Interestingly enough, the skulled, or thin pitch shot over the green is just as common and is caused by the same reasons. Both of these shots are caused by the player trying to scoop the ball up in the air with the right hand and clubhead.
Why do I hit behind the ball when chipping?
If the leading edge of the club hits just behind the ball it will dig and shot will be chucked. A better way is to feel the bottom of the club thumping the ground. The goal is avoid taking a divot. If you do this and start feeling the ground your margin for error will be much higher.
What causes skulled chip shots?
When people skull their chips, it's from the breaking down of the left wrist, which causes the club head to beat your hands at impact, which causes you to hit the ball on the upswing.
Why do I thin my wedges?
Generally speaking, a thin or fat shot is caused by having your swing center too far behind the ball at impact. This error causes your club to bottom out too far behind the ball and will cause you to hit the ground first (a fat shot) or hit the top of the ball (a thin shot).
What does skulled mean in golf?
It's important to understand that the thin, or skulled shot, is caused by the club traveling on the upward side of the swing arc before it hits the golf ball. Basically, the club is traveling upward and not downward before hitting the golf ball. There are two common swing mistakes that cause this to happen.
Why can't I consistently hit a golf ball?
One of the most common mistake"s golfers makes is swaying or "moving-off" the ball during the swing. Moving the body sideways or up-and-down is detrimental to hitting the golf ball consistently.