Fault Fixing: Thin Shots

1. The Cause
o Any shot where the club strikes above the equator of the golf ball is described as a
thin shot.

o This shot can be caused by several factors, which include a lack of understanding
about how the ball should be struck, mistakes with your address position or even too
much tension throughout the swing.

o I would always encourage you to take a divot with your mid to short irons. Taking
divots (that start at or just after the ball) is a sure sign of great ball striking. If you
struggle to take a proper divot the chances are it will come down to the same faults
that cause you to thin the ball.

2. Standing / Lifting Up During The Swing

o One of the main causes of thinning the golf ball is standing up during the backswing
and / or downswing. Even a slight straightening at the hips can cause you to thin
the ball so it’s really important that you maintain your posture throughout the swing.

o A great indicator of whether this is happening during the backswing is to hold a club
horizontally across your shoulders with the handle pointing towards the target.

o Make your backswing and see where the grip now points to. If you have maintained
your correct posture, the handle should point directly to the ball as you complete
your 90 degree shoulder rotation.

o Lifting your chest during the downswing is one of the biggest causes of topping or
thinning the golf ball. People often confuse this with lifting the head, but in reality
lifting the chest should be of much greater concern to you.

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o As you make a series of practice swings, feel how keeping your chest down and
maintaining your posture from address will help you scuff the ground and start to
take a divot. Apply this feeling when you swing at full speed and see how your
strikes can improve.

Chest stays down. Chest has lifted.

3. Bending the Arms

o During your address position you should notice how your left or front arm is straight
out and reaching for the ball.

o Maintaining that same positioning impact is absolutely crucial to striking the ball
correctly. Any amount of lifting or bending of that left arm will greatly reduce your
chance of hitting the ball correctly (picture 2).

o Start by making some smooth slow practice swings, only taking the club to chest
height on your follow through. At this height, ensure that both arms remain straight
(pictures 4 & 5).

o Repeat this exercise until it feels natural to maintain that straight arm follow position,
and then start clipping the ball from a tee peg without any real power, again checking
your follow through arm position. Gradually, as you gain more confidence, increase
your power but always maintaining straight arms past chest height.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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4. Anti-Thin Drill

o I’ve only included one drill to help you stop thinning the
ball. In my experience when you master this drill, you’ll
cut thins (and fat shots) out of your game. It’s an
excellent exercise to get you hitting the bottom part of
the ball, creating a clean, crisp strike every time.

o Place a ball one inch in front of your front foot; it may

help if you tee the ball up to start with. Having the ball
further forward than you would normally place it with
your driver may initially feel very awkward, but stick
with it.

o Now go ahead and sweep the ball off the tee and into
the air with a nice smooth swing. Really focus on your
body weight and how it should move aggressively to
the left in your downswing.

o Shifting your hips to the left before impact will mean

that when the club strikes the ground it will no longer
be behind the ball. This should start to give you more
confidence that striking the ground and taking a divot is
a very positive part of hitting great golf shots.

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