The Dreaded Chunk Shot!
Updated: Nov 27, 2018
One of the most demoralizing, confidence sapping shots a golfer can hit is the dreaded chunk! Or fat! Or heavy shot! Whatever name it goes by, this unfortunate experience will deplete any measure of confidence you might have had. Please know that all of the points mentioned below apply wholly to the full swing.
I find that while there are many reasons as to why a golfer might be contacting the ground before the club gets to the ball the following Three points are certainly the lead candidates....
Cause #1
Dropping the right shoulder/head on the downswing i would say is the #1 cause for a chunk shot.
This a very common move that most people don't even realize they are doing but can cause some pretty big problems.
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Cause #2
Having too much weight on the back leg.
This is specifically talking about where the weight is on the downswing. When taking the backswing your weight is supposed to be loaded on the right side. The important thing here is that it cannot stay there. During the downswing you have got to make sure that weight returns to the front leg, otherwise the club with bottom out too early.
Cause #3
Casting the club in the downswing.
This is when the club face get's in front of the hands at impact, something that can result in very inconsistent contact and weak shots. At the top of the backswing you should notice your left arm and club should make an "L" shape. This angle is something you have to be able to hold on the downswing in order to have to hands return to the right position at impact.
My favorite drill to correct those divots
Two tee drill
Throw down two tees ensuring that they are correctly in line with your ball and stance.
This is what your divot should look like after contacting the ball. As you can see the divot starts right on line with the tees (where the ball was sitting) and moves forward. For those of you that are chunking the ball you would see that divot starting much farther back before the line. Keep those shoulders a bit more level, make sure you shift weight to the front leg and keep that "L" angle and you will see much more consistent contact. Try this drill out at your local club to see instant results!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hope you can implement this in your daily practice routine and get your game on a better track for success!