Mastering Consistency, How to prevent hitting behind the ball!

Hitting behind the ball?

Are you struggling with consistently hitting behind the ball in your golf swing? It’s a common issue that can be frustrating to deal with. In today's blog, we share a quick guide that will break down some tips and techniques to help you improve your contact and ball-striking abilities. 

 

Identifying the problem

Golf instructor Angel Martinez helps Miram tackle this issue head-on. Miram, like many golfers, finds herself hitting behind the ball with her irons, leading to inconsistent shots and frustration on the course. 

Angel begins by analyzing Miram’s swing, noting common issues such as falling back during the swing and early extension of the right arm. These tendencies can cause the club to hit the ground behind the ball, resulting in bad shots. 

He also notes that Miram's head is swaying to the right and stays in that position during the swing. This causes the head to stay in a downward position, another cause in hitting behind the ball. 

 

 

The towel drill

To address this problem, Angel introduces a simple yet effective drill using a towel. By placing the towel just behind the ball and focusing on not hitting it during the swing, golfers can train themselves to strike the ball first, improving contact and ball flight.

To setup the towel for this drill, fold the towel, and place behind the golf ball. Measure about a club and a half (just the head of the club), in front of the towel and set the ball. 

 

 

Key takeaways and practice routine

Key Takeaways

1. Maintain Proper Posture: Angel emphasizes the importance of maintaining good posture throughout the swing by leaning a little bit towards your left hand side to create pressure and avoid excessive swaying or movement that can lead to mis-hits. 

2. Weight Shift and Arm Position: By shifting weight onto the front foot and maintaining a slight bend in the right arm (for right-handed golfers), golfers can better control their impact position and avoid hitting behind the ball.

3. Practice with Purpose: Incorporating the towel drill into your practice routine can yield significant improvements. Start with shorter clubs like wedges to focus on precision before gradually applying the technique to longer clubs.

Your Practice Routine

• Lay a towel down about a club and a half-length behind the ball.
• Focus on keeping your head steady and centered throughout the swing.
• Shift weight onto your front foot and maintain a slight bend in the right arm (for right-handed golfers).
• Practice hitting punch shots with a sand wedge or gap wedge, ensuring you strike the ball cleanly without hitting the towel.

 

Conclusion

Improving your golf swing takes practice and patience. By incorporating drills like the towel drill and focusing on key fundamentals, you can overcome the challenge of hitting behind the ball and enjoy more consistent and satisfying shots on the course.