Fett
Fett is a shot in which the club strikes the ground before the ball and the ball therefore flies much too short.
Fett is the German word for the mishit known internationally as the fat shot. The club reaches its lowest point behind the ball, digs into the turf and loses a large part of its speed there. The ball receives only residual energy and falls far short of the target. This happens with all clubs, but especially with the irons, because they are designed to strike the ball before the lowest point. On the driving range the mistake is less noticeable, because the mats cushion the club and let it slide into the ball.
A typical example from the course: you are standing on the fairway, 100 metres from the green, and want to attack with the pitching wedge. The club bottoms out two centimetres behind the ball, a long divot comes out, and the ball plops into the bunker in front of the green after forty metres. A good starting position thus becomes a difficult bogey. Especially nasty is the fat shot from short grass around the green, where a few centimetres of ground contact are enough to stop the ball dead.
Typical causes are a lowest point drifting backwards, an upper body lowered at impact and the attempt to help the ball up. Tired legs at the end of the round also promote fat shots, because the stance becomes softer. Remedies are a firm stance, the ball slightly further back and the thought of striking the turf only after the ball. The counterpart is the thin, where the club misses the ground and strikes the ball thinly underneath.
FAQ
Why does my ball so often fly too short even though I swing fully through?
Then you are most likely striking the ball fat: the club digs into the ground before the ball and loses most of its speed there. Watch the divot — if it comes out behind instead of in front of the ball, the case is clear. On the range mat you often do not notice it, because the club is cushioned and slides into the ball all the same.
What helps against fat shots with the irons?
Place the ball slightly further back in your stance, shift your weight toward the target and remember to strike the turf only after the ball. A firm stance helps, because fat shots often come from a soft lower body or tired legs. If the problem persists, an hour with the pro is worthwhile, because fat and thin alternate in many players.
Is “fett” the same as a fat shot?
Yes, both terms describe exactly the same mishit — “fett” is simply the German word for it. The club reaches its lowest point behind the ball, and the ball receives only residual energy. Internationally you will almost always hear the English term fat shot on the course.