Towel Contact Drill
Fix fat (chunked) iron shots by training a low point that arrives at the ball, then the ground — ball first, turf second. Crisp ball-first contact is the difference between a flushed iron and a heavy shot that comes up 20 yards short.
Setup
Lay a folded towel on the ground about four to six inches behind your ball, on the target side of nothing — just behind where the ball sits. Use a mid-iron and tee the first few balls slightly if you're new to it, then move to the turf.
Step by step
- Set up with the ball just ahead of center, weight slightly favoring your lead foot, hands a touch ahead of the ball.
- Make your normal swing with the goal of striking the ball without your club touching the towel behind it.
- If you hit the towel first, your low point is behind the ball — you're hanging back or trying to lift it. Shift a bit more weight to your lead side through impact.
- Feel like your chest and your hands cover the ball at impact, then take a shallow divot in front of where the ball was.
- Build up to making solid contact ten times in a row without clipping the towel.
Reps / time
10 ball-first strikes without touching the towel, with short rest breaks. About 12–15 minutes.
Coaching cue
Common mistake: trying to 'help' the ball into the air by hanging back on the trail foot and flipping the hands, which moves the low point behind the ball and causes fat or thin shots. Instead, trust the loft, keep your weight moving toward the target through impact, and let the divot happen after the ball. Low point in front of the ball equals pure contact.
A beginner refresher only — not professional instruction. Make sure you have clear space behind and around you before swinging.