The Cause and Cure for Golf's Double Hit

Have you ever hit the ball twice or double-hit from the rough? The double hits can occur from the rough, bunkers or fairways. But most of the time, it occurs from the rough. According to the rule, if you strike the ball twice or more, you must count the stroke and add one stroke penalty.

You may think double hits are amateurs' mistake, but it can happen to top tour pros as well. On this page, I'll explain what is causing double hits and how you can cure it.

What's Causing it?

The double hits can occur from the rough more often than anywhere else on the golf course. The direct cause of it is the clubhead catching up with the ball after impact.

Here are the reasons why this happens.

1. Hitting under the ball. If this happens, the ball will go higher than normal, and the clubhead has a chance to catch up withe ball.
2. Catching lots of grass between the ball and the clubface. In this case, the grass will act like a cushion and absord some of the impact shock. The ball will leave the clubface much slower than normal after impact. If this happens, the clubhead has a chance to catch up with the ball after hitting the ball.
3. Hitting against the grain. When hitting the chip shot against the grain, the clubface tends to open and cause a double hit.
4. Trying to scoop the ball. If you try to scoop or try to hit up on the ball in order to get the ball airborne, you will likely to hit the ball twice.

How to Cure it

If you use a sand wedge and double hit the ball often, try using pitching wedge. The important point is not to scoop the ball. Feel like you are going to hit a bump and run. To do that, you want to put little more weight on your front foot at address. When you strike the ball, feel like you are hitting the ball with a descending blow. You want to make sure that you don't catch too much grass between the clubface and the ball. Hitting with a descending blow will help you do that.

 

Against the Grain

When hitting the chip shot against the grain (the grass is going in the opposite direction from the target), you tend to experience the double hit once in a while. Jack Nicklaus who won four U.S. Opens did so well the deep rough around the greens.

 

Here are Jack's keys hitting chip shot against the grain.

1. Close the face at address
2. Grip the club little more firmly

In this situation, you want to make sure you grip the club little more firmly because the clubface tends to open as it contacts the grass. Closing the clubface a little will help you not to open the clubface at impact as well. To avoid the double hit, you don't want to take a long follow through. Feel like you stop at impact and forget about taking your follow through.

 

Reference: http://www.golfsamurai.net/short-game/double-hits.htm