Finding the Sweet Spot: How to Cure Heel and Toe Strikes

A shot struck on the "sweet spot" feels effortless and solid. A shot struck on the heel or toe feels jarring, dull, and weak. The club can twist in your hands, and the ball just doesn't have the same energy.

Inconsistent strike location is a sign of a lack of balance or an inability to maintain the same posture and distance from the ball throughout the swing. Let's break down the causes for each miss.

The Causes of Heel Strikes

Hitting the ball on the heel (the part of the face closer to the shaft) means that at impact, the clubhead is further away from your body than it was at address. This often leads to the dreaded shank if you get too far out on the hosel.

• Early Extension: The number one cause. When your hips and pelvis move towards the golf ball in the downswing, it pushes your hands and the club out and away from you. The clubhead's centre moves forward, lining the heel up with the ball.
• Weight Moving to Your Toes: If you start with your weight too far on your toes, or if your momentum carries you onto your toes during the swing, your entire body will move closer to the ball, resulting in a heel strike.
• An Overly In-to-Out Path: Getting the club too "stuck" behind you can sometimes cause you to throw your arms and the clubhead out and away from your body in an effort to reach the ball, presenting the heel.

The Causes of Toe Strikes

Hitting it on the toe is the opposite problem. The clubhead is closer to your body at impact than it was at address.

• Losing Your Posture: If you lift your chest and pull your head up and away from the ball before impact, your arms will often pull in closer to your body. This shortens your swing radius and leads to a toe strike.
• Weight Falling to Your Heels: Starting with your weight on your heels or falling back onto them during the swing will pull your whole body further away from the ball.
• An Out-to-In Path with a "Chicken Wing": Coming "over the top" and then pulling your lead elbow in and up through impact (the "chicken wing") dramatically shortens the distance between your body and the club, making a toe strike almost certain.

How to Find the Centre of the Face, Every Time

Improving your strike location is all about balance and maintaining the space you create at address.

• Find Your Athletic Balance: At setup, your weight should be in the middle of your feet, not on your toes or heels. You should feel grounded and stable, like a shortstop ready to field a ground ball. Try to maintain this sense of balance throughout the swing.
• Maintain Your Posture: The "keep your backside on the wall" drill is perfect for this. Set up with your rear end just touching a wall or golf bag. Make swings and try to keep your glutes in contact with the object through impact. This will cure early extension (heel shots) and stop you from pulling away (toe shots).
• Get Instant Feedback: This is the best way to improve. Grab a can of foot spray or some impact tape and apply it to your clubface at the range. You'll get instant, undeniable feedback on every single shot. You can't fix a problem if you don't know for sure that it's happening.
• The Gate Drill: This is a classic for a reason. Place a tee just outside the toe of your club and another just inside the heel, creating a "gate" for your club to swing through. Your goal is simply to hit the ball without disturbing either tee. This will sharpen your awareness of the clubhead's location in space and train you to deliver it right on target.

Solid, centred contact is the foundation of good golf. It’s what makes the ball go the right distance, every time. Focus on your balance and posture, and you’ll find that sweet spot much more often.

Heel and Toe Strikes Recap

Heel and toe misses sap ball speed and make distance control guesswork. Center‑face contact isn’t a magic trick; it’s the outcome of a stable radius and repeatable arc.

• Why the strike drifts
• Standing too close or too far changes the radius.
• Early extension pushes the handle and hosel toward the ball.
• Inconsistent stance width shifts balance and arc location.

• Ball creeping forward: changes shoulder aim and where the club returns.

• Re‑establish the geometry
  Stand an arm‑hang away so the club sits naturally. Set a neutral stance and keep the ball where it belongs relative to your lead heel for each club.

• A small note on expectations
  Strike quality usually improves quickly once setup stabilises. Direction may take longer, but centered contact is the first big win.