Thin Shot (Skulled)
Contact happens too high on the ball, sending it low and hot with no height.
Counterintuitively, thin contact is usually caused by the body rising up during the downswing, not by trying to help the ball into the air. The low point moves earlier and higher, catching the ball above its equator instead of at the bottom of the arc.
See the full breakdown: Thin / Topped Tee Shot
Every common cause and fix for this exact issue.
See the full breakdown: Thin / Skulled Shot
Every common cause and fix for this exact issue.
See the full breakdown: Thin / Skulled Chip
Every common cause and fix for this exact issue.
See the full breakdown: Skulling Bunker Shots
Every common cause and fix for this exact issue.
More contact & strike terms
Fat Shot (Chunk)
The club strikes the ground before the ball, losing speed and distance.
Shank
The ball contacts the hosel instead of the clubface and shoots hard sideways.
Toe Strike
Contact made toward the far end of the clubface (away from the shaft) instead of the center.
Heel Strike
Contact made near the shaft end of the clubface instead of the center, a milder cousin of a shank.
Sweet Spot
The small area on the clubface (roughly the center) that produces the most efficient, powerful contact.
Pured (Flush)
Slang for a shot struck perfectly out of the center of the clubface, it usually feels like almost nothing in the hands.