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how not to top a golf ball when chipping

by Lacey Spinka Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Hitting down on the ball can help you not top it. One of the most common misses is topping or thinning the golf ball. Often, a thin shot can be recoverable, but topping can be a score-killing shot, and immensely frustrating if you don’t know what’s causing it.

Part of a video titled How To Stop Topping Golf Shots - 3 Simple Steps - YouTube
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So we need to make sure that you're shifting onto your lead side early topping the golf ball veryMoreSo we need to make sure that you're shifting onto your lead side early topping the golf ball very very often. Points two and three are very closely linked we get a goal for shifting too much this way.

Full Answer

How do you not top a golf ball?

Hitting down on the ball can help you not top it. One of the most common misses is topping or thinning the golf ball. Often, a thin shot can be recoverable, but topping can be a score-killing shot, and immensely frustrating if you don’t know what’s causing it.

Should your hands be in front of the ball when chipping?

Somebody, somewhere along the line in their life—or in a magazine or some other video—has told them to get your hands way in front of the ball when you chip; and that just simply does not work and here’s why. When you move your hands way in front of the golf ball, what happens is you de-loft the golf club; you take all of the loft off it.

How do you hit a chipped golf ball?

This keeps loft on the face, and is going to allow the ball to come out a little bit higher and softer. So chipping is all about cause and effect, and getting the golf ball to do what you want it to do. If you want to hit it low, and you want it to roll, move it towards the back foot and move your hands in front.

What is the best position to hit a chip shot?

Positioning the ball back or neutral can be beneficial – if you know cause and effect for each shot. Now the most common position that people are told to hit chip shots from is with the ball towards the back foot—or for me, would be my right foot. They’re also told that the hands should be well in front of the golf ball.

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How do I stop topping my chip shots?

1:273:34CHIPPING TIPS - HOW TO STOP TOPPING YOUR GOLF CHIPSYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou have to have some forward lean of the shaft. To create that matchup between sweet spot and ball.MoreYou have to have some forward lean of the shaft. To create that matchup between sweet spot and ball.

How do you not top the golf ball?

The three things you need to do to correct the issue of topping the golf ball is:Keep your head still throughout the backswing. ... Next, you need to make sure you take a divot at impact. ... Finally, in order to create that divot, you'll need to shift your weight forward to your front side throughout the downswing.

Why do I keep topping the golf ball?

Poor posture at address is a primary cause of the top as you won't be able to maintain your angles as you swing and are likely to lift away from the ball through impact (see below). Golfers with poor posture tend to bend through the back so the pelvis is too far forward.

How do I stop hitting the top of my golf ball with irons?

1:156:55HOW TO STOP TOPPING THE GOLF BALL - 5 EASY TIPS IN ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut most of your irons are going to be around about the center if not just a little bit furtherMoreBut most of your irons are going to be around about the center if not just a little bit further forward if you can get that ball positioned correctly and directly under your sternum.

How do you stop a 3 wood topping?

5:076:32CRUSH Your 3 Wood From The Fairway! | ME AND MY GOLFYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis. That was an absolute ripper on the left side held his finish he does exactly what he said.MoreThis. That was an absolute ripper on the left side held his finish he does exactly what he said. Guys some great things there to help you stop topping your fairway metals. And get some solid strikes.

How do you hit a golf ball first then divot?

3:555:37HOW TO HIT BALL THEN TURF EVERY TIME WITH YOUR IRONSYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo all you're looking to do is kind of do a few more of those swings. And then gradually build thatMoreSo all you're looking to do is kind of do a few more of those swings. And then gradually build that up into the full swing. And we see my practice swing there the divots much further after.

How far should a 9 iron go?

Golf Club Distances TableCLUBMEN'S AVERAGE DISTANCEWOMEN'S AVERAGE DISTANCE7-iron140 yards120 yards8-iron130 yards110 yards9-iron120 yards100 yardsPitching wedge110 yards90 yards10 more rows•May 6, 2022

What causes a top?

If you stand too far away from the ball at address, it's almost difficult not to top the ball without a heroic move. Reaching for the ball — where your arms often get into a diagonal position — will often lead to a thin shot or a top.

Why am I topping my 3 wood?

Todd Kolb explains that amateurs often position the ball too far forward in their stance. That is because they attempt to replicate the set-up of a tee shot with a wood. If your ball is too far forward, your club will bottom out before it reaches the dimples, causing a topped shot.

What causes you to top your driver?

As you approach impact, you lose your original address posture and spine inclination to the ground, which causes you to practically swing over the top of the ball. This is often caused by the urge to help the ball into the air.

Why am I topping my hybrid?

The main reason you're topping your hybrids is that you're trying to hit it like a fairway wood.

What is the most common miss in golf?

One of the most common misses for the beginning golfer is topping the ball. Just as they come through the impact zone, the clubhead does not bottom out properly and they only catch the top half of the ball. The result is a disappointing dribbler that barely gets out of their shadow.

What does topped ball mean?

A topped ball simply means the club was too high when it got to the ball. (You didn’t pick your head up for goodness sake!) Make sure your practice swings make the club head bounce off the turf, not just brush it. Better yet, make sure when the ball is in the way that you still bounce the club off the turf. We are looking for ball then turf contact after all. The ball will just get in the way as your club travels down to bounce off the turf. Bounce the club every time, even if it’s too far behind the ball, then you can tune in the bounce point so you always hit the ball first. – John Dunigan, White Manor C.C., Malvern, Pa.

Does the clubhead bottom out?

Just as they come through the impact zone, the clubhead does not bottom out properly and they only catch the top half of the ball. The result is a disappointing dribbler that barely gets out of their shadow. It seems like it should be simple to stop topping the ball, but that is rarely the case.

How to throw a golf club toward the ground?

It can be helpful to practice this by placing a ball in your right hand, from your golf posture. Allow the elbow to fold as it would in your backswing and then throw the ball so that it hits the ground.

How to make golf clubs easier?

Having a proper grip — where you hold the club in your fingers rather than in your palm — can make this so much easier. Having a lot of your hand on the club allows security without tension. Not only does this make it easier to make solid contact, it also allows you to generate speed and increase distance. 8.

What ruins a golf swing?

Nothing ruins a great golf swing like a loss of balance. Assuming you’re in a good set up to start, it only takes a small loss of balance to cause you to top the ball. A good check of balance is holding your finish until your golf ball lands.

How to get the ball down to the ground?

1. Bad Posture. Good posture is the basis for solid contact. Bowing forward from your hips so that your hands can hang below your shoulders can put you in balance and also get the club down to the ground. Too much knee flex or squatting can often make it extremely difficult to get the club down into the turf, and therefore get the ball into the air.

Why is my ball not rolling across the ground?

In simplest terms, in order to get the ball up into the air — and not rolling across the ground — is to hit down into the dirt. (GETTY) If that’s not happening, there may be a few reasons why. Here are some of the most common I see: 1. Bad Posture. Good posture is the basis for solid contact.

How to brush grass without a club?

Keeping your hands away from your sternum can help to maintain the width of your backswing, making it easier to brush the grass. One of my favorite drills for feeling this is to hold your lead wrist with your trail hand. From here, make your backswing without a club and feel your trail arm pull your lead arm wide.

Why is it so hard to keep your head down?

The problem with keeping your head down is that it limits your body’s ability to move athletically. If you attempt to keep your head down, it’s very difficult to allow your body to rotate properly on your downswing to get the club down to the ground and the ball into the air. 7. Tension in hands and arms.

Why is hitting a chip shot with the ball too far back in the stance a common fault?

Hitting a chip shot with the ball too far back in the stance is a common fault, because it takes loft off the club. Weekend golfers often stab down at the ball when it’s too far back, leading to chunked shots and inconsistency. PGA Professional Todd Kolb is back to show us better ball positioning to help control the bottom of the swing and reduce chunk shots.

What is the first tip when playing golf?

So the first tip—and the most important tip—is make sure when you’re set up, that your hands are equal or slightly in front of the ball.

What is the most common mistake when chipping?

Hand Positioning. One of the most common mistakes when chipping is hand positioning. Golfers often will move their hands forward when chipping, which ends up taking loft off the club. Todd Kolb shows us how to get our hands in the right position, and explains why we might as well be using a mid-iron if our hands are too far forward when chipping. ...

What position should you hit a chip shot from?

Now the most common position that people are told to hit chip shots from is with the ball towards the back foot —or for me, would be my right foot. They’re also told that the hands should be well in front of the golf ball.

How to hit a ball low?

If you want to hit it low, and you want it to roll, move it towards the back foot and move your hands in front. If you want to hit the ball a little higher and a little softer, move it more in the center ; make sure the handle is equal with the ball.

How to hit the ball more on the downswing?

By moving the ball position toward your non-target foot, you will hit the ball more on the downswing with less loft on your club face. Less loft will help you clip the ball more easily and will make your ball “run” more.

What does centered ball position mean?

This centered ball position will allow you to make the ball “move” (i.e., have a nice pace) toward your intended target. By placing the ball forward in your stance toward your target foot, the club will make contact with the ball with more loft on the club face, causing your ball to go a little higher and “sit” a little sooner.

What is forward ball position?

A forward ball position is also helpful when you need your ball to carry an obstacle or go higher. Instruction.

Why does my left wrist break down when hitting the ball?

This happens because you’re in too much a hurry to get the clubhead to the ball. In good chip swings, the hands reach impact first, not the clubhead.

How to keep your wrist flat?

Less hand action. Try this: Take your normal grip, then remove your right hand from the handle. Wrap it around your left hand as shown (right, bottom), using your right thumb to press the back of your left hand onto the handle for extra stability. Now chip. Use the pressure from your right hand to keep your left wrist flat through impact, ...

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