
- Bounce the club off the turf. A topped ball simply means the club was too high when it got to the ball. ...
- Practice on sidehill lies. Most topped shots are caused by pulling the arms up at impact or coming out of your posture on the downswing.
- Steepen your swing. A good way to stop the tops is to steepen your swing. To do this, try practicing on downhill lies. ...
- Shift weight to lead side. If you are topping the ball, you might not be getting to your lead side properly. ...
- 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.
How can I stop overhooking the golf ball?
- If you drive the ball 250 yards
- Have an 5 degree right swing path (and square face)
- The ball will curve 50 yards to the left
How to stop hitting the ground behind the golf ball?
Why am I hitting Behind the Ball?
- Your position over the ball.
- Movement during your swing.
- Improper weight distribution and/or transfer.
How do you stop slicing the ball in golf?
- As you start your takeaway, rotate the tee towards the ground, pointing straight down
- When you get to the top of the backswing, make sure the tee is pointed toward the sky If the tee is pointed forward or down, the club face is ...
- As you transition down to impact, rotate the tee back towards the ground, maintaining flexion
How to stop shanking the golf ball now?
Why do I shank the ball and what can I do to finally stop shanking?
- Your aim is too open. If your aim is off, this can lead to the clubface being too open. ...
- Your grip. Your grip is crucial. ...
- Ball Position. You have to be in a good position in relation to the ball. ...
- Stance. Your stance probably isn’t causing you to shank the ball but it can still happen. ...
- Posture. Weight distribution is incredibly important in golf. ...
- Swing Path. ...

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.
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.
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.
Posture Is Key
A great way to achieve good posture is to hold the club out in front of you and bend from the pelvis first before just adding a little soft flex in the knees
Tee Drill
We all want to know how to compress the golf ball. Well, think of it like this: the lowest point of your swing should be after impact. Those who top it very often have the low point too early because they've lifted up away from the ball - this is one of the main cause of fat and thin iron shots.
What does it mean when you top the ball in golf?
When you “top the ball” in golf, it means one simple thing is going on. The club is striking the ball above its equator. Unfortunately, there are a few potential causes of that. You may be experiencing one or more of these causes. The golf swing is like a machine.
What happens if you slide your hips back in golf?
This mechanical error in your golf swing can result in topping the ball. Whether you’re sliding your hips back and not correcting prior to impact or you’re sliding too far forward during the downswing, the result is the same.
What happens if your arc is too high?
When this happens you usually have two options. You either completely whiff the ball. Embarrassing, but it happens. Or you hit above the equator, topping the ball. You reach the bottom of the arc before hitting the ball and are on an upswing when the club connects.
What happens if you hit the ball too far forward?
For instance, if the ball is too far forward or back in your stance, the arc of your swing will be off, resulting in a topped golf shot. Solution: Position the ball in the middle of your stance for irons and in-line with the lead heel for your driver.
What happens when you hit the bottom of the arc too late?
When the bottom of the arc occurs too late, you’re still hitting above the ball’s equator, meaning you’re hitting at the top of the ball rather than the sweet spot.
Do skilled golfers make the mistake of topping the ball?
Even skilled golfers make the mistake of topping the ball on occasion, according to Jack Nicklaus. It’s not something reserved for “newbie” golfers. In most cases, skilled golfers make this mistake when swinging for the fences (for those who like the occasional mixed sports metaphor). When you’re really trying for maximum distance is ...
How to eliminate reverse pivot?
Here's a great drill to eliminate your reverse pivot... Tilt away from the ball at setup and put more weight on your back foot. As you begin your backswing, focus on loading up on your back leg. From the top, shift your weight forward through impact. Do about 100 reps with this drill.
What happens when you reverse a pivot?
A reverse pivot happens when your hips move to the right in the downswing, and at the same time, your should ers go left. Once you're in that horrible position, the downswing starts with your body falling backward and your weight shifting back. If you're falling away from the ball, it's really hard to compress the ball.
Why do senior golfers top the ball?
Stay down and through the ball - Another reason senior golfers top the ball is the tendency to stand up through impact, losing their posture . Again, this is usually caused by the golfer attempting the lift the ball into the air. To try and fix this problem, try to maintain posture through the swing.
Where should the ball be when hitting a driver?
By the time you get to the driver, your ball position should be lined up off the inside of your left heel. So, in other words, every shot that you play from your driver on down to your wedges should come from a ball position that is between the inside of your left foot and the middle of your stance.
How to get solid contact in golf?
By correcting your swing plane and moving it into a more-neutral position, you should find that it becomes much easier to achieve solid contact. Head position often a factor. When you find that you are regularly topping the ball, there is a good chance that the position of your head during the swing is an issue.
Where should the weight be on the backswing?
On the backswing, the body weight should move on to the inside of the right foot, and when coming through, the weight should shift on to the left side. This will help ensure the senior golfer strikes down and through the ball with the irons, and strikes the ball from the centre of the club face with the woods. 2.
Can you be consistent in golf?
You are never going to be perfectly consistent with your ball striking as a golfer, as the game is just too hard to ask for perfection. However, you can greatly improve on your ability out on the course, and you should be able to eliminate the top from your game once and for all.
Should you worry about topping the ball when putting?
When putting, you shouldn't really have to worry about topping the ball – but keeping your head still remains an important fundamental to your success.
