what causes me to top the golf ball

These are a few of the potential causes of topping the golf ball:

• Your arc is too high at the bottom of the swing. When this happens you usually have two options. You either completely...
• You reach the bottom of the arc before hitting the ball and are on an upswing when the club connects. Again, you’re...
• You’re reaching the bottom of your arc after you’ve hit the ball.

Full Answer

How do you stop topping the ball in golf?

Top 100 Teachers share their best tips

1. Bounce the club off the turf. A topped ball simply means the club was too high when it got to the ball. ...
2. 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.
3. Steepen your swing. A good way to stop the tops is to steepen your swing. ...
4. Shift weight to lead side. ...

Why do you hit the ground before the golf ball?

What Causes a Golfer to Hit it Fat?

1. Ball Position This is the most common mistake I see among amateur golfers. Fortunately, it’s also the easiest to fix. ...
2. Pressure Shift I talk about pressure shift a lot. It may seem overly simple, but trust me: When my students get the pressure shift right, they see major improvement ...
3. Angle of Club Shaft

How to stop topping the golf ball?

How To Stop Topping The Golf Ball

• Posture Is Key. 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 ...
• 'Chasing' The Clubhead. Look at the difference in the two post-impact positions here, below - the first one being a good example of what we're trying to achieve, while the ...
• Tee Drill. ...

How to 'top' a golf ball?

A golf tee is an object that is pushed into or placed on the ground to rest a ball on top of for an easier shot; however, this is only allowed for the first stroke (tee shot or drive) of each hole. Conventional golf tees are basically spikes with a small ...

How do I stop topping 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 am I suddenly topping the golf ball?

Lateral motion in the backswing moves the swing arc backward. If it isn't then moved forward in the downswing, the low point of the arc is behind the ball, often causing a thin or topped shot.

How do I stop being a topping driver?

0:082:51How to Stop Topping Your Driver | Hit More Solid Drives - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHand drop it down scratch the knee of your trail. Leg from there keep that posture. Put the club orMoreHand drop it down scratch the knee of your trail. Leg from there keep that posture. Put the club or your hand on the club.

How do I stop my golf club from hitting the top?

5:347:13Stop Swinging "OVER THE TOP" In Golf - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLike i have here but this is simple simply back yourself up until you're about a hands width awayMoreLike i have here but this is simple simply back yourself up until you're about a hands width away from the wall with your buttocks flip the club around so you're actually holding.

How do I stop topping the golf ball with fairway woods?

1:546:09Stop Topping Your Woods - Learn to Hit Fairway Woods Off the GroundYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipGet your weight going forward all right that's tip number one now the second thing that could beMoreGet your weight going forward all right that's tip number one now the second thing that could be causing you to actually top your fairway woods is swing.

How close should you stand to the golf ball?

The ideal distance you should stand from the golf ball is one where the butt of the club is pointing at your belt buckle and is about 6 inches away from your thighs. This should be the same for all clubs in the bag. It doesn't matter what club you're using, your arm position should be the same.

What is it called when a ball is bouncing?

But many players make contact above the ball's equator, resulting in a low-flying or bouncing ball. This is called "topping" -- also "skulling" or "thinning" -- the ball, and there are several common reasons that it happens.

What happens if you swing too far forward?

If the ball is too far forward in your stance, it's easy to hit it fat. The clubhead reaches the bottom of its swing arc before it gets to the ball. If you adjust your swing so you don't hit the ground, the clubhead will be swinging upward by the time it reaches the ball. When that happens, you have no chance of hitting the bottom half of the ball.

How to get more clubhead speed?

Throwing the Clubhead. Sometimes you try to gain extra clubhead speed by flipping your wrists at impact, but all you do is straighten your wrists before the clubhead reaches the ball. That makes the club reach the bottom of its arc farther back in your stance, instead of in front of the ball. The clubhead then swings upward sooner ...

What happens when you lean toward the target?

If you lean toward the target at the top of your backswing, you'll tend to lean away from the target during your downswing. This changes the bottom of the swing arc. If you manage to avoid hitting the ground before you hit the ball (a fat shot), the clubhead will be swinging upward when it reaches the ball – and that's the recipe for a topped shot. ...

Is standing up bad for the ball?

The ball might be in a bad lie, lower than your feet. In any case, standing up increases the distance from you to the ball; if you hit the ball at all, you probably are going to hit the top half.

Can you swing up on a golf ball?

Unless the ball is sitting up on thick grass, which would give you a chance to get under it, you'll either swing up on the ball ( as with poor ball position) or stand up during your downswing. But most of the time, you'll still top the ball.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

What happens if you stand too far away from the ball?

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.

What is poor balance in golf?

Poor balance. Many amateur golfers struggle with poor balance, and one of the side effects of that problem can be topped shots. You need to have your center of gravity in the correct place if you are going to strike the ball cleanly time after time.

Why is it important to get the ball in the air on each swing?

Golf becomes far more interesting when you can reliably get the ball in the air on each swing, because you will be able to start planning shot shapes, picking specific targets, and more. Put in the time now to learn how to get the ball in the air and your future on the golf course will be much more exciting.

How to get fear of the ground ball out of your mind?

Simply by seeing the ball get into the air on a consistent basis, you can take the fear of the ground ball out of your mind prior to your next round. Hitting topped shots on the golf course is never a fun experience. You may have to listen to a few jokes from your playing partners, and your score will suffer as well.

How to hit top shot golf?

One way to hit topped golf shots is to use only your arms as you swing the club back and through. If your legs aren't involved in the swing, you will have trouble transferring your weight onto your left foot, and you will be prone to hitting ground balls as a result.

What is the difference between amateur golfers and professional golfers?

One of the big differences between amateur golfers and their professional counterparts is the way that the pros use their entire body in the golf swing. When you watch a professional swing the club, it is obvious that they are using their lower body and upper body together in harmony to hit powerful and accurate shots.

What happens if you don't hit down?

If you don't hit down, you will always run the risk of having the leading edge contact the ball first – leading to a topped shots. The problem is that hitting down through an iron shot requires plenty of confidence when you are actually out on the course.

Why is it important to stay on balance in golf?

Staying on balance will allow you to control the positioning of the bottom of your swing, which will allow you to avoid the dreaded ground ball. Arm-only swing. The whole body needs to be involved in a good golf swing – and when it isn't, bad things can happen.

What does it mean when you come over the top in golf?

Coming over the top is a dreaded swing issue that can wreak havoc in your golf game. You never know when it is going to strike but, when it does, it’s important to be able to recognise it and fix it. This is a problem that many golfers will face in their life, if you’re going through it now then you’re not alone.

How to catch a golf ball?

Stand in a golf stance with a wall a few feet in front of you. Make a golf swing movement and release the ball at impact. It should come off the wall and be easy for you to catch. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

What happens when you come over the top?

When you are coming over the top, you will be delivering the club inconsistently, hence the resulting slices, hooks and everything in between . This will ruin your accuracy as you can miss both left and right without rhyme nor reason.

How to get your golf swing on plane?

1. Head cover/towel drill. There are a few tricks you can use to get out of this bad habit. One great tool is your golf towel or a head cover which you tuck under your arm (right for righties, left for lefties). This puts a focus on you keeping your arms in sync with your body and helps you get your swing on plane. 2.

What happens if you hit the ball too far left?

If you’ve got the ball too far left (closer to your lead foot) at address, your swing will find its bottom point before it reaches the ball. By impact, the clubhead is traveling up and over the ball, usually clipping it above the equator. If you’ve been topping the ball often, check your ball position first.

How does a golf swing stay level?

Good golf swings remain level throughout the backswing and downswing, so the body remains as stable as possible and the job of delivering the club head to the back of the ball gets that much easier. To better understand this concept, think about other areas of life outside of the golf course that require precision.

What is it like to watch your golf ball fly?

One of the great pleasures in the game of golf is looking up after your swing and watching your ball soar through the air in the direction of the target. Even if you don’t hit a great shot every time, there is something satisfying about watching the ball fly that gives the golfers a great feeling of accomplishment.

How does rotation work in golf?

Rotation works in both directions, as well – you have to rotate away from the target if you are going to be able to rotate towards it with any kind of power and aggression.

What happens if you don't clear your swing?

If you aren’t clear on what is going on in your swing that is leading to the topping of the ball, you don’t stand much of a chance at all to fix it. The good news is that unlike some other parts of the golf swing, the issue that you are likely dealing with to create this problem is relatively easy to understand.

Is the topped shot embarrassing?

Ah, the topped shot. It’s embarrassing, all right. Even worse, the ego damage is compounded by a lousy result, which moves you only a little closer to the intended target.

Can you play golf with your toes up?

It is actually possible to play good golf this way, and you might see better players who get up on their toes from time to time – especially when swinging hard. However, for a golfer who wants to figure out how to stop topping the golf ball, getting rid of this move should be a top priority.

Why is my golf ball flying high?

One of the most common causes of a high ball flight is tempo. When people swing too fast, they struggle to make contact with the sweet spot of the club. Without doing this, it’s difficult to achieve a consistent trajectory.

How to stop hitting golf ball too high?

In order to stop hitting the golf ball too high, you need to ensure you have the proper setup position and equipment. You also need to correct any swing faults that are contributing to the issue.

How to fix wrists in golf swing?

The fix: Instead of actively hinging your wrists in the swing, loosen your grip on the golf club. Then, swing back as though you are only using your hips, arms, and shoulders. Because you now have a lighter grip on the club with less tension, your wrists will hinge naturally as you swing the club back.

What causes a high ball flight?

There are a number of things that might be responsible for causing a high, weak ball flight, including: 1 Improper setup 2 Swing faults 3 Bad tempo 4 Improper equipment

What is the loft of a golf club?

Golf Club Loft. Most iron sets will have a standard loft for each club. For example, the standard loft of a 9 iron is 41 degrees, the loft of an 8 iron is 37 degrees, and so on. However, when it comes to the driver, there’s some variability. You can buy a driver with a loft of anywhere between 8 and 12.5 degrees.

What happens if the ball is too far forward?

The ball is too far forward in your stance. The more forward the ball is in your stance, the less lag the club will have at the point of impact. This means that extra loft is added to the club. Not only will less lag produce a high, weak ball flight, but it will also significantly reduce distance. The fix:

What happens if you put too much weight on your back foot?

If you place too much weight on your back foot, you risk hitting the golf ball too high. This is especially true when hitting driver off the tee. The fix: Instead, make sure your weight is a 50/50 split between your feet or slightly favoring your lead leg.

What is a top shot in golf?

In golf a topped shot is one that see the club hitting the ball above its equator. (For a shot that sees the club hitting just below the equator see the page on thin shots ).

Why is the bottom of the swing arc not a strike?

That’s because a swing that sees the bottom of the swing arc located too much in front of the ball will not produce a pure strike and if far enough in front will produce a topped shot. While the club will correctly approach the ball as it travels down it will catch the ball above its equator if the bottom of the swing arc is too late in the swing, ...

What is a swing arc that never produces a divot?

A swing arc that never produces a divot simply stays too high (woods and putter categories of clubs excluded), and one that doesn’t reach down below the equator of the ball stays too high.

What is the bottom of the swing arc?

Or in other words, it can be explained by a bottom of the swing arc that is simply too high in relation to the ball (and to where it should be). Indeed, in a well struck shot using an iron for example, the bottom of the swing arc will be found slightly below the surface of the ground which will produce a nice little divot.

How to move weight back in tennis?

Instead of moving your weight back towards your right foot during the backswing you will move it forward towards the front foot. Likewise, during the downswing and as you head into impact with the ball, you will move the weight back towards your right foot, instead of correctly moving it forward towards your left foot.

Why is my right hand lower than my left hand?

This is because your right hand will be lower on the grip of the club than the left hand. Failing to adopt this natural position can see you having both shoulders level between themselves and to the ground. Doing so, or worse seeing your left shoulder lower than the right will move your swing arc bottom forward.

Is it ok to choke down on a golf club?

Choking down on the club, while useful in certain scenarios can be overdone and is not always a good idea. If you are topping shots when choking down on the club, consider choking down less, or avoiding to choke at all by holding the club near the top of the grip.

Why do golfers flat miss shots?

The cause is almost always trying to kill it, which generates an acceleration of the legs and hips that in turn over-delays the release of the clubhead into the ball by the hands and wrists .

Where does the cupping action happen in golf?

A golfer who tops the ball usually releases the club early on the downswing instead of starting down from the ground up. You get a cupping action in the left wrist at impact, with the clubhead moving ahead of the hands. You need to stay in sequence going back and through.

What moves the swing arc backwards?

Lateral motion in the backswing moves the swing arc backward. If it isn't then moved forward in the downswing, the low point of the arc is behind the ball, often causing a thin or topped shot.