Oops! It is the worst thing when the golf shot is topping, isn’t it? But how to stop topping the golf ball? It happens with anyone using irons, drivers, hybrids, or fairway woods. The amateurs or the newcomers are the main victims of this worse situation. The seasonal players are usually struggled to make good contact with the ball. And, the result is a topping shot! The shot goes very low to the surface. More specifically, the clubface can not make direct contact with the ball.
The cause of a topping can create in your backswing, downswing, or transition. May be one’s swing is not perfect as per his/her stance or posture, maybe it happens to you for choosing the wrong clubs. In this article, we will try to find out the reasons for topping and stop topping the golf ball with irons, drivers, hybrids, and woods.
What is a Topping in Golf?
Topping shot in the simplest way to refer as- we try to lift the golf ball into but it is fairly close to the ground and being stuck. Sometimes the shot does not roll across the course but hit down in the fairway area. Although the ball is not in the position on the arc that allows hitting the golf ball squarely.
What are the Reasons Behind Topping the Golf Ball?
Imagine a situation, you are going on a sunny Sunday morning with your friends to do some golf and start with a topping! There are some reasons behind this mood spoiling situation. Let me allow you to put some rays on it.
- Wrong Posture.
- Bad Stance.
- The club may be too short for you.
- Trying to lift the ball with wrong addressing.
- Arms are not straightened as required.
- Swing is not in a position on the arc.
- Lack of proper balance.
- The problem of a reverse pivot.
- The fear of hitting the ground.
- Your eyes and mind are not set up on the target appropriately.
How to Stop Topping The Golf Ball with Irons, Drivers, and Woods?
Not only the seasonal or amateur players but also a professional golfer often mess up by hitting a topping with a driver or long iron. Topping the Driver is not that as much problem today as the technology is improved day by day. Because anyone can tee the golf ball higher and connect it properly with a modern deep-face driver. But the topping has still happened when we are using fairway woods or Irons and the ball is placed on the ground. Okay, let’s start our discussion on how to stop topping the golf ball.
- Your golf swing is nothing but a circle starting at the bottom and traveling upward to the top. And when in a follow-through the things are reversed to the bottom. If the ball does not position on the way of the swinging circle, how can you stop stopping? The ball may be too forward that it is hard to contact the club. So move the ball in your stance.
- Make sure about a proper stance. And, check your golf club imagine you hit a shot. Does it take to very low down to contact the ball? If yes, then change your golf club length. Because a too short golf club cause of hitting over the golf ball, not in the center. Moreover, it will force you to hit the ball.
- When you swing, try to swing like a pendulum. In the golf swing, your head should be the fixed point stays still throughout your full swing, and the rest of your upper body and lower body will keep the swing in a pendulum arc.
- You must know how to hit a golf ball into the air. Don not stuck into a misconception like hitting under the ball will get the golf ball into the air. You should hit the ball first and then the ground. As much quicker you can shift your weight during a swing and maintaining a proper balance of weight distribution, as much soundly you can hit the ball first and then the ground. Although your golf ball will travel into the air by nature.
- When you take a divot at impact, make it occur after the ball is struck. You should shift your weight forward in the downswing and when the backswing starts, the weight should shift to your back foot. Ensure your weight distribution correct. Do not fuss in the reverse pivot.
- To hit a quality shot, keep your head steady. When I say steady, it means do not sway or lift your head while taking a shot. You should keep your head steady in your downswing and backswing. A little extra movement can make it difficult to get your club reach to the desire destination. Also, if you swaying your head it creates difficulties to get back to square. Yes, your head might move slightly. But the more you keep your head steady the better your shot will be.
- Keep your hands and wrists in a perfect position as per your stance but make it sound.
- Do not try to hit the ball hard, please keep your adrenaline in control. Always try to take a decent shot.
- The most important thing is- keep your eyes on the ball and the target while hitting a shot.
- You must deliver your club on the right arc into the ball. This has typically occurred when we play with long clubheads like irons and woods. The best solution for this problem is to form a steeper swing. When we hit a ball with shorter irons, we must hit in a downswing. And with a long iron or fairway wood, we must hit in a sweeping motion.
Remember These Things
- Maintain the correct posture throughout your swing.
- Address the golf ball correctly.
- You must fix your poor weight shifting.
- Do not lose balance while taking a shot.
- Maintain the appropriate spine angle by keeping the wrists in the right position of the golf club.
- If you are a right-handed golfer, straighten your left arm as much as possible.
- Should not forward your foot too much, it might be a cause of miss timing.
- Focus on your tempo.
- You should initiate your swing starting down from the ground.
- Keep your head steady.
- Make your eyes and mindset on the golf ball.
Final Thoughts
A thin shot can be recovered in a game of golf, but a topping can be always a score killing shot. But no worry freshers. Even an experienced player hit a topping shot. So you are not alone. Keep practicing buddy and do the drills with modesty. However, you should now well aware of the causes of topping and how to prevent topping the golf ball.
The three most important things to prevent topping are proper ball position, maintaining posture during the whole swing, and no extra movement of the head position. Moreover, you should work on your swing and stance for taking any kind of hassle-free shot. Actually, in my writing, there are not so many dos and don’ts that you have to follow anew. Because all tips are basic follow-ups to play effective golf. You just need to concentrate more to evaluate topping the golf ball.
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- How to Choose Golf Iron
- How to Chip a Golf Ball
References
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kADgzXpnW64
2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKmb-Bt2ZsU
3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DZ1OHx2P-E
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH9hsvWqFUs
5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJtXvIBssf4
6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KnNPv7ueBI
7) https://www.golfdigest.com/story/jack-nicklaus-stop-topping
8) https://www.golfdistillery.com/shot-errors/how-to-fix-top/
9) https://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/faults-and-fixes/how-to-stop-topping-the-golf-ball/
10) https://golf.com/instruction/10-reasons-why-you-cant-stop-topping-the-golf-ball/
11) https://www.golfinfluence.com/skill/stop-topping-the-ball/
12) https://golf-info-guide.com/golf-tips/playing-conditions/top-3-ways-to-stop-topping-the-ball/
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