You're Correct!

Topping the ball is a horrible shot for a player to continually reproduce on the golf course. It can also become worse with playing partners advice of “keep your head down!” But if only it was as simple as just keeping your head down!

If topping the ball is a problem for you it probably has nothing to do with where your head is because realistically you probably do not lift it. The main cause for a player to top the ball is the relationship between the ball position and the swing path.

If a player is hitting an 8 iron, you would expect to see the ball in the centre of the stance. Players that swing with an out to in swing path approach the ball from a steepened angle of attack. With a text book ball position, the club would not make a good contact as it has not reached the bottom of its arc which would be more towards the front foot. The opposite can be said for a player who swings too much from in to out. The swing path becomes much shallower causing the bottom of the swing arc to be before the centre of the stance.

Both swing paths and a centralized ball position will cause topped shots. It is important to note which swing path you have, how extreme it is and where the ball is to be best positioned for your swing. The best alternative would be to make swing improvements and minimize the exaggerated swing paths which ultimately cause these strikes.

To change the swing path, the set up fundamentals are critical to help prevent more bad habits. Based on an 8 iron, the ball position should be in the centre of the stance, the feet shoulder width apart with the body weight evenly distributed and aiming parallel to the target line. Now the swing can be adjusted to create straighter swing paths in to the ball to create better shots.

A forward ball position can actually help an out to in swing path but will only lead to more inconsistencies in the ball flights height, trajectory, distance and shot shape. Attack the issue head on and prevent further swing faults and bad shots.

The golf swing should deliver a downward blow into the ball to get the strike and height on the shot. A wrist flick to create height will shallow out the angle of attack and lead to thin or even topped shots.

A steep angle of attack is required to hit the ball well and get the ball airborne. Maintaining your weight on the left side throughout the swing will cause a reverse pivot and therefore hinder any hip rotation through impact and eventually cause bad ball striking due to the angle of attack being too steep.