Regardless if you want to admit it or not, you have had an issue with topping the ball at some point in your career. Whether it be when you are first learning to play, or at some point you developed a swing flaw, and now you are mentally lost when hitting the golf ball. The great news, is that we can fix that for you here. If you are able to apply each of the following drills, and invest a sufficient amount of time to each, then you will see the success you deserve. I will be the first to admit that I do not have a cure-all here, but I can lead you in the right direction and get you back on track.

The first thing we will look at, is what actually causes you to top the golf ball. What causes that “worm-burner” to go screaming across the tee and not even reach the red tees? First, take a look at your legs. The legs play a pivotal role in your swing, and if you are raising up during the swing… you are probably going to top the ball. Second, let’s take a look at your waist area. Are you moving all over the place, or staying calm and collected? Lastly, take a look at your head. The biggest cause of the top shot, is lifting the head prior to impact. This causes the body to pull away from the ball and… well, you guessed it – a top.

Now that we have identified what flaws can cause the topped golf shot, what is next? First I want you to go to the range and focus on making swings – I want you to feel like your tailbone is flush against a wall. As you reach the top of your swing, feel as if your tailbone is staying on the wall throughout. This will ensure your body is not moving all over the place, and also prevents the lifting motion that brings on the topped shot. If you need to relate to a golf instructional video for help, take a look at any professional golfers swing. You will notice that they keep their backside calm throughout the golf swing, and the lower body stays low through impact. This is the most vital part of eliminating the beautiful topped shot from your game.

The next thing I want you to look at, is keeping your body level throughout your swing. Now that we have cleaned up the lower body motions, we need to make sure the upper body is not throwing everything out of whack. The key here, is to keep the upper body level throughout the swing. To do this, I want you to stand up straight prior to hitting the golf shot. From here, address the ball… but think – straight back. Keeping the back straight will help ensure you are not dipping, or rising throughout the swing. Also, you will need to bend the knees and fall back to the center of the feet. I want you to feel like you are pushing down and about to jump. This will keep your body grounded, and ensure everything is moving the way it should be. At first, it will feel a bit off, so I need you to invest the time into working on this setup. Go to the range and dedicate at least one week to make sure you are comfortable and eliminating the topped shots.

If you are still struggling after working on the previous drill, then I want you to try a different approach. I know you have heard the saying by now, but it certainly applies to the topped golf shot – “golf is 90% mental.” This could not be truer for golfers who struggle with topping the ball, and I want you to truly focus on the mental aspect for a moment. If you are keeping the lower body calm throughout the swing, and still topping the ball, then the problem is more than the golf swing… it is more than likely a mental flaw that you have upstairs. I know it is difficult to hear, but you need to take to the range until you are fully comfortable with your swing and no longer topping the ball. I know that may not be the answer you want to hear, but if the drills are not working for you, then the mind is truly holding you back.