Topping the ball and taking big chunks of soil out of the fairway

[WWG]

Now, I have only been playing 4 months, and don't expect to be brilliant. I am also 58 years old, which is quite late to start a sport. My biggest problem is not making clean contact with the ball, so I want some advice from you guys. I have already had 3 lessons, been given advice from 2 pros, and when on the driving range I look brilliant. However, get me on the course and I look like Steven Hawkin with a set of bent golf clubs. These are the things that I know may be hindering my golf, and also listed afterwards are the things I have attempted to do in order I solve the problem.

1) Lifting my head, and looking for where the ball has gone, before making contact
2) Uncontrolled body movement
3) Gripping the club to tightly
4) Standing to far from the ball, and crouching
5) Trying to hit the ball to hard

Whilst I don't pretend to have stopped all of the above issues, I am conscious of them, and make every attempt not to do them. This is what I have attempted so far.

1) I focus on the ball, and only look up after contact. I am convinced that I rarely make bad contact because of issue number 1.
2) From the knees upward I attempt to keep my body still. I know controlled movement is necessary, however until I start hitting the ball cleanly, I will keep my body fairly rigid. This is what I have been told to do by two pros.
3) I now hold the club lightly, and have don so for quite some time now.
4) It feels far more natural to bend over, rather to stand more upright, and I quite often find myself losing concentration. I know that when I keep my back straight, and chin up I make better contact with the ball, however this has far from cured the problem.
5) I quite often have to kick myself, and tell myself to stop trying to hit the ball to hard, but again, even when I don't, I still find myself topping the ball far to often.

I should also point out that I attempt to relax as much as possible, but that is easier said than done when I am trying to think of so much. I know Rome wasn't built in a day, but this element of the game is really frustrating me.

Your advice please

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Keep taking lessons. Then work on whatever the pro has told you to work on!

You will find at this stage of your golfing career that it's 1 step forward and 2 steps back. The pro may suggest things that don't feel natural but you have to find someone you can trust and stick with him/her. Get the basics right (GASP Grip, Alignment, Stance, Posture) and that will solve quite a few issues.

Enjoy!

 

[WWG]

Keep taking lessons. Then work on whatever the pro has told you to work on!

You will find at this stage of your golfing career that it's 1 step forward and 2 steps back. The pro may suggest things that don't feel natural but you have to find someone you can trust and stick with him/her. Get the basics right (GASP Grip, Alignment, Stance, Posture) and that will solve quite a few issues.

Enjoy!

Thanks for that. The last lesson I had was based around this problem and on the driving range it doesn't happen. I really need the pro to come and do 9 holes with me, but the problem is that she doesn't have the time, and if she did I would have to sell my car to pay for it. Of course, you are right, and I know it is two steps forward and a step back. Unfortunately at the moment it is one step forward and two back. I am sure I don't have to tell you, golf is by far the most frustrating game on earth, and it may take me weeks to perfect it

 

[HankMarvin]

Keep taking lesson from the Pro, don't listen to anyone on here as they all have issues otherwise they would be Pro's.

 

[Foxholer]

I am sure I don't have to tell you, golf is by far the most frustrating game on earth, and it may take me weeks to perfect it

All but 1 of those words is absolutely correct!

I've always had an issue about looking up too early - probably due to playing on my own a lot, so having to check where the ball has gone! I 'solved' that by making sure I was looking at the ground under the ball after I hit it. Works particularly well for putting!

And when actually swinging, the last thing I want to be thinking about is the mechanics of the swing! That's something that should be restricted to the 'practice' swing or the range! Again, I have a particular thought - initially it was a 'putting thought' - that has nothing to do with golf, but lets me swing without extraneous tension(and a smile!!)! That way the body/brain simply adjust unconsciously. Determining whether the change happens, and was effective, is something to analyse AFTER the swing imo.

 

[WWG]

All but 1 of those words is absolutely correct!

I've always had an issue about looking up too early - probably due to playing on my own a lot, so having to check where the ball has gone! I 'solved' that by making sure I was looking at the ground under the ball after I hit it. Works particularly well for putting!

And when actually swinging, the last thing I want to be thinking about is the mechanics of the swing! That's something that should be restricted to the 'practice' swing or the range! Again, I have a particular thought - initially it was a 'putting thought' - that has nothing to do with golf, but lets me swing without extraneous tension(and a smile!!)! That way the body/brain simply adjust unconsciously. Determining whether the change happens, and was effective, is something to analyse AFTER the swing imo.

I had a great bit of advice from a golfing friend. He said "stop trying so hard, and just enjoy it". It worked for the rest of the round, and I have been rubbish ever since. Unfortunately, in golf what appears to come naturally never seams to work, unless you are one of the lucky ones who is born with a degree of ability, which I am not.

 

[WWG]

Keep taking lesson from the Pro, don't listen to anyone on here as they all have issues otherwise they would be Pro's.

Unfortunately I don't totally agree. It is a bit like saying that no one can teach you to drive other than a driving instructor. I have lessons from two pros, and in general they don't agree with each other. Like I said, what I do on a driving range doesn't appear to reflect my ability on the course. That said, I will have more lessons, but I don't hold out much hope.

To become a decent golfer you have to rely on certain things.

1) Practice lots - Yes I do a lot of that
2) Have some lessons - Yes I have had some
3) Have a degree of luck - Yes, I have loads of luck, but it tends to be bad luck
4) Be born with a degree of golfing ability - NO, I have none

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Keep taking lesson from the Pro, don't listen to anyone on here as they all have issues otherwise they would be Pro's.

Unfortunately I don't totally agree. It is a bit like saying that no one can teach you to drive other than a driving instructor. I have lessons from two pros, and in general they don't agree with each other. Like I said, what I do on a driving range doesn't appear to reflect my ability on the course. That said, I will have more lessons, but I don't hold out much hope.

To become a decent golfer you have to rely on certain things.

1) Practice lots - Yes I do a lot of that
2) Have some lessons - Yes I have had some
3) Have a degree of luck - Yes, I have loads of luck, but it tends to be bad luck
4) Be born with a degree of golfing ability - NO, I have none

Hank is correct.

I've seen numerous instances on here of people guessing at a fault without having all the facts. I got involved in quite a heated 'debate' a couple of years ago when a newbie asked for advice saying he was blocking everything to the right. Plenty of people offered advice on how to cure a block. Unfortunately, the newbie didn't understand the terminology and thought anything right was a block. Turned out to be a slice after he had a lesson with a pro.

It is very difficult to accurately diagnose a problem from just a description, the minimum required is a decent quality swing video. Even better to actually see the issue in person.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Go back to the pro and explain what's happening on the course. As I know from bitter experience, what happens on the range doesn't always translate to the course

 

[WWG]

Go back to the pro and explain what's happening on the course. As I know from bitter experience, what happens on the range doesn't always translate to the course

The lesson I took I hit almost every ball like a pro. In fact, I don't think I topped the ball once. The only tip she gave me was not to hold the bat to tightly. The following day I got on the course and topped three balls on the first. If lessons were free I would have one every day, but they aren't !!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The lesson I took I hit almost every ball like a pro. In fact, I don't think I topped the ball once. The only tip she gave me was not to hold the bat to tightly. The following day I got on the course and topped three balls on the first. If lessons were free I would have one every day, but they aren't !!

As I said, range and course are different beasts. You are clearly doing something very different over the ball, one shot, one chance, and I would suggest, you are tensing up and trying too hard, not replicating the smooth tempo you have in a lesson

 

[selwood90]

I struggled with similar things when starting out. Been playing about 6 or 8 months now and it's much less of an issue after a few lessons. I was always told, see the ball be struck (to stop lifting head early) focus on tempo not speed of swing (to stop trying to hit the ball too hard) and grip the club just tight enough to still allow the wrists to be relaxed and free at set up. But different things work for different players. Try it all, watch it all, listen to it all and see what works for you. Above all else trust your pro

 

[ruff-driver]

Fresh today, just for you :thup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetkVroKeJk

 

[garyinderry]

Topping tape ball and hitting the ball fat.


Without looking at your swing you are most likely swaying off the ball then not shifting your weight back as you hang back through the shot. Result is top or fat depending on where the bottom of the swing arc is.


[video=youtube;GpwXifyLCSU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpwXifyLCSU[/video]

 

[BrianM]

Fresh today, just for you :thup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetkVroKeJk

Really good drill that, thanks for posting.

 

[woody69]

Topping tape ball and hitting the ball fat.


Without looking at your swing you are most likely swaying off the ball then not shifting your weight back as you hang back through the shot. Result is top or fat depending on where the bottom of the swing arc is.


[video=youtube;GpwXifyLCSU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpwXifyLCSU[/video]

Yep have to agree. Pretty much the main source of tops and fats are down to your lateral movement. Take a half swing and you'll hit it crisp pretty much every time. Annoyingly it can be so subtle that everything feels like normal

 

[WWG]

Fresh today, just for you :thup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XetkVroKeJk

Aaagghh, now that's the sort advice I need. Will be getting myself down the range pretty soon. Cheers

 

[Sats]

Get some lessons, practice, but above all enjoy the game, being good at it is one thing, enjoying is the most important part of the game.

 

[delc]

The lesson I took I hit almost every ball like a pro. In fact, I don't think I topped the ball once. The only tip she gave me was not to hold the bat to tightly. The following day I got on the course and topped three balls on the first. If lessons were free I would have one every day, but they aren't !!

The problem out on the course is that your shots may be minutes apart, with different clubs, and with a lot more pressure on them. Best advice I can give is to relax and imagine that you are hitting a shot on the range.