topping the ball

[bigbiffa]

recently, been having a problem with topping the ball. Having looked at a pic of my swing i looked like i was too not bending the knees and "sitting on the barstool", i have had a lesson,and was told to "stay down".Was doing this no probs, but its returned again!!! Should i combine the two swing thoughts?
Heres a link to the pic.

 

[brendy]

There you go matey, I cleaned up the code. Bit of a large pic though, nothing a little smaller?

 

[bigbiffa]

i had shrunk it on tinypic! how do you put pics into the posts?

 

[Sonny]

A common cause of toppoing can be fear of catching the ground and hitting fat. Another cause can be imbalance or even trying to hit the ball/ swinging too hard.

One way to try and overcome this is to practice returning the club head to the same spot behind the ball, as it was at address.

Dont try to hit the ball, swing the club through it, let the ball get in the way of the club head.

 

[richart]

You appear to be aiming well right,ball back in your stance,and feet close together.Do you play with a big draw,or do you come over the ball to bring it back on line ?

If you come over the ball this could be causing the topping.Need to see the full swing in motion .

 

[bigbiffa]

yes, do tend to hit the ball with a draw,quite a bad one when it goes wrong. will video swing nxt time im at range and post here

 

[JustOne]

i have had a lesson,and was told to "stay down".

No offence, but that just makes me laugh!

(Not at you (of course) but the thought of someone paying £20 for a lesson just to hear that).

What clubs are you topping? Is it ONLY your woods or do you top your irons as well?

 

[bigbiffa]

all of them! but predominantly the driver/woods.

 

[bobmac]

Would be difficult to tell without seeing your swing, but if you are coming down steeply on top of the ball that would suggest to me your head is getting ahead of the ball at impact.
Try keeping your head slightly behind the ball at impact and let the club go passed your face.

 

[steveyjd81]

bend your knees and straighten you back, like you said 'sitting on the edge of a bar stool'

 

[percy_layer]

Hi,

Looking at your pic in your signature it looks to me as though you are staying back on your right foot, i would need to see a face on picture to confirm whether this is the case. If it is, then your club will bottom out before it reaches the ball and be on its way up at impact. You can see this when you hit your irons if the divot starts before the ball. One of my favourite drills to stop this is to place a ball a grip length behind the ball you're hitting and you must miss this first ball to improve your angle of strike to compress the ball you're hitting.

Send me a mail if you'd like more advice, be happy to help.

 

[JustOne]

your club will bottom out before it reaches the ball and be on its way up at impact.

Good description of thinning a ball, not topping.
It would be hard to top a driver off a tee peg if following your description. Also if your club is bottoming out then you're going to be hitting a lot of fat shots

Topping is more than likely a downward (steep) strike caused by your upper body getting ahead of itself and the hands subsequently get steep trying to keep up, not by staying back.

Try keeping your upper body over the ball (more centered, it's a turn not a slide) and lead your downswing with your hips to shallow the swing arc into something hitable.

steveyjd81, messaged you, fancy a game tomorrow?

 

[bobmac]

your club will bottom out before it reaches the ball and be on its way up at impact.

Good description of thinning a ball, not topping.

I agree.

 

[percy_layer]

your club will bottom out before it reaches the ball and be on its way up at impact.

Good description of thinning a ball, not topping.

I agree.

I would love to see face on pictures of what the club and body is doing through impact. I just descibed what i saw in the picture in the signature, the right foot looks very flat that far into the follow through and from experience that indicates hitting off the back foot and scooping, thus causing a top, a thin or a fat shot.

 

[JustOne]

Where's that pic taken? Looks nice.

 

[kid2]

Im no expert here and take what i say with a pinch of salt but its more of an obsevation.....In your picture above you appear to have your knees very rigid and have a very hunched back(no offence)
On seeing this im thinking that up may have to reach for the ball as your knees are not bent so you cant go down after it like your swing coach has said.
Thats just my tuppence worth but as i said take it with a pinch of salt!

 

[Parmo]

When I knob the ball its usually me lifting my head up too early looking for the ball on the back swing lol

 

[Smiffy]

My topped shots are usually caused by me chasing after the ball and getting ahead of myself.
I don't hit many tops. My bad shot is fat.
Just don't ask me to tell you how fat

 

[bigbiffa]

the pic was taken at la romero in murcia in october, and yes it was luvvvvvvly!

 

[bigbiffa]

well,reading the above, i seem to be thinning it also! will let u guys know how i get on! thanks for the tips!