I have been playing golf for several years now, and I still don’t know how to stop topping the ball with fairway woods. It is frustrating and embarrassing to see the golf ball top on the ground.
I knew I had to change something in my game to avoid topping the golf ball. I did some research and practiced a lot, so I might as well share some ideas that may help you as well.
Why do I keep topping my fairway woods
Knowing the reasons why you keep topping your fairway woods can help think of ways to improve your game.
This can help you be aware of the aspects you need to focus on when practicing.
You need to observe yourself during the play and let yourself learn from your mistakes.
Having Poor Posture
Your posture might be the one affecting your performance. It is because the angle of your shot is dependent on how you swing your golf club.
As golfers, posture is vital in delivering a pitch because it influences how hard you hit the ball as well as its direction.
Ideally, golfers flex their knees, bend while keeping their backs straight, and just allow their arms to move freely.
You have to be relaxed and lose those tenses to generate a smoother shot.
Try shooting a video of yourself to check if you are following the proper posture. This case might answer your problem on how to stop topping the golf ball with fairway woods.
Doing the Incorrect Stance
Your stance would influence the momentum of your body and the ball. If you are hitting the ball upwards, it would most likely result in a topped golf shot.
By doing this, you will find yourself leaning downwards or worse, falling on the ground after swinging your club.
The reason why you would most likely fall is that you are doing the incorrect stance.
You are swinging too high, which makes an upward arc; thus, you will get a topped golf shot.
Though proper positions vary with the golf club you are using, the key to correcting your stance is by practicing often.
Why do I keep topping my fairway woods?
An incorrect stance is probably one of the reasons, and if you think you are experiencing the same, then reading through this might be a great help for you!
Hitting the Ball Too Hard
Fairway woods are usually used to cover larger distances.
If you hit the ball too hard, it will most likely result in a poor shot, and if you have observed, it makes your arms and muscles tense up; thus, topping your golf ball.
When golfers feel the excitement during their play, they usually hit the ball too hard, thinking that it would reach a farther distance.
Taking full control of your movements while delivering a pitch will enable you to hit the ball better.
How to stop topping the ball with fairway woods
After knowing the reasons why you are topping the ball, learning how to prevent it would be the next step in improving your performance.
Here are some tips you can follow to generate better shots.
Avoid Hitting the Ball Using the Bottom of Your Club
One of the ways on how to stop topping the golf ball with fairway woods is by avoiding hitting the ball using the bottom of your club.
When you use the bottom of your club, it will just hit the top part of the golf ball thus, making it top on the ground.
Angle your club swing correctly and make sure that the flat surface of the driver will be the one making contact with the ball and not the bottom part.
Also, be sure not to hit the ground because you will most likely see dirt and mud flying as well.
Stop Doing Reverse Pivot
If you want to learn how to stop topping the ball with fairway woods, you might want to know more about a reverse pivot.
Doing reverse pivot means you do not put your weight to the back foot, but you pivot off your lead foot.
This is more one changing your body position and movements, not about changing the club you are using.
By doing this move, you will most likely top the ball or even miss your shot because the majority of your weight is on your front foot.
Fix your weight transfer and do the proper stance — flex your knees and feet apart. This will allow you to create appropriate shots through proper swinging angles.
Adjust Your Weight Shift
Another answer on why do I keep topping my fairway woods is my inability to adjust my weight shift.
This is related to reverse pivot, but adjusting your weight shifts would help execute the correct swing.
If you want to do backswings, your weight should be on the right while for the downswing and follow-through, your weight should be on the left.
Knowing where to put your weight will save you from topping the ball or missing your shot.
Practices to do to avoid topping the golf ball
If you want to know how to stop topping the golf ball with fairway woods, the continuous practice will make your performance better than ever.
You may check other practice routines by other golfers, but here are some useful examples that you can do.
Continuous Swinging Exercises
Continuous swinging exercises would help you enhance your stances and weight shifts. Let a friend observe your swinging movements and be open to comments and suggestions.
You can also take a video of yourself so that you can check it yourself and adjust your moves according to your observations.
This helped me solve my problem with why do I keep topping my fairway woods.
It is also essential to take note that in practice, you don’t have to expect too much from yourself. Start slow and continue doing it over and over again until you gain mastery of it.
Consistent Body Posture
Regarding the problem of how to stop topping the ball with fairway woods, practicing proper body posture will allow you to move easily during the game.
This will also prevent body aches or even accidents from happening.
Practice doing consistent body posture in such a way that you can deliver firm swings in pitching. Take note that you don’t have to give 100% of your effort in swinging your golf club.
In-swinging your club, it is best if you take a video of yourself or let a friend watch you deliver it. You can also practice at home by looking at the mirror while you do the process.
Do this regularly, and you will master golf swinging with proper body posture in no time.
Refocus Your Visuals
If you want to know how to stop topping the golf ball with fairway woods, one crucial practice is refocusing your visuals. Not a lot of you may know that golf is also a mental sport.
In playing golf, you will need your mental presence and positive thinking.
Improving your shot, try doing a quick visualization before you hit the golf ball. Think of the kind of shot you want to execute and where the ball should land.
This will significantly help in aligning all the other parts of your body as you deliver your shot.
Jack Nicklaus once said, “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head.”
Train your mind to be optimistic that you will make a good shot and see how it will affect your game.
Lessons From Experience
Knowing how to stop topping the ball with fairway woods eased my performance while playing golf.
It has been a frustration of mine, and I find it embarrassing whenever I see the ball topping on the ground.
Exposing myself to the possible reasons why I do it made me a better golfer.
Adjusting my body posture, stance, and swinging practices along with the magic of visualization, my game changed the way I want it to be.
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Last Updated on December 4, 2023 by Paul Roger Steinberg