How to Stop Topping the Golf Ball
Updated October 12, 2026 · Written by the Your Golf Plan team · Written for right-handed golfers; if you play left-handed, flip left and right.
A topped shot is when the bottom of the club strikes the upper half of the ball and drives it into the ground, so it bounces or rolls a short way. It can happen with any club, but it is most common with the driver, fairway woods, and long irons.
A thin shot catches the middle of the ball. A topped shot is a bigger version of the same problem: the club was too high at impact.
What causes it
- Lifting your head and chest to see the shot, so the whole club rises.
- Straightening your spine through impact (early extension).
- Weight that stays on the back foot while you try to help the ball into the air.
- A reverse pivot, which leaves you leaning away from the target at impact.
- Ball too far forward for the club, so the swing is rising when it arrives.
Why woods and drivers top more
Longer clubs have a shallower swing and a flatter arc, so there is less room for error in height. The ball also sits on a tee or the ground, and golfers who try to scoop it up lose their posture.
Check that your tee height puts about half the ball above the top of the driver, and that you swing through rather than at the ball.
How to see it
On face-on video, compare the height of your head at address and at impact. If your head has risen, or your chest has come up, that is the cause. A sole mark on the top of the ball and a scuff on the crown is another clue.
Drills that help
Spot behind the ball
- Place a tee or coin about two inches behind the ball.
- Look at the spot and swing, keeping your eyes there until the club has gone past the ball.
- Hit ten shots with that focus and note how your contact changes.
What you should feel: Your head stays still and the club arrives from above.
Chest to the ball
- Make half swings and feel your chest stay pointing at the ball until after impact.
- Let the club do the lifting.
- Hold your finish and check your head is still low.
What you should feel: You stay down through the shot and finish with your chest rising after the ball has gone.
Not sure this is your problem?
Drills only work if you are fixing the right thing. Film your swing from down the line and face-on, and a PGA coach will tell you what is actually happening and give you one drill to work on.
Get a coach to look at your swing · $35What a coach looks for on video
- Head and chest height from address to impact
- Spine angle through the downswing
- Whether the hips move toward the ball
- Ball position and tee height
- Weight transfer to the lead foot
That is the difference between guessing from a guide and knowing from your own swing. Two short videos are enough for a coach to check all of this.
Keep going
- Why Do I Hit the Ball Thin? How to Stop Skulling It
- What Is Early Extension in Golf? How to Spot and Fix It
- What Is a Reverse Pivot in Golf? How to Fix It
Common questions
What is the difference between a thin and a topped shot?
A thin shot catches the middle or lower-middle of the ball and flies low. A topped shot catches the top and rolls along the ground.
Why do I top my driver but not my irons?
Driver swings are wider and flatter, and the temptation to lift the ball is stronger. Keeping your chest down through impact is the fix.
Have a coach look at your swing
Send two short phone videos and tell us what you are working on. A PGA coach sends back a video review and a drill built around your swing, usually within 24 hours and always within 48.
Get your swing analysis · $35