topping

whenever i take a fairway shot with an iron i always seem to top it or just catch half of the ball. i figured that i might be jolting as i swing down. can any body help me. its probably just a simple mistake.

HELP!

videos would be helpful. i have a better understanding then!

golfisquality2007

The only ways I know that cause a topped shot are when the bottom of the swing arc is raised prior to ball impact.

Swaying backwards during the back swing, then forgetting to sway forewards during the down swing. This puts the low point of the arc back in your stance, which means the club is past the low point of the arc, and on it's way up when it reaches the ball.

Another possibility is the bottom of the swinhg arc is raised during the back swing so that at the top of the swing the shoulders are raised from their original address position. This situation is caused by a address position that is too far bent over over the ball, straightening the right knee (right hander) into a stiff position at the top of the swing, or possibly leaving too much weight on the left leg during the back swing.

The third, and probably most common reason for a topped shot is raising up out of the shot just prior to impacting the ball. Alot of people will say that you looked up too soon to follow the ball. In reality you can raise your head up, and not top the ball as long as you don't move your shoulders up. That is why you can sometimes see a good golfer raise their head during their back, and down swing, and still hit a good shot. Their shoulders, which connect to the arms, hands, and club did not move up changing their original distance from the ball at address.

A good one piece take away, with correct posture, with out too much swaying, while keeping the shoulders the same distance from the ball though out the swing, and watch out that you do not straighten the right leg on the back swing should go a long ways in preventing a topped shot.

These are all old school reasons for topping the ball, and is information I just picked up along the way through out the years. I still top shots every so aften, but usually that is when I have a ball below my feet situation, and I don't stay down on the shot. Hope this helps. GJS

GJS has it right.

So: keep down through the shot, don't have the ball too far forward, good posture and balance, eye fixed on the back of the ball, don't flip your wrists to get the ball in the air and transfer your weight to the front leg on the downswing.

The answer is in there somewhere.

The other cause that no one has mentioned is bending the left arm before impact, shortening the swing radius. This is especially likely if you swing too much with the arms.