Many golfers, especially new golfers, are plagued with the problem of hitting the top to the ball and dribbling it along the ground. In the old days of balata golf balls, these top shots would cut a deep gash in the cover of the ball rendering it unplayable. The advent of surlyn and other exotic blended covers that don't cut has kept the destruction of balls to a minimum. But the key issue of curing the top shots lingers. Jim discusses his topping issue and injects a possible solution. Then Michael wrote in a good suggestion to consider. Let's take a look at the major causes of topping and some good cures.
Jim Benjamin says:
I have had the same problem with my irons. Everything from hitting the ball thin to topping the ball. I have never hit down on the ball. If I try, I come across the ball, over the top, so I don't even try. Maybe I need to play the ball back farther in my stance to hit it before the club comes up. Right now I'm at the point where I'm not sure what to do and my game is suffering. I shot 110 Saturday, not a 91 like I would expect. I'm in Arizona if you're wondering. We play year round.
Michael Clay says:
To Jim Benjamin. Forgive me if this seems too trite. I've played with numerous people, including my wife, who were consistently topping the ball. When I ask them what their eyes are focused on during the golf swing they say the ball, of course. I ask them specifically where on the ball they focus, and they usually touch the TOP of the ball with their club. I suggest that they focus on THE BACK of the ball and try to imagine driving a nail into the back of the ball with the club head. Usually the topping problem goes away after a few swings.
The Surge says:
Topping the ball and thinning are somewhat similar yet different. Topping is hitting the very top of the ball, which drives it straight down into the ground. Then there is some roll out. Depending on the face angle at impact or path, a top can go straight to dead left or right.
Hitting a thin shot is catching the ball somewhere above the equator to the top. The closer to the equator the higher the ball is off the ground and it flies farther from knee to shoulder high, like a bullet. Hitting the ball closer to the top drives the ball more straight down into the ground, resembling the basic top shot. Setup as well swing problems can be the cause of these two undesirable shots.
Michael suggests that vision plays an important role in good club to ball contact. He is 100% correct. Where you look is where you go when you walk or drive. Where you look is where you deliver a hammer head or club head to the nail or ball. To hit the ball solidly Michael describes the concept of driving a nail into the back of the ball, which is a good image. In reality, since we want the ball to get airborne, the club face must actually contact the ball a little below the equator. The key is to focus on the ball where you want to hit it. If you want to hit it higher you need to lower your contact, so look a little more below the equator. Hitting the equator for a tee shot will produce a low, penetrating shot to cut the wind. Contact above the equator is 100 percent TOPPING it.
Alignment being 90 to 95 percent the cause of all swing problems is the first setup point that must be checked. Aiming too far right for a right hander, left for a leftie, causes the upper torso to have to pull up and out of the way for the arms and club to get to the ball. Torso raises (notice I did not say, 'picked your head up' — one of the worse excuses in golf) and arms, hands and club also come up and you top the ball. This is also where we see the so called 'Chicken Wing,' the forward elbow breakdown that a few have commented on and asked for help in curing it.
Another big setup problem is exactly what Jim suggested in adjusting his ball position farther back. This works only if the ball was too far forward. If the ball is too much forward, impact is too late, as the club is too high in the upswing catching the top of the ball. Playing the ball too far back can also be the problem, causing the torso to have to rise up and even hang or fall back toward the back foot. Either way, proper ball position is critical to correct alignment and good contact.
PPGS ball position parameters are we play the ball in the center of the stance for the wedges through 7 iron. As the clubs get longer, the ball gradually moves forward to behind the heel of the front foot for long irons and hybrids. The 3 wood is off the heel and the driver is off the front of the heel. Naturally these ball positions are parameters and each player can test slight alterations to find the position that works best for them.
The basic swing problems are too much lower body movement in the backswing, highlighted by lifting the front foot and the knee moving inward too much. These are usually done trying to make a big shoulder turn and swinging to parallel or longer, causing the head and spine to move off the ball. What moves off the ball has to get back to the ball. Too little or too much move back and you are out of position for impact. This being out of position, usually too much forward of the ball, is also another major cause of the 'Chicken Wing' forward elbow breakdown.
To highlight and cure all of these problems is to just state the tenents of the PPGS setup and swing and focus on them. The setup is built upon the shoulder wide stance and PPGS trademark wide knees over the ankles (ride the skinny horse look) with outward pressure. The PPGS is a limited 70 degree turn, resisting movement of the front foot and knee, to a ¾ vertical length, light club backswing with the forward arm over the toe line. Then it's swing up to the T- Finish.
To simplify this is to emphasize that the PPGS setup is about being dynamically balanced and the swing is all about less body movement and turn so we can swing our arms faster. The less things move the more they stay the same. The less things move the less margin of error there is in the swing. Less error in the swing means greater probability of success.
The PPGS is all about less margin of error, energy efficiency and less stress and strain on the body. All of this adds up to more consistency in ball striking, hitting the ball more solid, straight and longer.
The Surge!