There is nothing more defeating than the sound and feel of a topped driver shot. You take a powerful, athletic swing, expecting to see the ball soar down the fairway, only to catch the top half, sending a weak grounder that barely reaches the ladies' tees. You’re left with a sinking feeling, wondering what went wrong. This article will show you exactly how to diagnose the cause using slow-motion video from your phone, and then give you concrete, actionable drills to stop topping your driver for good.
Topping the golf ball isn't a mystery, it’s a simple matter of physics. Your swing arc has bottomed out and is already traveling upwards by the time it reaches the golf ball. To hit the ball solidly, the lowest point of your clubhead's path needs to be at or slightly before the ball's center. When you top it, the bottom of your arc is behind the ball, meaning the club only catches the upper hemisphere. Simple as that.
But why is your swing arc rising too early? It almost always comes down to one primary, involuntary movement your body makes during the downswing.
Early extension is the undisputed king of swing-killers, and it's the number one cause of topped driver shots. In simple terms, early extension is when your lower body and hips move towards the golf ball during the downswing, instead of rotating.
Think about your setup. You have a certain amount of space between your body and the golf ball, and you’re tilted forward from your hips. To maintain this posture through the swing, your hips need to rotate around your spine while staying back. With early extension, your hips thrust forward, closing that space. Your body has no choice but to stand up to make room for the club to pass. As your chest and head rise, the club rises, and the result is a massive, frustrating top or a thin shot.
While early extension is the main problem, a few other issues can contribute to a topped ball:
Here’s where things get powerful. You don’t need an expensive launch monitor or a coach standing over you to see what's happening. Your phone's slow-motion video feature is the best diagnostic tool you have. It reveals movements that are impossible to see at full speed. Here’s how to use it.
Grab a tripod or just lean your phone against your golf bag. You’ll need to film yourself from two crucial angles:
Hit a few balls, then review the slow-motion footage. Here’s exactly what you're looking for.
This is where you'll spot early extension. At address, pause the video. Now, imagine or even draw a vertical line on your screen that is just touching your trail-side glute. Your goal is to keep your glute on or very close to that line as you rotate through impact.
Watch the Video: As you start your downswing, what do you see?
This view tells you all about your low point and weight transfer.
Watch the Video:
Once you’ve identified the an issue on video - most likely some form of early extension - you're ready to fix it. Knowledge is power, and now you can stop guessing and start working on purposeful drills.
These drills are designed to retrain your body and give you the feeling of a proper swing motion. Don't just do them once, incorporate them into your regular practice routine until the correct movement becomes second nature.
This is the most direct way to feel what it's like to not early extend.
This drill trains your body to extend the club through the ball towards the target, promoting a shallow, ascending angle of attack.
A good swing path starts with a good setup. A bad setup pre-programs failure. For the driver, a little bit of spine tilt away from the target is essential.
Practice these drills diligently, and always refer back to your slow-motion video to check your progress. Watching yourself improve provides the a great deal of motivation you need to stick with the changes.
Topping your driver comes from losing your posture during the swing, almost always caused by an early extension of the hips. By using your phone's slow-motion camera, you can definitively identify this fault and gain a clear understanding of your swing. The drills provided will then help you retrain your body to stay in posture and finally achieve that high, powerful, center-struck drive.
Once you’ve identified a potential issue in your swing using video, the next step is often asking, "What does this mean?" or "What's the right drill for me?". That’s where constant, on-demand coaching becomes a serious advantage. With our app, Caddie AI, you can get instant, judgment-free advice 24/7. Describe what’s happening, what you see in your replay, and get targeted feedback and drills to work on, removing the guesswork so you can practice smarter and play with more confidence.
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