education insights | January 15, 2026

Why do I keep topping the golf ball with my driver?

As you approach impact, you lose your original address posture and spine inclination to the ground, which causes you to practically swing over the top of the ball. This is often caused by the urge to help the ball into the air.

Why do I always top the ball with my driver?

Typically, a ball is topped because the club has not gone far enough down towards the ball or you catch the ball on the way up, instead of at the bottom point. A lot of things can cause this to happen: A club that's too short. An awkward stance.

Why do I keep topping my golf shots?

Those who top it very often have the low point too early because they've lifted up away from the ball - this is one of the main cause of fat and thin iron shots. Focus on taking your divot just after the ball as trying to get the clubhead down below the golf ball just after impact will improve your strike.

Why do I keep skying my driver?

If you're skying your drives and getting no roll, your angle of attack into the ball is too steep. That puts too much height and backspin on the shot.

What happens when you stand too close to the golf ball?

What Can Happen If You Stand Too Close To The Golf Ball? Standing too close to the golf ball will result in a posture that's too upright, which could result in inconsistent shots and no control over the ball. Standing too close to the ball can result in slices and shanks, which are very common among average players.

Stop Topping Your Drives Now!

Why do I struggle to hit my driver?

The main reason why you can't hit your golf drive anymore is because your gripping the shaft too tight, not having enough swing speed, or your using the wrong golf club. There are many possible reasons why you can't hit your driver as well as you did before. You may be: Holding your driver with a grip that's too tight.

Should a golf driver touch the ground?

He says that setting the club on the ground promotes a hands and arms takeaway. Hovering the club, he said, engages your core from before you even hit the golf ball, which promotes a more powerful turn behind the ball.

What is ideal driver trajectory?

Slower swinging players will not generate excessive spin due to their lower clubhead speed, so a higher launch of 15-17 degrees is considered optimal. If the amateur player is swinging above 95 mph, they can lower their launch to about 12-13 degrees.

Why do I keep lifting my head in golf?

Balance. If you are lifting up during the downswing, it means that your body is performing some unnecessary movements. Whether it's shoulders lifting, back-arching, knees or waist extending, or head raising, the result is almost always going to be a slight loss of balance.

Does higher loft mean less distance?

If you have a golfer with a very high clubhead speed (i.e. the hose on full blast) they'll need a lower loft to get maximum distance. For a slower clubhead speed (i.e. the water pressure is lower) they'll need a higher loft to get more distance.

How high is too high with driver?

This may seem a little low, but it is the ideal ball flight trajectory for amateur golfers, even with relatively high swing speeds. If you have an unusually high swing speed, then 30 yards high (90 ft, or 27 meters) is more acceptable. In fact, you should be hitting ALL of your golf clubs about the same height.

What's the best launch angle for a driver?

The ideal launch angle for a driver is between 15° and 17°. This is NOT the same as loft. Launch is defined as the angle between the ground and the ball flight just after impact, and is the result of the clubs loft and attack angle.

Does increasing loft close the face?

When you adjust a hosel to increase loft, you are actually closing the face fractionally. Conversely when you reduce loft you are open the face slightly. Some clubs counter this visual change by allowing you to also change the face angle by using balance points on the sole.

Should driver sit flat at address?

Drivers should always have the toe up at address ' if the hands return close to this position while impacting the ball -- because during the last portion of the swing there is a centrifugal force of up to 70 pounds just before impact, acting at the center of gravity (c.g.) of the head.

Should you hover the driver at address?

Hovering the club at address gives you this perfect feel for the clubhead while helping you avoid excessive tension throughout the swing.

Why can't I get my driver off the ground?

If you are fighting a golf driver ball trajectory too low at the moment, you are probably wasting your swing speed early in the downswing and not saving it up for impact. That leads to weak contact with the ball, and a shot that lacks the speed and spin to really get up into the air.

Why can I hit my irons good but not my driver?

If you are struggling to hit your driver but not your irons, the issue could be a lack of clubhead speed. If your driver is slowing down as it makes its way into the impact position, you will lose both distance and accuracy. A lack of clubhead speed is a problem throughout the entire game, not just the driver.