What Causes a Topped Shot in Golf?

A topped shot happens when the club strikes the upper half of the golf ball instead of delivering the club into the ball correctly. The result is usually a low runner, a weak pop-up, or a shot that barely gets airborne.

For most amateur golfers, topped shots come from one of two impact conditions:

1. An angle of attack that is too shallow
2. An angle of attack that is too steep

Understanding which one applies to you is the first step toward fixing the problem.

1. A Shallow Angle of Attack

The most common cause of a topped shot is an angle of attack that is too shallow. This often happens when a golfer tries to “help” the ball into the air.

Instead of trusting the loft of the club, the golfer may:

• Lean back through impact
• Try to scoop the ball upward
• Keep the club too low to the ground before impact
• Swing upward into the ball

When this happens, the club can strike the top of the golf ball, producing the classic topped shot.

What It Looks Like

If your angle of attack is too shallow, you may notice:

• The ball comes out low and runs along the ground
• The shot travels more forward than upward
• You may have little or no divot
• If you do take a divot, it may start behind the golf ball

Why It Happens

Many golfers believe they need to lift the ball into the air. But with irons and wedges, the goal is usually to strike the ball first and then the ground shortly after the ball.

A better impact pattern is:

Ball first, then turf.

The club’s loft is what gets the ball airborne. You do not need to scoop or lift it.

2. A Steep Angle of Attack

A topped shot can also happen when the angle of attack is too steep. This is less common, but it is still important to recognize.

A steep angle of attack means the club is coming down too sharply into the ball. Instead of approaching from a controlled, shallow angle, the club approaches from too high and chops downward.

When this happens, the club can catch the top or front edge of the ball and then drive sharply into the ground.

What It Looks Like

If your angle of attack is too steep, you may notice:

• The ball pops almost straight up
• You take a big, deep divot after the ball
• Your divots are unusually heavy or steep
• You may also struggle with slices

This type of topped shot usually looks different from the shallow version. Instead of running forward along the ground, the ball may pop up weakly because the club is striking down too sharply and catching the top/front of the ball.

How to Tell Which One You Are

Use your ball flight and divot pattern to diagnose the cause.

You may be too shallow if:

• The ball runs low along the ground
• You feel like you are trying to lift the ball
• Your weight hangs back through impact
• Divots are missing or start behind the ball

You may be too steep if:

• The ball pops straight up
• You take large, deep divots
• The club feels like it is chopping down
• You often hit slices or very heavy shots

The Key Concept: Control Your Low Point

To stop topping the ball, you need better control of your swing’s low point.

For most iron shots, the low point should occur slightly after the golf ball. That allows you to strike the ball first and then take a shallow divot after impact.

A good goal is:

Strike the ball first, then brush or take a divot a couple of inches after the ball.

If you are too shallow, work on avoiding the scoop and moving your low point forward. If you are too steep, work on shallowing the club so the strike is not so vertical and choppy.

Summary

Topped shots usually come from one of two angle-of-attack problems:

• Too shallow: The golfer tries to help the ball into the air, swings upward, and catches the top of the ball.
• Too steep: The golfer chops down too sharply, catches the top/front of the ball, and often takes a deep divot after impact.

The fix starts with identifying your pattern. Watch the ball flight, check your divot, and work toward a better low point: ball first, then ground.