There is nothing more frustrating for a beginner golfer than stepping up to the ball, taking a massive swing, and watching the ball aggressively roll across the grass like a bowling ball instead of flying through the air.

This is called “Topping” the ball.

It happens when the bottom edge of your metal club head strikes the top half of the golf ball, pushing it down into the dirt instead of launching it up into the sky.

If you are constantly topping the ball, you are likely suffering from the single most common instinctual mistake that every beginner makes. Here is why it happens, and how to fix it in 3 minutes.

The Instinctual Mistake: Trying to “Lift” the Ball

When you play baseball or tennis, if you want the ball to go up in the air, you swing your bat or racket upward.

Naturally, when a beginner golfer wants the golf ball to fly up into the air, their brain tells them to swing the club upward to scoop the ball off the ground.

This is completely wrong in golf.

If you try to scoop or lift the golf ball by swinging upward, the bottom edge of your club will inevitably catch the top of the ball. You will top it every single time.

The Secret of Golf Mechanics: Hit DOWN to Make it Go UP

Take a look at any iron in your golf bag. You will notice that the metal face of the club is not perfectly flat; it is angled backward. This is called “Loft.”

The manufacturer built that angle into the club so that it does the lifting for you. You do not need to help the ball get into the air.

To get the ball to fly high into the air, you must hit DOWN on the ball.

When you strike downward, you trap the ball between the angled clubface and the ground. The ball slides up the angled metal face, generates backspin, and launches high into the air.

The 3-Minute Fix

Next time you are at the driving range and you start topping the ball, stop and do this 3-minute drill:

1. Find a Tee: Stick a wooden golf tee into the ground so that the top of the tee is completely flush with the grass. Do not put a ball on it yet.
2. Focus on the Tee: Take your normal golf stance. Look at the tee in the dirt.
3. The Swing: Take a swing, and try to literally break the tee in half by hitting down into the dirt. Do not try to scoop it. You want to hear a loud “thump” as your club hits the ground.
4. Repeat: Do this 5 times until you are consistently hitting the dirt where the tee is.
5. Add the Ball: Now, place a golf ball directly in front of the buried tee. Take your swing, and try to break the tee hiding under the ball.

By focusing on hitting the dirt beneath the ball rather than trying to lift the ball itself, you will stop topping it. You will start taking a divot (a chunk of grass), and the loft of your club will send the ball soaring into the sky!