Wife frequently tops shots

[NevinW]

I've been playing golf for 50 years, but after all of this time, my wife is just now taking up the game. The good news is that she plays with the ladies and has fun, but she really struggles with making good contact with the ball. She is tall and quite strong, so club head speed isn't an issue.  I have noticed that women sometimes struggle hitting down on the ball and she is in that category. She tops most of her shots. You can see her trying to lift the ball into the air. If she tees the ball really high, she is more likely to make solid contact. Any suggestions for getting her to not lift up or retain her spine angle that I could pass on to her? If she could just make solid contact more often, she would enjoy the game more. Thanks.

[extrastiff]

Edit:I was a dum dum. 
 

use video. Show us. 
 

would make sure she is focused on starting the downswing with her hips/bottom half. It is incredibly difficult to get consistent ball contact if the arms are starting the downswing imo,And practicing those short little chip shots is a nightmare if you do not have proper sequencing, chunky chili dip city

Edited October 30, 2020 by extrastiff

[double_d]

If you want something simple, and non-technical that she doesn't have to "overthink" and can just have fun with, I would suggest looking into Harvey Penick's "clip the tee" drill.

[Guest]

I used to have this problem when I started playing. I just had to tell myself to stay down, as a beginner I found I was standing up too early before making contact which made me top the ball. As double_d said, keep it simple!

[golfsticks]

I had that trouble once and someone told me to put another ball on the same line about 3-4 inches in front of the addressed ball.  Now hit both balls, you have to stay down to get both of them. 

[FlyingAce]

Most women, including myself, don’t want to hit down on the grass and ruin it, so we try not to hit down.  She can still make good contact by “sweeping” the grass. I rarely take a divot but can still hit solidly.

Ask her to relax her shoulders through the swing and see if that helps.

[Barfolomew]

I have the same problem.... taking a proper divot is violent and can even hurt my poor wrists

[llewol007]

Hey Op, this isnt an uncommon problem. The hitting down part is what scares a lot of players and that is what leads to hitting thin or topped shots. I suggest, getting her into clubs with more woods involved. That way she is sweeping more than digging on her shots. And also if possible, add the hybrids in there to fill in the set. Even though the hybrids will still need a bit of hitting down on to make good contact, the thicker sole should provide her better contact off the turf. Ive seen sets all the way up to 7 and 11 woods. That should get her back up to the 7 iron I think. Something you can have her work on to get the point of solid contact is to work on pitch shots and work your way up to punch shots. I was having problems with my contact, and a high level golfer friend of mine told me the drill and it has helped as well. Good luck. Hoping my wife joins me on the course one day. 

Edited October 29, 2020 by llewol007

[Pepperturbo]

@NevinW My wife is a jock, plays golf too, handicap I think is 12, but I know her game.  I learned years back, NOT to teach any woman a sport or golf even if asked.  Best to pay for a teacher - as he/she will help her much more, and there won't be blow_back.

Edited October 29, 2020 by Pepperturbo

[nitram]

I'll add a little to what PT said above. My wife is an athlete, carries a 9.8 index as I type this, has played golf for the past 10 or so years, and I have never been asked for nor offered to give a golf tip. And we play together all the time for fun and in tournaments. I've even made money off her on a Calcutta or two. Having been together for almost 40 years I have found it better on me to let her do her own thing. When she wanted to learn golf she went to a friend of ours and asked who could be her best teacher, not named me. 

 

Good on you for trying to help her and God Bless.

[Talldog]

This is going to sound screwy, but it helped me with my iron topping problem.

 

Address the ball with the bottom of the iron 2-3 inches ABOVE the ground. Take your normal backswing and downswing from there. DON'T THINK, just do it--let your unconscious mind control your swing.

 

Your unconscious mind knows that you are too high and will adjust your downswing so you hit down at the ball.

 

Hit a bucket of balls like that and try to remember that feeling you have when you hit down to strike the ball. Incorporate that feeling into your regular golf swing, and you'll eliminate your topping problems.

 

 

[mikpga]

Weight Forward / Arms Straighter / Shoulder Down

[Callilady7]

Get her some lessons.  I too had this and sometimes still do.  I had to unlearn somethings I was doing wrong for years.  Keeping your body still and head down on backswing, then keeping my arms straight in follow through did amazing things to my hitting the ball.  Starting with 1/3 swing, then 1/2 swing then a bit further and so on.  At least I know what to do to correct my errors.  I was born in a time when there were no girls sports even in school.  If you don't get to develop that eye hand coordination at a young age it is harder as we get older to learn it.  The more repetition she gets with success with be the best sure.  Not just once a week, but several times a week.  The driving range knows me by name, lol but, it is helping along with the lessons I have had and will probably need again.  

[Pinky5]

my wife has had this problem. I had her make sure that she was touching her chin to her shoulder in her back swing and that pretty much fixed this problem.

 

Also I have noticed that hitting on the range, after about 40 shots in a row, she gets tired and the learning the regresses from there. Something to keep an eye on.