Golf Glossary
Topped Shot (Top)
In short
A topped shot, or top, happens when the club hits the ball above its middle. The ball then rolls or hops along the ground instead of flying and loses a lot of distance. A close relative is the thin shot, where the leading edge strikes the ball slightly lower.
What does topped mean in golf?
Picture the golf ball as a sphere with an equator, an imaginary line around its middle. If the club strikes the back of the ball below that line, the ball gets airborne. If it strikes above the equator, the edge presses the ball down into the ground. The ball then runs along the grass like a grounder or makes small hops. Golfers call that a ‘topped’ shot or a ‘top’.
The word comes from the verb ‘to top’, meaning to hit the top of the ball. A topped shot is not a breach of the rules, just a mishit. The stroke still counts: as soon as the club swings forward with the intention of hitting the ball, a stroke has been made, even if the ball only rolls a metre.
Topped, thin or fat: the three mishits compared
Beginners often mix up three terms. They describe where the club strikes the ball or the ground:
- Topped: the edge hits the ball above its middle. The ball runs or hops along the ground and stops after a short distance.
- Thin: the edge hits the ball below its middle, but not with the clubface. The ball flies very low and fast and runs a long way. On an approach shot it often ends up beyond the green.
- Fat: the club hits the ground behind the ball first. The ball loses a lot of speed and stays short.
With a top and a thin shot, the leading edge of the club meets the ball instead of the clubface. The difference lies in the height of the contact. Both mishits often have the same causes, which is why coaches usually treat them together. The fat shot is one of the faults where the low point of the swing comes too early.
Why does a topped shot happen? The most common causes
A top almost always has to do with the low point of the swing. With an iron the club should strike the ball first and only then touch the ground, just past the ball position on the target side. If the low point is behind the ball, the club is already rising again and hits the ball near the top. Typical triggers are:
- Standing up in the swing: your upper body rises before impact. The distance to the ball grows and the club only meets the upper part.
- Lifting your head too early: watching the ball before impact makes you rise without noticing.
- Weight on the back foot: leaning back in the downswing lifts the swing arc.
- Ball too far forward: you then have to reach for the ball.
- Stiff legs: with the knees almost straight, your body cannot stay at the same height during the swing.
Nerves often play a part. The player is desperate to get the ball airborne and tries to lift it instead of letting the swing run through.
Practical example: a topped tee shot on a par 4
A par-4 hole is 320 metres long. On the tee, driver in hand, you can tell at impact that something is wrong. The ball skips across the grass and stops after 60 metres. There are still 260 metres to the flag.
You have used a stroke but hardly gained any ground. With your second shot, a fairway wood perhaps, you manage 150 metres. 110 metres are still needed to reach the green, so a third shot with an iron. With two putts the card ends up showing a 5: one over par, a bogey. If the third shot finishes beside the green, a double bogey follows quickly.
Another example: on a par 3 of 100 metres you play a wedge. The shot is thin, the ball shoots low across the green and rolls into the bunker behind. What is missing here is mainly height. Both examples show that a top mainly costs distance, while a thin shot costs control.
How to avoid topped shots: drills
The good news is that topped shots can usually be cured with a few changes. These drills help:
- Keep your chest over the ball: stay in the posture you took at address until after impact. Knee flex and distance to the ball do not change.
- Chair drill: place a chair behind you so that your backside touches it lightly at address. Swing without losing contact. It helps against standing up.
- Look at the back of the ball: focus on the back of the ball rather than its top. This helps many players move the club low enough through impact.
- Weight forward: deliberately swing towards your front foot. That moves the low point forward.
- A calmer swing: swinging with reduced speed, as a guide at about 70 per cent, usually produces better contact.
Common misunderstandings and tips for the course
Many players think they have to lift the ball so that it flies. The opposite is true: the loft of the club lifts the ball when you let the club swing down and through it. Players who lift, top.
Every golfer has difficult days. If you hit several tops in a row on the course, these measures help:
- Choose a club with more loft, for example a hybrid instead of a driver. It gives confidence.
- Take two practice swings with the feeling of brushing the ground.
- Focus on your finish, not on the ball.
- Do not try anything special. The simple, even swing is the most reliable.
Warming up before the round helps too: ten shots with a short iron give you a feel for the contact point. If you are unsure whether the cause is standing up or your weight, the best answer is to have yourself filmed.
Try it at Golf Lounge
A swing analysis with TrackMan gives clues about how the club meets the ball. The measurements at the range include launch angle, ball speed, height and carry, among others. A very low launch angle, for example, can point to a contact that is too high. In a 60-minute one-to-one lesson with a PGA Pro and supporting V1 Pro video analysis you can find the cause. Lessons are available daily by appointment and are booked online.
Frequently asked questions
What does topped mean in golf?
Topped means the club strikes the ball above its middle. The ball barely gets airborne and rolls or hops along the ground and stops after a short distance. The shot still counts as a stroke. Causes are usually an upright upper body, a head lifted too early or weight on the back foot.
What is the difference between topped and thin?
With a topped shot the edge hits the ball above its middle and the ball rolls along the ground. With a thin shot the edge hits the ball below its middle, so it flies very low and fast and runs a long way. The causes are often similar, but the consequences for your score differ.
Why do I keep topping the ball?
Usually the low point of your swing is behind the ball, for example because you stand up in the swing, lift your head or leave your weight back. Nerves play a part as well. Keep your posture until after impact, swing towards your front foot and let the club run through the ball.
Does a topped shot count as a stroke?
Yes. A stroke is the forward movement of the club with the intention of hitting the ball. That holds even if the ball only rolls a short way. You count the stroke on your scorecard. If you do not touch the ball at all, it is an air shot, which also counts.
Which club do golfers top most often?
Among beginners, tops often occur with the driver and fairway woods, because those clubs are long and have little loft, which makes clean contact more demanding. A hybrid or an iron with more loft is more forgiving of small errors and helps you regain confidence in your swing.
As of: October 2026