If you want to start striking the ball like the pros, you need to move away from the chicken wing. We will show you some of the main causes of this move and, most importantly, how to fix it.

Here’s the good news: fixing the chicken wing could be easier than you think.

If your wrist positions are correct and you have the right mindset about where the club travels, you can reach a powerful and mechanically sound release position.

Stop the Chicken Wing (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time to read our entire guide on fixing a chicken wing in golf, here are the most important takeaways:

• Poor wrist action (especially an extended lead wrist) often leads to an open clubface and a steep angle of attack, promoting a chicken wing finish.
• Excess tension in the arms and shoulders restricts natural rotation and prevents a proper release through the ball.
• Proper rotation and extension at impact (with the arms away from the body) is key for eliminating the chicken wing.
• Shorter swings with the ball on a tee can help build muscle memory before moving on to full shots.
• HackMotion can provide real-time data on your wrist angles, helping you understand and correct the movements that cause a chicken wing.

What Causes the Chicken Wing in Golf?

One of the most common causes of the chicken wing in golf is an out-to-in club path. This movement of the club causes the lead arm to move away from the body in the follow-through because it has nowhere else to go.

A few other causes include:

• Too much extension in the lead wrist.
• An open clubface.
• A steep downswing.
• Misunderstanding of the proper golf club path.

How do You Fix the Golf Chicken Wing?

More important than what causes the chicken wing is how to fix it.

For most players the best fix is a drill that clicks and helps you feel exactly what is necessary to get the arms closer to the body and less.

Below are the main solutions, drills, and fixes to eliminate the chicken wing in your golf swing for good. Some may resonate more than others, but all of these drills encourage solid fundamentals that help you release the club and remove the chicken wing.

1. Drop the Hands Down – Don’t Move Them Out

At the top of your backswing, it’s common to want to move the arms out away from your body. This move feels powerful, as if you can “muscle” the ball or hit at it with your arms.

However, if you want to be consistent the club should drop into place.

2. Eliminate Wrist Extension at the Top (Use the Motorcycle Drill)

At HackMotion, we’ve analyzed more than 1,000,000 swings. Many great players have a flat or slightly flexed lead wrist at the top of their backswing.

If your lead wrist is cupped (extended), you risk an open clubface and a steep, over-the-top downswing.

The lead wrist being extended will cause other issues in addition to the chicken wing and the motorcycle drill is one of the best ways to fix it.

When you watch golfers who struggle with the chicken wing it’s easy to see they are not aggressive when coming through the golf ball.

3. Use the 4:30 Path Drill to Correct Out-to-In Swings

Another big cause of the chicken wing is swinging out-to-in to compensate for the open face.

Encouraging an inside-to-out path frees you to release the club fully without fear of pulling the ball left (or leaving it wide right).

4. Reduce Tension

Grip pressure issues are another problem for golfers who struggle with the chicken wing. One easy way to combat this is to ease tension in your arms and forearms.

Most golfers feel like letting go of grip pressure makes them feel like they lose control of the club. You don’t need to reduce tension in your hands only, this tension builds up into the arms and forearms and that’s where you really should let it go.

Try experimenting with grip pressure. Grip the club at different pressures (from extremely light to extremely tight).

Swing the club waist-high to waist-high in front of you. Identify a grip pressure (often around 5–7 out of 10) that allows fluid wrist hinge and release while still feeling secure.

5. Allow the Chest to Rotate (Use the Impact Fix)

If you don’t rotate your chest, your arms run out of room to clear and the lead elbow flares.

The more you keep your arms in front of your chest and turn your body through impact, the less chance you have of developing the chicken wing.

You can learn to rotate your chest by putting an object like a soft ball between your forearms as you swing.

You can also try this Impact Fix Drill that works with or without wearing the HackMotion.

6. Keep the Lead Elbow Closer to Your Side

Some players find it helpful to think about keeping the lead elbow a bit closer to the body through impact.

You may have seen this drill done with a towel or a glove. It’s pretty simple. You place the towel or the glove under your lead arm at setup and make sure it stays there through the golf ball.

Final Thoughts

Fixing a chicken wing in golf comes down to correcting your wrist angles, managing your club path, and relieving tension so the arms can rotate naturally.

With HackMotion, you can get real-time data on your wrist positions, see exactly where the breakdowns happen, and confirm that the changes you’re making truly eliminate that dreaded lead-elbow flare.

The post Fix Your Chicken Wing Golf Swing with These Tips and Drills appeared first on HackMotion.

Most golfers don’t realize they flip the club until they watch a slow-motion video of their swing.

The question is, what CAUSES you to flip? If we can get rid of this cause, you can keep your wrist from flipping at impact and gain power and consistency.

This guide will explain why golfers tend to flip their wrists and how to work on fixing this problem for good.

How to Stop Flipping Wrists at Impact? (Key Takeaways)

Learning the correct setup and synchronizing wrist and body movements are essential steps to eliminate wrist flipping in your golf swing.

Here’s what you can do to stop flipping and achieve a stronger, more consistent impact:

1. Center Your Hand Position: Ensure your hands are positioned centrally at the address without excessive shaft lean and without the hands being behind the ball.
2. Check Your Grip: Specifically, make sure your grip isn’t too weak.
3. Practice the Correct Release with a Shorter Swing: Start with smaller swings to build the feel for a proper release without wrist flipping.
4. Focus on Weight Transfer with Body Rotation: A smooth weight shift supported by body rotation is crucial for a powerful, stable impact.
5. Maintain a Flat or Slightly Flexed Wrist at the Top: This wrist position controls the clubface, minimizing the urge to flip at impact.
6. Using HackMotion, you can get real-time feedback on your wrist position, along with targeted drills to fine-tune your form. This valuable feedback allows you to make quick adjustments and practice purposefully, leading to consistent improvement.

Watch instead of read! Click here to access our free Stop Flipping Wrists at Impact video course.

What Causes Flipping Wrists in the Golf Swing?

Wrist flipping in golf is when the lead wrist quickly extends (just before impact), attempting to square the clubface at impact. In this motion, the clubhead overtakes the hands before impact.

The result is poor strike quality and high spin. Most importantly, you’ll lose power and control.

Flipping is typically caused by a lack of synchronization between body and wrist movement.

When the body and wrists aren’t working together, the hands are forced to compensate, trying to square the clubface manually at impact.

When the swing is properly synchronized the body rotates smoothly with a forward weight shift, while the arms and wrists maintain their angles. This allows the clubface to square naturally at impact without requiring extra hand action (or flipping).

How to Stop Flipping Wrists in a Golf Swing

If you want to stop flipping and start becoming more efficient at impact, the first place to start is the grip. It’s the only connection with the club, so it has to be perfect.

Once the grip is perfect, you can move to the backswing, wrist action, and weight transfer issues.

1. Common Setup Issues That Lead to Wrist Flipping

Weak or Palmy Grip

A weak grip—where the hands are rotated too far towards the target—keeps the clubface open during the swing, often causing golfers to flip their wrists to square the face at impact.

This leads to inconsistent shots and loss of power. Additionally, a palmy grip (where the grip rests too much in the palm rather than the fingers) reduces clubface control, increasing the likelihood of a flip.

Improper Hand Position at Address

Setting your hands too far behind or in front of the ball at setup can disrupt your swing path and timing.

When the hands are positioned too far behind the ball, golfers may compensate by scooping or flipping to square the clubface at impact.

Conversely, when the hands are too far forward, it becomes challenging to maintain wrist angles, often leading to an early release or flip.

How to Setup and Grip the Club for Reducing Flipping

• Hand Position at Address – When setting up with irons, your hands should be slightly ahead of the ball, creating a subtle forward shaft lean—about 1-2 inches. Avoid excessive forward shaft lean, as it can reduce power and limit proper body rotation through the swing.
• Neutral Grip – To maintain control and reduce flipping, your grip should be neutral rather than weak or overly palmy:
  • Keep the club in your fingers, not your palms.
  • Check that the V formed between your thumb and index finger on your lead hand points to your trail shoulder.
  • Hold the club about a half inch down from the top if you still feel you lack control, you may gain a little more stability through impact.

2. Learn to Release with Shorter Swings

A small swing, from the 9 to 3 o’clock position, is like a miniature version of a full swing. If you can get the perfect movement from 9 to 3, the full swing becomes much easier.

The best way to practice this is to use the HackMotion 9-to-3 drill.

You will move the club from a 9 o’clock to a 3 o’clock position and check for flipping. This drill focuses on maintaining clubface control, body rotation, and proper wrist mechanics through a simplified motion.

Progressing to the 10-to-2 Drill

Once comfortable with the 9-to-3 drill, you can transition to the 10-to-2 drill to add more body rotation and a fuller release:

3. Lead the Downswing with Hip Rotation

Proper body rotation is essential for avoiding wrist flipping in the golf swing.

By initiating the downswing with your hips, you create a powerful, controlled motion that keeps the clubface square through impact.

Downswings that lead with the body are easier to repeat, and once you have your lead wrist in a flat position at the top of the swing, you can focus on hip and body rotation through the ball.

This continuous rotation allows your hands to remain passive, reducing the need for last-second adjustments like flipping to square the clubface. Additionally, effective rotation helps you maintain forward shaft lean and wrist stability, ensuring consistent, powerful contact.

To improve hip rotation try the Hip Sway and Turn Drill as seen in the video below from Rob Cheney.

4. Shift the Pressure on the Lead Foot at Impact

Correct weight transfer is key to avoiding wrist flipping in your swing.

Shifting pressure onto your lead foot during the downswing supports balance, promotes a forward motion, and keeps your hands leading the clubhead through impact.

This weight shift helps maintain forward shaft lean, stabilizes the wrists, and enables a full body rotation—reducing the need for a compensatory flip.

Practice Proper Weight Transfer with Step-Through Swings

To develop a feel for effective weight transfer, try step-through swings:

• Step-Through Drill: Begin your swing as usual, and just before impact, take a small step forward with your lead foot. This movement encourages a natural forward weight shift and momentum that prevents flipping.

Incorporating this drill into your practice helps ingrain the sensation of a smooth, forward weight transfer, leading to a more solid and controlled swing without the need for wrist adjustments.

5. Stabilize the Clubface with Wrist Flexion

If your lead wrist is extended at the top of your swing, it can cause the clubface to open, making it challenging to avoid flipping at impact.

A simple adjustment—adding wrist flexion—can help solve this by keeping the clubface stable and reducing the need for compensatory wrist movement.

Wrist flexion promotes forward shaft lean and stabilizes the clubface through impact.

Practicing the Motorcycle Drill can lead to a controlled wrist position with a square clubface.

Motorcycle Drill (Wrist Flexion Drill)

You can use the HackMotion Motorcycle Drill to learn how to transition properly into the downswing. At the top of the swing, you will feel your lead wrist start to “rev” the grip just as you would a motorcycle.

This reduces extension in the lead wrist on the downswing. In addition, be sure not to add any extension from setup to the top of the backswing so you’ll have an easier time getting to square.

Use HackMotion to Stop Flipping Wrists

HackMotion is like having a coach on your wrist as you practice.

With the HackMotion you will be able to understand not just why you are flipping, but you’ll get a training plan on how to fix this issue.

The first step here is to collect data about your swing and HackMotion will diagnose the classic signs of flipping just before impact. Then you will get a personalized training plan with drills and guidance.

Getting rid of the flip takes some practice time. With HackMotion you’ll ensure that time is well spent.

Final Thoughts

Now it’s time to get out there and improve your wrist position and stop flipping the wrists for good.

Eliminating the flip isn’t magic—it’s measurement plus practice. You’re just a few reps away from more powerful, consistent strikes.

HackMotion will allow you endless hours of practice (with direction), knowing you are working on the right things. When the flip disappears, the impact feels entirely different, making this learning curve well worth your time.

The post Stop Flipping Wrists in Your Golf Swing & Take Control of the Club at Impact appeared first on HackMotion.

The problem is the pull slice is unpredictable, and it’s very likely costing you distance.

If you are ready to fix your pull slice and take your golf game to the next level, you are in the right place.

How to Fix a Pull Slice in Golf (Key Takeaways)

If you are ready to fix your pull slice but don’t have time to read through all of our detailed drills and solutions right now, here are the most important takeaways:

• Start with a square clubface at address; this will help prevent the initial pull to the left.
• Check your ball position and make sure it’s placed correctly in your stance. For drives, keep it forward, but for irons, adjust it gradually back to maintain control over your swing path and prevent slicing.
• Start your downswing with your hips, not your shoulders. This avoids the common “over-the-top” motion that often leads to an out-to-in path and a pull slice.
• Maintain proper wrist flexion through impact. A flexed (bowed) lead wrist squares the clubface and prevents it from staying open, reducing slice spin.

If you feel like your slice is the bigger problem and the pull can be easily fixed or adjusted, take a look at our free slice-fix course. This course breaks down why you slice and how you can fix it into six simple steps.

Access the free video course here!

Why Am I Hitting A Pull Slice?

Before we get into how to fix a slice, it is important to understand where this pull slice comes from.

Here are the causes that are likely putting you in a position to hit an inconsistent pull slice.

• Left Alignment: Aiming left leads to an inside swing path with an open clubface, setting up a left-starting shot that curves right. Most golfers aim left because they are anticipating the slice, but few realize that this makes the slice worse.
• Ball Too Forward: Placing the ball too far forward forces an overreach, causing an outside-in swing path and preventing square clubface alignment.
• Casting from the Top: When shoulders and arms initiate the downswing, it leads to an outside-in path with an open face, resulting in a rightward slice. Casting from the top can be an issue caused by improper sequence but the wrong wrist angles at the top make casting worse.
• Out-to-In Swing Path: Swinging from out-to-in generally opens the clubface to the path, starting the ball left and curving it right.
• Excess Wrist Extension: Extended wrists keep the clubface open at impact. Maintaining a more neutral or flexed wrist can help square the face and reduce slicing. The wrist issues can be evaluated at the top of the backswing and when they are too extended the chance of being square at impact is slim.
• Clubface Open to the Path: An open clubface relative to the path at impact guarantees a rightward curve after a left launch, creating the characteristic pull slice.

How Do You Fix a Pull Slice in Golf?

Now that you have some of the causes, let’s take a look at how to fix the pull slice in golf.

1. Clubface Square to Target at Address

The first step is to make sure your clubface is square to your target at address.

In addition, make sure you are set up parallel to the target to discourage an inside path through impact and produce a straighter launch.

When you think you are aligned with your target, look down at the clubface and draw an imaginary straight line. If it points to the left or right of the intended target, adjust the clubface until it is square to the starting line.

2. Progressive Ball Placement

Check your ball position and ensure it’s not too far forward in the stance. Follow a progressive setup, depending on the shaft length you swing.

The furthest forward your ball should sit is on the inside of your lead heel for drives. Since the ball is teed up, you need to strike it marginally after the low point of your swing to launch it. Next, fairway wood and hybrid shots off the deck perform best with a forward-center setup.

Next, move the ball an inch back from its fairway wood position for long iron strikes and place it in the center for my mid and short irons. Finally, set the ball up just slightly back of center for wedge strikes.

3. Forward Shaft Tilt

Forward shaft lean at address will give you the feel of where my hands should be through impact. When hands lead, you will be more likely to generate lag, shallow the club, and close the clubface slightly into contact.

The closed face relative to my path executes a marginal right-to-left curve opposite to the shape of a pull slice. Forward shaft lean doesn’t guarantee a clean strike, but it prepares you for the task ahead.

Some golfers exaggerate the forward shaft lean, take a look at this video to make sure you get it right.

4. Hip Rotation Drops Your Club Into Place

Avoid leading with your shoulders from the top of the backswing, as they will cause you to cast the club and swing from the outside in. Instead, start the downswing by activating your hip rotation and shifting weight from the back leg forward.

Rotating hips at the top causes the club to drop into place on the inside, allowing me to produce an outside path.

You’ll find your trail arm has the perfect place to drop in on the proper plane when you rotate with your hips. The golf ball will start slightly right of the target and draw back in.

5. Add Wrist Flex

The final piece on how to stop a pull slice lies in your wrist flexion or bowing. Start by holding out your hand as if you’re going to shake a buddy’s hand.

If you push your fingers towards the target, you notice that your palm ends in a closed position to the target. This position is a consequence of wrist bowing or flexion, which causes you to close your clubface and shallow the shaft, enabling an outside swing path down to contact.

The HackMotion wrist sensor guides amateur golfers to optimize wrist angles from address through impact.

How to Fix Your Pull Slice with HackMotion

HackMotion wrist sensor is the perfect tool to fix a pull slice because it can bring attention to the aspects of your wrist motion in your swing that are incorrect.

HackMotion breaks down wrist motion to set up, top of the backswing, and impact.

Use Audio Feedback with the HackMotion Swing Analyzer

Once you take some swings with your HackMotion and collect data you can then start to look at the patterns and see where your issues are.

After analyzing more than 1,000,000 golf swings, we know that the best golfers start with a small amount of extension in their wrists.

As they swing to the top, they do not add any extension. Then from the backswing down to the golf ball, all extension is lost, and instead, golfers move towards flexion in the lead wrist.

The impact position should be considerably less extended (more towards flexion) than the address position.

The audio feedback on your HackMotion swing analyzer can be set to notify you when your wrist position is incorrect. The pull slice usually occurs because of an incorrect moment at the top of your swing.

Half Swing Check / Pre-Shot Thoughts

HackMotion works in real-time. Therefore, you can use it to check your position as you are taking practice swings.

Setup at the range with your phone or iPad in a position that you can see what the HackMotion is saying. As you swing back and through the ball, look at how your wrist position changes and what it takes to get into that flexion point at impact.

If you can do that, your clubface will be square, and the chance of you swinging more from the inside out is also going to be possible.

Combine these half-swing shots and checks with the proper body rotation and turning, and you will be well on your way to eliminating the pull slice.

Final Thoughts

One of the things golfers notice about the pull slice is that if they can fix the slice, and square the club through impact they can easily get rid of the slice. Many times the pull part of this is created as a defense to the slice action.

Consider working on fixing the slice first and then from there move to adjust your alignment and ball position use the HackMotion to help ensure your wrists are always in the right place and your clubface angle is controlled.

The post Pull Slice in Golf (Get Rid of The Pull Slice For Good, Causes & Fixes) appeared first on HackMotion.

A push slice starts out right and then goes further right; if you want to take a look at the golf course next door, the push slice is the golf shot to use.

If you have ever hit a push slice, you know it’s time for it to go. This guide covers why you hit a push slice, what can be done about it, and the easiest ways to fix it.

Push Slice in Golf (Key Takeaways)

A push slice is caused by a clubface that is open both to the target and the path at impact.

If you don’t have time to read our entire guide on fixing a push slice we have two options for you. First, here are the key takeaways:

1. Fix your setup – Placing the ball too far back in the stance often leads to an open clubface at impact and can be one of the main causes of a push slice.
2. Close the club face early – Excessive wrist extension (cupping) opens the clubface. Practice keeping the wrist flatter at the top of the backswing to improve control and set up for a straighter shot path.
3. Don’t slide laterally – Sliding instead of rotating the lower body can also open the clubface. To keep the face on track, work on controlled hip rotation rather than excessive lateral movement.
4. Shallow the club correctly – Start the downswing with a controlled hip rotation and weight shift. Let the arms fall naturally without forcing the club too far inside.

If you want a more detailed guide on fixing a slice, check out our free seven-step mini-course.

Check out how coach Rob Cheney describes the course:

It covers the root causes of your slice and how to fix them, no matter the type. Access the free video course here!

What Exactly is Push Slice in Golf and Why Does it Happen?

A push slice is a shot that starts right of your target line (for righties) and then proceeds to curve to the right even more. A push slice happens because the clubface is open to both the target line and also to the swing path.

Fixes – How to Fix Push Slice in Golf

1. Move the Ball Position Forward

Ball position influences the golf swing far more than many may think. If your ball is too far forward or too far back in your setup, it will directly impact how your body sets up to the ball.

If the ball is too far back, you will see shots that will start to the right of your target line. If the face of the club is square to the path, it will cause a push. If your face is open to the path, it will cause a push slice.

To fix a push slice, move the ball slightly forward in your stance. This helps reduce the in-to-out swing path and gives the clubface more time to square at impact.

Keep in mind that the address position changes depending on which club you are using.

2. Close the Clubface Early

One of the easiest methods to fix a push slice with a driver is to work on your wrist action throughout the golf swing.

The wrists control the clubface, yet many golfers focus on the swing path without addressing a key cause of a push slice: poor wrist positioning that leaves the clubface open.

Push slicers often have excessive wrist extension, causing the clubface to stay open relative to their in-to-out swing path.

After analyzing over 1,000,000 swings, it’s clear that players who increase wrist extension from setup to the top of the backswing struggle to reduce it in time to square the clubface at impact.

To correct this, maintain a flat or slightly flexed wrist at the top of the backswing. This position minimizes the adjustments needed to achieve a square clubface at impact.

Take a look at this video where coach Danny Malcolm demonstrates how to achieve it!

If your lower body initiates the downswing, you are doing the right thing. However, if the lower body does this a bit too quickly or without the arms even being connected, you’ll end up with a push slice.

Take a slight pause at the top of the backswing and let the lower body lead, pulling the arms and hands along. If you get to the top and just fire away with the lower body, you can open the clubface to the path and the target.

3. Don’t Slide Laterally

When the lower body slides laterally during the downswing instead of rotating, it can:

• Disrupt proper weight transfer.
• Prevent the hips from opening fully, leaving the shoulders and arms to overcompensate.
• Leave the clubface open at impact, contributing to slices or pushes

To fix lateral sliding, begin your downswing by shifting your weight slightly to your lead foot, then focus on rotating your lead hip back and your trail hip forward. Think of this movement as a turning action rather than a sideways push.

To practice this, use drills like the alignment stick drill, where you place a stick near your lead hip and swing without bumping into it, or the chair drill, where you keep your trail hip close to a chair while rotating, ensuring no lateral slide occurs.

4. Shallow the Club by Letting the Arms Fall

Letting the arms fall naturally during the downswing is crucial for maintaining balance and consistency.

Starting the downswing with a proper hip rotation and weight shift creates space for the arms to drop without being forced.

Keep the shoulders passive and the arms relaxed to let gravity guide their motion, avoiding tension or over-manipulation.

Focus on allowing the trail elbow to move in front of the body while staying close to the side, helping the club shallow naturally without getting stuck too far inside,

Try the Motorcyle Drill to Fix the Push Slice

To successfully address a push slice it’s crucial to focus on drills that help you transition smoothly into the downswing while maintaining control over the clubface. One of the most effective exercises for this is the Motorcycle Drill, which emphasizes early clubface closure and lead wrist control.

Extensive analysis of over one million golf swings using HackMotion technology reveals that great golfers begin closing the clubface earlier in the downswing compared to beginners or high-handicap players. Starting the process of closing the face sooner makes it significantly easier to achieve a square clubface at impact.

The Motorcycle Drill teaches you how to transition properly into the downswing by focusing on your lead wrist movement. At the top of your swing, imagine “revving” the grip like a motorcycle throttle with your lead wrist. This motion helps reduce wrist extension as you move into the downswing, setting the stage for a square or slightly closed clubface at impact.

To see this drill in action, watch coach Tyler Ferrell demonstrate the Motorcycle Drill using HackMotion technology.

When practicing this drill, focus on these key points:

1. Maintain a consistent amount of extension in your lead wrist from setup to the top of the backswing.
2. At the top of the backswing, aim for less extension and a flat lead wrist position.
3. As the downswing begins, work on eliminating extension so that your lead wrist is flat or even slightly flexed when reaching impact.

Use HackMotion During Practice

Using HackMotion on the driving range is like having a coach with you during practice. It provides instant feedback on whether your wrist extension positions at the top of your swing are improving and offers guided drills to help you along the way.

HackMotion’s audio feedback mode allows you to set specific acceptable ranges for wrist angles throughout the swing. If your wrists move outside these ranges, the device alerts you, ensuring you stay on track with your training.

The post Push Slice in Golf (The Most Common Causes & Effective Fixes) appeared first on HackMotion.

If you’re wondering how to stop topping the ball so that you can stand over it confidently and hit your target, we’ve got you covered.

These drills and tips will help you achieve crisp, clean contact.

How to Stop Topping the Golf Ball – Key Takeaways

Topping the golf ball is caused by too much movement in the body, incorrect wrist position, and improper setup.

If you don’t have time to read the full guide right now, here are the key points to help you fix topped golf shots:

• Check your ball position; if it is too far forward on the irons and wedges, you may be making contact with the ball when the club is ascending instead of descending.
• Make sure your head stays a bit more centered, and there is not much vertical or horizontal movement in your head; think of the swing as more of a pivot, and don’t move off the ball so far.
• Don’t reach for the golf ball; keep weight balanced in the center of the feet and ensure the club has room to swing. If you are reaching and the weight is on your heels, you could top it.
• Really lean into that lead leg as you transition through the ball; this helps promote a more downward strike and a clean golf shot that travels up in the air.
• Wear the HackMotion wrist sensor as you practice.; It’s like having a coach with you while you practice.

Common Reasons Why You Keep Topping the Golf Ball

The ways to fix it are more important than the reasons why you top the golf ball. However, here are a few key reasons why you are topping in case any of them stand out to you.

• Ball position too far forward or too far away from you.
• Poor posture – mostly hanging over the golf ball too far.
• Head moving away from the ball on the backswing.
• Poor shoulder and hip rotation.
• Incorrect wrist position – not enough flexion at impact and more of a flipping motion.
• Flexing of the arms on the downswing instead of extending them through impact.

How to Stop Topping the Golf Ball?

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s look at how to fix your problem with topping the golf ball.

These drills, tips, and methods will work for any player; you just have to find one that works.

1. Get Your Golf Ball in the Right Spot

Before you move into more advanced swing corrections, ensure your golf ball position is correct.

You can set up the range with alignment sticks. Get the alignment sticks set up in a T and play with different ball positions until you settle on the exact spot based on the club you have in your hand.

Golfers who top the ball often have it too far forward in their stance.

2. Keep Your Head Aligned with the Ball

When you are on the driving range, you should set up an alignment stick in line with the golf ball.

Use that alignment stick as a reference point for where you should keep your head during your golf swing.

Golfers who make clean contact with the ball keep their head centered. If your head moves off that point, you set yourself up to lean back on the downswing and top your golf ball.

Keeping your head aligned with the impact zone makes it easier to induce optimal rotation and follow a controlled angle of attack to strike the ball cleanly and launch it high. A little movement off the ball is acceptable when hitting a driver.

3. Optimize Rotation

Once your ball position is correct and your head stable, you can focus on rotation.

You must transfer at least 75% of your weight onto the front foot at impact to help you rotate through the shot and square your clubface at contact.

Once you reach the top of your swing, you want to feel the force of your back leg driving the weight forward to your lead foot.

This weight shift enables you to maximize your hip and shoulder rotation to keep your club on path to impact for a clean strike and increased compression.

Take a video of your golf swing and see if your rotation looks efficient.

4. Keep Your Arms in Sequence

Your wrists, elbows, and arms must work in sequence throughout the swing to keep the club on plane and promote an effective release during the downswing.

The goal is to have your arms straight at impact, with inward pressure applied to your elbows. For right-handers, bowing the wrists at impact helps keep the hands ahead of the ball at contact.

This position allows the clubface to strike the ball cleanly, generating optimal compression for a long, high golf shot.

Golfers struggling to maintain control of their wrists should consider using the HackMotion wrist sensor. It provides real-time feedback to guide you toward better wrist positioning for a balanced swing path and cleaner contact.

5. Stand Closer to the Ball

If you struggle to reach the ball at impact, it’s time to stand marginally closer to the ball.

Ensure you are a comfortable distance from the ball, and then take a few practice swings to see where the clubface is when it reaches the impact zone.

6. Get the Wrist Position Right

If your wrist position is causing issues with topping the ball, HackMotion will fix it.

The first step is to establish a baseline. Record some swings to get an idea of your wrist position at setup, the top of your backswing, and impact.

Most golfers who top the ball will notice that the wrist has a lot of extension at impact. You may notice the wrist goes from a flexed position to a bowed position just before impact. This is commonly referred to as flipping.

Make sure that from setup to the top of the swing, you do not add any extension in your lead wrist.

Once you are at the top of your golf swing, you will want to decrease any extension you had from setting up so that your left wrist gets into a flexed position.

This is exactly what most professional golfers do to achieve consistent impact positions and NEVER top the ball.

Additional Drills to Stop Topping the Golf Ball

If you have figured out your issue that causes you to top the ball but you are still struggling. Here are some additional drills to work on.

1. Little Swing, Big Rotation

Shorten your swing to a quarter or half-length, and work on boosting rotation and striking the ball cleanly.

By reducing your swing and enhancing turn, you feel how all the components of your swing gel together to help you impact the ball effectively.

Set up 10 golf balls, grab your pitching wedge, and complete one set of half-swung shots.

Don’t worry about distance or accuracy at this point. Just get your clubface on the ball cleanly.

Once you have succeeded with a pitching wedge, move on to your 7-iron, and repeat the process. You can see the simplicity of this drill by viewing the exercise below from Chris Ryan.

2. Hit in Front of the Line

The hitting in front of the line drill is designed to help you strike the ground later in the downswing than earlier. Following this methodology enables Pros to take juicy divots after hitting the ball.

Place a line of masking tape on your hitting mat, or draw a line with shaving foam on the turf.

Pretend your golf ball is placed on this line, and focus on hitting 1 to 3 inches ahead of the ball. This drill encourages you to optimize hip and shoulder turns to keep your club on a path through impact.

Start with no ball and a quarter swing, and watch where the clubface strikes the mat.

Once confident with short swings, employ a golf ball, and see the results. Next, I suggest upping it to a half swing, followed by a full golf swing, to put your practice into action.

Golf coach Eric Cogorno showcases how this simple drill plays out on the driving range.

3. Towel Drill

The towel drill from Rob Cheney encourages a more downward strike on the ball with a flexed lead wrist position. With the towel drill you’ll learn to hit down on the ball, increase yardage and stop topping.

All you need to do is place a towel behind the golf ball and ensure you don’t strike it on the downswing.

4. Contact Point

The final drill to help you stop topping the golf ball requires some foot powder spray, a club, and your golf ball.

Spray the powder onto your clubface, and after every shot, identify where you struck it.

When you top the ball, you’ll notice no marks on the clubface because the leading edge likely caught the ball.

Conclusion

Our guide on how to stop topping the golf ball reveals that your posture, ball setup, wrist and arm position, and optimal rotation are the root causes of the issue.

Therefore, the best way to hit cleaner shots is to optimize your ball position, keep your head aligned with the ball, and improve the efficiency of your rotation.

If wrist position is hampering your ball-striking abilities, consider the assistance of the HackMotion wrist sensor to improve your positioning through the golf swing.

The post Stop Topping the Golf Ball: 6 Actionable Tips & Proven Drills for Solid Contact appeared first on HackMotion.