Hybrids can be every golfer’s best friend. Not only does they provide a bigger target on the club face, but they also allow for extra distance when you need it — assuming you know how to swing them properly.
But therein lies the issue: Some golfers try to smack the casings off of their balls and forget simple swing fundamentals. This can lead to topping the ball, rather than catching it pure. The effect? More harm than good.
Because tops are frustrating on all levels, we asked GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel how to avoid one of golf’s ugliest misses.
How to stop topping the golf ball with your hybrid
According to Stenzel, topping hybrids is one of the most common issues she sees from her students. She even has a name for it: the “Hybrid Effect”.
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But instead of feeling defeated — or just letting your hybrid gather dust in your bag — Stenzel has some quick tips that will have a major impact on your long game.
Always be sure to line up the center of the club with the middle of your body. Since a hybrid looks like a wood, golfers often think they should align their body as if they’re swinging a driver. By not centering the club, golfers tend to reach, which can lead to tops.
A hybrid is lighter than an iron, Stenzel notes, so it’s also critical “to make sure that you get the club all the way down to the ground to make a divot with it.” You’ll take a smaller divot than you do with your irons, but the bigger surface area of a hybrid’s clubface allows for more forgiveness — and ideally fewer tops!
Hybrids make the game easier. Follows these tips to swing yours with confidence.