How to Stop Hitting the Golf Ball High on the Clubface

One of the most frustrating things a golfer can do on the tee is hit the ball too high on the clubface. You can hit what feels like a perfect drive, have it head straight down the fairway, then have it fall 100 yards short of your intended target. The fix often comes from simple adjustments to avoid hitting the ball toward the top of the clubface.

Place your golf ball on the tee as your normally would, and then place your driver behind the ball in your normal stance. Half of the ball should stick above the face of the club. If more than half of the ball is above the face, you will likely hit the ball too high on the clubface. Tee the ball 1/2 inch off the ground for hybrid clubs and fairway woods as a general rule. These clubheads are often much smaller than the driver heads and do not need to be teed up as high. For short irons and wedges, propping the ball slightly off the ground will help ensure that you hit it closer to the sweet spot.

Practice hitting the ball on your upswing. If you aim to hit the ball just after the club hits the lowest point, the club will be on its way upward and will more likely catch the ball on the lower half of the club.

Take the club away on your backswing lower to the ground. If you are torquing your shoulders away from the ball too much on your backswing, you can bring the shaft off line, which will result in your getting under the ball too much as you return to the ball. Focus on keeping your backswing shallow, which should help you hit the ball closer to the sweet spot.

Tips

Look at the face of your clubs. If there are ball marks above the sweet spot on the clubface, you are hitting the ball too high.