Avoiding The Pop Up Tee Shot

The pop-up is one of the most embarrassing tee shots in the game, along with the little dribbler out in front. The pop-up goes straight up in the air, barely clearing the tee box and then comes straight down. Often, it doesn’t even clear the ladies tee. It’s even more embarrassing when you pop-up on the first tee.

Two things cause a pop-up: (1) shifting excessive weight forward, and (2) approaching the ball from a very steep angle. Most players who hit pop-ups never shift their weight correctly during the swing. Meanwhile, the steep descent de-lofts the clubface, causing the club’s topline to become its leading edge. Together, these swing faults cause the ball to go straight up in the air.

Here are 5 tips on eliminating pop-ups:
· Take a wider stance
· Maintain a higher position at the top
· Maintain a lower position at the finish
· Take a full shoulder turn
· Shift weight to your back foot

Some simple changes in your set-up help eliminate pop-ups. The key is making sure your set-up encourages a higher and longer backswing arc, which in turn shallows out your swing plane and reduces the steepness of your downswing. First, widen your stance, creating room for a big backswing arc. If you’re not comfortable using a wider stance hit balls with it in practice until you are, then take it to the course. Also concentrate on maintaining a higher position at the top of your backswing and a lower position at the finish.

These changes will train your body to take a full shoulder turn and shift your weight to your back foot on your backswing, and your forward foot on your downswing, instead of vice versa.Eliminating pop-ups may not turn you into the club champion, but it will improve your game and help save you face at the same time.

Jack Moorehouse has been kind enough to share many of his golf tips. I have to say Jack is one of the best instructor's I've ever seen. Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps quickly