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Hybrids Hybrids Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 2 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

How to Stop Topping Your Hybrid: Michael Breed

Is your 3-hybrid getting topped or flying off to the right? Michael Breed of Golf Channel answers an Australian golfer’s question in exactly one minute: the culprit is the chest rising at impact. He gives you a single feel to work on, which also applies to fairway woods.

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Michael Breed
Michael Breed · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

8 minSame problemHow to Hit a Hybrid Like a Long Iron: The Tee DrillGiles Gill Golf · Beginner / Intermediate7 minNext Level UpBall position and lie angle of the hybrid: 3 settingsMark Crossfield · Intermediate11 minNext Level UpHands Forward with Hybrids and Long IronsDanny Maude · Intermediate / Expert

What the lesson shows

Patrick, an Australian golfer, either tops his 3-hybrid or pushes it to the right while trying to hit it more than 185 yards. Michael Breed has just one minute to respond and gets right to the point: with a hybrid, just like with a fairway wood, you need to watch what your chest is doing. If the ball is topped or pushed, it’s because the upper body lifts and opens toward the sky through impact: the ball flies right without being struck solidly and can end up topped.

His instructions: keep your chest low during the swing, while rotating, to the point where it almost seems to point toward the left foot. This feeling of the chest staying low while opening up lets you transfer the clubhead’s power and speed through impact. He also emphasizes the right mindset: not to get fixated on the result of the shot, but to focus on that single point. He then hits a ball on the simulator with that thought, and it flies with a slight fade, solidly struck. A quick answer with no detailed drill, but a clear checkpoint to stop topping your hybrid.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Set up at address with your hybrid, as usual.
  2. Make a few practice swings, feeling your chest stay low.
  3. Through impact, rotate your upper body without lifting it.
  4. Focus on the sensation of your chest pointing toward your left foot.
  5. Hit a few balls while focusing solely on that feeling.
  6. Don’t judge the result until you’ve hit a series of shots.

Key Takeaways

With the hybrid, watch what your chest is doing.
Upper body lifting toward the sky: ball topped or pushed to the right.
The chest stays low and rotates through impact.
Checkpoint: the chest points almost toward the left foot.
Focus on the movement, not the outcome of the shot.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Lifting your upper body toward the sky at impact.
  • Opening the chest too early and too high.
  • Trying to force distance with the hybrid.
  • Focusing on the result rather than the motion.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Practice swings, chest low and turned toward the left foot
  2. A series of hybrid shots based on this single idea
  3. Same drill with a fairway wood

Your Questions

Why do I top my hybrid?

According to Michael Breed, it’s because the chest lifts and looks toward the sky through impact: the ball isn’t struck solidly and can end up topped.

Why does the ball go to the right?

For the same reason: as the upper body opens upward, it pushes the ball to the right for a right-hander.

What sensation should you be looking for?

A chest that stays low throughout the swing, to the point where it seems to be pointing toward the left foot.

Does this advice apply to fairway woods?

Yes, he clarifies that this also applies to a fairway wood, even though the question was about the 3-hybrid.

Learn More

All “Hybrids” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you How to Hit a Hybrid Like a Long Iron: The Tee DrillThe hybrid replaces a long iron, and it’s played just like one: aim to strike the ball from below, practice by cutting through a tee lying flat on the ground, and take a full swing. Ball position and lie angle of the hybrid: 3 settingsBall positioned too far forward, hands too far back, weak grip, clubhead too high: the common mistakes that cause a hybrid to top the ball—corrected with three adjustments and a committed swing. Hands Forward with Hybrids and Long IronsKeeping your hands and weight forward creates a slight angle in your back arm, which keeps the club on its path: more loft, more height, and a draw. Michael BreedAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Michael Breed). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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