[Golfer in Sanibel]

I quit playing golf for 18 years. Prior to that I was a 12 handicap. When I started up again, 5 years ago, I had spells of topping the ball and the same symptoms you describe until this spring. Shooting in the 90s and 100s. Joey Haydock found the reason. At the top of my backswing I was straightening my right knee. He said that I had about 6/10s of a second to raise it and about 2/10s of a second to get back down. I could get down some times and others I couldn't. Have someone video you and watch your right knee.

I couldn't feel the leg straighten. He had me stick a shaft in the ground at about a 45 degree angle so it went across the front of my left shin and behind my right knee. If I straightened my right knee the shaft would press on my left shin. I did about 50 swings a day like this for about ten days and have mostly fixed the problem. Also, I have shortened my backswing. I'm now a 17 and declining and playing my best golf since I restarted playing.

Good luck.