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how do you fix an over the top golf swing

by Willa Armstrong PhD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  • Overview. Amateur golfers often suffer from the over-the-top golf swing. With an over-the-top golf swing, you may have an inside swing path during the backswing, but as you go in ...
  • Make a Fish. One of the drills for those who have an over-the-top swing path is to dramatically change the swing path to an inside down stroke, almost over-exaggerating the ...
  • Bottle Drill. Because your club starts to the outside and then comes back inside in an over-the-top downswing, one of the keys is becoming aware of how far out your ...
  • Thigh Muscle Move. If you don't allow your body to move toward the target at the start of your downswing, your shoulders will try and compensate, thus creating the over-the-top ...

Part of a video titled FIX AN OVER THE TOP SWING INSTANTLY (My Secret Tip)
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Not a problem that is just that you're hitting the ball flat footed on your back foot. So what youMoreNot a problem that is just that you're hitting the ball flat footed on your back foot. So what you want to do there is feel the weight coming off of this heel right here you want to lift your heel.

Full Answer

How to naturally finish your golf swing?

Practice your golf swing in this sequence from the top of the backswing to achieve a full finish:

  • The left heel, which lifts slightly on the backswing, triggers the downswing by returning to the ground.
  • This causes the left hip to rotate toward the target.
  • Next come the torso, shoulders and arms, which fall naturally rather than being cast downward.
  • The hips and torso continue rotating, the arms lagging slightly behind the chest until impact.

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How sitting can screw up your golf swing?

13 Rules of Golf Etiquette

  1. Show Up Early. This is one of the easiest things to do yet so many people still make this mistake every single day.
  2. Obey The Cart Path Rules. If you’re new to the game, you probably think golf carts are the best thing ever. ...
  3. Warm Up with Three Balls. ...
  4. Don’t Talk While Others Are Hitting. ...
  5. Talk to Competitors Shots. ...

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How to get your golf swing in shape this winter?

POWER

  1. ROTATIONAL JUMP. Keeping your hands on your hips, squat and then jump as high as you can while rotating your body as much as you can (180 degrees is ...
  2. VERTICAL LEAP. Keeping your hands on your hips, squat and thrust straight up as high as you can. ...
  3. ONE-LEGGED LATERAL JUMP. ...

How to correct your golf swing?

Neutral Golf Grip

  • Hold the club in your left hand at your side while standing up.
  • Take the club and grip it naturally and then pull it up and out in front of you. ...
  • Next, take the right hand and place it on the grip while the club is still out in front of you. ...
  • Now take that grip and get into your perfect setup. ...

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How do I stop my golf swing coming over the top?

5:567:13Stop Swinging "OVER THE TOP" In Golf - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLittle pressure down club hits the wall shallow shallow shallow shallow. Turn so this will reallyMoreLittle pressure down club hits the wall shallow shallow shallow shallow. Turn so this will really give you the sensation. Of what it's like to lay that shaft down at the top of the swing.

What causes an over the top golf swing?

Over the Top is perhaps the most common swing fault among high handicap golfers. It occurs due to an overuse of the upper body on the downswing. As a result the club will be thrown on the outside of the intended swing plane with the club head approaching the ball from outside to in.

How do you fix going over the top?

0:473:36The Golf Fix - Stop Coming Over the Top | Golf Channel - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere and the easiest way to do that is to just feel like when you start down that you're going toMoreHere and the easiest way to do that is to just feel like when you start down that you're going to keep your back to the target for as long as you can and if your back stays to the target your arms.

Why can't I stop coming over the top?

One of the most common causes of the over-the-top move is when golfers fail to transfer their weight properly. This can lead to what's known as a reverse pivot where the weight stays on the left leg throughout the backswing and then shifts onto the right side coming down into impact.

Is it OK to have an over the top golf swing?

0:288:54Why You're Coming Over The Top In Your Golf Swing + How To Fix It!YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what do I see is the main reason for this overuse of your body. Ok too much tension in your arms.MoreSo what do I see is the main reason for this overuse of your body. Ok too much tension in your arms. And you're not letting your arms swing. So the sequence of motion is a little off.

Do any pro golfers come over the top?

Craig Stadler, Craig Parry and many other champion golfers swing this way. Bruce Lietzke made a wonderful career on the PGA Tour with an “in-and-over” move. Their secret was simple: They made one move from the top of the swing.

How do I fix my swing path?

3:565:41HOW TO FIX YOUR CLUB PATH - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf your path is to the left normal set up normal back swing from the top we're gonna make a lateralMoreIf your path is to the left normal set up normal back swing from the top we're gonna make a lateral move and add some downwards in the golf club.

How do I stop outside in my golf swing?

How to Fix an Outside Swing in GolfTake your normal ball address stance. Line up so that the ball is in the middle of your stance. ... Imagine your ball is sitting on one of two railroad tracks. ... Imagine your feet are on the other track. ... Draw back your club. ... Practice the move.More items...

What is Paul Wilson's golf swing?

Paul Wilson's golf tips teach a powerful, effortless, pain-free golf swing to golfers of all genders, age from beginners to pros. This easy swing will get you hitting your irons solid and more distance with your driver. An effortless swing is all about teaching golfers to stop hitting the ball with the arms.

What is an effortless swing?

An effortless swing is all about teaching golfers to stop hitting the ball with the arms. Instead, I want them using their body (legs and hips) as the power source. This is different, not difficult which means anyone can learn this type of effortless golf swing.

Why do golfers struggle coming over the top?

Golfers who struggle coming over the top often have too much wrist set in their swing, which force the shaft into a vertical — steep — position. That’s why Mark suggests feeling like you’re making a wider arc, with less wrist hinge, which will let the center of mass of the club work from more behind you and less over-the-top.

What is an over the top move?

Before we go any further, it’s worth clarifying, for those who may be unfamiliar, what an “over-the-top” move actually is. It’s when the club moves from outside-to-in on the downswing. Paired with a closed clubface, it can result in a nasty pull hook. Match it with an open clubface, and bingo! Slice time.

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What happens when Kerr hits the alignment stick?

When she swings with the alignment stick above her intended plane, it forces her to shallow her swing to avoid the noodle. If Kerr hits any part of the aid, she knows her swing is coming over the top.

How to close a modal window?

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What is an over the top golf swing?

Over the Top Fixes in the Golf Swing. An over the top swing will put you in some unfriendly territory. Amateur golfers often suffer from the over-the-top golf swing. With an over-the-top golf swing, you may have an inside swing path during the backswing, but as you go in to your down stroke, the shoulders rotate and the club goes outside ...

What happens when you swing over the top?

With an over-the-top golf swing, you may have an inside swing path during the backswing, but as you go in to your down stroke, the shoulders rotate and the club goes outside of swing path. This causes the golfer to have to come back in on the ball at impact, causing a slice or a pull.

How to keep your golf club inside?

When you reach the top of your swing arc and start down, make sure that you club is running along the belly of the fish prior to impact. This will keep your club inside, creating an outside in loop in your backswing.

How to draw a fish on a golf swing?

To do this, you can draw a fish on the ground using white spray paint--or just visualize one. The head of fish should correspond to your takeaway and downswing, with the thinning of the tail representing where you ball is. As you come up with the club, keep your shaft running along the top of the fish's back.

Why does my golf club come back inside?

Because your club starts to the outside and then comes back inside in an over-the-top downswing, one of the keys is becoming aware of how far out your swing is coming in to impact.

What happens if you don't allow your body to move toward the target at the start of your downswing?

If you don't allow your body to move toward the target at the start of your downswing, your shoulders will try and compensate, thus creating the over-the-top swing path. Another exercise you can focus on before you go out and play involves making sure that your lead thigh moves toward the target as you start your downswing.

1. Object by the ball

It doesn’t need to be a pool noodle, Clearwarter says. A bottle, headcover or other obstacle can work just as well. Place it just outside the ball and then start hitting (the ball, not the object!).

2. Diagonal pool noodle

You’ll need a friend to help you with this one, but all they’ll need to do is stand there and hold a pool noodle, alignment rod or club at a 45-degree angle. Your goal is simple: To swing under the obstacle on your downswing.

What causes coming over-the-top in the golf swing?

In essence, an over-the-top swing comes about due to an overuse of the upper body when playing a shot. Typically, the plane of the club in the downswing is steeper than, or over-the-top of, the plane of the club in the takeaway, leading to slices if the clubface is open, or pulls if the clubface is shut.

How do you cure an over-the-top swing?

To cure an over-the-top swing, you need to fix your club path in the downswing, changing it so that it comes down beneath, or identical to, the path you took it away on. The best way to do this is to implement some drills, such as using an angled alignment stick to redirect your path, while filming your swing to monitor progress.

How do I stop my shoulders from starting the downswing?

To stop your shoulders from starting the downswing, it’s important to work on using the lower body and its rotation to transition correctly into your shot. Instead of turning the shoulders and allowing the arms to ‘throw’ the club over-the-top, try opening the hips before the shoulders and arms move into the downswing.

Do any pro golfers come over-the-top?

There are a few pros who do occasionally come over-the-top, but the movement is usually extremely slight and their hand-eye coordination is good enough to make the action perform well.

Final message

In general, an over-the-top swing is going to be damaging for your golf game.

How to fix a golf swing that brings the club to the ball from outside the swing plane?

An excellent way to fix this is to focus on keeping your club head inside to square, then back inside during the course of your swing. You can use a drill to practice keeping your club inside.

How to swing over the top?

When you swing over the top, you tend to bring the club in shallow, your body rotating to compensate for the inside move. But, the body overcompensates pushing your club head out. To solve this, hold a golf ball in the hand of your non-lead arm (arm farthest from the target). Bring that hand up as if you were swinging a club and then back down, throwing the ball underhanded as you come through the impact zone. You'll want the ball to fly at a right angle away from you. If the ball is flying out straight, or to the left, you are coming over the top and across your body. As you practice throwing the ball out to the right, you'll learn the feel of proper rotation and arm movement needed to fix the problem.

How to tell if you are over the top in golf?

Lead Arm Tight. One of the common symptoms of an over-the-top golf swing is a lead arm (the arm closest to the hole) that stretches away from the body as you go into the downswing. Take some controlled swings and you should notice this if you have a tendency to swing over the top. A simple drill can help correct this.

What is an over the top golf swing?

Overview. An over-the-top golf swing is one of the most common types of swing faults. When you have an over-the-top swing, there are generally two results you can expect at impact: a slice or a pull. It's all determined by the angle of your club face at impact. Because the problem is so common, there are a variety of drills ...

How to keep your club inside?

You can use a drill to practice keeping your club inside. Take a golf club head cover and place it an inch to the outside of your ball. You can start off a little farther away (say 2 inches) if it makes you more comfortable.

What happens when you throw a ball out straight?

You'll want the ball to fly at a right angle away from you. If the ball is flying out straight, or to the left, you are coming over the top and across your body. As you practice throwing the ball out to the right, you'll learn the feel of proper rotation and arm movement needed to fix the problem. Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers win The Match.

When turning on the backswing, do you need to tilt?

Think of a line that’s drawn across your shoulders, like you see on the golfer to the right: When that shoulder line flattens so it’s more in-line with the ground, it puts your backswing in a position where you’re more likely to come over-the-top. The club is so far behind you and your shoulders are so flat that, as you begin to turn, there’s no other way for your club to move but from out-to-in.

What is swinging from out to in?

Swinging from out-to-in, or “coming over the top” with an open clubface has been the most common problems in golf seemingly since it’s inception, and it’s especially common among golfers who once played baseball. Undoing the tendency to lunge at the ball with your upper body first at the top of your backswing by learning the ideal golf swing sequence is a transition every golfer needs to go through at some point.

How much more tilt does a lower handicap have?

Lower handicaps have more shoulder tilt: About 7 degrees more of it on average, according to GOLFTEC, and usually more. Why is shoulder tilt a good thing? For a bunch of reasons, but among them:

Does golf tilt affect your handicap?

When GOLFTEC studied this, they found a direct inverse correlation between higher handicappers and shoulder tilt at the top of the backswing. In a nutshell: The higher your handicap, the less shoulder tilt you probably have.

Is the downswing rooted in the backswing?

But after analyzing millions of golf swings from hundreds of thousands of golfers in the largest golf study ever recorded, GOLFTEC research shows that the problem plaguing your downswing is actually one rooted in the backswing.

Do you need to turn on the backswing?

Golfers have heard by now that they need to turn on the backswing — and indeed, they do. A big turn creates more power in your golf swing. The problem is what gets lost: You can’t just turn. It’s about how you turn.

Does Max Homa play golf?

Max Homa plays a lot of golf with recreational golfers — and sees even more recreational golf swings every day on Twitter. There’s one mistake he says he sees golfers make in their swing more than any other.

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