Stop Coming Over The Top
- Taking the club away too flat or under the swing plane
- Stranding the majority of weight on the left (forward) leg at the top of the backswing
- Creating a narrow swing arc
- Leaving the clubface open at the top
How do you fix an over-the-top golf swing?
Apr 06, 2015 · Michael Breed demonstrates three drills to stop your swing from coming over the top. Watch more tips from The Golf Fix here: http://bit.ly/1L1QPci Download G...
Are You swinging over the top in your golf swing?
Feb 17, 2014 · If you actually try to heave the club over the top or throw it into a steeper pitch using just your left arm, you'll find it very difficult. It's a weak, awkward feeling and you would never do it in your golf swing. At the top with left arm …
What does it mean to come over the top in golf?
Oct 09, 2020 · How To Stop Coming Over The Top Focus on Back Elbow. The first thing you need to do is re-read the last sentence in the previous section. Remember, you... Let the Club do the Work. Next, you need to remember to let the club do the work and stop trying to hit the ball with... Clear the Hips. Finally, ...
Do you pull the club out of the center of the swing?
Aug 20, 2014 · Tee a ball as normal and then stick a shaft in the ground at a 45-degree angle to the ground, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 feet behind the …
What causes 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.
Why can't I stop swinging over the top?
Our natural reaction to wanting to hit the ball far is to tense up our muscles in order to explode with power through impact. The problem with that is that tense muscles, at the top of your downswing, will cause your arms to push away from your body and come over the top.
How do you stop over the top driver?
1:223:36The Golf Fix - Stop Coming Over the Top | Golf Channel - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipObviously to turn but then it's going to help you kind of start. That lower body first because we'reMoreObviously to turn but then it's going to help you kind of start. That lower body first because we're going to help frees up the upper body by keeping this club perpendicular to the ground here.
What arm is the golf club at the top?
At the top with left arm only (left). Pulling with the left shallows the swing (center). An over the top move is awkward for the left arm (right). When you pull with the left arm, the club naturally shallows out.
How does weight transfer work in golf?
Weight transfer from the right side to the left shallows out the pitch of the shaft. This move also pulls the arm down. You're not just going to the top and ripping your left arm down by itself. You're using your body mass, your weight, to change the direction of the club.
What happens if you overdo it?
Of course if you overdo it you'll start coming too far from the inside but, if you're an over-the-topper, coming too much from the inside is a dream come true. You'd probably love to hit a big snap hook, which terrifies a lot of golfers. Using the left arm correctly will allow you to shallow out your swing.
What arm is over the top?
At the top with right arm only (left). The right shoulder (center) and arm (right) naturally want to make an over the top movement. Your right arm wants to make that over the top motion because it's a natural movement for that part of your body at that point in the swing. What's more, this movement feels very powerful.
How does a good weight transfer work?
It's as simple as being loaded up on the right side, and then shifting your weight back to the left. This simple little move, of just shifting your pelvis from your right leg to your left, shallows out the shaft.
What happens if you don't shift your weight?
If you don't shift your weight first, you'll run into a lot of other swing problems, so it's critical that you put the two things together.
Why do I push with my right arm?
We'll see what happens when you push with the right arm in an effort to get power from the swing, instead of learning the proper mechanics for building speed. One of the problems of pushing with the right is that it changes the pitch of the shaft, which steepens the plane and causes you to come over the top.
Why is it important to swing slower?
This is good because it will allow you to change the focus from hitting the ball with your arms to turning your belt buckle to start the downswing. After you get the feeling in practice swings, hit some easy shots with the same feeling.
Why is my golf club swinging over the top?
An over the top swing path is caused because you’re starting your downswing with your arms. In doing so, it causes your upper body to tilt to the left in the initial stages of the downswing. If your body initially tilts to the left in the downswing, the path of your club will swing left on the way down. To better understand this, the next time ...
How to hit shots when you are at the range?
To better understand this, the next time you’re at the range try hitting a few shots while feeling your upper body (waist up) tilted to the left on the way down. Then, tilt your upper body to the right and hit a few more. When you tilt your body to the left, your shots will start left.
How to get over the top swing?
2. Quit trying to hit the ball 300 yards. The harder you hit, the more over the top you will swing. 3.
What happens when you turn your body first in the downswing?
Remember, the idea here is that turning your lower body first in the downswing will cause your swing plane to flatten. So, watch your shots. If you’re doing it right, they’ll fly straight or slightly to the right of the target, NOT to the left.
Why do I like the club swing drill?
The reason I like this drill so much is that once you lift the club in the air there is no ball to hit. If there is no ball to hit, you’ll be able to feel your body making the club swing. The more you keep using your body to make the club swing, the less you use your arms.
How many degrees do pro golfers turn their hips?
As a pro takes the club to the top of the backswing, they’ve rotated their hips approx. 45 degrees. At impact, their hips are open a minimum of 45 degrees. This means that in the approx. 1/4 of a second that it takes for the club to come down, they’ve turned their hips 90 degrees.
How to put a golf glove on your back?
First thing you need is a lanyard with a clip on the end. Put the lanyard around your neck and attach an old golf club to the clip. Then, put the glove under your back armpit (right for a right-handed golfer). Then, hit your shots. If the glove drops out of your armpit in your downswing, then you’re coming over the top.
Why do golfers come over the top?
Another reason a lot of amateur golfers come over the top is because they either let their weight get too far back in their downswing and finish, or the never clear their hips.
What happens when you come over the top of a golf club?
When you come over the top, you club tends to make impact with the outside half of the golf ball. Once your club starts to come over the top in the downswing, there’s really no way that swing can make solid contact with the ball. So, you’re left hoping and praying for a lucky bounce to get the ball to go where you want.
Why do my arms go over the top of my golf swing?
The problem with that is that tense muscles, at the top of your downswing, will cause your arms to push away from your body and come over the top. Too much tension in your golf swing will, almost always, result in an over the top downswing.
How to swing a right handed golfer?
In order to do this well, focus your mind on your back elbow (right elbow for a right-handed golfer). In your down swing, that elbow ought to stay close to your side. The moment it travels away from your body, is the same moment you start swinging too far over the top.
How to use impact tape on golf clubs?
Once you get the impact tape: Go to the range and put it on a couple club faces. Make sure to try it out on, at least, your driver and an iron. Then, hit some different shots at different intensities.
When does the glove drop?
As soon as that back elbow moves away from your body, the glove will drop. If you can hit shots with the glove staying in your back armpit until after impact, then you’ve sufficiently come from the inside and stopped coming over the top.
What happens if you rotate your shoulders open?
If your first move from the top was to rotate your shoulders open, and come over the top, your hands would hit the shaft and the ball would bounce to the left. You can do this drill with just a ball at home to get a feel for how the hands and arms follow the lower body on the downswing, and approach the ball from the inside.
How to move your hands on a plane?
For the hands and club to be moving on-plane, you must initiate the downswing from the ground up, first moving the ankles, then the knees, hips, shoulders, arms and hands . In this proper kinematic sequence, your weight naturally shifts left and the hands drop to the inside, closer to your body (see photo, above).
How far behind a ball should you put a shaft?
Tee a ball as normal and then stick a shaft in the ground at a 45-degree angle to the ground, approximately 1-1/2 to 2 feet behind the ball and 6 inches outside of the target line (i.e., farther away from your body).
How far forward should you throw the ball?
Toss the ball at a spot on the ground approximately 2 yards forward and to the right of the target line (see photo, above). For this to occur, you must initiate the downswing with your lower body, transferring your weight forward while your hands and arms move down toward the ball and out toward the target line.
Where do you finish when you start down?
If you start down by pulling your hands out away from your body (i.e., over the top), they have nowhere to go but left, across your body, finishing near your left hip pocket. There’s no power in that.
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 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 throw a golf ball underhanded?
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.
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.
The mistake
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.
The magic move
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:
How to get better at golf?
Now here is the big secret. Keep your shoulders coiled up as you start down. Your lower body will start your downswing by moving to your left side as your arms swing down. Consciously try to get your right elbow into your body as you feel your club coming down from ...
Why do over the top golfers use their shoulders so much?
The over-the top golfer uses their shoulders too much on the downswing to try to produce power. The over-the-top golfer generally does the following things: (4) The club is taken away too far to the inside and around the body which causes the arms to lift up too high as the club reaches the top of the swing;
What is the swing of a golfer?
A golfer is said to swing over the top of the ball when the club comes down on a very steep angle from outside-inside. Generally this type of swing creates a a big divot that points to the left of target . The ball flight can be a pull or a pull hook to the left, or a terrible slice to the right.
How far behind the ball does your left shoulder turn?
You will feel like you have turned your shoulders at least 90 degrees as your left shoulder turns three to four inches behind the ball at the top of your swing. Jim Suttie on golf: Become a better ball-striker through better footwork. Now here is the big secret.
How to get a good shot at golf?
First, work on your setup. Make sure your head is slightly behind the ball, and the ball is not too far forward in your stance. Your shoulder should be square or parallel to your target line at address. Next, take the club a little straighter back on your takeaway.
Why Do You Come Over The Top?
How to Fix An Over The Top Swing
- In the past, many people have tried to fix their over the top swing by: 1. Purposely swinging out to first base. 2. Letting their arms fall down first in the downswing. 3. Using a training device like and “Inside Approach” where it is placed just outside the ball. 4. Taking the club back on a severe inside path. And so on … The problem with these f...
Here’s The Problem
- In a golf swing you have approx. 1/4 of a second from the top of the backswing to impact. In life, your body moves slower than your arms. So, at the very moment you are to start down, you have very little time to move your body before your arms. To understand what should be happening with your lower body rotation just think of a pros swing. As a pro takes the club to the top of the …
The Fix
- There are quite a few things here so please, take your time and understand each one, then apply the drills to your swing. Also, you must be patient. Some people may get this in a few swings and others may take 200 or 300 balls. Just keep doing it, until you have it mastered. Here we go: 1. Understand that your over the top swing is caused because you’re using your arms to start the d…