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how to stop from coming over the top in the golf swing

by Kieran Luettgen Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Part of a video titled The Golf Fix - Stop Coming Over the Top | Golf Channel
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The ball. Up. That's one the keys when you're hitting a driver is to see that ball up. So. We setMoreThe ball. Up. That's one the keys when you're hitting a driver is to see that ball up. So. We set that Club just like this. Turn. It up like that.

Full Answer

How can I stop swinging over the top?

The over-the-top golfer generally does the following things:

  • (1) The shoulders and feet are aimed left of the target;
  • (2) The weight is too far left at address;
  • (3) The ball is generally too far forward at address;
  • (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 ...

More items...

How to fix an over the top golf swing?

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. ...
  • Then, record in a note on your phone or a piece of paper, which type of swings you hit the club face most consistently with and which type of swing ...

How to correct the over the top golf swing?

The Best Way to Stop Coming Over the Top in Your Swing

  • Stop the Right from Dominating the Downswing. A lot of the material on the website talks about pushing versus pulling, and that's what we're going to go back over right ...
  • Pull With the Left. Now let's look at the other arm. ...
  • The Second Key: Weight Transfer. ...
  • Know How to Use the Website. ...

How to stop coming over the top?

Stop Coming Over The Top

  • Flat Takeaway. Taking away the club too flat is the most common of the backswing flaws. ...
  • Reverse Pivot. The next most common error that leads to an over-the-top move is having too much weight on the left (forward) leg at the top of the backswing (left).
  • Narrow Arc. The third most common reason for coming over the top is narrowing the swing arc. ...
  • Open Face. ...

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What makes golf so difficult?

One thing that makes golf so difficult is that it's predominantly a left-arm, left-sided dominant game, and of course most players are right handed. The right arm plays a part in over the top swings. That's not to say the right side and the right arm don't play a huge part in the golf swing.

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 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.

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.

How to fix an over the top golf swing?

Here are numerous more ways that might turn on a lightbulb in your brain: Keep your shoulders pointing behind you longer in the downswing. Don’t “open everything up” and square up to the ball until later in the downswing. Get to the top of the swing. Pause.

How to swing a golf club?

Swing from the left to right field. With irons and wedges, try to make small divots that point to the right of target. Try to hit the inside quadrant of the golf ball, as opposed to the center of the golf ball. Try to make a steep backswing and aggressively drop the club.

How to fix a backswing swing?

That way, when you are at the top of the backswing, you will have some room to drop the club and shallow the plane of the downswing. Use of the momentum of the golf club to your advantage.

What happens when your arms swing too flat?

If their arms swing too flat, they have no where to drop the hands and club “into the slot”. Therefore, their downswing goes the only place that is has room, away from the body and over the top compared to a good downswing. This is completely dependent on the golfer’s natural golf swing.

What is the first move in the downswing?

You have a great backswing, but your first move in the downswing is to come over the top. Your backswing could be spot on, but once you start your downswing, your hands and the club come too steep and you swing out-to-in instead of in-to-out.

How to start a downswing in golf?

So if you are a right handed golfer, drop your right elbow directly downward to start the downswing. This is contrasted with what people that swing over the top do. At the top of the swing, they throw everything (the club, the hands, the arms, the trail elbow) towards the ball. It makes sense.

What happens when you whip the golf club too far inside?

When the club gets stuck behind you like this, it takes a lot of work to not come over the top due to momentum. You don’t give yourself enough room to come from the inside on the downswing.

How to swing a golf ball with your backswing?

How to Do It: To start, feel like you set up behind the ball with your rear shoulder lower than your front shoulder and your weight favoring your rear foot. Exaggerate this tilted position throughout the swing, and you will feel how the weight should move into the backswing.

Why do my arms lift to the top?

Problem #1: Arm Lift to the Top. Cause and Effect: The arm lift is caused when the shoulders aren’t the lead source of power in the backswing, leaving the arms to lift to the top independently of the torso’s actions.

What happens when your hips spin out?

Cause and Effect: Anytime the hips race out from under the torso or “spin-out” from the top, the club is usually thrown over-the-top. The longer the club, the more detrimental this move becomes.

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.

What does it mean when you come over the top in golf?

Coming over the top is a dreaded swing issue that can wreak havoc in your golf game. You never know when it is going to strike but, when it does, it’s important to be able to recognise it and fix it. This is a problem that many golfers will face in their life, if you’re going through it now then you’re not alone.

How to get your golf swing on plane?

1. Head cover/towel drill. There are a few tricks you can use to get out of this bad habit. One great tool is your golf towel or a head cover which you tuck under your arm (right for righties, left for lefties). This puts a focus on you keeping your arms in sync with your body and helps you get your swing on plane. 2.

What happens when you come over the top?

When you are coming over the top, you will be delivering the club inconsistently, hence the resulting slices, hooks and everything in between . This will ruin your accuracy as you can miss both left and right without rhyme nor reason.

How to catch a golf ball?

Stand in a golf stance with a wall a few feet in front of you. Make a golf swing movement and release the ball at impact. It should come off the wall and be easy for you to catch. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Why is my golf swing so over the top?

One of the most common causes of an over-the-top golf swing is a backswing that is too far ‘inside’. When a golfer takes the club back too close to his body (inside), the natural tendency is to compensate by extending the right elbow away from the body during the transition from backswing to downswing. When the right elbow of a right-handed golfer ...

What are some mistakes you can make in golf swing?

There sure is a lot to learn about the golf swing. The good news is you’ve come to the right place! Beginners (and even more advanced golfers) often face several challenges when attempting to improve their golf swing. One common swing mistake many golfers make is an over the top move that usually occurs during the transition from their backswing ...

How to swing a golf club right handed?

For right-handed golfers, hold the golf club with ONLY your left hand and SWING using ONLY your left hand. Concentrate on using only your left arm and the rotation of your body to bring the club back.

What is the result of club face that sweeps across the ball from the outside?

For right-handed golfers when the club face sweeps across the ball from the outside at impact it imparts clockwise spin onto the golf ball. It is this clockwise spin that produces a golf slice.

What is a medicus swing trainer?

It’s basically a driver with two adjustable hinges that allow the club to ‘break’ whenever the golfer does something wrong during the backswing or downswing.

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