Coming over the top

By Tim Bell

Understanding the Problem:

• What is an over-the-top swing? It occurs when your club swings on a plane outside your body (over the top) instead of inside, leading to slices, hooks, and inconsistent shots.

• Causes: Several factors contribute, including poor weight transfer, excessive upper body movement, lack of hip rotation, and flexibility limitations.

• What happens in an over-the-top swing?  When you come over the top, your club will not make solid contact with the ball.  Instead, it will be connecting with the ball from the side.  

  • This does two things.  

    1. It puts side spin on the ball, which typically results in a slice. 

    2. Depending on the position of your club face at impact; could cause a big pull.

Addressing the Issue:

Swing Mechanics:

• Focus on downswing sequence: Initiate the downswing with your hips, not your upper body.  Rotate your hips and torso together. A lot of recreational golfs come over the top because they either let their weight get too far back in the downswing and follow-thru, or they never clear the hips.

• Promote an inside-to-outside swing path: You can still come from the inside when hitting down on the ball.  Your trail elbow should stay close to your side.  The moment it travels away from the body is when you start swinging over the top.

• Maintain Lag: Focus on maintaining the angle between your wrists and the club shaft (lag) as long as possible in the downswing. This helps to promote a shallower angle of attack.

• Let the club do the work: Stop trying to "hit" the ball.  A really great mental exercise is to envision just "swinging" the club rather than trying to "hit" the ball.  You have to have the confidence your club will make contact; the ball just gets in the way.

• Maintain your head position: Don't move your head laterally during the swing.

• Maintain proper posture: Keep your spine angle consistent throughout the swing.

3 Useful Drills:

• Drill #1:  Glove or Head Cover Under Arm (downswing sequence)

This is the most basic of drills.  Simply put a glove, towel, or head cover under your trail armpit (if you're right handed its your right arm pit).  Hit your shot.  If the glove drops out of the armpit in your downswing then you're coming over the top.

• Drill #2:  Go Fishing (inside out swing path & lag)

1.  Take your standard setup

2. Take your backswing and hold the position at the top

3. Now imagine there is pond just outside your trail foot and drop the club head to the ground and go fishing in the imaginary pond. As you drop the club the trail elbow will naturally dig into your side. You might think of this as casting and a bad thing but it is really helpful.  

4. Feel this move a couple times and then set up to your ball and hit.

• Drill #3:  Hip Bump (clear the hips)

For this drill you will need and alignment stick

1.  Put the alignment stick into the ground so it is standing vertical

2. Set up with your lead foot ( for right handed golfer that is your left foot) against the base of the alignment stick as you address the ball.

3. Try bumping into the alignment stick while doing some practice swings.  If you are not bumping into the stick on your downswing you are not clearing your hips enough.

4. Now just hit some golf balls.  The goal here is to bump your hip into the alignment stick on your downswing.