Fix Your Over-The-Top Swing
Focus on your hands and setup rather than your swing path
One of the most common mistakes in the full swing is the “over-the- top” move. Students often reference the problem to me during lessons, but most golfers have no idea how to fix it. The classic over-the-top swing produces the following results:
Wedge shots that often pull left of the target (right-handed player).
Deep divots that point left of the target.
High ball flight with irons that causes loss of distance.
Mid-irons and long iron shots that start left and curve right.
Drivers that pop up.
If you have experienced any of these shot descriptions, then you have an over-the-top or steep swing. There are many reasons why a golfer swings over the top, but the key piece to solving the problem is simple: Identify the root of the problem and fix it first.
The first thing I look for when fixing this problem is not the swing path but the grip. Most people who swing over the top have too weak of a grip in one or both hands. This fundamental problem causes the clubface to open. As a result, the student must swing left to hit a playable shot, but this left-to-right ball flight comes at a price—loss of distance. Unfortunately, most students self-diagnose their swing as over the top and try to fix the path.
Fixing the path before fixing the grip is a recipe for disaster. Focus on the grip first before working on a more inside path. Here are the keys for a good grip (photos 1, 2 and 3).
Once the grip is in place, your ball is going to start going left—way left. That’s good! This means the ball is going where the swing is going (remember those left divots). I always want the ball to go where the swing is going.
After your ball consistently starts going left, now it is time to work on the path. To gain a feel for the proper shallowing of the club, I often have students throw a ball side-armed, as if skipping a rock on water. This feeling is something many students can relate to, but not all.
I want my students to play from their strong side. So, a right-handed player needs to rotate their right side to the target when hitting a full shot (photo 4). A great way to do this is by hitting shots with a wedge with only your right arm. The grip is the root problem of the over-the-top move, but the left shoulder and arm are contributing factors.
Students who pull the club down with their left shoulders immediately steepen the golf swing. The left shoulder is closer to the target than the right shoulder, so if it is allowed to initiate the downswing, the swing gets too steep, and the divots go left. The right-arm-only drill eliminates this problem and teaches the student to shallow the swing by rotating the right side of the body toward the target.
Are you popping up your driver? Then your swing is over the top. A simple setup change may be all that is needed. Make sure the ball is inside the left heel, and the head is behind the ball. The upper body tilt allows the lower body to lead the downswing and immediately shallows your swing path (photo 5).
My final drill is the Step Over Drill, made famous by Hall of Famer Gary Player, that shows how to step forward on the follow-through (photo 6).
These step-by-step drills will immediately start shallowing your swing but can only be done once you have strengthened your grip. With some practice and the help from a PGA Teaching Professional, you will see your divots shallow, compress the ball more with your body weight, and see your slice turn into a draw very soon!
