What is Over the Top Swing?

Having an over the top golf swing is extremely common, and there’s no doubt that it can have a major negative impact on the end result you are able to achieve.

However, even though it can be depressing to discover that there’s something wrong with your golf swing, this is something that is capable of being repaired. 

So, what is this over the top swing? What causes it? How do you fix it?

The Basic Concept of the Over the Top Swing

The quick explanation of this particular swing is that the player is coming down over the top of the ball through their swing. Basically, their club will tend to come down at an extremely steep angle moving from outside to inside.

Now that will have a negative impact on the ball. Also, it will often result in a divot being created, and the divot will even be created more to the left of the ball rather than right behind it.

But here’s the thing.

This swing can easily lead to either a horrific slice, or a serious pull. No matter which one ends up happening, the outcome is not going to be all that good compared to how you are supposed to address the ball.

However, this is a common problem, and that means there’s a common resolution that can stop you producing this type of shot. But before we go to that, what causes an over the top swing in the first place?

The Reason Behind it?

The most common reason for a player producing this type of swing is a worry about a general lack of power. When someone stresses about not having enough power, they try to produce more of it via the downswing.

In order to do this, they try to push it through their shoulders, and while that sounds like it could be a good idea, that’s not actually the case.

Instead, it means you come down too hard on top of the ball rather than having a fluid action through your swing. You shorten the downswing part instead of more of a natural flow, but that’s not the only reason.

Another problem is the stance.

Typically, both shoulders and feet will be lined up to the left of the target. This changes the body position which, when coupled with the shoulders issue, results in a negative attack angle over the ball.

A player will also then tend to push their weight too far to the left at the point of addressing the ball. When you couple both of these points together, then it’s no surprise you have that divot appearing to the left as well.

But there’s more.

The Club

Through the swing, the player with an over the top swing will often bring the club too much on the inside while it also moves around the body. This results in your arms lifting up too high at the moment when the club is at the apex of the swing.

With this, the player will then often start the downswing section by effectively unwinding the shoulders. This changes the angle at which the club comes down to address the ball resulting in coming in over the top.

How to Fix it

So let’s move onto how you manage to fix this issue with your swing, and the good news is it really isn’t that difficult.

The key here is in looking at your actual setup as that is where the problem may lie. 

Take the time to look at your stance. Look at your head, and make sure that it is slightly behind the ball. Talking of the ball, it should never be pushed too far forward when it comes to your actual stance. That leads to a change in the angle at which you will then address the ball.

Also, check your shoulders. Ideally, they will be parallel or square on toward the target line when it comes to the address.

Your Swing

Now look at your swing. You should be aiming to bring it back a bit straighter than before when it comes to your takeaway. The aim here is that it stops your arms from moving too far upwards through the swing.

In an ideal world, you will then feel a change in your swing just because of this slight adjustment. It should lead to you feeling as if your shoulders are now at around 90 degrees while your left shoulder rotates approximately four inches behind the ball when you are at the apex of the swing.

The Downswing

We said earlier on that people release their shoulders, so don’t do that. Keep them coiled at the top of the swing and focus more on what the lower part of your body is doing.

As your arms move downward, make sure you move the left side of your body and seek to push your right elbow more into your body as you go through the swing. This should then make you feel as if you are swinging a bit more to the right when you go ahead and make that impact.

That should stop the slice part of this swing, and it does take some getting used to as even a slight adjustment throws you off track for some time.

Ultimately, an over the top swing is something that can be corrected with ease, although it does require some patience on your part for changing aspects of your swing. 

Not trying to repair this problem is never an option. It’s going to constantly get you into bad situations with your shots, and the rest of your game has to suffer as a result.

If you are still unsure about all of this, then seek the advice of your local club pro who will be able to explain the subtle changes to your movement that will be required to make this over the top swing a thing of the past. Then, just wait and see the difference it makes to your overall game.