How To Stop Over The Top Golf Swing

Most likely the most common swing problem in amateur golf is the over the top golf swing. This swing plane can result in slices, pulls and even whiffs. So what exactly is an over the top golf swing. Basically it is a combination of bad techniques that causes the golfer to come "over the top" of the original swing plane on the downswing. When the club goes off the original swing plane, heaven only knows how, or even if, the clubface is going to strike the ball.

So why does this happen.

The golf swing is really a chain reaction. It starts at the set up. The way you set up will influence the take away which will influence where the club is at waist level which will influence the top of the swing which will influence; well you get the idea. An ordinary mistake at set up is having the shoulders aimed left of the target line. Even if you made a perfect swing, the swing plane is going to end up being outside in as you bring the club along the line formed by your shoulders.

So the first thing you can do to stop over the top golf swing is to make sure that your shoulders are aligned with the rest of your body. If you aren't certain that they are, aim them slightly right of the target. This will encourage an inside out shot.

An additional very usual mistake is made in the takeaway. Rather than letting the shoulders take the club away, many golfers us their hands resulting in an incredibly flat swing plane. By the time they get to the top of the swing, the golfer has to compensate for the flat arc and comes over the top with an outside in swing.

The solution is just to takeaway as one unit. Arms, shoulders and hips bringing the club back on the proper plane. A simple golf swing drill to test this is just putting a second ball just behind your first one. Leave just enough room for the club face. Now when you take the club back, see where that second ball went. If it went right you have too flat a takeaway. If it went to the extreme left, you are starting a too steep swing. If it goes a little left, then you are on the way to a proper golf swing plane.

So if you can set up correctly and control your takeaway, you are well on your way to curing the over the top golf swing.