Over the top

Hi

I need some help in curing an over the top swing.

This problem is really wrecking my game.

I get away with my irons and #4 hybrid,i hit them pretty straight,but when i get to the 3 wood and driver the over the top swing is producing a massive fade/slice,i really need to cure this or my game hasnt much chance of getting better..Every time i pull the driver out the bag i just know its not going to be a long drive as i lose so much distance cutting the ball and a job to keep in play.

Ive whatched so many videos and read about so many tips my heads a scramble on the tee...any drills or tips would be great..

its a bit tough really, its caused by few things really..

For me, i have a slight over the top sometimes. But for me its because i don't get myself synched right and i am trying to hard to hit the ball instead of swinging the club. I found making my club like a pendulum, were i start it forward first swing it back the same distance, increasing till i get into a full swing really helps me feel the weight of the club and stay on plane.

Thanks for the reply,im finding it so hard to correct,i can get the take away and into a good top of the back swing,but its the down swing,i just dont know where to begin,ive tried allsorts but just throw the club over the top every time...i went for a fitting the other week for a new driver,my club head speed was 96mph yet because of the big cut my distance was barely 200yrds,my pro showed me the correct takeaway and becuase it was a free fitting i guess he didnt wan to tell me too much..i know i should just book some lessons but there so expensive id like to try myself first..

I have had massive problems with fade/slice in the past and I'll tell you exactly what fixed it for me.

I just did the old towel under the back armpit trick. Actually i didn't even use a towel, just pretended one was there and that it coulnd't fall. Forced me to bring it back correctly and hit in to out.

It fixed all my long iron slices and off the tee. Try that and see if it helps.

I might add something else though. I've always hit regular shafts on my drivers. i've just gotten back from the US on holiday where I bought a few clubs. I got the Burner Superfast 2.0 Driver and 3W with stiff shafts. I had never had my swing analysed ever or anything like that but I knew a regular shaft wasn't for me. When tested, my swing speed was between 105-110mph on average.

So if you have a regular shaft and you're swinging at high speeds, it's very hard to have the clubhead square on impact and you start having to adjust your swing and hope you can get the head back round in time.

I haven't had time to try my new driver on the range or course yet but I'm dying to. As when I really went after tee shots in the past I did sometimes spray them right so I'm very keen to see what this new shaft can do for me.

Hope it comes right man.

thanks for the reply,i will pop to the range tomo and try what you sugested,ive ordered the new superfast 2.0 Tp driver in regular (still waiting for it to arrive) i was going to try a stiff shaft over regular but in the fitting my pro said the shaft would be too stiff for my swing speed?

I'm not sure at what swing speeds things change from regular to stiff but regular very well might be perfect for you.

But I definitely suggest trying the towel trick and just focus on keeping that back arm tucked in. I'm interested to see your results so let us know :)

I will post the results, i must admit ive read about the towel/glove under the armpit but have never tried it...

I too suffer from the slice

Watching a video of myself, it is clear my right shoulder (I'm right handed), moves upward and forward at the start of my downswing. This creates a horrible outside in swing.

My coach asked me of I had ever skipped a stone on water before. He said to mimic that act, and my shoulder would move downward and not up.

He also had me hold the club at the top, and rotate my hips which causes the shoulder to drop. He said this is the motion that should start your downswing and that all I had to do was let my arms come down as the result of the shoulder dropping.

The slice problem is not as big an issue now, but occasionally I have to put the driver away and tee off with a 3 wood to keep ball in play.

I don't know if this is good advice or not because I am not a good golfer, but it seems to help me keep more balls in play and take less penalty strokes throughout the round.

An over-the-top move is very common. Imagine there is a rope hanging on your right shoulder tied to something behind you that you need to drag- its easier to grab the rope and pull it down over our chests using our pecs and then start walking- same theory with golf swing- when golfers try to mash- they swing harder by coming over the top, engaging their pecs- instead of starting the down swing with their hips and waist.

Work on starting your downswing by bumping your left hip towards your target, this will start the weight transfer forward and clear your right hip allowing your downswing to unwind from the inside.

Also- on the take-away- check the position at 9'0clock (ball is 6)- the shaft should be parallel to your target line and the toe pointing up- if you are too far inside of your target line- you practically have to come over the top to get the club head back to the ball-  if you visualize swinging out on the take away, it will promote the downswing to come from the inside. Hope that helps.

Late-

I think of over the top a little differently.  I picture where my hands are at address and what my shaft angle is at address.  At impact I try to make my hands and shaft achieve that same position or even below.  If my hands come in high and my shaft is a few inches above the address position I consider that "over the top"  The error is probably more casting than true over the top, however, as a few guys here have said you can play very good golf with a slight over the top move but if you are casting from the top you're dead in the water.

Its not that big of a problem to fix although it is a complete pain in the ass.  I do it myself as well and am currently with my driver because I try to hit it harder some times.  Anyway the best I have done which helps massively for me is to put your head cover in front and slightly behind the ball at address ( ie. when you are facing it NOT between the ball and the target line) it should be about 2 inches or so away but try and get it as close as you can so your club doesnt hit it before you swing.  Now you are swinging out to in so you WILL hit the head cover.  Just hit the ball Without hitting the headcover automatically you will begin to know and feel you HAVE to swing in to in which is the way it should be otherwise you will hit the headcover.  Keep doing that the less you hit the headcover the more you will get a feel for swinging in to in or in to out.  Ive noticed that it also helps my timing as well big time.