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What Are The Best Drills/Training Aids For Eliminating Over The Top?


Note: This thread is 3377 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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I had this same problem and took some lessons to get it fixed. The only aid that the instructor used was the 'inside approach'. It worked great for me, even after just a few swings. It made me think about swinging in the proper path and after I hit the thing a couple of times I figured it out.

One other thing that we did was to use an old tee. When you are on the range, pick up an old tee and put it into the ground about 2-3 inches in front of the ball at about 1 o'clock to the target line. You want to imagine hitting through the ball and hitting the tee. If you are over the top you have no chance. If the swing path is proper you should hit the tee. I still do this if I feel like I am getting away from what I need to be doing. You can even do it when you play. Just pick a certain spot on the tee box that you want to swing at and put the ball down accordingly. (it would be against the rules to place something in the path after you tee up the ball) You don't necessarily have to hit the mark, just be swinging for it.

I will judge my rounds much more by the quality of my best shots than the acceptability of my worse ones.

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Inside Approach is good. My golf instructor had a homemade version about 6 years ago that he used with me, with decent results. He was emphasizing hitting out to first base and once in a while when everything clicked it produced a long slight draw that I hadn't seen in years.

I got the parts at Home Depot and made a reasonable version. But recently Target has had them on sale for about $25 so I shelled out for it.

The Swing Extender is also effective, albeit expensive for what it is, curved plastic. I have a tendency to collapse at the top, robbing arc and therefore distance while also putting me at risk of coming over the top. Swing Extender brackets the right elbow in place, which combines to help the left arm extend and promote proper positioning. Some of my longest smoothest shots come with Swing Extender attached. I use it during rounds all the time. Then, like anything else, after a few lousy shots I get disgusted and yank it off.

Believe it or not, one simple self discovered tip has helped me reduce the outside-in path in the past month. I looked at video and pictures of my swing and my left toe was noticeably open. That correlated to an open left shoulder and a general tendency to pull toward the left foot. Once I closed my stance it felt awkward and somewhat mechanical, definitely not as athletic, but now I'm square and results are much improved.

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Inside Approach is good. My golf instructor had a homemade version about 6 years ago that he used with me, with decent results. He was emphasizing hitting out to first base and once in a while when everything clicked it produced a long slight draw that I hadn't seen in years.

I assume you right handed. My understanding is the left foot is supposed to be a little open and the rear foot straight to the target line. This helps you turn through and finish the swing.

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I assume you right handed. My understanding is the left foot is supposed to be a little open and the rear foot straight to the target line. This helps you turn through and finish the swing.

When I learned the game, everyone had a pronounced open left foot. Check the pros now. It's markedly different, particularly with irons. Some guys are completely square.

My problem was too far open.
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Lot of good tips out here, a few I feel are a bit different and have worked for me and some folks I have worked with in the past.

1. Make sure spine angle is tilted a bit to the right at address (assuming you are right handed)
2. Point your chin at your right foot and leave it there until your right shoulder brings it up.
3. Make sure you are starting from the ground up.
4. Make sure there is no vertical movement, I have noticed with some people I have worked with that "standing up" during the back swing can cause an over the top action (yet it will seem to you like there is no way).

Drill:
Set up normally, then drop your right foot back 1 foot or more, keeping shoulders square. Hit some very under control "punch" style shots. Since you have created more room, it is easy to get the sensation of coming at the ball from the inside.

-Beane
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Can someone who has the inside approach please give me the dimensions of the various legs, arms, foam bits etc. I'd really appreciate it if you could get out the old tape measure.

I have the plastic, I have the foam........I'm going to makle something similar. I tried to buy one an inside approach on ebay but it's now at £30-no way am i paying that. So far the bits have cost £3-to avoid patents issues (someone is bound to put an annoying reply about a patent). Im using a different leg set up and am going to call it the A.O.A-that's the anti outside approach (Titleist style with their A.I.M haha).
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Keep your right arm glued to your side through the backswing. If you do that, it is virtually impossible to come over the top.

Yes that is true but you lose too much extension of the left arm which is critical to effortless club head speed. Rather than glued to the side it is important the right arm fold correctly but still extend out so as to maximise the left extension so that the left arm does not have to do it alone and become locked out and tense.

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Haven't read the thread, but what works best for me is thinking of hitting down and not forcing the club. Just move the arms and let the club trail behind. The grip and wrists will take care of getting the club to the ball, once you start forcing it with the arms it'll go out. Take some practice swings where you just let gravity take care of the club and make sure it travels down towards the ball, not forward and out.

I got a camera that can shoot high speed footage and it shows really well how I at the start of the downswing move the arms forward.

You can also let the arms drop, don't force them, turn your chest and let the arms drop. Standing too close to the ball may also be an issue. Not a problem in the takeaway, but when you are coming down it's hard for the club to get space, the result can be arms pushing the club out.

I don't like to exaggerate the takeaway by coming way form the inside. Maybe a few times to get the feeling, but for most people the outwards action start at the top of the backswing or start of the downswing. How you take it away then doesn't matter. If you are looking for a one plane swing you go up and down on the same plane. With a two plane you might go lower down than you go up, but for a over the top player it's the other way around. You go up on plane and down from a much steeper angle.

I'll see if I can shoot some video to illustrate how I'm working on it.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

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