What Is An Over-The-Top Swing & How Does It Impact Your Golf Game

Over-the-top is one of the most common swing characteristics among high handicap golfers, and while it is frustrating, we have good news. It's also 100% fixable with the right practice. But what is it? How can you identify it? And how can you begin to remedy it? We've detailed it all below.

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What Is An Over-The-Top Swing?

The over-the-top swing occurs because of overuse or over-dominance of the upper body during the downswing. When it happens, the club is thrown outside the intended swing plane. This forces the club head to approach the ball in an in-to-out motion. If your club face is square when it makes contact, this causes a pull. If it's open at the point of contact, this causes a slice; something many high handicap golfers know too well.

That's not all, however. An over-the-top swing can also cause a loss of power, limit ball control and impact ball flight, all of which can highly impact your scores.

How Can You Identify An Over-The-Top Swing?

We've already mentioned some ways an over-the-top swing can impact ball flight. However, this isn't the only way to identify this type of swing characteristic.

In your own body, you can identify this swing by paying attention to your shoulders. You may notice they open too early or that they are largely dominant in your downswing. Similarly, your hands may move away from the body instead of dropping down.

If you're not sure how an over-the-top swing feels, many golfers describe it as a sensation similar to chopping wood. The movement often feels steep, like you're hitting down and hard. This causes your upper body to lunge forward, which can disrupt balance.

How Can You Correct An Over-The-Top Swing?

Like all errors in the golf swing, don't try to fix everything all at once. Start with small elements of your swing and work on perfecting each individual part before you combine them altogether.

Start with your lower body. Work to train your hips to twist smoothly during the downswing, rather than just being carried by your shoulders. Once you have mastered this movement, work on your arms. Your downswing should feel like you're trying to skip a stone along water, rather than chopping a log. Pause throughout your practice swings to gain awareness of where it's going wrong.

From here, you can work on understanding which ball position works best for you, as well as your grip strength and path awareness. Once combined, you'll quickly notice a smoother, more controlled swing that impresses your mates.

The BioGolf Team Is Here To Help

It may seem intimidating at first; however, a few small adjustments can transform your swing. We can help you unlock your hidden potential in no time. Book your first or next appointment with us.