Help! I'm OTT and don't know root cause.

[dadewitt3]

Please help me understand why I go over the top. It's my takeaway too shallow? No matter how hard I try to keep arms loose, start with lower body, drop hands, ect, just can't seem to get it on plane.

[dadewitt3]

[dadewitt3]

The blurry video is the one where I was REALLY trying. My swing thoughts were start with knees and drop hands. I was trying so not let the shoulders get too active to quick and let the arms trail. Still OTT. the shots in all the videos are good shots, by the way.

[shortstop20]

Too flat and inside on takeaway.

[dadewitt3]

Too flat and inside on takeaway.

 

Thanks. do you see anything else?

[rcb1586]

I'm not an instructor but here is a snap during your backswing vs a PGA player.

 

 

 

 

[dadewitt3]

I'm not an instructor but here is a snap during your backswing vs a PGA player.

 

 

 

 

wow, way different!

[dadewitt3]

So now, I need a drill, because I have been working on the takeaway but it is clearly not working!

[nsxguy]

rcb makes an excellent point. If your backswing is not on plane which, as you can see by the pic, it's not, you have to re-route the club on the forward part of the swing. That requires a LOT of hand-eye coordination and excess(?) motion/movements.

 

See the position of the lefty pro ? We don't really know if he's going back or going forward but if you draw a straight line from the head of the club through the shaft TO the ball it is almost a straight line.

 

Going back AND going forward these are pretty good positions to be in.

 

For a temporary(?) fix, try bringing it back with that pro's position. Coming TO the ball try to get to (roughly) the same position. Maybe thinking of tucking in the left elbow a bit while thinking "Hit the ball at 5 o'clock (12 being your target line at 6 being behind you)".

 

The experts should be around soon.

[dadewitt3]

Anyone else? I need a drill to work on this.

[dadewitt3]

So, I am triying to get into that position above, but no matter how hard I try I cant seem to get there. Please, anyone got some tips or feelings to look for?

[hack2489]

Mate, I'm not a golf pro, or coaching expert, but have worked hard to fix my OTT swing. From my experience, process, knowledge I see in your swing a similar move ...

 

Start of downswing, in the transition, you roll your trail shoulder which moves the club out and over.

 

This is not the issue or cause, IMO.

 

The cause is from three things:

 

- incorrect grip

- incorrect wrist hinge

- incorrect start of transition.

 

Let me explain.

 

With current grip, wrist motion is wrong and 'if' you started with more hips forward and turn (think belt buckle to front knee and keep turning) your shots will be horrid pulls and miss hits.

 

Have to fix all three. Well, I did.

 

Grip ... Look at mike malaska video about finding your 'natural grip'

 

Wrists ... Look at malaska video "L to L" and buy a swingyde training aide to train your wrists to move the correct way in both the backswing and forward through swing into finish.

 

Hips first move to start transition, downswing... Try starting with belt buckle going toward target, so turn over front knee and keep turning. Watch not to just turn hips but must also start with a slight move forward. Watch slow motion video of Adam Scott to see how far open his hips are at impact compared to you.

 

Also... Maybe try the drills etc here:

 

http://www.mytpi.com/improve-my-game/swing-characteristics/over-the-top_v2

 

And

 

http://www.mytpi.com/improve-my-game/swing-characteristics/casting_v2

 

PS: I think you have a bit of casting too, and as you'll see, the drills etc for both OTT and casting are for improving hip movement and weight transfer. Both issues which cause the shoulders to start first, early, and thus create the OTT swing.

 

And, seriously think about getting a lesson with a golf professional!

[SkiSchoolPro]

Try keeping the clubhead outside your hands during the start of your backswing.

[SkiSchoolPro]

Compare Rickie to you

[dadewitt3]

Hack2489, thanks. Good stuff. I have been getting lessons. He never even noticed. Maybe need a new coach...

[hack2489]

Hack2489, thanks. Good stuff. I have been getting lessons. He never even noticed. Maybe need a new coach...

 

He may have been working on other swing issues first.. but, having said that, I changed coach for a different perspective and it's proven very positive.

 

 

[extrastiff]

look at that original comparison pic, and measure the angle created by your thighs and your abdomen. your angle is much more obtuse than the pros.

 

get your spine down. keep it there, rotate(including your hips) keeping that angle. couple that with less "toe" takaway, aka feel like you taking the heel of the club back first

[BabyFades]

Caveat I AM NOT A PRO but here's what I have learned fighting the exact same problem.

 

For a totally different view and feel / approach that might be instructive, see this video - a lot of over the top is because people move their shoulders first. It's a hard instinct to fight.

 

 

One drill / trick you can try is to stand a water bottle just outside the ball and see what your body does to avoid it. What George Gankas calls "avoidance drills" I find for me are alot more effective than just trying to hit a position. It engages your instinct in a different way.

 

Also remember that a lot of things work in opposites - so if you go back shallow, you will come in steep, if you take back inside, you will downswing outside.

 

Last trick - hit ~1/2 shots with a 7-8 iron (literally try to hit them 50-80 yards) and practice shaping the shots - fade, straight, draw. If you can hit 6 in a row calling each shot then add 20 yards. Repeat until you are up to full swing.

[BeerPerHole]

Your swing reminds me a lot about my swing in the first half of my adventurous golf career. (I'm no pro, just a weekend warrior). I would start the downswing with a lunge of the shoulders. That's a tough habit to break. But, if I can do it so can you. Overall, FWIW, your swing looks pretty good. Others noted the flat takaway. That's not too hard to fix.

[dadewitt3]

Your swing reminds me a lot about my swing in the first half of my adventurous golf career. (I'm no pro, just a weekend warrior). I would start the downswing with a lunge of the shoulders. That's a tough habit to break. But, if I can do it so can you. Overall, FWIW, your swing looks pretty good. Others noted the flat takaway. That's not too hard to fix.

 

thanks for the compliment :) Ill take it

[Bingo1976]

It's like looking at my old swing in a mirror. I am horrified that your coach didn't pick up on this - I've had a few teachers and they all start on the takeaway. Routing it so far inside that your natural move down can only be over the top.

 

Try swinging with your back against a wall - your club head should not touch it. Another drill is to put another golf ball behind the clubhead at address and then try and push it straight back with your takeaway.

 

The rest of your swing looks very good though, nice and athletic and I'd think you can get to a low single figure handicap with some lessons and work on the takeaway. You'll get a lot more power with the correct routing as well.

[uitar9]

What is your actual ball flight, 225 with driver, right down the middle...or 75 yards with driver with a horrible slice. I like the phrase I read somewhere of "playing golf not playing swing". I like the idea of changing something in my swing to correct ballfight not how my swing looks. You mentioned your ball flight was pretty good.

 

I'm a 65 year old male, overweight, low flexible golfer who took it up 7 years ago. I am not gonna swing like Justin Thomas. I just want to keep my ball in front of me on the short grass. I'd like to hit it further so try to stretch more than I used to, a little yoga 3 or 4 times a week.

 

 

Nothing like a 20 handicap for giving advice...but...couple of things I have been told which seem to help me with consistency:

 

-the butt drill-Take your normal golf stance, no club or ball, standing so that your butt is touching the wall. Cross your arms in front of your chest. Complete a slow motion full takeaway and full downstroke...while maintaining contact with the wall and your butt (going from cheek tot cheek) without any sliding left or right nor up and down. 5 minutes a day for two weeks...then

 

-move away from a wall, add a club. Pick a spot on the floor where the ball should be-slow motion-full takeaway, full downswing, club passing through imaginary ball location then full follow through. 5 minutes a day for two weeks.

 

 

To me, Its all physics-we need to get the club face back to where it started, with repeatable efficiently. Adding non essential body motion, adds non essential arm movements to try and correct. I don't correct well. lol

[alfriday]

Try this the next time you go to the range. 1) Forget about body parts and positions The only thing you want to focus on is where you want to swing the club. 2) Exaggerate your fault. Pick a target, and line up to hit your shot there. Then swing with the biggest and baddest OTT swing you can. If the target is in line with the pitchers mound, swing to third base. Hit a few balls to third base, stopping after each shot to think about how it felt to swing that far to the left. 3) Exaggerate the fix. Line up square to your target but swing the biggest and baddest in to out swing you can. Swing to first base. Hit a few balls, again stopping after each shot to feel how swinging to first differed from swinging to third. 4) Alternate shots from third base with ones to first base. The difference in feel should be dramatic. 5) Slowly work away from the extremes to swinging to the target, over the pitchers mound.