Over the top

[derek reveley]

I have golfed for 20 years currently with an 18 handicap. For most of this time and even to this day I have been plagued with an over the top movement when commencing my down swing. This is virtually a lunge with my upper body across the ball. For the last 2/3 months since purchasing your How to draw the Ball DVD I have been attempting a full and backwards around the spine back swing and starting the downswing by straightening my right (im right handed) arm and immediately turning my left hip backwards as stated in the DVD. I have even tried to keep my back facing the target to prevent this drastic upper body lunge. It does work for me some of the time but not consistently enough consequently on a bad day I can top pull and hook irons and generally push my drives with the occasional pulled hook. The problem can be worse when im tired or when I am competing as tension creeps in and it is as if this over the top movement is totally ingrained. I sometimes feel that when I get to the top of my backswing all hell lets loose and I have no control over what happens next. Please help me as I am getting desperate with the problem.

[emct]

Try this. Shorten your backswing to approx 3/4 and choke down on the club about half an inch or so. When you start your downswing, do two things: (1) make sure your right arm stays inside, maybe even sliding along your torso, and (2) be sure your downswing starts with your arms pulling the club along the swing plane; that is, don't "swing" the clubhead along the line which can lead to the over-the-top motion in a heartbeat! You have to feel that your hands and arms are acting as a one-piece lever as you come down to the ball. You have to really think about making the hands lead the way down from the top, but for me it solved several problems in one fell swoop! The 3/4 swing and choking down will help you get the feel of letting the hands be the key. With practice you can go back to a "normal" swing although you may not want to as the sacrificed yardage is so minimal for what I feel must be the vast majority of amateur golfers.

[Bobby_Eldridge]

Does this happen with woods, irons or both. Where is your divot going, left, right or straight?