Solving an Over Swinging

Over swinging

by Len

I have a big overswing killing my game. I didn't always have this and can't seem to figure out why I'm doing this. I can see the club head out of the corner of my left eye on the backswing. There has to be a reason why I'm doing this. Overturning the hips, pulling the club inside. I do not seem to overswing on my practice swing but the moment I take a full swing I over swing. Please help!

Hi Len,

Often an over swing is related to trying for more distance with your shots. Unless you are gifted like John Daly and have his flexibility and timing, an over swing will not produce any more distance neither consistency for you.

Take a look at these causes and fixes for an over swing.

Left Hand Position on the Grip

Most over swingers allow the left wrist to fold towards the forearm at the top of the back swing. In other words your wrists break down at the top. In teaching terms we call this a cupped position. It feels like a strong position. In reality it spells disaster!!

Sometimes it is so bad it forms a right angle between your left hand and the forearm. This opens the clubface position at the top and one of two things will happen at impact. The club face will either be in a closed position or you will subconsciously open the club face at impact.
What ever the hands do the club face will do the same thing.
Fix

Monitor the back of your left hand during the back swing and check that it remains in a flat position with your left forearm all the way to the top of your back swing. This also ensures the club face remains in a square position as it was at address.

One important aspect of the hands you need to realise is that they both determine your swing path, and any manipulation during the back swing with the left and right hand will change your swing path and clubface position.

If you adopt a neutral grip with both hands you have a better chance of keeping the clubface square throughout the swing and the right wrist will fold correctly in the back swing and unfold again correctly at impact

The Arm Swing

The arms can cause an over swing in four ways. Firstly, if the left arm bends too much at the elbow and collapses inward during the back swing it brings the hands closer to your right shoulder at the top of the back swing. Secondly, the right elbow also bends past the 90 degree point making your back swing very narrow, and thirdly, if the arms swing independently of the shoulder turn they will tend to swing too far back in the back swing. All of these motions cause the left hand to cup and collapse.Fourthly, if the elbows separate during the back swing this will also be a major contributor to and over swing and a cupped left hand. Keeping the elbows together will ensure a compact back swing with lots of power.

Fix

A straight left arm in the back swing keeps you swing arc wide and helps to let the right elbow fold only to 90 degrees at the top of the back swing. However, most golfers are confused as to how to maintain a straight left arm during the back swing.

The feeling you want to create is the left hand stretching away from the shoulder in the back swing. Please note that the arm should not feel stiff while doing this, keep it as relaxed as possible. To do this correctly you need to feel the turn of the shoulders at the same time you start to swing the arms and hands back.

Keeping the arms together while you do this will turn your shoulders automatically. Try this exercise in the pictures here to get the feeling.

Take up an address position and do the preying hands drill. When you swing your arms, you will feel how the shoulders go along with the movement. Make sure you keep your hands together throughout the motion.

This action adds more power to your swing through the combination of turning and swinging at the same time. The arms basically stop swinging when the shoulders stop turning. The result is a more compact back swing with no over swing.
Take note of the 90 degree angle that the right arm has already formed, it should stay like that all the way to the top of your back swing.

Here is a Great Tip!!

To get the feeling of maintain the 90 degree right angle of the right elbow at the top of your back swing, take a kids swimming armband and place it over your biceps of your right arm (between the elbow and the shoulder.) Blow up the topside of the armband that faces your shoulder. Take practice back swings or even hit balls with the armband in this position and you will feel your right elbow not to bend further than the 90 degree angle at the top of your back swing, your back swing will be at its full width.

This very simple, but effective exercise was used by David Leadbetter in his earlier days to correct Nick Price’s right elbow position at the top of his back swing. It works extremely well, why not give it a try.

Over turning the hips

If you feel that you are over turning the hips then the chances are your posture is lifting out of its original position it was in at address and the right knee is straightening on the back swing.

Fix
The key here is to maintain the flex in your right knee from address position all the way to the top of your back swing so that your hips do not over turn.

Pulling the Club Inside on the Back Swing

Another bad habit you want to avoid. This action changes your swing path off plane and the club face angle promoting an over swing.

Fix

Take up your address position holding a club, now slide your hands down the shaft while pushing the handle or grip into your stomach. With the butt of the club fitting snugly into your stomach Practice taking the club away till your hands are just past your right leg, do not let the club leave your stomach.

This exercise builds a good feeling for a one piece takeaway with the body responding with a turn perfectly in sink with the arm swing.

More Feelings to work with

When you take your back swing, you want to develop a feeling of swinging the hands and arms sideways from the address position (back), rather than lifting the arms up. (They will eventually go upwards anyway). The preying hands drill I have spoken about will help to achieve this feeling of swinging back keeping good width in your swing.