How to Fix an Over-the-Top Swing (And Unlock Effortless Power)

It starts with a swing that feels… off.

You stripe one down the middle, then suddenly, you’re slicing into the next fairway over, watching your ball sail on a flight path even NASA would struggle to calculate.

You know the problem. The dreaded over-the-top move. And yet, no matter how many YouTube tips or range buckets you burn through, the fix never quite sticks.

Here’s the truth: if you’re swinging over the top, you’re not just fighting your golf swing. You’re fighting decades of muscle memory, bad habits, and probably a bit of stubbornness (we’ve all been there).

Fixing it isn’t about quick drills or magic gadgets—it’s about rewiring how you move.

Let’s break it down.

Why You Keep Coming Over the Top (Even When You Swear You Aren’t)

You can feel it happening. The club gets steep, your hands move away from your body, and before you know it, you’re wiping across the ball like you’re trying to erase a whiteboard. It’s not just a slice issue—it’s a consistency killer.

The root causes?

Your upper body is too eager. The shoulders fire open too soon, dragging the club outside the ideal path.
Your weight shift is off. Too much lateral motion, not enough rotation. If your hips don’t clear, there’s nowhere for the arms to go except over the top.
Your wrists aren’t doing you any favors. Poor wrist angles at the top lead to steep club delivery, forcing a compensatory chop at the ball.

Biomechanics studies show that amateurs have 23% more lead knee extension at impact than pros.

Translation?

You’re standing up and losing rotation, which forces that over-the-top move to make contact.

How to Train Your Swing Out of This Mess

Fixing an over-the-top swing isn’t about one drill. It’s about ingraining a sequence that keeps you shallow and on plane. Let’s go step by step.

1. Fix Your Setup (Before You Even Move the Club)

Most golfers set themselves up to fail before they even take the club back. Here’s what you need to check:

✅ Posture: Slightly rounded upper spine, weight balanced over the balls of your feet. Think “athletic,” not stiff.
✅ Grip Pressure: Lighter than you think. If you’re gripping it like a survival tool, your arms will get overactive.
✅ Ball Position: If it’s too far forward, you’re forced to come over the top just to reach it.

2. The Drill That Tour Pros Swear By: The Pool Noodle Barrier

Yes, really. If you’re swinging over the top, you need a physical reminder to ingrain a better move.

Stick a pool noodle (or alignment stick) just outside the ball line, angled back toward your trail hip.
Take slow swings, keeping the club under the noodle in transition.
If you hit it? Congrats, you’re still coming over the top. Adjust.

3. Feel the Right Transition with the “Trail Arm Tuck” Drill

Your trail elbow is the MVP of shallowing the club. If it flares out early, the club gets steep. Instead, feel like your trail arm is sliding into your ribs during the downswing.

Try this:

Take practice swings with a glove tucked under your trail armpit.
If it drops out early, you’re over the top. Keep it there through transition.
Watch how the club shallows naturally when the elbow stays connected.

Tour pros? They keep that trail arm tight and their wrist angles dialed in. Amateurs? Not so much.

Rory vs. Scheffler: What the Best Do Differently

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler both bomb it, but their sequencing is what really matters.

McIlroy’s Secret Sauce

48° shoulder turn vs. 26° hip turn at the top = pure torque.
Hips fire before the shoulders, keeping the club shallow.
Hands ahead at impact, ensuring clean compression.

Scheffler’s Unfair Advantage

A backswing-to-downswing tempo of 3:1 (compared to the 2.5:1 average amateur).
125% body weight pressure shift into his lead foot—creating effortless power.
No early extension. Zero. The dude stays in his posture like it’s his job (because, well, it is).

Your takeaway? Power comes from proper sequencing, not just effort.

How to Build a Tour-Level Downswing

Start your downswing with your hips, not your hands. Feel like your belt buckle turns toward the target before your upper body follows.
Think “shallow and rotate.” If your first move is pulling the hands down, you’re toast. Instead, feel like your right palm is facing the sky for a split second in transition.
Film your swing. Apps like SwingProfile let you compare your move frame by frame to pros. If you don’t know what your swing actually looks like, you’re guessing.

Bonus: The Cheat Code for Instant Results

If you need a quick fix on the course, here’s a sneaky trick:

Feel like you’re swinging out to right field. Exaggerate it.
Slow it down—50% speed at first.
Keep your chest closed longer. Your arms will naturally follow.

A shallower path isn’t just about fixing your slice—it’s about hitting every shot more solidly. More speed, more accuracy, fewer balls lost to the abyss.