Driving · Drill
Two Lines on the Ground to Fix Over the Top
Part of our driving programs for slice, push or pull, topped or thin. Build a program with it
Coming over the top means the club moves outside your hands as you start down. Then it cuts across the ball. Lines on the ground make the right path easy to see. Lay one stick along your target line. Lay another a few inches inside it, angled slightly out to the right. Put the ball between them. Swing along the angled stick. Your brain can follow a picture better than a list of body positions. A few pushes at first are a good sign.
The drill
- Lay one stick on the target line.
- Lay another inside it, angled right.
- Swing slowly along the angled stick.
- Let your hands drop close to your body.
- Build speed while keeping the path.
Why it works
Coming over the top sends the club out and across the ball from outside to in, which makes pulls and cuts. The angled stick gives you a path that points slightly right of the target line for a right-hander, so the club has to approach from the inside. When your hands drop close to your body at the start of the downswing, the club stays inside your hands and can move along that path. A few pushes early on show the path has changed.
Common mistakes
- You throw your shoulders at the ball first, so the club still moves outside your hands.Start the downswing by letting your hands drop close to your body, and keep your chest turning more slowly than your arms feel like moving.
- You set the angled stick too steep or too far from the ball.Keep it a few inches inside the target line and only slightly angled right, so the path is a small change.
- You speed up before the slow swings follow the stick.Stay at slow speed until the club passes along the angled stick several times in a row, then add speed.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball starts right of your start line or on it, not left, and the pull shots become less frequent.
- The club does not touch the outer stick or move over it on the way down.
- Your divot, if you take one, points at the target or slightly right of it instead of well left.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Swing at half speed with a short backswing and no ball until the club follows the angled stick every time.
Harder: Hit full shots at normal speed with a ball and make the club pass along the stick without touching either one.
Common questions
What does coming over the top mean in golf?
It means the club moves outside your hands at the start of the downswing and then cuts across the ball from outside to in. This often causes pulls and left-to-right slices.
Why do I hit a few pushes when I do this drill?
The new path points the club more to the right, so the ball may start right at first. It is a good sign that you are no longer cutting across the ball, and you can then adjust your aim and face.
