Curing the two most common problems

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Over-the-top moves and topping the driver are the two most common faults that weekend golfers commit. To get your playing ability to move up to the next level, you need to learn how cure these two nasty problems.

How to avert the over-the-top swing

Most weekend golfers try to fix the over-the-top swing with their arms. But striving to fix the problem with your arms and hands, you will rarely succeed. To cope with the problem effectively, you’d better first improve your footwork on the downswing.

Typically, the over-the-top move or an out-to-in downswing results from your standing up on the toes of your right foot too early. Allowing your right heel to come off the ground at the start of the downswing, you will cast your club outside the target line. That has the over-the-top swing thrust on you, causing pulls or weak slices.

You need to keep your right foot on the ground longer as you transfer your weight to your left foot. Feel as if you're shifting your weight across the bottoms of your feet as you carry out your downswing. The longer you keep your feet planted on the ground, the more leverage and power you’ll create.

Avoid immediately getting up on the toes of your right foot. Also keep your right knee and right hip from moving toward your ball. That pushes your club to move outside the target line, leading to the over-the-top downswing and thus pulls and pull-slices.

Succinctly, feel your weight shift from the inside of your right heel to the ball of your left foot. Then, your feet, knees and hips will work properly, stopping inducing the over-the-top fault. You’ll start swinging from inside the target line, consistently enjoying straight shots or soft draws.

How to stop topping

You will top your ball if you release your club prematurely on the downswing. That pushes your left wrist to hinge too early before impact. This causes the clubhead to move ahead of your hands. You’ll commit the same fault if you try to hang back and hit up. The harder you try to hit your ball higher, the more you’ll top it.

To cure the topped shot, imagine you’re hitting two golf balls at the same time. Place the first ball where you normally tee it up. Position the second ball a few inches in front toward the target. Then, focus on hitting the second ball. That will force you to start down with your lower body leading. Also, you’ll eventually make a sweeping motion through the first ball, thus keeping the topped shot at bay.

Of course, for a good drive, you need to hit your ball with a slightly upward blow, but you should not force it. Play your ball forward in your stance off the tip of your left shoulder. And keep your left ear behind your ball at impact. That will allow an upward blow to happen naturally.

Also, avoid swaying to the right as you swing back. Lateral shift in the backswing moves the bottom of your swing arc backward. If you don’t move your body forward in the downswing, you’ll have a thin or topped shot thrust on you.

Stay over your ball as you swing back and keep your head steady as you start down. Then, you'll start down with your lower body, delivering your club on the correct arc into your ball.

You will top a tee shot, too if you fail to preserve your address posture. To avoid this, you need to set up a good, stable body position at address. Bend forward from your waist so your arms hang comfortably from your shoulders. Then, flex your knees only slightly. Stick your rear end out, and feel your weight in the ball of each foot.

Once you’ve set up properly, swing your arms back wide, preserving the flex in your knees. Importantly, turn into the inside of your right leg. Avoid trying to shift your weight to the right. It will happen naturally as you turn.

Don’t try to help your ball into the air. That can push you to pull up with your chest and hips. This causes you to shift to your right foot and throw away your wrist hinge too soon. You will hit the ground behind the ball. You will suffer from a fat shot when you are hitting an iron. When you’re hitting your driver, you’ll catch your ball too much on the upswing, thus topping it. The bottom of your driver will strike the top half of your ball.

Of supreme importance is to stay in your posture. A great way to preserve your address posture is to keep your rear end sticking out for as long as you can. That also allows your head to stay steady, helping you stay over your ball during the swing.