Re: hitting from the top

Hi Joe,

Here's a few simple, but effective ones.

Do this slowly to start, so you get the feel. Choke down to the shaft, so the butt end is extended above your hands (the reason for this, is it will give you a good visual of the next steps).

Take your normal back swing taking the club away on plane, your shoulders turning, letting the right elbow fold naturally. On the BS, the club head will be more or less tracing along the extended ball target line, until a transition point where the butt end then traces the line.

As you are getting to the top of the BS, make a slight lateral shift of the hips forward, and let the arms start to drop into the downswing. As you do so, you will want to make the butt end now retrace along the extended ball target line, until the transition when the head traces the line to impact.

The important part for your problem is the butt end tracing the line on the downswing. You will notice the following outcomes, which will eliminate the OTT. The shoulders stay closed more, whereas previously the back shoulder was being thrown forward. The club is more flattened, because you are staying on plane. You will find that in order to keep the butt end pointing at the line, your right tricep will naturally want to drop in to the shirt seam line and the elbow will point into the front of your hip.

If you come over the top or too steep, you will see and feel the butt end corkscrewing and pointing into your feet or body. Likewise, if you are too flat or laid off, the butt end will point away from the line.

Another drill is to take swings with your feet in line (toe to heel) in front of you, and your back to the target line. This will give you the feeling of the arms dropping and swinging, while the shoulders are closed and not able to take over. You could hit some great shots with this, it is really amazing. It seems like a disaster waiting to happen, but you will not kill the other people at the range.

Ted

Re: hitting from the top

Hey there, and welcome back to the game!

You have to be aware that you only get one opportunity to accelerate the club in the downswing, so it better be at/after the ball.

Yes, you can feel the speed and strength of a hit from the top, but it serves no purpose in an effective golf swing. The ball isn't up at our shoulders. It's a long way away down on the ground (especially when the clubhead can be 7ft in the air at the top of the backswing). So you must learn to disassociate yourself and your golf game from that feeling.

Be as relaxed in the first stages of the downswing as you can be. Let the club fall and use momentum to build the speed from the top. Don't snatch it, and don't be eager to get back to the ball. It'll still be there if you take more time to get to it!

When I start snatching the club from the top of the swing, I like to think of keeping my downswing as smooth as my backswing and try to swing down as though it will take longer than my backswing. You will accelerate. It's natural. You know, after all, that you need to hit the ball, so don't worry. You won't knock it 2 yards! In fact, it'll really fly!

It takes a long time to hit a golf ball.

Re: hitting from the top

What Neil says is right on.

I saw somewhere that the speed of the arms on the downswing was equated to not more than if free falling from the effect of gravity.

To illustrate the point, the notable instructor raised his arms from his sides to shoulder height and let them fall. He said you would do well to feel that at the start of the swing, rather than yanking down. As Neil says, there is a gradual acceleration with the aim to reach max speed at or beyond impact.

I have always remembered that visual.

You can see this in films and videos of good golfers' swings, where the shaft is clearly visible on the downswing until about hip height, then it's a blur.

Ted

Re: hitting from the top

Some great advice given above.

Remember that you must put back in the downswing everything that you took in the backswing with a little more through impact.