Coming over the top... slightly

[AlexDarling]

Now I play to a good standard and understand the basic mechanics of the swing, but would like a bit of input into tweaking my OTT swing please.
I used to draw most shots, now its a small fade, starts straight and fades about 5-10 yds two thirds into flight. It can also be a small pull 10 yds left or a dreaded socket which can appear from 2 iron and up. Driver heels I also feel.

So its pretty clear I'm coming over the plane on the downswing- would just like some key check points or swing thoughts to help me eradicate it and get back to a draw again. thanks

 

[bobmac]

If you're hitting it left and right, I would check the grip first. Players with a weak left hand and a strong right hand often have this problem.
If you are also shanking every club, I would find out why before tackling the OTT swing.
There may be an isssue in your set up.
Do you think you might be standing too close to the ball?
Thats often a cause for the shank and the fade.
So, check your set up and grip before you start messing with the path.

 

[AlexDarling]

If you're hitting it left and right, I would check the grip first. Players with a weak left hand and a strong right hand often have this problem.
If you are also shanking every club, I would find out why before tackling the OTT swing.
There may be an isssue in your set up.
Do you think you might be standing too close to the ball?
Thats often a cause for the shank and the fade.
So, check your set up and grip before you start messing with the path.

Thanks for the reply.

My grip is pretty good even though I say it myself- its really not changed in 15 years, V's are pointing where they should.
Posture is something I work on, arms hang below shoulders, bend from hips, nice knee flex, a line from nape of neck to the floor will be inches outside the target line, hips, knees, shoulders all parrallel to target path etc etc so all feels good there.

position at top is also decent, proper shoulder turn behind ball with no sway, right knee still bent, no reverse pivot, at least I feel I dont do any of that.

 

[London mike 61]

We all get sloppy in our posture from time to time so try and do what feels like a exaggerated extension of the spine by sticking your bum out further that you feel is necessary , and hit a few balls . My guess is that they will go a lot straighter, oh, and try flaring your leading foot out at an angle , that will help you turn through to target and help stop the pulls.

EYG

 

[dsanders9944]

Maybe you are pulling on the handle or throwing the arms out away from the body instead of dumping them back into the body on the downswing, do you have any early extension or hip thrust as well?

 

[the_coach]

if everything going back to the top is okay on a good plane so at the top the hands/handle shaft not a ways behind your heel line - but maybe a good idea to get all that checked out along with the posture etc. by a PGA Pro if that's possible. as the different shot outcomes (sockets etc.) would tend to indicate there's something else going on not just coming over the top.

but a couple of things you can look to

hands/arms/club in backswing to be able to keep good connection through the swing motion should stop when the upper body turn stops, & not travel a ways further independently after the turn has stopped.
if they do, they are then likely to be the first thing that moves at the transition into the downswing often then moving outwards & not downwards as they should do.

could be everything goes back together & stops together as it should. but the hands/arms/club still initiate the downswing in which case again it's easy for that first move to again be right shoulder outwards (so out over across the line some)

look at how the sequencing in the swing motion works, transition has to start from the lower body, ground up, lead foot/leg/hip move fractionally first before the right shoulder, arm/hand/club start to move downwards - often a good feel to have if this is a problem area is feeling the back stays 'looking' to target as some weight pressure is gently put down into the ground through the lead foot/leg then the upper body etc moves.

with the sockets etc, it's not just necessarily an over the top move would also be linked with the hips losing the pelvic angle during the downswing into impact, so the butt moves forwards, hips move forwards, posture, spine angle is lost as the body gets into a more upright condition weight moving forwards towards the ball/target line.

check where your weight is both at the top of the backswing - is it along the inside of the right foot favoring the heel.
check where your weight is through impact & immediately after impact - is it on the balls & toes of both feet.

would be useful to get a professional opinion on what the issues you have are. as 'feel to real' can often make folks think they have an issue with one particular thing, sometimes they are right, often though the issue is being caused or amplified by other things.