Junior Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 I've seen my swing on video and my backswing manages to get past parallel quite frequently. I feel I'm losing control and possibly some distance when the angles break down. I'll practice trying to shorten the backswing, but it always creeps back up on me...Does anyone have any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VAGolfNut2004 Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 I have a tendency to overswing as well, reaching past parallel and then trying to stand on it with everything I have. One instructor gave me two drills that seem to help. The first is to work on slowing everything in the back swing way down. The drill is done with a tee for all clubs not just woods. Tee a ball at appropriate height and then you take the club back as slowly as possible - I'm talking REALLY slow. Then swing through the ball normally. Your timing will likely be off a little but as you do this you do adjust. After a few swings you speed the backswing up a little. Each time concentrating on keeping the backswing slow and controlled, pausing (setting) at the top and then firing. The key is to find the backswing that you can control. Once you build up in close to your normal tempo you will quickly notice when you over swing. Another drill that both restricts the back swing and forces you to stay in balance is standing with the feet together or the right foot (left if you are left handed) crossed over top of the left. Then you hit balls - YES IT IS AWKWARD at first, but it is immediate impact on being out of balance. It has the added benefit of restricting your turn so no over swinging. The amazing thing is how far you can hit a ball from this stance when you get the timing down. We may have different swing problems that lead to the overswing on the backswing, but I think you might find these useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primo Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 you may want to try opening your stance, by taking your normal stance, then open it up by pointing your right foot at the ball. The rest of your body should rotate along with the foot. You will find from this position it will limit your backswing bigtime. you won't be able to overswing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKFLY Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 Slowing it down helps - but have someone video tape your swing and then have them video tape your swing at 3/4's - will help you visually to see how bad you over swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slater Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 FIrtst check your grip. How do you hold your thumb on your left hand (if you are a right hand golfer)? My guess you have a long thumb. Shorten the thumb up a bit. Plus there is no need to cock the wrist in the back swing by forcing them. Try to relax the arms and coil the shoulders. Your wrist will set naturally and the back swing will feel nice and tight. Loading up all your big muscles in your back. Try hitting some 3 quarter shots. More than likely you will be swing far enough back if you have been swinging long for a while. Keep the arms touching the outside of your chest and nice wide shoulders. This will also help to keep the club in front. And remember to stay RELAXED! No tension but ready to attack. Hope this helps. Have fun! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primo Posted May 20, 2004 Report Share Posted May 20, 2004 I forgot, rotate your hips, but keep your shoulders parallel to your target line. This presets the hips and limits the backswing, but if you don't keep your shoulders square to the target line you are going to pull the ball pretty bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junior Posted May 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2004 Thanks for all the tips. I was out on the course today and found the swinging with my feet together drill to be most effective. I started doing it before each swing and was hitting the ball better than I have in a long while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffy Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I've found that there are two types of overswings, which can appear seperately or together. They have distinctly difference causes and cures. I suspect the more common is what I'll call an arm overswing. This happens when the arms are lifted or slide across the chest away from the target and become unconnected from the upper body. Typically, the hands and arms start back first (and the chest remains static), then the shoulders turn, then the wrists cock, leading to a long, ugly and weak top of the backswing. There are many drills to help counter this move (see Leadbetter and Ballard) but, basically, you need to start the hands, arms and chest back together, so the arms and hands remain more or less in front of the chest as the wrists cock and the right elbow folds. The other overswing happens when the hips turn too far back on the backswing. This usually is caused by allowing the right leg to straighten, either because the right leg is too weak to hold the flex or a reverse weight shift occurs and there is no transfer of the weight into the right leg and hip. A common drill to attack this problem is to hit shots with a golf ball stuck under the outer edge of the right shoe to cant the right knee in, making it easier to maintain the flex. If this doesn't work, you can cut down your hip turn by widening your stance and/or squaring the right foot so it is at right angles to your target line. Obviously, an overswing can also be caused by bending the left arm or letting go of the club at the top, but those are pretty simple to diagnose and correct. Good luck! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleAA Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 Turn your back foot in, this limits the hip rotation witch subsequently limits the amount of coil and backswing. It does not take much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigersworld Posted June 14, 2004 Report Share Posted June 14, 2004 Simple L drills should help. Take your swing back to L then forward to follow thru L and with good fundamentals shouldnt take long to fix. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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