Miles Bennett
Overswinging is a common problem in golf, and it can negatively affect your scores. It occurs when the club shaft moves beyond the point where it is parallel to the ground at the top of the backswing, causing the body and club to fall out of sync. This can lead to inconsistent shots and a lack of accuracy, with the ball not travelling as far as it could. To avoid overswinging, golfers should focus on creating a shorter, wider backswing, with the full backswing ending when the club is pointing between 2 and 3 o'clock. Practising with a mirror or recording yourself can help you visualise and correct your swing.
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What You'll Learn
Keep your left arm straight
Keeping your left arm straight is key to creating power and distance in your shots. It creates width and allows you to generate speed. An extended left arm will create a large arc in your golf swing and help you make a powerful move into the ball.
To keep your left arm straight, it is important to start with the proper position at address. Make sure both arms are fully extended but relaxed. While a small amount of bend is okay, the goal is to keep it minimal. Next, make sure your arms are rotated more underneath your body so your forearms point toward the sky. If your arms are showing at address, you will round your shoulders. The goal is to keep your arms in this connected position throughout the swing.
As you start your backswing, keep your left arm straight and close to your body until it is parallel to the ground and your wrists start to hinge. Your body should be driving your turn away from the ball, not your arms. At the top of your swing, check to see that you have kept your left arm straight. If your left arm is bending, it is most likely because your body has stopped rotating and you are trying to generate more reach and power with your arms. This only serves to make it harder for you to make a well-timed and connected swing down to the ball.
Finally, your left arm should be as straight as possible at impact. Bending your left arm at impact is commonly referred to as the dreaded "chicken wing". This decreases the amount of force you can put into the ball as your arms are not fully extended and swinging freely.
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Focus on a shorter, wider backswing
Focusing on a shorter, wider backswing is a great way to prevent overswinging in golf. Overswinging occurs when the club shaft goes beyond the point where it is parallel with the ground at the top of the backswing. This often happens when golfers use their hands, wrists, and arms too much at the start of the swing, instead of turning their body.
A shorter, wider backswing helps to prevent overswinging because it creates more resistance in the body, which keeps the body and club in sync. This is achieved by coiling the body, which involves rotating the hips in a coil motion, rather than bending the left arm and allowing the club to travel too far back. Major champion Jon Rahm is known for using this technique, and it helps golfers to stay wide, making it harder to overswing.
To achieve a shorter, wider backswing, golfers can try to feel like they are taking a half swing and slowing everything down. This can be practised by imagining a clock, with the ball at 6 o'clock, and taking the backswing to 9 o'clock. Golfers can also try to create tension in their swings, which helps to practise the feeling of coiling.
It can be helpful to record yourself or use mirrors to see your swing and identify any overswinging. This allows you to train yourself to stop your backswing before the club starts pointing at the ground. By focusing on a shorter, wider backswing, golfers can improve their consistency and accuracy, and ultimately, their scores.
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Record your swing to identify an overswing
Recording your swing is a great way to identify an overswing. It is a common issue for golfers and can lead to inconsistency in ball strike and shot accuracy. An overswing is generally the result of a golfer's arms going too far back in the backswing, which can be caused by bending the left arm and allowing the club to travel further than required.
To identify an overswing, ask a friend to film you while you are hitting a real golf shot during a real round. You can also set up a camera to record yourself. Once you have the recording, review your swing and identify if your club is moving beyond horizontal at the top of your swing. This is a tell-tale sign of an overswing, as the shaft of the club will point towards the ground, in contrast to slightly upwards or parallel to the ground in a regular swing.
By reviewing your swing on video, you can also check if your left arm is buckling or bending at the elbow, which is another indicator of an overswing. Additionally, pay attention to your body turn during the backswing. An overswing can be caused by dominant arm and hand movement, resulting in a lack of synchronisation between your body, arms, and club.
When reviewing your recorded swing, focus on creating a shorter and wider backswing. Imagine your swing ending when the club is pointing between 2 and 3 o'clock on a clock. This will help you visualise the ideal backswing length and prevent an overswing.
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Practice a coiling motion
The coiling motion is an important aspect of the golf swing, and mastering it can help you avoid overswinging. This technique involves turning your shoulders and hips independently during the backswing, with your shoulders leading the movement, followed by a gradual rotation of your hips.
Step 1: Address Position
Stand over the ball with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and your weight balanced evenly on the balls of your feet.
Step 2: Backswing
As you take the club back, focus on turning your shoulders away from the target. As your shoulders continue to turn, gradually allow your hips to rotate as well. It is important to maintain a slight lag between your hips and shoulders to create coiled tension. Keep your weight evenly distributed and your head relatively still, avoiding excessive swaying or bobbing.
Step 3: Downswing
As you transition into the downswing, let your hips take the lead, rotating powerfully towards the target. Your shoulders should follow, releasing the stored-up energy. This will create a powerful and controlled release, resulting in a straighter and more predictable shot trajectory.
Step 4: Practice and Muscle Memory
Consistency is key when perfecting the coiling motion. Incorporate this technique into your regular practice routine, focusing on the quality of the movement rather than the quantity. Slow, controlled repetitions will help ingrain the coiling motion into your muscle memory.
Additionally, you can use tools like an elastic band to enhance your practice. Place the elastic band beneath your lead foot to feel the correct coiling and uncoiling motion, adding resistance and improving your overall control.
By practicing the coiling motion, you will improve your flexibility, mobility, and overall balance, resulting in more powerful and consistent golf swings.
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Swing with your body, not your arms
One of the most common misconceptions in golf is that a big backswing will generate more power. However, understanding how to avoid overswinging could be the key to increasing your distance. Swinging within yourself, with great rhythm and tempo, is a far more effective way to get around the golf course and regularly put yourself in good positions.
A golf swing that is an "all arms" swing is one where the arms are doing most of the work, with very little rotation of the hips and shoulders. This type of swing can result in a powerless effort, with the ball not going as far as it should. It can also lead to mistiming issues and inconsistent shots.
To avoid an "all arms" swing, focus on rotating your upper body on top of your hips, with your shoulders doing most of the work. This will create effortless power and improve shot consistency and accuracy. As you rotate your body, your weight should shift smoothly from your back foot to your front foot, promoting balance and control through impact.
To help with this, try the following drill: Place the club in front of your chest with your hands, ensuring the grip end of the club points directly at the target. Perform a mock backswing, making sure the end of your club points at the ball when you reach the top of your swing. This will only be possible if you are rotating your upper body correctly, with your shoulders and hips doing most of the work.
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Frequently asked questions
An overswing occurs when the club shaft moves beyond the point where it is parallel with the ground at the top of the backswing. This often results in the club moving beyond horizontal, with the shaft pointing towards the ground and to the right of the target.
Overswinging is often caused by the left arm bending, which allows the club to travel too far at the top of the backswing. It can also be caused by the right elbow folding behind the body, or by too much rotation during the swing.
Many golfers who struggle with overswinging don't realise it because the club shaft is not visible to them at the top of the swing. To know if you're overswinging, try recording yourself or asking a friend to film you during a real golf round.
Overswinging can lead to inconsistent shots and a lack of accuracy, with the ball going left or right, or resulting in fat and thin strikes. It can also cause deceleration and affect your timing, ultimately impacting the distance of your shots.
To fix an overswing, focus on creating a shorter, wider backswing. Start your swing by turning your body, rather than using your arms and hands too dominantly. Try to feel like you're taking a half swing and slow everything down. You can also visualise a clock with 6 o'clock as the ball, and aim to take your backswing to 9 o'clock.
