How do people make massive over the top work ?
TxAggie2018
Well-known member
You can get away with murder in a golf swing, as long as it resolves in a solid impact position. There are easier ways to get to good impact than starting OTT, but it can happen.
Starting the downswing OTT usually gets you steep and cutting out-to-in across the ball, or bailing out from the steepness and flipping. Steep swings and out-to-in swings can both be playable, as long as the angles aren't too drastic. Flipping is a dealbreaker though. You have to time the flip well just to have a chance, and even if you can, the impact won't be very solid.
Starting the downswing OTT usually gets you steep and cutting out-to-in across the ball, or bailing out from the steepness and flipping. Steep swings and out-to-in swings can both be playable, as long as the angles aren't too drastic. Flipping is a dealbreaker though. You have to time the flip well just to have a chance, and even if you can, the impact won't be very solid.
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I have a pretty decent over the top move, and play a solid cut off the tee. I think for me, it's finding a way to limit being too over the top, and gain consistency on my natural shot shape.
What used to be a massive slice is now a consistent cut that is reliable. When my driver is hot, I can tell you exactly where in the fairway my tee ball will land.
What used to be a massive slice is now a consistent cut that is reliable. When my driver is hot, I can tell you exactly where in the fairway my tee ball will land.
Finding consistency is how everyone makes their swing work.
Squaring the face by goat humping? If it's consistent for them that's what matters I guess. I say this as someone who has been trying to fix this for 3 years.
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This ...
A couple ways...
1. Backswing way inside so that OTT is dead on plane. Lietzke, palmer, a lot of guys in the 40s-60s era
2. There's a difference between OTT and the shaft being steep. JT has a slight OTT move. The key is to shallow the shaft. So long as the clubhead comes down on a path that is shallower than the hands, you can be OTT. OTT and a steep shaft plane/path is dead.
Really hard to be effective with OTT and not rotate. If you stand up at all then OTT will kill you. Have to stay down and rotate and pull the handle left.
#1 is the only way "massive" OTT can work.
1. Backswing way inside so that OTT is dead on plane. Lietzke, palmer, a lot of guys in the 40s-60s era
2. There's a difference between OTT and the shaft being steep. JT has a slight OTT move. The key is to shallow the shaft. So long as the clubhead comes down on a path that is shallower than the hands, you can be OTT. OTT and a steep shaft plane/path is dead.
Really hard to be effective with OTT and not rotate. If you stand up at all then OTT will kill you. Have to stay down and rotate and pull the handle left.
#1 is the only way "massive" OTT can work.
razaar
Well-known member
They do it through compensations in their technique. The human body is an amazing in it's ability to adapt to performing tasks with bad technique. Compensations are usually the cause of injuries. To make compensations effective a player has to devote hours on hours of practice to learn a technique that is based on a wrong concept. Only a very small percentage of golfers don't fall into this trap.
Just aim left.
it’s trite but true, like others have said, if you can be consistent with it, there is no harm in aiming 10 yards left of the green to have it fade back into the center
it’s trite but true, like others have said, if you can be consistent with it, there is no harm in aiming 10 yards left of the green to have it fade back into the center
Buckeyegolfnut
Well-known member
I think that it might depend on what you think is "massive". When I first saw the title of this thread I thought, "Really?" Yes, some folks can be OTT, and through some mechanice manage to not leave the clubface too open to the path. I used to be OTT and came in hanging onto the club like grim death! Wide open! I had a slice that could cross two fairways! Gradually, I learned to change that into a gentle draw.
Now, the conventional thinking is that, once you do that conversion, you have enough control of your swing to move back to a controlled fade. That's the part I never did. After so many years of slicing my brains out, I loved the sight of the lovely, little baby draw that I was able to achieve.
Now, the conventional thinking is that, once you do that conversion, you have enough control of your swing to move back to a controlled fade. That's the part I never did. After so many years of slicing my brains out, I loved the sight of the lovely, little baby draw that I was able to achieve.
See that’s exactly what I’m working on changing up in my swing. I’ve always tried to play a draw but I’m sick and tired of my hook miss. So working on a slight OTT move to start playing a fade/cut.
Due to 2 broken bones in my neck plus a shoulder that was nearly ripped off my upper body, I’ve always been OTT… my slice went away over the years, even learned to hit a draw but came to hate it. Can still hit one but much prefer the ole faithful cut. It’s super reliable!
I can hit nearly every fairway with that cut. Repeatable swing. Start it left and have it curve back.
It can be so reliable.
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For me I always fought a huge hook.So i bet guys who are ott and fight a miss right are deadly from 150 in.That more vertical up and down would really trap a ball and hit some really accurate irons.
Aim slightly left and make sure the face is a little closed. Oh and rotate. If you I fail to rotate, that shot is very rarely going to playable.
Just me maybe but most OTT players I see do ok with wedges through short irons because the loft/backspin helps cut out a lot of the side spin. The longer the club gets and the less loft and back spin the harder the ball turns and you can see some wicked slices.
Some have trained their bodies to do weird things to compensate and wind up with good shots. Your brain knows what you are trying to accomplish and makes your body adjust to make these swings work for some people. The problem is though you can hurt yourself by swinging a club poorly or at least create discomfort in muscles, joints, etc. Watch a video slowed down of someone swinging OTT that still hits decent balls and I bet you will see where they are compensating in parts of their swing in a weird way to make it work.
Some have trained their bodies to do weird things to compensate and wind up with good shots. Your brain knows what you are trying to accomplish and makes your body adjust to make these swings work for some people. The problem is though you can hurt yourself by swinging a club poorly or at least create discomfort in muscles, joints, etc. Watch a video slowed down of someone swinging OTT that still hits decent balls and I bet you will see where they are compensating in parts of their swing in a weird way to make it work.
My bread and butter is a power fade, which isn't an OTT fade but an in to out push fade. It took me two years to learn it in the early 80's. I can release as hard as I want without that H word showing up. It is the most accurate shot I have through the bag. My natural ball flight is a draw. When I was young my buddies all wanted to learn to draw the ball. To this day I warn people who are bound and determined learn to turn it over that they will come to HATE a draw, because it is alike a bad dog, you never know when it will turn and bite you where it hurts.
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great video.This thread has really been a great discussion.Really interesting how our bodies find a way to “try” and make a hook or slice swing work.All I know is on the majority of courses I’ve played.A slight or controlled slice seems to always be in play.Where a hook, or even slight hook lefts can be downright disastrous.
I typically play a straight or slight cut with the driver but typically prefer a draw when I’m swinging my best with my 3 or 4 wood. When I can’t hit a draw it usually means I’m set up a bit open and it also shows up with my divots pointing a bit left.