What is the major swing flaw in most high handicappers?

I think it all starts from bad fundamentals. Bad grip, bad posture, stance etc... I believe those things causes reverse pivot, OTT, flips etc...
 
In my opinion, OTT happens because beginners (and non-beginners) make the ball their target. When the ball is your target, the most efficient way to get to it is over-the-top. Once you get the OTT move ingrained, it's really hard to get rid of.

I don't understand this. how is ott efficient for hitting the ball? it's very inefficient in all the rerouted path, loss of spine angle, etc. I think I understand that you're saying people who hit at the ball instead of through the ball, but I still don't see why that thought would lead to an ott move as the best way to accomplish it.


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I don't understand this. how is ott efficient for hitting the ball? it's very inefficient in all the rerouted path, loss of spine angle, etc. I think I understand that you're saying people who hit at the ball instead of through the ball, but I still don't see why that thought would lead to an ott move as the best way to accomplish it.


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I think people just don't know how to start the swing with the lower body, and instead do so with the shoulders which leads to the over the top move (among other issues).
 
I think it all starts from bad fundamentals. Bad grip, bad posture, stance etc... I believe those things causes reverse pivot, OTT, flips etc...


OTT is the most common and I completely agree on the bad fundamentals. Very few golfers get the grip, posture, ball position, and alignment correct.
 
After you get by Posture and grip, I have to go with just simply swinging too hard. All other flaws grow from this basic problem.
 
After you get by Posture and grip, I have to go with just simply swinging too hard. All other flaws grow from this basic problem.
I find swinging hard to be a good thing. Swinging fast is the bad thing and yes there is a difference
 
I was thinking about the golf swing today and started to think about swing flaws. I, myself, struggle with an over the top move and think most amateurs do as well.

What other swing flaws do most high handicappers have? What are some good drills to help fix general swing flaws?


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I'm no golf instructor, and I haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in a while :D, but I've seen huge take-aways causing OTT. Swinging the club on the inside from the take-away too. Deceleration before impact and hitting fat....uhm I think I just described my swing, LOL. This stuff usually happens because my arms get disconnected from my torso on the swing and the swing becomes out of sequence on the down swing.
 
I would say over swinging. You'll never have anything consistent if you are going too hard and your body is out of balance.
 
I don't understand this. how is ott efficient for hitting the ball? it's very inefficient in all the rerouted path, loss of spine angle, etc. I think I understand that you're saying people who hit at the ball instead of through the ball, but I still don't see why that thought would lead to an ott move as the best way to accomplish it.


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The first few minutes of this video illustrate the concept well:

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I've sat on the range before and watched this in action. It's often so obvious when someone's target is the ball itself. You can see a huge OTT move as they try to hit the ball rather than swinging to a target.

This subject is near and dear to my heart because despite knowing what I'm supposed to do, I've spent most of my golfing career swinging over the top trying to hit the ball. I've only just now gotten the feeling for what I should be doing to properly release the club towards my target.

I should also note that the other factor in my OTT swing has been a flawed takeaway. I would take the club back so far inside, the only possible way to get back to the ball was OTT. That part is getting better and it's one of the things that allows me to stay behind the ball and release to my real target, as I should.
 
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I struggle with flipping the most and I think shoulder rotation is a killer for me as well.

Alignment and posture as well.
 
What everybody is saying is accurate... I've also found from myself.... grip was my biggest issue with my high HCP... not gripping the club properly (loose as wardy put it) was my major flaw, once I started gripping the club properly and tight, swing started coming together
 
The first few minutes of this video illustrate the concept well:

'

I've sat on the range before and watched this in action. It's often so obvious when someone's target is the ball itself. You can see a huge OTT move as they try to hit the ball rather than swinging to a target.

This subject is near and dear to my heart because despite knowing what I'm supposed to do, I've spent most of my golfing career swinging over the top trying to hit the ball. I've only just now gotten the feeling for what I should be doing to properly release the club towards my target.

I should also note that the other factor in my OTT swing has been a flawed takeaway. I would take the club back so far inside, the only possible way to get back to the ball was OTT. That part is getting better and it's one of the things that allows me to stay behind the ball and release to my real target, as I should.


This may be one of my favorite videos I have seen posted on THP. For the first time in my golfing life I struggled with OTT last season and have been working on getting rid of it. This gives me a great visual to think during my pre-shot routine and swing.
 
I think people just don't know how to start the swing with the lower body, and instead do so with the shoulders which leads to the over the top move (among other issues).

This is how the swing starts with the shoulders and arms moving the club away from the ball.
 
This is how the swing starts with the shoulders and arms moving the club away from the ball.

I'm meaning the downswing since we were talking about the over the top move.
 
Thanks Wade, great video and post.

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OTT for sure. I would also add sway. I see a lot of High HC'ers swaying all over the place during the swing.
 
I struggle with OTT and have to remember not to bring the club to far inside on the backswing and to start the down swing with my lower body. I'm not always successful but that's what I try to do.


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I agree with flipping and OTT...

I'd also add as a commonality amongst newer and/or HH'ers...they have very little hip turn, and instead try and do all (or most) of the work with their arms.

As a matter of fact, I'd say that's common in many sports:
Throwing a football, swinging a baseball bat, throwing a punch, taking a slapshot...to the newbie, they all look like tasks that's are mainly performed by their arms.

I think that's why some people can never show much improvement at any of those athletic endeavors listed above, or others...they always see it as mainly an arm action.
 
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