Tired of that weak, curving slice that kills your distance and your confidence? The problem, in almost all cases, is an over-the-top swing path. This article will show you exactly how to fix it by learning to drop the club into the slot and approach the ball from the inside. We’ll break down the setup, the backswing, the all-important transition, and give you some simple drills to make an inside path feel natural for powerful, straight shots.
Imagine your target line, a straight line running from your ball to your target. The goal is to have your clubhead travel down this line, or even slightly from inside of it to outside of it, as it makes contact with the ball. This is what we call an "inside-out" a "neutral" swing path.
Most amateur golfers do the exact opposite. Their first move from the top of the swing is dominated by their arms and shoulders, throwing the clubhead outside the target line. This forces the club to cut back across the ball from outside-to-in. This is the classic "over-the-top" move, and it's the number one cause of the slice. It robs you of power and puts a weak, glancing blow on the ball.
Coming from the inside reverses this entire sequence. It allows you to deliver the club to the ball with your entire body's rotation, not just your arms. The result?
Learning this move is less about athletic ability and more about understanding the right sequence. Let's build it from the ground up.
An inside path doesn't begin in the downswing, it begins before you even move the club. Your setup either gives you the space to swing from the inside or it makes it nearly impossible. As we often tell our students, standing to a golf ball feels unlike anything else, and it’s a bit weird. You have to lean over and stick your bottom out, which can feel odd at first, but it is a necessary athletic posture.
The most common setup flaw that leads to an over-the-top swing is standing too upright and bending from the knees. You need to create space for your arms and the club to swing on plane and drop behind you in the downswing.
This "hip tilt" is everything. It creates a natural space between your hands and your thighs, giving the club a clear path to drop to the inside during the downswing.
While nuanced, a good starting point for your irons (8-iron, 9-iron, wedges) is to have the ball right in the center of your stance. As you move to longer clubs, you can move it slightly forward, with the driver being positioned off your lead heel. A ball that is too far forward in your stance can sometimes subconsciously encourage an outward lunge at the ball to try and reach it, feeding an over-the-top habit.
If your setup gives you the foundation, your backswing dictates the path. Slicers often make a backswing that is all arms and very little body turn. They lift the club straight up, which leaves them with only one option on the way down: to throw it straight down and over the top.
Your goal in the backswing is to create depth. This means getting your hands and the clubhead to move not just up, but around and behind your body.
The golf swing is a rotational action. The power comes from your torso twisting away from the target and then unwinding. How do we achieve that?
At the top of your swing, you should feel a good stretch across your back. Your hands should be deep - more behind your shoulder than directly above it. This position "loads" the club in the perfect spot to be dropped to the inside.
This is where it all comes together. The transition is the moment between the backswing and the downswing, and it must be led by your lower body. The an over-the-top player initiates this phase by spinning their shoulders or throwing their hands at the ball. This is what you must change.
Here is the sequence to feel:
As soon as you complete your backswing turn, your very first move should be a small, lateral shift of your hips toward the target. Think of it as a little "bump." This slight shift does two wonderful things: it gets your weight moving to your lead side for a powerful strike and, more importantly for our purpose, it gives your arms and the club the time and space to simply fall downward, behind you, into the “slot.” It’s a passive move for the arms.
Do not pull the club down with your hands. As your hips bump forward, feel the clubhead get heavier and drop behind you. A great feeling is to imagine the clubhead moving down toward your back heel. You'll know you have it when it feels like the club is lagging far behind your body's rotation. This is good! Your arms are now positioned on an inside track, ready to attack the ball from the inside.
Now that the club is in the slot, it's time to release the power you've stored. Continue to rotate your hips and torso through the shot towards the target. Because the club started its journey from the inside, it will naturally approach the back of the ball and swing out toward the target, delivering that powerful inside-out blow.
"Feel" is not always "real" in golf. These drills give you physical feedback to train the correct motion until it becomes your new normal.
This is the classic, can't-cheat-it drill for fixing an over-the-top path.
This drill ingrains the feeling of the downswing sequence so your body learns it without thinking.
For many players who come over the top, their right elbow (for righties) flies away from their body on the downswing. This drill fixes that.
Changing your swing path from outside-in to a powerful inside-out motion is entirely achievable. By focusing on an athletic setup with hip tilt, a deep, rotational backswing, and a lower-body-led transition, you are building the correct sequence for pure strikes. The drills provide undeniable feedback that will speed up your learning curve.
Adjusting to a new move like this can feel unfamiliar, and it's easy to wonder if you're actually doing it correctly or if it will work on the course. We designed Caddie AI to bridge that exact gap between practice feel and on-course reality. You can ask what the optimal strategy is for your shot or even snap a picture of a difficult lie to get expert advice in seconds. It allows you to analyze your own swing path mechanics and get the kind of personalized feedback that removes the guesswork, letting you dial in that inside approach with confidence.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
