That frustrating contact where you feel like you've chopped down on the golf ball, resulting in a weak slice or a sharp pull to the left, is one of the most common battles in golf. It’s a move often called coming over the top, but the feeling is more like you're swiping across the ball instead of swinging through it. This article will break down exactly why this happens and give you a straightforward, actionable plan with drills to get your swing path working from the inside, so you can start hitting powerful, solid golf shots.
Before we can fix it, we need to understand it. Imagine a straight line running from your golf ball directly to your target - this is the target line. In a perfect world, your club would travel down this line (or slightly from the inside of it) through the impact zone, striking the ball squarely on its path to the target.
When you come across the ball, your club starts its downswing on a path that is outside this target line and then cuts across it to the inside as you make contact. This "out-to-in" swing path is the primary cause of the slice. If the clubface is open relative to that out-to-in path, the ball will start left of the target and then curve dramatically to the right. If your clubface happens to be square or closed to that same path, you'll hit a hard pull straight to the left.
The feeling is often one of rush and force coming from your upper body. It might feel powerful for a split second, but the result is a glancing blow that robs you of both distance and accuracy. You're not compressing the ball, you're slicing across it.
Amateur golfers are often told hundreds of different things about their swing, but the "over the top" or "across the ball" move almost always boils down to one thing: an incorrect downswing sequence.
The correct chain of events to start the downswing should be: lower body (hips) initiates, followed by the torso, which then brings the arms and club down into the hittting area. It's a smooth, ground-up transfer of energy.
The incorrect sequence, which causes the out-to-in path, looks like this:
This is often a subconscious attempt to generate power. We instinctively want to hit the ball hard with our arms, just like we would throw a ball. But in golf, that instinct works against you. Power comes from rotation and correct sequencing, not from brute force applied from the top.
While the root cause is a bad sequence, a poor setup can make that bad sequence almost inevitable. Before you even try the drills, perform a quick check of your fundamentals. A good setup doesn't fix a bad swing, but it certainly makes a good swing a lot easier to achieve.
This is a common sneaky cause. Many golfers who slice subconsciously aim their entire body - feet, hips, and shoulders - to the left of the target, hoping to "hold on" and prevent the slice. The problem is, when your body is aimed left, your swing will naturally want to follow that line, forcing you to cut across the ball to get it anywhere near the target. Golden Rule: Set your clubface aimed at the target first, then set your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to that target line.
Make sure you're tilted over from your hips, not hunched from your upper back. This creates space for your arms to swing down on an inside path. When you stand too tall or are too close to the ball, your arms have nowhere to go but out and over.
Understanding the problem is one thing, feeling the solution is another. The following drills are designed to bypass the 'thinking' part of your brain and teach your body the correct feeling of a downswing that comes from the inside.
This drill is fantastic for forcing your lower body to initiate the downswing and creating a natural, flowing swing.
Why it works: You simply cannot step forward and dominate the swing with your upper body at the same time. The step physically forces your weight to shift and your lower body to lead, slots the club on the inside, and creates that in-to-out path you’re looking for.
This drill provides immediate, unmistakable feedback on your swing path. If you come over the top, there’s no hiding it.
Why it works: It's a powerful visual and physical barrier. It makes an abstract concept - "swing path" - something tangible and real. Over time, your brain will automatically re-route your swing to avoid the obstacle, ingraining an inside path.
This drill is all about rehearsing the feel of the transition without the pressure of hitting the ball perfectly every time.
Why it works: The repetition helps separate the individual movements of the transition. It teaches you to feel the difference between an arm-dominated "throwing" motion and a body-led "dropping and turning" motion.
Practice range drills are great, but you need simple, reliable thoughts for the heat of the moment on the course. Once you've practiced the drills, use these swing feels to trigger the right motion:
Coming across the golf ball is one of the most ingrained-feeling habits, but it's not a mystery. It's a sequence problem caused by the upper body winning the race to the ball. By patiently working on drills that train your lower body to lead the downswing, you can fundamentally change your swing path from out-to-in to in-to-out and replace that weak slice with solid, powerful shots.
Fixing a swing change on your own takes dedication, and sometimes it's hard to know if you're working on the right thing. That's why we built Caddie AI - to give you that expert second opinion whenever you need it. Our AI can analyze your swing to pinpoint the root cause of an issue, giving you clear, customized feedback so your practice time is more effective. And if you're on the course struggling with a tricky lie, unsure if your swing change will hold up, you can take a picture of your ball's position and get instant, smart advice on how to play the shot. It’s like having a personal coach right in your pocket, guiding you toward better golf and more confidence.
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