What Is an Inside Out Golf Swing?

Hitting the golf ball from the inside is one of the most powerful and satisfying feelings in the game, but it's also a concept that confuses many amateur golfers. This isn't some secret technique reserved for tour pros, it's an achievable swing path that solves some of the most common problems in golf, like slicing and a lack of power. This guide will show you exactly what an inside-out golf swing is, why you want one, and give you clear, actionable steps and drills to start grooving it today.

What Exactly Is an Inside-Out Golf Swing?

To understand the inside-out swing, imagine a straight line running from your golf ball directly to your target. We call this the target line. Your swing path is the direction the clubhead travels as it approaches and strikes the ball relative to this line.

An inside-out swing path means your clubhead approaches the ball from inside the target line (closer to your body) and then travels out to the right of the target line (for a right-handed golfer) immediately after impact. It’s a shallow, sweeping motion that sends the ball starting slightly to the right of the target before the clubface spin - if it's square or slightly closed at impact - brings it back towards the target in a gentle draw.

Conversely, the most common fault in amateur golf is the opposite: an outside-in swing path. This is when the club approaches the ball from outside the target line (away from your body) and cuts across it, moving back to the inside after impact. This is the primary cause of the dreaded slice.

Why Is This Swing Path So Desirable?

Pursuing an inside-out path isn't just about chasing a minor feel, it fundamentally improves the three things every golfer wants: power, accuracy, and consistency. It’s the engine room for solid, flush contact.

• It Promotes a Powerful Draw: An inside-out path is the foundation for hitting a high, powerful draw. When you swing from the inside, you give the ball forward-tumbling sidespin that carries farther and runs out more than the weak, glancing blow of a slice.
• It Generates Effortless Power: Swings that are too steep or "over the top" are arm-dominant and choppy. An inside-out swing path engages the powerful muscles of your core and lower body. The swing is a rotational action powered by your body turning, not your arms chopping. By shallowing the club and rotating, you are unleashing stored energy in the most efficient way possible.
• It Creates Consistent Contact: An outside-in swing has a very steep angle of attack, making it difficult to find the low point of the swing consistently. The shallow nature of an inside-out swing creates a much wider "bottom" to the swing arc, making you far more likely to hit the ball first and then the turf - the recipe for pure strikes.
• It Cures the Slice: The slice is born from an outside-in swing path paired with an open clubface. By fixing the path and learning to swing from the inside, you are attacking the root cause of your slice, not just putting a band-aid on it.

The Root of the Problem: Understanding the "Over-the-Top" Swing

Before we can build the correct motion, it helps to understand the incorrect one that plagues so many golfers. The "over-the-top" swing is the classic outside-in move. It happens right at the transition from backswing to downswing.

Out of an urge to generate power, many players start their downswing by throwing their right shoulder and arms "over the top" of the swing plane. Their first move is aggressive and outward, pushing the club outside the target line. From there, the only way to get back to the ball is to cut across it from out to in.

This move feels powerful, but it's a huge power leak. It disconnects the arms from the body, robs you of your rotational speed, and produces weak, high-spinning shots that slice harmlessly into the trees. If you consistently see divots that point to the left of your target (for a righty), you are almost certainly coming over the top.

How to Start Grooving an Inside-Out Swing: A Step-by-Step Guide

Changing your swing path is about changing your sequence. You can't just "try" to swing from the inside, you need to focus on the key movements that allow the club to naturally drop into the correct position. Here's a walkthrough.

Step 1: The Takeaway

A good downswing starts with a good backswing. The goal of the initial takeaway is to keep everything connected and on a shallow plane.

• As you start back, feel like your hands, arms, and clubhead move away from the ball in one piece, powered by the rotation of your upper body.
• For the first few feet, imagine the clubhead staying outside your hands. Avoid the tendency to immediately whip the club inside with your hands and wrists.
• This wider, more connected start creates the space you'll need later for the club to drop onto an inside path.

Step 2: The Top of the Backswing

Get to the top by rotating, not lifting. Your goal is a full shoulder turn, where your back is facing the target. This full turn is not about getting the club as far back as possible, it's about creating depth and storage of power. When you fail to rotate and simply lift your arms, you have no room to drop the club inside. A full body turn is what sets the stage for a proper downswing sequence.

Step 3: The Crucial Transition (The "Shallowing" Move)

This is where the magic happens. The transition is the moment you change direction from backswing to downswing. The move that kills most swings is initiating with the arms and shoulders. The correct move is to start with the lower body.

• Your First Move Is a Bump: As you complete your backswing, feel your lead hip (left hip for a righty) make a small, lateral bump toward the target. It's a subtle but vital move.
• Let Gravity Help: This hip bump creates a chain reaction. It gives your hands and arms time to simply "drop" slightly downward, behind you. This is the "shallowing" move. Instead of throwing the club out and over the top, you're letting it fall onto an inside track.
• Feel the Lag: You'll feel the clubhead lag behind your hands. This is a sign that you are in a powerful position, ready to deliver the club from the inside with speed.

Step 4: Rotate Through to Impact

Once the club is on that inside path, the job isn't done. Now you have to use your body's rotation to deliver it to the ball.

• From that shallow, "slotted" position, your main thought should be to rotate your torso through the shot. Unwind your body hard.
• Feel your chest staying over the ball as your hips lead the rotation. Your arms are along for the ride, being pulled through by your body's powerful turn.
• This unwinding motion is what squares the clubface naturally and sends the ball flying straight or with a slight draw. You don't need to manipulate the face with your hands.
• Continue rotating all the way through to a full, balanced finish with your belt buckle pointing at the target.

Two drills to make practicing more effective

Feel is different from real. These drills give you instant feedback to help you translate these concepts into a real, repeatable motion.

Drill 1: The Headcover Drill

This is the classic drill for curing an over-the-top move.

1. Place a headcover (or a spare towel) on the ground about a foot outside and slightly behind your golf ball. If you are standing at address, it should be just outside the tip of your clubhead.
2. Your goal is to hit the ball without hitting the headcover.
3. If you swing over the top, you will smack the headcover on your downswing. To avoid it, your body will have no choice but to drop the club to the inside to approach the ball correctly. This gives you instant, undeniable feedback on your swing path. Start with slow, half swings until you can consistently miss the headcover.

Drill 2: The Right-Elbow Tuck Drill

This drill helps you feel what it’s like to keep the arms and body connected.

1. Take your setup and place a golf glove or small towel in your trail armpit (right armpit for right-handers).
2. Your goal is to hit half-shots without the glove falling out until after you’ve made contact with the ball.
3. Keeping the glove in place forces you to keep your right elbow tucked closer to your side during the downswing. This physically prevents you from casting the club "over the top" and promotes the feeling of the club dropping into the slot on an inside path.

Final Thoughts

Reworking your swing to come from the inside is one of the most productive changes you can make in your golf game. It’s the path to powerful draws, solid contact, and finally saying goodbye to that frustrating slice. Remember, it’s a sequence - starting with a full turn, initiating the downswing with your lower body, and letting the club shallow before rotating hard through the ball.

Getting that feel for the right swing path takes practice, and having an expert resource on hand can make all the difference. That's where I find Caddie AI so helpful. If you’re ever stuck with a tricky shot on the course that your swing path has caused, you can snap a photo, and our app will give you a simple, smart strategy to navigate it. Even better, it acts as your personal 24/7 coach, ready to answer any swing question you have, whenever it pops into your head, judgment-free.