Sergio Garcia’s simple advice for fixing an over-the-top swing

September 18, 2024

In today’s edition of Play Smart, we hear from major champ Sergio Garcia on an easy feel to fix and over-the-top swing.

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Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.

Coming over the top during the downswing is one of the most common mistakes among recreational golfers. If you go to the driving range of your local muni, there’s a good chance you’ll see quite a few over-the-top moves.

Problem is, when you come over the top, the clubhead approaches the ball from the outside and swipes across the target line. This typically results in a loss of power and a ball flight that moves from left to right (for a right-handed golfer).

If you’ve ever been plagued by an over-the-top swing, you know it’s not easy to fix. When you’ve become so accustomed to swinging one way, changing it can be a struggle. If this sounds like you, this is your lucky day. In a recent social media video, Sergio Garcia shared a simple feel you can use to make your over-the-top move a thing of the past.

Sergio’s over-the-top fix

Spinning your body too early in the downswing is one of the biggest reasons players come over the top. When you spin out of the shot, you throw the clubhead out in front of you during the downswing and have no choice but to route it back across the target line at impact.

If you want to fix it, try this feel from Garcia.

“Feel like you’re pulling a chain or a bell down,” Garcia says. “When you get to [the top], your first move, instead of your shoulders and everything going forward, it should be down.”

If you can start the downswing by feeling like you are dropping your arms down first and then turning, your sequencing will become much better and the club will drop right into the correct position.

“You pull down and then you get in the right spot,” Garcia says. “And then from here you can come in and around the ball and cover the ball nicely.”

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.

Sergio Garcia’s simple advice for fixing an over-the-top swing