Why Most Golfers Overswing and How to Fix It

What is Overswinging?

Have you ever watched your swing on video and noticed your club is nearly touching your back? Or maybe you’ve felt like you’re losing balance or control during your follow-through? Chances are, you might be overswinging.

Overswinging is when your backswing extends too far, often collapsing your form, disrupting tempo, and making it harder to time your downswing. It’s a common issue for amateur golfers who are trying to generate more power, but often at the cost of consistency.

This article will break down the causes of overswinging, how to identify if you’re doing it, and the best techniques to rein it in. By the end, you’ll know how to swing more efficiently, strike the ball cleaner, and actually gain distance by doing less.

2. What Causes Overswinging?

Overswinging is rarely intentional—it’s usually a result of bad habits, poor mechanics, or the desire to hit the ball farther. Understanding why it happens is the first step to fixing it. Here are the most common culprits:

1. Trying to Hit the Ball Too Hard

This is the most common cause, especially among amateur golfers. When you feel like you need to crush the ball for more distance, your body naturally tries to create a longer swing. Unfortunately, this often results in loss of control, balance, and timing.

2. Lack of Flexibility

If your shoulders, hips, or spine aren’t flexible enough to make a full turn, your arms try to compensate by lifting or collapsing at the top. This creates an awkward overextension—often beyond parallel—with poor structure and rhythm.

3. Poor Arm Structure

In many overswings, the trail elbow (right elbow for right-handed players) flares out or lifts behind the head. This breaks the connection between your arms and torso, throwing off your downswing sequence.

4. Bad Tempo and Rushed Transitions

Fast backswings or jerky transitions can cause you to lose control at the top. Without a clear transition move, your backswing often drifts too long and out of sync with your lower body.

5. Lack of Awareness

Many golfers simply don’t realize how far back they’re swinging. What feels like a 3/4 swing might actually be past parallel when viewed on video. Without feedback, overswinging becomes your new normal.

3. The Signs You’re Overswinging

It’s easy to overlook an overswing—especially since it can feel natural. But when you step back and look at your swing mechanics, the signs become clear. Here’s how to tell if your swing is going too far:

1. Club Goes Past Parallel at the Top

The most obvious sign is that the clubhead points downward past parallel at the top of the backswing. While some pros do this intentionally (like John Daly), for most golfers it leads to inconsistency and timing issues.

2. Trail Elbow Flies or Disconnects

If your trail elbow (right elbow for right-handed players) lifts and separates from your body, you’re losing the “connection” that helps control the swing arc. This causes a collapse of structure at the top and a reroute on the downswing.

3. Loss of Spine Angle or Posture

Overswinging often causes golfers to lose their spine tilt or posture. If your upper body rises, sways, or folds too much in the backswing, your swing path and low point will suffer.

4. Early Extension and Balance Loss

Too much length in the backswing can throw off your timing and lead to early extension—a move where your hips thrust toward the ball. This is a major cause of inconsistent contact and blocks or hooks.

5. Awkward or Unbalanced Finish

If your swing ends with a lurch, stumble, or off-balance finish, your motion probably lost control somewhere between the top and the strike. The root cause is often an overly long or disjointed backswing.

4. Fix #1: Shorten the Backswing for Better Control

One of the quickest ways to eliminate overswinging is to intentionally shorten your backswing. It might feel like you’re swinging softer at first, but shortening your motion often leads to better ball striking, more consistency, and—surprisingly—more distance.

Why Less Can Be More

Golfers like Tony Finau and Jon Rahm are perfect examples. They don’t take the club much past shoulder height, yet they generate massive power through efficient rotation, timing, and sequencing—not swing length.

A shorter backswing helps:

Improve balance at the top
Increase control of the clubface
Enhance your ability to sequence the downswing
Eliminate unnecessary movement that leads to timing breakdowns

Feel-Based Tips to Shorten Your Swing

Think “3/4 swing” or “shoulder-high” even if you’re attempting a full shot
Feel like your hands stop at the top once your lead arm is parallel to the ground
Focus on finishing your backswing with control, not momentum

Drills to Reinforce a Shorter Swing

Half Backswing Drill
Take practice swings where you stop your backswing when your hands reach shoulder height. Hit 10–15 balls this way, gradually working up to fuller shots with the same feel.
Pause-at-the-Top Drill
Take a smooth backswing and pause briefly at the top. This helps prevent a rushed or uncontrolled motion that keeps extending past your intention.
Film Yourself
Use slow-motion video from the down-the-line view. What feels short may actually be perfect. Seeing your swing length can help correct false perceptions.

5. Fix #2: Improve Tempo and Sequencing

Overswinging often stems from trying to rush the swing. The backswing gets too long, the transition gets jerky, and the entire motion becomes uncoordinated. The antidote? Better tempo and proper sequencing.

What Tempo Really Means

Tempo isn’t about swinging slowly—it’s about maintaining a smooth, repeatable rhythm. Most pro swings follow a general 3:1 ratio: the backswing takes about three times as long as the downswing.

When your tempo is in sync, your body moves together, and there’s no need to overextend at the top. You gain power through sequencing—not speed alone.

Drills to Improve Tempo

1–2–Swing Count
Say “1” at the start of your takeaway, “2” at the top, and “Swing” at impact. This keeps your transition smooth and helps you avoid rushing.
Music Tempo Drill
Practice to a song around 60–70 BPM (beats per minute). Match your backswing to the beat, and your downswing should feel like a natural, faster follow-up.
Pause at the Top
Literally pause for a split second at the top of your backswing. This encourages better sequencing by allowing your lower body to start the downswing before your arms fire.

What Proper Sequencing Looks Like

Lower body (hips) starts the downswing
Upper body and arms follow
Hands and club lag behind, then release through the ball

6. Fix #3: Focus on Arm Structure and Width

Another major cause of overswinging is collapsing the arms at the top. When your elbows separate or your lead arm folds, the club travels farther than it needs to—and your swing loses control.

Instead, you want to maintain arm structure and width throughout the swing. This keeps your motion compact, connected, and easier to repeat.

What Good Arm Structure Looks Like

Lead arm (left for right-handers) stays relatively straight but not rigid
Trail elbow folds naturally but stays close to the body
Hands stay in front of the chest—avoiding the “wrap around the head” look
Club stays in front of the torso, not dipping behind your body

The Importance of Width

Maintaining width in your backswing creates a bigger arc without needing to swing longer. It’s a powerful move that promotes solid contact and effortless distance.

Drills to Improve Structure and Width

Towel Under Arm Drill
Place a towel under both armpits and make half to ¾ swings without letting the towel drop. This encourages arm-body connection and eliminates collapse.
Wall Drill
Stand a few inches from a wall on your trail side. Make slow backswings—if your hands or club hit the wall early, you’re getting too long or disconnected.
Mirror Check
Take slow motion backswings in front of a mirror. Pause at the top and look for:

A slight bend in the lead arm, not a full collapse
Trail elbow tucked and hands over the shoulder—not beyond

7. Fix #4: Get Fit for Proper Shaft and Club Length

One of the sneakiest causes of overswinging? Clubs that don’t fit you properly.

Golfers often overswing because their equipment forces them to make compensations—especially when the clubs are too long or too flexible for their swing speed and body type.

Why Club Fit Matters

Too long: Encourages lifting and collapsing arms to “make space”
Too flexible: Club feels hard to control, promoting overextension for stability
Incorrect lie angle: Can cause posture issues, leading to swing length changes

Even half an inch too long in shaft length can change your setup posture and takeaway path—leading to unintentional overswinging just to get back on plane.

Signs Your Clubs Might Not Fit

Consistent overswing even with good tempo
Frequent toe strikes or heel strikes
Feel like you have to reach or lift at address
Inconsistent ball flight and contact

Get a Professional Fitting

A proper fitting can help you:

Shorten your backswing naturally
Improve contact point on the face
Increase confidence and balance
Stop making unnecessary physical adjustments

8. Practice Plan to Reinforce a Controlled Swing

Fixing overswinging isn’t just about knowing the causes—it’s about building better habits through practice. Here’s a sample plan you can follow to create a compact, efficient swing that holds up under pressure.

Step 1: Warm-Up (10 Minutes)

10 Slow Motion Swings
Pause-at-the-Top Drill
Mirror Reps

Step 2: Drill Block (20 Minutes)

Half Backswing Drill (10 balls)
Towel Drill (10 swings)
1–2–Swing Tempo Drill (10 swings)

Step 3: Real Swing Integration (15 Minutes)

Alternate ¾ and full swings
Focus on balanced finish

Step 4: Randomized Practice (5–10 Minutes)

Switch clubs, targets, and shot shapes
Stick to your swing cues
Hold your finish for feedback

Bonus Tip: Film and Review

Record a few swings from down-the-line and face-on. Check your swing length, posture, and structure.

9. Final Thoughts: Power Comes from Efficiency, Not Length

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking a longer backswing equals more distance. But if you’ve struggled with consistency, poor contact, or erratic ball flight, the real issue might be that you’re trying to do too much.

Overswinging is a silent killer of tempo, control, and solid ball striking.

The truth is, power in golf comes from efficiency—not swing length. It comes from sequencing your body correctly, maintaining connection, and swinging within your physical limits. You don’t need to mimic a tour pro’s full turn to hit solid shots. In fact, many great players hit it farther with a shorter, more compact swing.

If you can:

Shorten your swing
Stay connected through your arms and body
Improve tempo and transition
Use drills to reinforce control and structure

You’ll start to find that your best golf doesn’t come from swinging harder—but swinging smarter.

Commit to this process, and in a few weeks, you’ll feel the difference in your ball striking, distance control, and confidence.

Golf Practice Plans to Follow

Thanks for reading today’s article!

Nick Foy – Golf Instructor