The outside to in golf swing has a swing path that is left of the ball or across it. If you think of the golf swing on arc or circle, the golfer is striking the ball as the arc goes left, causing a swing path that is left and leads to the biggest problem amongst high handicap amateur golfers, the big slice!
Are you tired of your slice? Are you tired of losing distance?
Well, I believe we have the solution for you!
As we all know, there are several issues with an outside to in golf swing.
While some golfers can play great golf with a golf swing that is only 1-2 degrees outside to in, too many golfers struggle from a golf swing that is 4-12 degrees outside to in causing the following:
- A loss of distance
- A lack of quality ball striking
- A devastating slice
To play consistent golf, we need to utilize an inside to out golf swing that keeps the swing shallow, and allows the golfer to play a slight fade or a slight draw.
Outside To In Golf Swing
Update: What if you are only slightly outside to in with your golf swing. Can you be over the top and still play quality golf? As we study the golf swing more and more, we find that the slight over the top move, with still staying shallow can provide a quality golf swing that produces quality distance. I would recommend checking out Christo Garcia’s YouTube page on the Over the Top Miracle.
On an inside to out golf swing, the golfer strikes the ball as the circle is still move to the right or on the backswing of the circle.
Before we dive into the solutions to the outside to in golf swing, let’s first get a basic understanding of the ball flight laws.
Ball Flight Laws: Quick Overview
- The ball will start in the relative direction of where the clubface is aiming at impact.
- The ball will then curve away from the swing path.
- So if your clubface is left of the swing path at impact, the ball will curve left. If your clubface is right of the swing path at impact, the ball will curve right.
Here is how you can read your ball flight through several examples:
- Shot: Ball starts left and fades right (Pull Fade). This is a clubface that is slightly closed at impact with a path that is left of the clubface.
- Shot: Ball starts left and draws left (Pull Draw). This is a clubface that is slightly closed at impact with a path that is right of the clubface.
- Shot: Ball starts left and slices right (Pull Slice). This is a clubface that is very closed at impact, but with a path that is even further left of the clubface.
Some key items to point out:
- If the curve is extreme, there is a large gap between your clubface and your swing path.
- If the curve is soft, there is a small gap between your clubface and your swing path.
- Arguably the most difficult shot to hit in golf is the straight shot. This requires a perfectly square clubface with a 0 degree path.
Our recommendation is to develop a stock draw or a stock fade that will have a path that is right or left of the clubrace by 1-2 degrees.
How to hit the draw shot in golf!
Why Does My Golf Swing Slice Right?
The bottom line is that your club face is too far right at impact compared to your swing path. As a result, a significant amount of side spin is the outcome, resulting in a shot that will curve significantly to the right. Oftentimes, the difference between the club face and the swing path can be around 7-10 degrees.
There are two major keys to every swing. Control your swing path and control your club face. Below, we will some swing drills, swing thoughts and swing feels to get you moving in the right direction.
Fix #1: Change the Swing Path
The first key here is to get our path moving from inside to out. This will get the path moving to the right and increase our chances of the clubface being left of the swing path, causing a slight draw. The swing fault of an out to in swing path is typically called the over the top move.
There are several feels and thoughts you can try:
- On the downswing, keep your back to the target and let the arms go down and out to the right. This can help keep your front shoulder from flying out and swinging over the top.
- Arim Your Feet Right: Go ahead and setup and aim your clubface at your target. Next, drop your back foot back so that the toe of your back foot is in line with the heel of your front foot. Go ahead and let the shoulders close with the feet. Now go ahead and try to swing along your stance line, which will get your swing moving to the right.
- Baseball Players: Go ahead and use the closed stance from above and have the swing through that you are going to swing over the 2nd basemens head or out to right center. More than likely you are testing this out at the driving range, do not worry about where the ball flies to, just go ahead and work on getting this path.
Key Tip: Use Your Smartphone
Use your smartphone to take a video of your swing from behind you. Take a before and after video. Take the before and then try toese different feels or thoughts from above and see if you can visually see your path shifting more inside to out.
Fix #2: Control the Club Face
Many swing paths get further and further left or over the top because the clubface is wide open at impact and the only way the golfer can attempt to save the shot is to swing further and further left. This is why the slicer continues to aim far left and will sometimes increase their aim left as the round moves on. The key is that we need to get the clubface closer back to square. Did you know that you can actually hit a draw with a slightly open clubface at impact? The push draw is a result of a club face that is 2-3 degrees open with a swing path that is 4-5 degrees to the right.
As we learned above, the ball will start relative to the direction of the aim of the clubface at impact.
I would highly recommend this drill below.
Key Drill: Stock Shot Drill
- At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
- If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
- The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
We believe the swing path is only 2nd in importance to the clubface in the golf swing.
Check out this post: What is the most important part of the golf swing?
How To Measure Your Swing Path
I would highly recommend using a golf launch monitor to help measure your clubface and your swing path. I purchased a Skytrak Launch Monitor several years ago and the feedback is rather impressive. After every shot, you can receive the following:
- Carry and Total Distance
- Spin Axis
- Spin Rate
- Swing Path
- Launch Angle
- Ball Speed
- Club Speed
In addition, the shot tracer is rather helpful in getting feedback. If you understand the ball flight laws, the shot tracer gives you the immediate feedback about where your clubface was at impact as well as your swing path based on the curve of the ball.
Check Current Price of Skytrak Launch Monitor, Here!
Outside To In Golf Swing: Best Instructors
While we believe any golf instructor can help you with your outside to in golf swing, there are two that really stand out:
Shawn Clement is great for the golfer tired of trying to hit certain positions and wants to use a more natural or athletic movement in the golf swing.
Jim Venetos is great for the golfer that has tried every tip, swing though and swing feel every said. His alternative approach to golf might be exactly what you need!
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About four years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.