Hi Paul,
As you know this is such an important part of our setup. In these last few tips, I see why you go over each in different ways because we may miss it in one tip but it becomes so clear in another. I will be working on this with the others you have been giving us. Thanks for sticking with us, Mike
This is true. Different people learn different ways, they hear different things and a lot of people forget what to work on. You can never hear this stuff enough. Glad you are enjoying the tips. I appreciate the support.
Hi Paul – your tips on grip are very timely – just had one of those rounds where nothing much worked. Went through reasons why and it was my grip – it had deviated and I had the club way too much in fingers of left hand and palm of right hand. Been very conscientious ever since and am back on track. Thanks – you are the best! Julia
The grip is something that can greatly effect your swing so it should be checked regularly. We all like a comfortable feeling so you will want to move the hands into a strong position. Fight this feeling and neutralize the grip. If you do you will take the arms out of the swing and any hitting. Then you can get feeling the body doing the work.
Following your advice ,i have looked up this lesson on the “overcupping of the left wrist “.I have the “weak grip “you dislike ,but only one knuckle showing ,my left thumb is down the top of the handle ,my left forefinger and left thumb are close together ,and indeed I do cup at the top of the swing ,but when I strike the ball ,my left wrist is not broken down ,it is straight .
With this grip ,I produce a slight fade ,not a s lice .
Not Many Pro’s have the weak left hand grip ,I agr
Hi Paul,
Along with my progression, I have started to develop a very very very bad slice : I have to aim for the extreme left of the fairway to hope landing on the extreme right. As this is happening with all my clubs, I reckon I was overcupping. After watching this tip I corrected my grip placing the butt end almost in the depression in the middle base of the palm. The effect is tremendous: I lose all the flexibility in the left wrist at the top of the backswing : Impossible to overcup like you show. The pinky of the left hand seems almost useless in the grip, most of the job being done by the ring and the middle finger. Also, I really start feeling a very strong torke building up at the top of the backswing on the right handside of my core : this is now the only way to reach the top of backswing. And most of all, as the club is now more “attached” to the arm it seems far more easy to feel the powerless arms. It feels like a breakthrough to me. Are all these feelings right? Am I on the right track?
You got it. These are the right feelings. When hold the club in the fingers of the top hand it is easy to over-cup. My way, it is difficult or impossible to overcup at the top. This, of course, will feel more restrictive as you have found out. Keep doing it an it will feel great in no time.
Also:
Make sure you are trying to purposely roll the wrists for a while until you get rid of all that slice spin. Here are the drills you need to work on immediately:
I have been working on these tips already. This is what led me to understand I was overcupping. I then remembered and went back to this tip I overlooked the first time. I suggest you emphasise more this aspect of the setup in your method. For me, it is the missing link : you are giving explanations for every single aspect of the swing. In my opinion this is the only tip explaining the holding of the club in the left hand palm. There is just a few mm between the right position and the wrong position so you may think you are doing ok whereas it is not the case.
I have quite a few grip tips now. The don’t specifically address this issue but hey do show proper placement of the left hand. Not sure if you saw them all:
Wow, this tip has helped me massively. After holding the club too much in the fingers I was getting some erratic results. Holding it more in the palm has made me feel connected and more in control. The club is squaring at the top and I don’t have to compensate and it leaves me free to get through the ball and into the touch the head position. Everything starts from the grip and I cannot over emphasise the importance of this, certainly for me anyway.
That’s great. This is really overlooked. I’ve heard of people trying to stop the overcupping by bowing the wrist. This is more manipulation. Why not get to the root of the problem. The grip. Glad you see it. This will change you swing and shot quality forever.
In your body swing book on page 120 you mention that over cupping is due to “gripping too much in the palm of the top hand” but here you said it’s due to gripping too much in the fingers.
Paul, I have been working on my position at the top of the backswing. This tip was helpful as I had started, for some reason, to grip the club more with the fingers of my left hand. After making the correction show herein, my practice swings seem more comfortable and natural with the grip you describe.
On a related note, I don’t see any discussions/tips from you on shallowing the club on the downswing. Do you discuss that anywhere?
Thanks,
Tom
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16 Responses to “How To Stop Over-Cupping At The Top of the Backswing”
June 23, 2012
MikePlummerHi Paul,
As you know this is such an important part of our setup. In these last few tips, I see why you go over each in different ways because we may miss it in one tip but it becomes so clear in another. I will be working on this with the others you have been giving us. Thanks for sticking with us, Mike
June 23, 2012
Paul WilsonThis is true. Different people learn different ways, they hear different things and a lot of people forget what to work on. You can never hear this stuff enough. Glad you are enjoying the tips. I appreciate the support.
June 23, 2012
JuliaGormanHi Paul – your tips on grip are very timely – just had one of those rounds where nothing much worked. Went through reasons why and it was my grip – it had deviated and I had the club way too much in fingers of left hand and palm of right hand. Been very conscientious ever since and am back on track. Thanks – you are the best! Julia
June 24, 2012
Paul WilsonThe grip is something that can greatly effect your swing so it should be checked regularly. We all like a comfortable feeling so you will want to move the hands into a strong position. Fight this feeling and neutralize the grip. If you do you will take the arms out of the swing and any hitting. Then you can get feeling the body doing the work.
November 5, 2013
RaymondCHASTELFollowing your advice ,i have looked up this lesson on the “overcupping of the left wrist “.I have the “weak grip “you dislike ,but only one knuckle showing ,my left thumb is down the top of the handle ,my left forefinger and left thumb are close together ,and indeed I do cup at the top of the swing ,but when I strike the ball ,my left wrist is not broken down ,it is straight .
With this grip ,I produce a slight fade ,not a s lice .
Not Many Pro’s have the weak left hand grip ,I agr
November 5, 2013
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Keep doing this grip if you want to do it.
I can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.
March 11, 2014
FabienDuclocherHi Paul,
Along with my progression, I have started to develop a very very very bad slice : I have to aim for the extreme left of the fairway to hope landing on the extreme right. As this is happening with all my clubs, I reckon I was overcupping. After watching this tip I corrected my grip placing the butt end almost in the depression in the middle base of the palm. The effect is tremendous: I lose all the flexibility in the left wrist at the top of the backswing : Impossible to overcup like you show. The pinky of the left hand seems almost useless in the grip, most of the job being done by the ring and the middle finger. Also, I really start feeling a very strong torke building up at the top of the backswing on the right handside of my core : this is now the only way to reach the top of backswing. And most of all, as the club is now more “attached” to the arm it seems far more easy to feel the powerless arms. It feels like a breakthrough to me. Are all these feelings right? Am I on the right track?
March 11, 2014
Paul WilsonFabien,
You got it. These are the right feelings. When hold the club in the fingers of the top hand it is easy to over-cup. My way, it is difficult or impossible to overcup at the top. This, of course, will feel more restrictive as you have found out. Keep doing it an it will feel great in no time.
Also:
Make sure you are trying to purposely roll the wrists for a while until you get rid of all that slice spin. Here are the drills you need to work on immediately:
Please Learn How to Hook It: https://ignitiongolf.com/please-learn-hook/
How to Release the Golf Club: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-wrist-release
Manually Square the Clubface: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-clubface
Manually Square the Clubface (Follow Up): https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-face-follow-up
Still Slicing Even After Rolling?: https://ignitiongolf.com/slicing-after-rolling/
DRILL: Release and Rehinge: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-feel-release-rehinge
DRILL: Smooth Wrist Release: https://ignitiongolf.com/smooth-wrist-release/
DRILL: Watch Your Release: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-watch-release/
DRILL: 3 Ways To Roll It Over: https://ignitiongolf.com/3-ways-to-roll/
Break the Chain – Stop Slicing Immediately: https://ignitiongolf.com/break-chain-slice/
March 11, 2014
FabienDuclocherI have been working on these tips already. This is what led me to understand I was overcupping. I then remembered and went back to this tip I overlooked the first time. I suggest you emphasise more this aspect of the setup in your method. For me, it is the missing link : you are giving explanations for every single aspect of the swing. In my opinion this is the only tip explaining the holding of the club in the left hand palm. There is just a few mm between the right position and the wrong position so you may think you are doing ok whereas it is not the case.
March 13, 2014
Paul WilsonFabien,
I have quite a few grip tips now. The don’t specifically address this issue but hey do show proper placement of the left hand. Not sure if you saw them all:
Left Hand: https://ignitiongolf.com/left-hand-grip
Tee Drill: https://ignitiongolf.com/secure-top-backswing
Easy Way to Master the Top Hand Position: https://ignitiongolf.com/easy-master-top-hand-position/
The Top Hand Determines the Position of the Bottom Hand: https://ignitiongolf.com/top-hand-bottom-hand/
How A Faulty Grip Affects Your Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/faulty-grip-affects-swing/
Grip – Strong Top Weak Bottom: https://ignitiongolf.com/grip-strong-top-weak-bottom/
How Your Grip and Setup Can Get You Shut at the Top of the Backswing: https://ignitiongolf.com/grip-setup-shut-top-backswing/
August 3, 2016
ShaunRobinsonWow, this tip has helped me massively. After holding the club too much in the fingers I was getting some erratic results. Holding it more in the palm has made me feel connected and more in control. The club is squaring at the top and I don’t have to compensate and it leaves me free to get through the ball and into the touch the head position. Everything starts from the grip and I cannot over emphasise the importance of this, certainly for me anyway.
August 3, 2016
Paul WilsonShaun,
That’s great. This is really overlooked. I’ve heard of people trying to stop the overcupping by bowing the wrist. This is more manipulation. Why not get to the root of the problem. The grip. Glad you see it. This will change you swing and shot quality forever.
February 3, 2019
MashalTalatHi Paul
In your body swing book on page 120 you mention that over cupping is due to “gripping too much in the palm of the top hand” but here you said it’s due to gripping too much in the fingers.
Maybe I misunderstood. Could you please clarify?
Thanks,
Mashal
February 7, 2019
Paul WilsonMashal,
I will have to check that out. Maybe I made a mistake in the book. Good catch. It is due to holding too much in the fingers.
February 13, 2019
TomCPaul, I have been working on my position at the top of the backswing. This tip was helpful as I had started, for some reason, to grip the club more with the fingers of my left hand. After making the correction show herein, my practice swings seem more comfortable and natural with the grip you describe.
On a related note, I don’t see any discussions/tips from you on shallowing the club on the downswing. Do you discuss that anywhere?
Thanks,
Tom
February 16, 2019
Paul WilsonTom,
The top of the backswing is critical. The grip plays a huge factor.
Here are the a couple of tips you are after:
2 Things Flatten the Plane: https://ignitiongolf.com/2-things-flatten-plane/
See The Plane Flatten: https://ignitiongolf.com/see-the-plane-flatten/