If your driver produces pulls and slices, an over-the-top swing path is almost certainly the culprit. Erika Larkin and Coach Megan Johnston, Director of Instruction at Big Cedar Lodge, demonstrate a straightforward two-alignment-stick drill that helps you find the correct swing plane and deliver the club from the right angle. It is one of the clearest explanations of this common fault you will find.
Erika Larkin and Megan Johnston break down exactly why golfers come over the top — from a lack of body turn in the backswing to forcing the downswing with the trail side — and then walk through a practical two-stick practice station you can set up on any driving range. The drill works on two things at once: getting the club under the plane on the way back, and keeping your head behind the ball through impact. If you have been battling a slice or a pull with your driver, this is well worth your time.
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Key Takeaways Turn your body, not just your arms:
A shallow, armsy backswing with no body pivot leaves you with no option but to swing over the top on the way down — a full shoulder turn is the starting point for getting on plane.
Use the angled stick to find the neutral zone:
Place an alignment stick at shaft angle roughly two feet in front of and beside the ball; your club should pass just under it in the backswing, neither chopping over it nor swinging too far inside and flat beneath it.
Keep your head behind the vertical stick at impact:
A second stick planted vertically three feet in front of the ball gives you a focus point that stops you lunging forward — pressure shifts to the lead side but your upper body mass stays back, creating the room needed to release the club on an upward arc.
Head to the driving range with two alignment sticks, set up the station as shown, and take some slow practice swings before building to full speed — the feedback is immediate and there is no guesswork involved. This video suits anyone who struggles with a slice or pull with the driver and wants a structured, repeatable way to work on swing path without needing a lesson.
PGA Teaching Pro | Founder, True Swing
Erika Larkin is a PGA Teaching Pro and the founder of True Swing — a feel-based approach to golf designed to help you find your natural rhythm, play more consistently, and enjoy the game more. With a focus on simple, practical instruction, Erika's lessons cut through the noise and make golf genuinely fun to learn.
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