An over-the-top swing is a golf term that refers to overusing the upper body during downswings. Swinging over the top can mislead your golf club and impact your gameplay, yet having an over-the-top swing is normal. Many professional golfers swing over the top and still have successful careers despite their handicaps affecting their gameplay.
Bruce Lietzke, Craig Perry, and Craig Stadler are three pro golfers with over-the-top swings. They have high handicap rates and unique golfing styles. They swing so that the “in-and-over” move is not detrimental to their reputations or careers — all thanks to one calculated tactic in how they move.
This article will focus on pro golfers who have made a successful career out of their habits of swinging over the top. If you want to know how they maintain this success, read on.
1. Craig Stadler
Craig Stadler is a famous pro golfer who is often used as an example for people who swing over the top. His unique way of playing got him the nickname “The Walrus” amongst fans, friends, and family.
Looking at his swing, it is plain as day that Stadler came over the top. His upper body leaned too close to the ground when bending for tee-offs, resulting in a stronger swing than most golf players and enthusiasts would like.
He had a larger build than most of his contemporaries, which gave him less control over his swing. As I mentioned earlier, high handicap rates will do that to you.
Still, he was able to grab the spotlight by how he stood upright and swung the club as straightforwardly as he could.
2. Kevin Stadler
When golfing runs in your family, it is predestined for you to pick up the hobby. That is what happened to Craig Stadler’s son Kevin Stadler.
The large build of their family was fortunately (and unfortunately) passed down from father to son. At first, his sizable limbs gave Kevin a hard time on the green, just like his father.
But luckily, things changed soon enough. Kevin Stadler had the privilege of being mentored and raised by a pro golfer. So his PGA career had been underway for a long time, maybe even before he was born. He only had to follow in his father’s footsteps and fix the setback that was his over-the-top swing.
Over time, his upright swings improved, and he learned to keep them consistent down the golf track. All these efforts must have paid off because he is almost as well known as his father for his skills.
3. Craig Parry
With a similar build to Craig Stadler’s, it is no surprise that Craig Parry would also come over the top. There’s little to no new footage of his swings on the internet, but older videos show that the golfer has bigger shoulder turns than expected, making him struggle with things slimmer golfers do not.
He makes up for this by going in the opposite direction and starting down again in a loop. But who’s to judge him when he has 23 career wins under his belt? After all, if a shot works, it works.