Head movement

[Queen of the Beach]

I'm having the beginner's problem of moving my head during my swing. From what my friends and bf tell me... I drop my left shoulder too much and my head moves resulting in me taking my eye off the ball. Then during my down swing and through impact I hit too much behind the ball and hit ground. Is there a way to correct this? I am planning to take lessons next month but in the meantime I need some help.

[Grass Roots Tour]

Get someone to stand on front of you and hold you're head during you're swing so you can feel how much it "wants" to move. You're partner should be able to reach you're head without getting hit by you're club.
BTW the head does move away from the target slightly during the backswing then back to its origonal position at impact and slightly forward at finish position.
But ... the head should NOT move up and down at any point.

I hope this helps in the mean while.

Good luck.

You could have just asked me you know. I'd be happy to help.

[el tigre]

I'm having the beginner's problem of moving my head during my swing. From what my friends and bf tell me... I drop my left shoulder too much and my head moves resulting in me taking my eye off the ball. Then during my down swing and through impact I hit too much behind the ball and hit ground. Is there a way to correct this? I am planning to take lessons next month but in the meantime I need some help. Just a guess here, but you are probably over-swinging and casting the club in the downswing. If the end of your backswing consists of moving your hands behind your head, your head has to rise up to do this (unless you're Gumby). Try 3/4 swings, and get your friends and bf to check and see if you go past parallel on the backswing. Trust me - no matter how far back your THINK you are going, you are probably going farther.

[Golftool]

Pick ONE dimple on the ball and NEVER take your eye off of it until you have finished your followthrough:)

[thecoach]

Hey:

Head movement is the result of a 'bad' swing or flaw - not the cause. As state above, we are not gumby (or pokie) so if our body doesn't move properly we have to compensate (move our head) or pay the price with pain (in the neck or back etc.).

Forget about the "head" and look for the real swing flaws.

Anika lifts her head before contact ... last I saw she could play ...

I think you are on the right track if you try to find out why your head is moving - and remember, if has to move a bit.

And the "eye on the ball" thing - I have to disagree ... there are blind golfers who can flat out play and I'm a six and don't remember the last time I actually saw the club hit the ball - I "blink" when I hit it ... (and hope for the best) LOL

Good Luck!

[Shadow]

I'm having the beginner's problem of moving my head during my swing. From what my friends and bf tell me... I drop my left shoulder too much and my head moves resulting in me taking my eye off the ball. Then during my down swing and through impact I hit too much behind the ball and hit ground. Is there a way to correct this? I am planning to take lessons next month but in the meantime I need some help. If there is excessive up and down movement of your head, the cause is not your head, but that you lose the flex in your knees that should have been established at address. How can one raise their head without straightening their legs?:) When you swing just try to maintain the flex in your right knee and lifting your head going back will not occur. Likewise, if you try to maintain a little flex in your left knee coming down, you are unlikely to come off the ball and hit it thin.

Your biggest problem, it seems, comes from getting your shoulders turned on a plane that is too upright. This habit can easily be broken, if you think, "I don't turn my shoulders, my shoulders get turned." The movement of your hands/arms going back should move your shoulders to a point where your left shoulder is opposite or just to the right of the ball at the top of your backswing. This is as far as you need to go and anything further upsets the balance centres of the eyes. If you consciously turn your shoulders then you are probably getting everything out of sync.

Having said that, because your dipping of the shoulders is now a subsconscious habit, you may have to work consciously on NOT doing this, for a short while. At address, from the down the line view, imagine a line drawn along your spine. When you move to the top, a line drawn along your shoulders should be perpendicular to your spine. ( An enclosed shot of a friend of mine shows the spine/shoulders relationship)To achieve that relationship your feeling going back is that your shoulders turn horizontally. They won't and they can't because of the spine tilt you established at address, however, this feeling of trying to turn your shoulders horizontally, will prevent the dipping of your left shoulder downward, and solve your contact problem.

[Queen of the Beach]

If there is excessive up and down movement of your head, the cause is not your head, but that you lose the flex in your knees that should have been established at address. How can one raise their head without straightening their legs?:) When you swing just try to maintain the flex in your right knee and lifting your head going back will not occur. Likewise, if you try to maintain a little flex in your left knee coming down, you are unlikely to come off the ball and hit it thin.

Your biggest problem, it seems, comes from getting your shoulders turned on a plane that is too upright. This habit can easily be broken, if you think, "I don't turn my shoulders, my shoulders get turned." The movement of your hands/arms going back should move your shoulders to a point where your left shoulder is opposite or just to the right of the ball at the top of your backswing. This is as far as you need to go and anything further upsets the balance centres of the eyes. If you consciously turn your shoulders then you are probably getting everything out of sync.

Having said that, because your dipping of the shoulders is now a subsconscious habit, you may have to work consciously on NOT doing this, for a short while. At address, from the down the line view, imagine a line drawn along your spine. When you move to the top, a line drawn along your shoulders should be perpendicular to your spine. ( An enclosed shot of a friend of mine shows the spine/shoulders relationship)To achieve that relationship your feeling going back is that your shoulders turn horizontally. They won't and they can't because of the spine tilt you established at address, however, this feeling of trying to turn your shoulders horizontally, will prevent the dipping of your left shoulder downward, and solve your contact problem.
Thanks for this post Shadow. You are right on...I used to dip my knees during my swing and I thought I've corrected that now that I've taken a few lessons. I will try to consciously keep my shoulders from dipping too. Your response has provided a lot of insight! I should call you my 2nd instructor! Thank you!

[tjhayko]

One drill that my golf instructor taught me to swing, without lining up over a ball, with your back pointing directly at the sun, and put a ball, tee or other obviously visible object right in the centre of the shadow of your head. Try to keep that object in the shadow of your head throughout the swing. The idea is keep your head relatively still, although there will be some side to side movement.

Of course, I suck, so take this for whatever you think it's worth.