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"Fixed Frontal"
- Master-- (Changed - 28/05/2008)
The
action of holding the head firmly in the frontal facing position
until well after the ball has been struck is a what I call the Fixed
Frontal condition and I consider this basic principle to be one
of the major keys to playing very good golf.
If you keep the head firmly fixed in the position
of keeping the left eye slightly behind the ball and also keep the
head in the Fixed Frontal condition whilst you perform the down
swing and the follow through movement, you will achieve a control
over the direction of the golf shot that will astound you.
When I say that the head must be held in the
Fixed Frontal position -- this means that the head must not rotate
away from the frontal facing position -- until both arms are straight.
(Keeping the head in the Fixed Frontal
position is totally different to keeping the head
positioned slightly behind the ball, because when I say the head
must be held slightly behind the ball with "pin point accuracy"
-- this means that the head must not have any lateral movement away
from the original address position.)
By keeping the head in the Fixed
Frontal condition until both arms are straight, it ensures that
the shoulders remain parallel
to the target line as the club head swings to bottom of the
swing arc, thus dramatically increasing the possibility of the ball
going in the direction that you are aiming.
If you observe the professional golfers on the
television, you will notice all of the golfers keep the head in
this Fixed position until both arms are straight -- therefore do
not write this basic principle off as a waste of time.
You must keep the head in the
Fixed Frontal position for slightly longer than you may consider
appropriate and believe me I have thoroughly tested this theory,
therefore unless you try it for yourself, you will not know if it
works for you.
If you are able to continue to
look at the spot the ball was resting, prior to being struck, as
the club head moves into and through the contact area you will almost
certainly maintain the head in this position until well after the
ball has been struck.
The definition
of the Fixed Frontal condition.
The Fixed Frontal condition is
when the head is firmly held in such a position that it remains
Parallel
to the Target Line regardless of any rotational movement of
the shoulders, or another way to explain,
the Fixed Frontal position is correct when
the distance of both eyes to the golf ball are exactly the same.
During the down swing and the follow through
movements, although the hips and the shoulders rotate past the original
address position before the club head makes contact with the ball,
the head must remain firmly fixed so that the left eye remains slightly
behind the ball and also in the Fixed Frontal position until both
arms are straight, basically holding the shoulders on the parallel
to the target line for that extra millisecond whilst the club head
moves through the contact area.
Therefore when you carry out the down swing and the follow through
movements, it is absolutely vital that the head is firmly held in
this Fixed Frontal position until the rotational movement of the
shoulders force the head to rotate away from this position.
There are a few reasons for holding
the head in this condition, one of the reasons is to ensure that
both eyes are equally focused on the ball at all times, another
reason is that it assists in maintaining the shoulders on the Parallel
to the Target Line as the club head swings through the contact area.
I have found by experience that
regardless of how aggressively I swing the golf club through the
contact area, as long as I concentrate on keeping the head
firmly positioned so that the left eye remains slightly behind the
ball position, maintain the upper
body angles so that the right shoulder can be forced to rotate
under the chin as the follow through movement is performed and holding
the head firmly in the Fixed Frontal condition -- the ball will
still go away on the exact line that the shoulders are aligned.
Therefore, if you can
teach yourself this aspect of the golf swing, you will immediately
see the results of your labour.
Actual Movement.
To gain a brief understanding
of how firmly the head should be held in this condition as you rotate
during the down swing movement, carry out the following exercise
:-
Down Swing Movement.
During the down swing, allow the hips and the
shoulder/arms-unit to rotate back to the original address position.
It is physically impossible to
hold the head in this Fixed Frontal condition until the absolute
end of the golf swing movement, however
it is vital that you hold the head in the Fixed Frontal position
for that extra milli-second as the club head moves through the contact
area, and continue to hold the head in this position until the rotational
action of the shoulder/arms-unit force the head to rotate away from
this position.
I cannot stress the point too
strongly that during the down swing movement the head should be
firmly held in the Fixed Frontal condition for that extra millisecond,
until the rotational movement of the shoulders force the head to
rotate away from this position.
Golf Instructors insist that
the head should not be kept perfectly still, however you must make
that extra effort to totally resist the head from being rotated
away from the Fixed Frontal position during
the follow through movement until both arms are fully straightened.
Most Mid to High Handicapped golfers
make the big mistake of allowing the head to rotate away from this
vital position at the precise moment the club head makes contact
with the ball. -- In contrast, top
class golfers hold the head firmly in this position for a split
second longer after the ball has been struck and it is this extra
split second that makes all the difference.
For example if you watch Tiger Woods as he carries
out the golf swing, you will note that his head is firmly held in
the Fixed Frontal position until well after the arms have swung
well past the ball position, therefore he has learnt by experience
how important it is to hold the head very firmly in place until
well after the ball has been struck.
Tip
If you imagine someone holding
your head so firmly so that as you rotate the shoulders, the head
would not be able to move -- not for even a fraction of an inch
- This is an indication
of how firmly the head must be held in the Frontal Facing position
whilst you carry out the golf swing.
Therefore, although the rest
of the body is allowed to move, you must work hard at ensuring that
the head does not rotate away from this strategic position, especially
as the club head swings through the contact area.
Please Note.
If you have any comments relating to this website,
or if you want anything clarified about the golf swing as described,
please contact me:- Here
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