The Basic Steps to Perfect Golf.

Masterfile.

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I cannot stress too strongly that in order to play very good golf it is absolutely vital that the head is positioned at the original address position with the left eye slightly behind the ball, but importantly, the head must be firmly held in this position throughout the complete golf swing movement but especially as the club head swings into and through the contact area.

So make it a priority to master this basic principle.

The ability to keep the head firmly positioned so that the left eye remains slightly behind the ball as the club head swings past the head and makes contact with the ball is not easy at first, but with a bit of concentration this is achievable, therefore it is important that you force yourself to perform this action every time you swing the golf club. ( See weight distribution.)


I concentrate very hard on this basic principle and when I do it correctly it certainly improves the accuracy of my shots, therefore if you wish to play serious golf you must also do the same.

When this is coupled with actually seeing the club head strike the ball and maintaining the upper body angles, you will see a dramatic improvement in the quality of your golf shots.

In order to understand what is meant by holding the head firmly positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball, carry out the following exercise, which slightly exaggerates the ball position :-

Take your normal address position with the head positioned directly over the centre of your stance, but place the golf ball on a tee peg adjacent to the big toe of the left foot.

As you look directly down to the ground at the centre of your stance, you will note the the golf ball appears to be well to the left of your head position.

Make a very slow half back swing movement but keep the head firmly positioned over the centre of your stance -and then whilst performing the down swing movement, keep the head firmly positioned over the centre of your stance and ensure that the head remains in this position whilst the club head swings past this position in order to strike the ball.

That is how it feels when you perform the full golf swing movement, however, although the ball position will be nearer the centre of the stance than the example as described above, the feeling you must have is of the club head swinging past your head -- before the club head strikes the ball.

The left eye must be slightly behind the ball at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, you simply have to concentrate on the task. - If I can do it so can you.

Therefore the critical point in the golf swing is at the precise moment the clubhead makes contact with the ball, just as the muscles of the left shoulder begin to pull the passive arms thorough the contact area.

Therefore at that point you must ensure that the head remains firmly held in place so that the left eye remains slightly behind the ball position -- and if you wish to play very good golf it is absolutely vital that the head is held in this manner with "pinpoint accuracy" until both arms are straight.
( Imagine your head being held in place by two wooden posts fixed into the ground and placed either side of your head.)

Therefore regardless of the position of the ball at the address position, either to the left of the centre of the stance for the driver, or nearer to the centre of your stance for the short irons, adjust your stance accordingly so that the head is always positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball at the address position and subsequently at the impact position.

I cannot stress too strongly how important it is to adhere to this principle and how swinging the club head past the position your left eye is directly above before it makes contact with the ball.

You have to concentrate very hard to keep the head positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, but the effort is very worthwhile.

This is a series of photographs to illustrate the importance of keeping the head slightly behind the ball.

The two golf balls in this photograph shows that the head has remained in the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball.

Photograph 1

There are three golf balls in these pictures, (See Top View and Side View)

The golf ball adjacent to the club head is the ball that will be struck, the other two are separated so that any movement of the head either sideways or up and down will cause the two ball to be miss-aligned.

The following photographs illustrate what happens if the head is ahead of the original address position at impact or similarly the head is behind the original address position at impact.

If the head moves ahead of the original address position and remains ahead of the original address position as the club head makes contact with the ball it means that the hands are probably also ahead of the original address position at the moment the club head makes contact with the ball, see photograph below.

Photograph 2

The two balls at the top of the picture are now out of lateral alignment and indicate that the head has moved ahead of the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact, thus causing the club face to be open to the target line, probably causing a push or a slice to the right.

Photograph 3

The two balls in the top of the picture is a reverse of the previous picture and indicate that the head is behind the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact, thus causing the club face to be closed to the target line, probably causing a hook or a pull to the left , but in addition you will probable hit the ground before the ball.

Therefore during the down swing movement you have to be obsessed to ensure that the head is in the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball but importantly you must ensure that it remains in this position whilst the club head moves past the head and strikes the ball.

We are only talking about the head perhaps being a fraction of an inch either ahead or behind the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, but this is enough to cause the ball to be pushed to the right or pulled to the left.

Another reason for maintaining the head in this position with "pin point accuracy" is that any lateral movement of the head at the point of impact, no matter how minute, will cause the whole body to be out of alignment, thus causing the position of the bottom of the swing arc to vary.

For instance, if your head is ahead of the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move forward in the stance, resulting in the ball being struck with the leading edge of the club, thus possibly causing a "thin" shot.

However if your head is behind the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move backwards in the stance, resulting in the club making contact with the turf before hitting the ball, thus possibly causing a "fat" shot.

No Head movement.

Jack Nicklaus was taught the finer points about golf by Jack Grout, a well known golf instructor of his day.

One of the many things Jack Nicklaus remembers about the instruction, was that in order to teach him to keep his head firmly positioned slightly behind the ball and in the Fixed Frontal condition whilst he performed the golf swing, Jack Grout would have an assistant grab the hair on Jack Nicklaus`s head so tightly that if the head moved at all it would be very painful.

Only recently, Sam Torrance, a former Ryder Cup Player and Past Captain for the European team, said that his father used to do exactly the same to him when he was young.

Therefore in both cases it clarified the importance of totally eliminating any lateral, vertical or rotational head movement until after the ball has been struck.

As long as you give this aspect of the golf swing your full attention and watch the ball as the club head swings into and through the contact area, also keep the head in the Fixed Frontal position until well after the ball has been struck and maintain the upper body angles, the probability of the golf shot going where you are aiming is dramatically increased.

However, failure to adhere to this basic principle will result in the golf shots ending up well to the right or the left of your intended target point, so if you are prone to "slicing", "hooking" or hitting the ball "fat" or "thin" check out this basic principle of keeping the head firmly in the original address position and in the Fixed Frontal condition until well after the ball has been struck.

This principle of making sure that the head remains firmly positioned slightly behind the ball and in the Fixed frontal condition is relevant whether you are playing a full shot, a pitch, a chip or simply putting.

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