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Head
Position.
(Changed - 18/07/2011)
In exactly the same way that the hips
must not sway away from the original address position, it is absolutely
vital that once the position of your head has been set at the
address position, it must be firmly held in this position throughout
the back swing, the down swing movement and into the follow through
movement, with extra care being taken to hold the head in this
position as the club head swings into and through the contact
area.
You must not allow the head to sway away from
this position for even a fraction of an inch or allow the head
to rise and fall from this position at any point in the golf swing,
so make it a priority to master this basic principle.
( If you fix your focus
on the back edge of the golf ball from the moment you address
the ball and hold it throughout the complete golf swing you will
find this task easier to do.)
I can assure you that if you learn to keep
the head firmly held in the original address position throughout
the complete golf swing movement, the accuracy of your shots will
dramatically improve.
Practice Device.
I have developed a device so that you can understand
how it feels to hold the head very fimly in place as you make
the golf swing.
This item can be purchase by simply clicking on the button below.
Therefore if you wish to purchase an "Alignment Device"
as show in the Photographs below, it costs £12.00 - plus
£3.00 postage ( this includes one golf ball drilled for
fixing to the device and instructions for the use of.)
Absolutely vital actions.
The ability to keep the head firmly positioned in the original
address position throughout the golf swing is not easy at first,
but with concentration this is achievable.
Therefore if you wish to play consistently good golf it is
important that you force yourself to perform this action every
time you swing the golf club. ( See weight
distribution.)
When this is coupled with the action of watching the ball until
the precise moment the it is struck by the club head and also
maintaining the upper body angles until the end of the golf swing,
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 golf ball appears to be well to the
left of your head position.
Make a very slow half back swing movement keeping 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, during the full golf swing
the ball position will be nearer the centre of the stance than
the example as described above, but the feeling you must have
is of the passive arms/club head swinging past the position directly
below 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 must 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.
At that point you must ensure that the head is 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 well
after the ball has been struck.
( Imagine your head being held firmly in place by two wooden
posts fixed into the ground and placed either side of your head
thus holding the head very still.)
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.
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.
Top View. ( Perfect impact position.)
This is a series of photographs
to illustrate the importance of keeping the head slightly behind
the ball.
Disregard
the ball adjacent to the club head, and focus on the two golf
balls in the top of this photograph and you will notice that the
top ball is almost covering the ball behind it.
This picture was deliberately constructed to show the bottom ball
for the simple purpose of showing that the two golf balls are
laterally aligned.
If this photo was taken in actual practice conditions, the bottom
ball would be completely hidden by the top ball.
Therefore when the top ball completely hides the bpttom ball
it indicates that the head is in the original address position
at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball.
***See below for purchase of this device.***
Side View. ( Perfect impact position.)
There are three golf balls in this picture, (See Top View
and Side View)
Disregard the ball adjacent to the club head, and focus on
the golf ball to the left of the photograph and the golf ball
in the top of this photograph.
(In the perfect set up position, the line that disect the two
balls would continue upwards to the golfer`s eyes.)
The ball that is fixed to the device and the ball on the ground
which is located to the left of the photograph is separated so
that any lateral movement of the head away from the original address
position - or/and any lifting or dropping of the head during the
golf swing will give the golfer an immediate visual feed back.
The following photographs illustrate if the golfer`s left
eye/head is ahead of the original address position at impact (
Photo 1) - or similarly if the left eye/head is behind the original
address position at impact. (Photo 2)
Photograph
1
The two balls at the top of this picture are now out of alignment
.
This indicates that the golfer`s head has moved beyond the
original address position at the precise moment the club head
strikes the ball, thus causing the club face to be slightly open
to the target line, probably causing a push or a slice to the
right depending on you swing path.
In addition, the bottom
of the swing arc position has moved forward from the position
it was at the original address position, possibly causing the
golfer to strike the ball thinly.
Photograph
2
The two balls in the top of this picture show how the balls
are again out of alignment but is a reverse of the previous picture.
This indicates that the golfer`s head is behind the original
address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact,
thus causing the club face to be slightly closed to the target
line, probably causing a hook or a pull to the left.
In addition, the bottom
of the swing arc position has moved backward from the position
it was at the original address position, possibly causing the
golfer to hit the ground before striking the ball.
Therefore as these photographs indicate, during the down swing
movement you have to be obsessive to ensure that your head remains
firmly held in the original address position at all times but
especially 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 swings to the bottom
of the swing arc.
We are only talking about the golfer`s head being a fraction
of an inch either side of 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 of
the target or pulled to the left of the target.
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 beyond 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.
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 the club head has reached the bottom of the swing arc.
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 your 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"/"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 your 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.
****To
return to the previous page, click on the arrow in the
top left hand corner.**
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