The Basic Steps to Perfect Golf.

Masterfile.

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It is absolutely vital that the head is positioned at the address position with the left eye slightly behind the ball -- but importantly once the head has been set in the correct position the head must be firmly held in this position throughout the complete golf swing movement, especially as you swing the club head to the bottom of the swing arc.

You must not allow the head to sway away from this position with a lateral motion, so make it a priority to master this basic principle.
( See below an Alignment Device you can purchase to help in this task.)

The ability to keep the head firmly positioned in the original address position throughout the golf swing 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.)


When this is coupled with actually seeing the club head strike the ball and 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 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, 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

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 the club head reaches the bottom of the swing arc.
( 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.

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.

The two golf balls in the top of this photograph show that the golf balls are laterally aligned.

This 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)

The golf ball adjacent to the club head is the ball that will be struck.

The ball that is fixed to the device and the ball on the ground adjacent to the ball being struck are separated so that any lateral movement of the head away from the original address position - or/and any lifting or dropping of the head will give the golfer an immediate visual feed back.

With reference to the two golf ball seen at the top of the picture, in a normal but perfect situation, the top ball would completely conceal the lower ball, but I have deliberately set the balls in this position to explain what happens when the head is out of alignment as described below.

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

Photograph 1

The two balls at the top of this picture are now out of alignment .

This indicates that the 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 back from the position it was at the original address position.

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 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 forward of the position it was at the original address position.

Purchase.

If you wish to purchase an "Alignment Device" as show in the "Side View" Photograph, it can be purchased for £12.00 - ( this includes one golf ball drilled for fixing to the device and instructions for the use of.) plus £3.00 postage

Therefore during the down swing movement you have to be obsessive to ensure that the 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 head perhaps 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 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 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 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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