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The Basic Steps to Perfect Golf. Masterfile. **To return to the previous page, click the arrow in the top left hand corner. |
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Pivotal Point of the Shoulders. (Changed - 25/08/2009) During the golf swing movement, the head is deemed as the pivotal point of the shoulders. Therefore the head must be located directly over a point so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball position, but importantly, the head must be maintained with "pin point accuracy" in this position throughout the golf swing movement. This is one of the most important basic principles of the golf swing. Any lateral movement of the head away from the original address position during the back swing movement is all right as long as the head returns to this point at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball. Failure to do so will cause the position of the bottom of the swing arc to change. For example, if the head is behind the original address position at the moment of impact, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move backwards in the stance, resulting in the club head making contact with the turf before hitting the ball, thus causing a "fat" shot. However if the head is ahead of the original address position at the moment of impact, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move forward in the stance, resulting in the leading edge of the club head striking the middle of ball, thus causing a "thin" shot.
If you wish to play very good golf, it is absolutely vital that the head is held with "pin point accuracy" slightly behind the ball until well after the ball has been struck -You have to concentrate very hard to keep the head in this position, but the effort is very worthwhile.
So try to maintain the head in the original address position with "pin point accuracy" at all times. Position of the ball. When you are playing a driver, the ball will be positioned to the left of the stance so that the head is aligned to a point that is further behind behind the ball position than when playing the shorter clubs. Therefore it is vital that the head is maintained over the exact position that is set at the address position, regardless of what club you use, until well after the ball has been struck.
You must concentrate on keeping the head slightly behind the ball until well after the ball has been struck.
In the photograph above, notice how the ball is positioned adjacent to the left heel, at a point just before the clubhead reaches the bottom of the swing arc and the head is slightly behind the ball position. Therefore head must remain in this exact position with "pin point accuracy" and the shoulders must remain parallel to the target line whilst the right arm is forced to adopt the fully straightened position.
Top Instructors method. Jack Nicklaus was taught the finer points of 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 the young Jack Nicklaus to keep his head perfectly still with "pin point accuracy" whilst he performed the golf swing, Jack Grout had one of his assistants to 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 Ryder Cup 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 head movement, especially any lateral movement, until well after the ball has been struck. ** To return to the previous page, click the arrow in the top left hand corner** |
