A steady head is one of the critical factors a good striker of the ball must ensure throughout hitting the target. It should not move far away when taking the golf club away.
However, there are golfers who battle to get a clear strike because of head movement. Here you can find a few tips on how to possibly solve the issue.
How important is it to keep your head still?
It’s essential to limit the movement of your head in the golf swing, but it is not a prerequisite for your head to be totally still.
Movements like bobbing up and down or excessive lateral movement should be avoided though. A little bit of head rotation, particularly through striking, is required when making a swing.
The Main Issue
The average occasional golfer who finds ball striking slightly challenging, will be prone to have a lot of slanting movements. These players typically move away from the target in the backswing. It might look acceptable if they come back nicely and hit a reasonable shot.
However, in case you have trouble with the ball strike and land fat or thin shots because of uneven head movement, try practicing the following guidelines to address the problem. (1)
A Few Tips
Even though golfers are allowed to tilt their neck to let the body turn sufficiently, there does not need to be a large volume of movement. Professional golf players keep their head stable while making a backswing, move downward into the golf ball, and lastly lift as they follow through.
Try this
- First of all, ensure you are aware of how far your head moves. A simple way is observing yourself in a mirror as you move your body. Make sure that your head is not moving too much.
- By using a washable marker, you can draw indications on the mirror and use this as a reference for your head’s positioning.
- Do your best to hold your head in the same position while lifting the club and start a backswing while keeping your head in place.
- Watch yourself while you practice. The aim is to keep it the same as much as possible. From the top of your backswing as you maneuver downwards toward the target.
Ask A Friend
Yes, you could even ask them to place their hand up against your head as you make a backswing. Applying some pressure to your head will stop you from moving – this can be reduced gradually as you get the hang of it.
Using a Tee
Take a tee and place it in your mouth positioning it to point straight in front of you. Position your stance and make certain that the tee points to the ball. Take your normal swing but observe the direction in which the tee points.
If it points at the ball all the way from swing through to impact, then your head is stable. If the tee moves in any direction, put it in place and take some more swings.
By trying all of these tips you should be swinging in a way that keeps your head quite motionless. With enough practice, and finding a method that works for you, keeping your head motionless as you swing will become easier.
Head down VS Head Still
Golf players are often told to “keep their head down” or to “keep their head still to progress in their swinging. You could even find yourself muttering these words after a few bad shots. But what exactly does it mean to keep your head down and to keep your head still? Is there a difference? Let’s explore:
Head Down is for Putting and Chipping
In putting, it is recommended that you keep your head down and listen for the ball to drop.
In chipping, it is also advisable to listen for the ball to land where you want it.
Keeping your head down in both these playing shots is advisable.
Putting and chipping can be defined as small strokes that do need you to put in a lot of powerful body motion.
Also, there will be the strong urge to look up at your shot- obviously you want to see if you have hit the mark or not but don’t give in. So keeping your head down is good to improve on these.
Head Still is Brilliant for Full Swings
Contrary to Putting and Chipping, keeping your head down in a full swing is not a good idea. It is more appropriate to say “Keep your head still”, rather than saying “swing in a way that keeps your head relatively still”. There’s a small but important difference here seeing that keeping your head still is an effect of a proper swing.
As a matter of fact, in a properly executed golf swing, the head essentially moves back a little just before impact. This is done in order to allow the eyes to keep on being fixed on the ball while the lower body alternates.
Conclusion
One of the chief factors in improving your ball striking is to keep a relatively steady head in your backswing. You want to avoid seeing it move too far off the ball while taking the golf club away.
You can improve this by watching yourself using various methods and practices we have pointed out above. Improper movements of your head can have a crippling outcome on your golf swing.
This is also one of the initial mistakes a golfing instructor will observe and point out in case you take lessons. We are not saying that your head should be as stiff as a board. It obviously needs to bend and move a bit in the swing.
Just try your best to refrain from bobbing your head up and down or sliding back and forth. This will develop your ability to strike reliable shots.
