To Move or Not Move the Head in the Golf Swing

Great vids. When I discovered weight forward, I found that the only way to really execute it was maintaining a still head, and now 15 yrs later those are still my only swing thoughts.

mvmac, my wife is a casual golfer, and she consistently moves her head laterally back during her backswing, and when I tell her this she doesn't feel that she did. I have done the Haney hold her head and the Foley put a club on the right side of her head on the range, but on the course she goes back to moving again. Any suggestions? I'm looking mainly for an on-course verbal thought I can give her.

What I have found that works for me is keeping the ball in the same position in my visual field (easier for me since I use my glasses frames to "frame" the ball position).

If the ball moves in my field of view, I know I've moved my head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobtrumpet 

If the ball moves in my field of view, I know I've moved my head.

You can move your head and still keep the ball in what would appear to be the same frame of reference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dak4n6 

mvmac, my wife is a casual golfer, and she consistently moves her head laterally back during her backswing, and when I tell her this she doesn't feel that she did. I have done the Haney hold her head and the Foley put a club on the right side of her head on the range, but on the course she goes back to moving again. Any suggestions? I'm looking mainly for an on-course verbal thought I can give her.

If her head moves back, tell her to make it move six inches forward on her backswing. Or a foot. Whatever works to get it to remain pretty stable.

Beyond that just figure out whether she needs to "stretch" or "bend" more at the appropriate time in the backswing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobtrumpet 

If the ball moves in my field of view, I know I've moved my head.

 

You can move your head and still keep the ball in what would appear to be the same frame of reference.

True, although my problem tends to be side to side and not front to back movement. At any rate, it works for me.

When I've had swing problems caused by head position, the video clips generally show my head is bobbing up and down.

A little lateral movement  on backswing, or on followthrough, seems to come with a fluid swing.  In fact, some pros caution against "choking off" the downswing by restricting head movement on followthrough.

I guess it depends on what you can repeat and control on  a regular basis, how much coordination you have.

Here's a little basic science, for what it's worth...

During a golf swing, hundreds - thousands - of things happen. And of course we can't control (think about) most of them. But its not a problem, because humans have fantastic 'implicit' (subconscious) control systems that do it for us. When we perform a skill, our bodies make hundreds of complicated movements and adjustments which all work together to achieve the aim - e.g. hitting the ball. We hammer a nail (an equally complex movement) without any thought of head movement. Our problem is, when we think about one position or movement (e.g. the head) within this complex system, we effectively 'fix' that bit - so our wonderful, self-adjusting control system is disrupted. It no longer has the freedom of movement to coordinate and self-adjust. And the more such details we think about, the worse the disruption gets...

In all skill-based striking sports, a variable swing is the best swing because the variability is actually our control system doing it's job - adapting and adjusting.

Sure, our heads might move or they might not not - but it's not a concern because it's just adapting to everything else that's going on.

Isolating one thing in a good player's swing and measuring it (because we can) actually tells us very little about the full package of movements.

Better to think about more 'global' things...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisGSZ 

We hammer a nail (an equally complex movement)

I disagree that hammering a nail is an equally complex movement to hitting a golf ball. Perhaps it's equally as complex as stroking a putt, but hitting a golf ball? No way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisGSZ 

In all skill-based striking sports, a variable swing is the best swing because the variability is actually our control system doing it's job - adapting and adjusting.

Sure, our heads might move or they might not not - but it's not a concern because it's just adapting to everything else that's going on.

Isolating one thing in a good player's swing and measuring it (because we can) actually tells us very little about the full package of movements.

Better to think about more 'global' things...

We disagree, and feel we have plenty of evidence to back up our claims.

Golfers get better when they don't have to adjust their visual calculations and when their "swing center" (term used loosely) remains in the same spot, it's easier to control the arc on which they're swinging their hands and, ultimately, the clubhead.

Simple terms: the more a player moves his head, the more likely he is to suck.

You say "variability" and all I hear as a golf instructor is "compensations."

iacas - no problem....

We actually agree about the mechanics - a stable hub/head is important for a rotary action and a wandering head will ruin it.

My point was not about what to do but on how to do it - the skill-learning parameters that we can build on top of the biomechanics. A thought to 'keep the head still' can disrupt coordination. Thoughts such as 'turn in a barrel' can have a similar result and because it addresses a bigger 'package' of movements promotes other good things as well.

Glad you mentioned compensation.... At one time variability (compensation) was thought of as wrong and needed to be eradicated. Now we know a bit of it is actually essential for any high level skill. (emphasis is on 'a bit of it'....)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisGSZ 

We actually agree about the mechanics - a stable hub/head is important for a rotary action and a wandering head will ruin it.

My point was not about what to do but on how to do it - the skill-learning parameters that we can build on top of the biomechanics. A thought to 'keep the head still' can disrupt coordination. Thoughts such as 'turn in a barrel' can have a similar result and because it addresses a bigger 'package' of movements promotes other good things as well.

Glad you mentioned compensation.... At one time variability (compensation) was thought of as wrong and needed to be eradicated. Now we know a bit of it is actually essential for any high level skill. (emphasis is on 'a bit of it'....)

We don't do that. Never have. We understand why the head moves the way it does at what point in the swing and what the golfer must do to counter-act that. People whose heads move say they don't and vice versa. We've had some people feel like they move their head down and forward eighteen inches in order to keep it relatively steady. When asked they'll say it moved forward a foot.

We haven't ever taught a single person to keep their head from moving around by saying "keep your head still."

Beyond that, Mike covers it. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas 

 

 

If her head moves back, tell her to make it move six inches forward on her backswing. Or a foot. Whatever works to get it to remain pretty stable.

 

Beyond that just figure out whether she needs to "stretch" or "bend" more at the appropriate time in the backswing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac 

 

Yep, stretching the right side or getting the left shoulder to go down longer (bend) are great.  I'll just add that when you have the shaft up against her head, ask her what she feels to keep it there.  Then use her words to keep reminding her to do it.  Also doing some practice swings at home, head against a door jam is useful.

Good ideas. Thanks guys.