Keeping head behind the ball...

[live4u120]

Ok, so I've researched, and practiced, and yeah I'm getting better, but I've seen that keeping your head behind the ball helps, and I don't get it. When I go out and practice, I try and keep my head behind the ball, but I can't make a divot, at all. I always graze the ground, thin the ball, every time. What am I supposed to do here? It's so confusing.

Is there something I'm supposed to be feeling?

[iacas]

Ok, so I've researched, and practiced, and yeah I'm getting better, but I've seen that keeping your head behind the ball helps, and I don't get it. When I go out and practice, I try and keep my head behind the ball, but I can't make a divot, at all. I always graze the ground, thin the ball, every time. What am I supposed to do here? It's so confusing.

Your hips still have to go forward, as does your left shoulder (err, it doesn't really go forward, but it's ahead of the ball at impact, I mean). Get those ahead and you can still take divots just fine.

[Zeph]

Don't focus on keeping the head behind, but to not move it forward. With the driver, the head will stay behind, but with irons your stance is more narrow and the head is on top of or forward of the ball, depending on ball placement.

Let the hips move forward, but focus on not doing the same with the head. The hips will transfer the weight, but the head stays behind to keep the position you need to hit the ball well. It does sound strange that you take divots by doing this, but it works. Getting the weight over to the left side is important.

[beachbreak]

Turn back, then "work under it". Your head can stay where it is but the lower body is pulling through and turning first before your arms and hands. See the outside of your right thigh as you come into the hitting area. This is the reverse "C" that you see in photos.

[Chas]

This is why hitting a really crisp shot requires a rather athletic move. You're doing very well to keep your head a tad behind the ball, all hope is lost if you don't do that IMO (this was a big problem for me early on). But as others have said you need to work those hips early and shift your weight forward as you strike the ball with a slightly descending blow (irons) and with hands slightly ahead of the ball at contact, otherwise you're likely to chunk/thin. If your weight hangs back and/or your hands don't come through properly because your head stays back where it should be, you'll chunk or thin.

Don't feel bad, you're working on a critically important aspect of the game and it isn't so easy in my experience. Get it right and both power and consistency will improve greatly.

[kafka01]

Don't feel bad, you're working on a critically important aspect of the game and it isn't so easy in my experience. Get it right and both power and consistency will improve greatly.

I agree - i always moved into the ball, since i figured out how to keep my head behind the ball while the body is moving through, i hit them way more solid, further and higher.

But as others pointed out, it takes time to get used to.

[Chas]

I like the way beachbreak expressed the feeling. At first, keeping your head from moving forward makes you feel like you're going to massively chunk, which is indeed what will happen if you don't shift your weight forward etc. To me, holding my head back allows me to really fire through my right side - hard to describe, a much more powerful yet controlled sensation.

[chspeed]

Hi All,

Just wanted to open this up again, as it's something that's been driving me insane.

I am unable to consistently get my weight braced against my left side without also moving my upper body (and therefore my head) forward - which leads to big trouble.

Keeping my head back seems to keep my weight back, and I often feel like I'm falling back on the swing.

Once in a while, I get it - usually on the range. I'll feel like I can really get my weight forward while keeping my head on the ball, and I'll hit a bucket of high, long draws and feel like it's easy. Then I'll go to the course and be back at square one.

Help!

[MPS67]

Could your problem be that your head is out of position from the result of allowing it to sway too far behind during the back swing? Maybe have someone validate your head position at the top relative to the position when you're at address.

[chspeed]

Could your problem be that your head is out of position from the result of allowing it to sway too far behind during the back swing? Maybe have someone validate your head position at the top relative to the position when you're at address.

Nope. I'm not swaying. I do have the tendency to lift my head on the backswing, which causes other issues, but I don't sway.

[MPS67]

You might be utilizing a hip bump move that is too lateral toward the direction of the target. If so, It's possible that you're straightening up and losing your spine tilt during the downswing. This would result in leaving too much upper body weight on the back leg.

IMHO, The hip bump/turn movement is probably the most difficult to master.
When I'm setting the club at the top, I feel a stretch along my left side, between my left hip, up my left side, and along my left arm. While keeping my head back and level, I slowly thrust my left hip and left side (near the left kidney where the muscles are taught) forward, around, and up slightly. As stated above, I focus on not allowing my head to shift forward at this time. I also try to prevent my left shoulder from moving forward too much as well while maintaining spine tilt. It's a move that I don't rush so that I can synchronize the speed of the club dropping into the slot from the pull of the hips to that of the pull of gravity. The club, along with my shoulders, will eventually accelerate and effortlessly swing through ball and pass through the hitting zone. That's where I start to feel the momentum of the weight carry and arrive to my left leg.