Rant: Keep you head down is still a popular tip

[nevets88]

I read a couple of other golf forums and this tip still makes the rounds. And if I make my points against it with sound reasoning, I get negative feedback. You know, fine, keep your head down. I hope that works for you. Rant off...

[inthecup]

I don't think I understand.  So when someone lifts their head prior to impact the correct thing to say is?

[tomvk77]

maybe this tip helps than.

you should try to hit the ground under the ball.

Most likely your lifting your body up at impact.

if you try to hit the ground under the ball you keep

your body in the same position and make better contact with the ball.

[shortstop20]

I don't think lifting the head is as common as many tend to think. And I would say of those that do lift their head, most do it because of another fault, like OTT. I'm curious what the instructors here have to say about it.

[kw purp]

its about moving your head, not lifting. When you take it back your head moves when you start the downswing your head moves, watch the top pro's their head stays perfectly still. You need to keep your eye focused on the spot you want to hit during the entire swing.

Moving your head leads to chunks, skulls, etc

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by kw purp

its about moving your head, not lifting. When you take it back your head moves when you start the downswing your head moves, watch the top pro's their head stays perfectly still. You need to keep your eye focused on the spot you want to hit during the entire swing.

Moving your head leads to chunks, skulls, etc

Then why is it called "keeping your head down"?

No, pro's don't keep their heads "perfectly still". The best players to ever play the game lowered their head several inches.

[sofingaw]

Speaking about the head, the required position/action for repeated, good contact, is to keep the head 'Steady' not, 'Absolutely Motionless'. If an observer/instructor can CLEARLY SEE that your head is moving noticeably, and/or erratically during the swing, then it is likely moving too much for you to control consistently, like those pros that you mention. The reason it's called 'down' is because you aren't looking UP at a ball at address. The ball is 'Down' on the ground, where your face should be 'Steadily' looking.

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by sofingaw

Speaking about the head, the required position/action for repeated, good contact, is to keep the head 'Steady' not, 'Absolutely Motionless'.

If an observer/instructor can CLEARLY SEE that your head is moving noticeably, and/or erratically during the swing, then it is likely moving too much for you to control consistently, like those pros that you mention.

The reason it's called 'down' is because you aren't looking UP at a ball at address. The ball is 'Down' on the ground, where your face should be 'Steadily' looking.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. How much do you think Tiger moves his head? How about Ben Hogan?

[sofingaw]

Then why is it called "keeping your head down"? No, pro's don't keep their heads "perfectly still". The best players to ever play the game lowered their head several inches.

Is what I was quoting. I don't MEAN anything by it. You said it. I referenced the general 'pros' that YOU were discussing. Should be pretty clear. If not, (you seem dense to me) A) Plenty of great players, e.g. 'Pros' like Hogan and Woods, move their heads during the swing to a small degree. B) They can control their head movement because they don't move it a whole lot, overall, they have excellent body control, etc. In other words, they keep it 'Steady, not still'. C) All of their heads point/look DOWN. D) A simple 'keep your head down' is a sound piece of advice for most amateurs, since that thought or feel will inevitably keep the head more steady overall. Easy?

[sofingaw]

Even shorter: Pros move their heads. So do we. They have it under control. We don't, necessarily have it under control. We need to improve overall on this. 'Keep your head down/steady' will help most of us who need it.

[inthehole]

lifting the head through impact (anticipating the ball flight) ...or maybe better yet - taking your eye off the ball is unquestionably, and undeniably the greatest single fault poor golfers commit which 100.0% of the time leads to bad contact.    I dare the OP to dispute that ... what a silly trollish thread

[Dabzy]

I alway got told that the "keeping the head down" was part of keeping control throughout the swing, this is, as a novice, when your head moves, other things move in response, like wise, if other things move, then, your head moves.

I can see why it may be less important as a mid->low handicapper, but for high ones like myself, my head shows control of my body, once my swing is more advanced, then, I could get away with moving it, until now, my head, and eyes are locked firmly to the ball, even after Ive hit it!

Dabz

[TourSpoon]

Here's what I see... Golfer starts backswing, moves off the ball, lifts arms and dips, starts downswing and moves body violently upward and tops it, and finally says, "keep your head down". Then I say, "if you kept your head down you would have hit it 6 inches fat." It's not your head, it's your poor position at the top. This is a lot different than peaking.

[tomvk77]

Keeping the head down are basicly the wrong words because if As a reaction to this most poeple keep their heads still but block The whole turn towards the target! They swing to much with the arms Result snap hook or slice

[Strandly]

I would hit thin shots occasionally and then someone watching me swing commented that I was lifting my head (and consequently my upper body) to see see the ball fly.  I made a conscious effort to do less of that and I seem to hit fewer thin shots.  /shrug  Maybe there are some golfers out there who's head is detached from their body and they can wave it around like a sparkler and not have it mess up their shot.  Sadly, I am not one of them.

[inthecup]

It appears the op is a troll.

[JetFan1983]

Originally Posted by inthecup

It appears the op is a troll.

He's not.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by inthecup

It appears the op is a troll.

Yeah, those trolls get to 2200 posts real often. :-)