Can't keep my #$^% head down

[dfreuter415]

Started back playing a little over a year ago after a 10 year rest. Was playing the best golf of my life until about 6 weeks ago. Now I can't keep my head down, jerking up on almost every shot. I know the problem is 100% between my ears, but does anyone have any pointers to help combat this ??? Thanks

It's amazing that golf is such an individual sport that there can be so many potential solutions for any given problem, as witnessed by the postings on this thread. What works for one person might not work for another. You have to find the one that works for you.

Here's my 2¢....

I don't think you should concentrate on "keeping your head down," rather, I would say that you need to keep your head still .

Here is a quote about Jack Nicklaus , from the book, Golf’s Greatest Champion, by Mark Shaw. “Jack Grout (Nicklaus’ first instructor) believed that since the head was ‘the balance center’ for the swing, it had to be rigid from address to follow through. At age 11, Jack was still a ‘head bobber.’ One summer afternoon, Grout grew frustrated and trotted out his assistant, Larry Glasser. When Jackie addressed the ball, Glasser was instructed to grab a lock of the prized student’s blonde hair and hold on while Nicklaus made swing after swing.” The tactic worked and Jack kept his head still, even cocking his head in a fashion that has become his trademark."

Jack has also said, “Keeping the head still is golf’s one universal, unarguable fundamental.” But, did Jack actually keep his head perfectly still? To some extent has been disproved through video analysis, but the fact that Jack concentrated on this aspect of his head during his swing had undisputed results.

To be fair, "keeping your head still" is controversial in some circles. (Butch Harmon has said that keeping your head still causes tension and promotes a reverse pivot.) But as I said in my opening, "What works for one person might not work for another." As for me, keeping my head still, ala Nicklaus, had worked over the years. Maybe it will work for you.  And, that is the beauty of this sport. I find my joy by trying different concepts for myself, keeping the ones that work and forgetting about the ones that don't.

Best wishes on solving your problem.  I love this game!

[jusanothajoe]

Played 18 yesterday. Slowed driver swing down  trying to concentrate on making good solid contact. Oddly drives went just as far as when I swing my fastest. Did not top any with driver, but still raising my body up with my irons some. Topped 3 out of 5 from tee box on the par threes, and half a dozen from fairways. My mind wants to hit the ball with the club, my body wants too dunk it. Hit a bag of balls at the range before my round, don't think I raised up once.

[mvmac]

Played 18 yesterday. Slowed driver swing down  trying to concentrate on making good solid contact. Oddly drives went just as far as when I swing my fastest. Did not top any with driver, but still raising my body up with my irons some. Topped 3 out of 5 from tee box on the par threes, and half a dozen from fairways. My mind wants to hit the ball with the club, my body wants too dunk it. Hit a bag of balls at the range before my round, don't think I raised up once.

As other posters have said, you raise up to compensate for something else. The "up" move is a last minute attempt to avoid hitting well behind the ball. I can guarantee that it's not just in your head, it's a mechanics issue.

Without seeing your swing I would recommend practicing this. Can even play like this. If you want more specific advice feel free to start a swing thread.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jusanothajoe

Played 18 yesterday. Slowed driver swing down  trying to concentrate on making good solid contact. Oddly drives went just as far as when I swing my fastest. Did not top any with driver, but still raising my body up with my irons some. Topped 3 out of 5 from tee box on the par threes, and half a dozen from fairways. My mind wants to hit the ball with the club, my body wants too dunk it. Hit a bag of balls at the range before my round, don't think I raised up once.

As other posters have said, you raise up to compensate for something else. The "up" move is a last minute attempt to avoid hitting well behind the ball. I can guarantee that it's not just in your head, it's a mechanics issue.

Without seeing your swing I would recommend practicing this. Can even play like this. If you want more specific advice feel free to start a swing thread.

I just tried this drill in slow motion in front of a mirror. It was quite a workout keeping my elbows together all the way up to A7!

When you apply this drill to an actual swing where do you actually release the club?

[jusanothajoe]

As other posters have said, you raise up to compensate for something else. The "up" move is a last minute attempt to avoid hitting well behind the ball. I can guarantee that it's not just in your head, it's a mechanics issue.

Without seeing your swing I would recommend practicing this. Can even play like this. If you want more specific advice feel free to start a swing thread.

Actually watched this last week and have been trying this. It has helped. I think not getting weight forward is part of my problem also.

Thanks for the help.

[mvmac]

When you apply this drill to an actual swing where do you actually release the club?

There is obviously less "release" compared to a full swing but it's not something a player needs to worry about with this drill. Players that struggle with contact "release" it at too fast a rate so this drill helps make sure the weight is forward as the player speeds up the arms and smashes it.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

When you apply this drill to an actual swing where do you actually release the club?

There is obviously less "release" compared to a full swing but it's not something a player needs to worry about with this drill. Players that struggle with contact "release" it at too fast a rate so this drill helps make sure the weight is forward as the player speeds up the arms and smashes it.

Sure, this is exactly what I am currently working on, and the drill seems to really help with that.

However, as of late, I have put zero effort into my release, and wondered why on some shots I can really smash it versus just make wimpy contact?

Thinking back on my round yesterday, I had a variation in distance from 200 yards all the way up to 265 yards. These were measured by my GPS phone to within a few yards. Plus, I noted specific landmarks to look at google earth later on. I grant that the 200 yard one was higher contact on the face and into a 20mph headwind, but I still would have liked 230 yards out of it as I usually do on that hole. It felt wimpy.

These shots were both what I consider clean contact, and according to my partner seemed to get my weight forward. There was just that extra snap that was missing from the lackluster shots versus the ones where I felt like I just killed the ball.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

When you apply this drill to an actual swing where do you actually release the club?

There is obviously less "release" compared to a full swing but it's not something a player needs to worry about with this drill. Players that struggle with contact "release" it at too fast a rate so this drill helps make sure the weight is forward as the player speeds up the arms and smashes it.

Sure, this is exactly what I am currently working on, and the drill seems to really help with that.

However, as of late, I have put zero effort into my release, and wondered why on some shots I can really smash it versus just make wimpy contact?

Thinking back on my round yesterday, I had a variation in distance from 200 yards all the way up to 265 yards. These were measured by my GPS phone to within a few yards. Plus, I noted specific landmarks to look at google earth later on. I grant that the 200 yard one was higher contact on the face and into a 20mph headwind, but I still would have liked 230 yards out of it as I usually do on that hole. It felt wimpy.

These shots were both what I consider clean contact, and according to my partner seemed to get my weight forward. There was just that extra snap that was missing from the lackluster shots versus the ones where I felt like I just killed the ball.

Interesting results today in front of a simulator.

I found that when I swing a relatively relaxed swing (almost zen-like), I swing 7+mph slower than when I am really swinging (not going after it, but just swinging like I mean for the ball to go). In fact, I think my longer drives are even more athletic than the ones I was doing in the simulator, because I was afraid of hitting stuff. The setup was for right handed people, and a lefties swing path travels right over a computer monitor.

Feel is definitely not real. Not even close.

The lesson learned is that I need to spend a lot of time in front of the launch monitor until I get the feel of properly swinging the club and not some lack-a-daisy practice tai chi chuan movement sometimes called a swing.

[HeadDown]

Welp...I guess SandTrap won't allow web addresses.  Took down my introduction.  I was so psyched to share it too...

[Lihu]

Welp...I guess SandTrap won't allow web addresses.  Took down my introduction.  I was so psyched to share it too...

They will let you, but you need to be at a commercial level membership.

[HeadDown]

I just read the details.  Will spend some time here getting to know the place and how it works.  Thanks for your feedback.

Kevin

[Lihu]

I just read the details.  Will spend some time here getting to know the place and how it works.  Thanks for your feedback.

Kevin

Sure, welcome to TST. Once you get to know it better, I think you'll like it. Especially, the interaction with golfers of all different skill levels. I would venture that anyone has something to learn here.

Cheers

[Ernest Jones]

I just read the details.  Will spend some time here getting to know the place and how it works.  Thanks for your feedback.

Kevin

Kudos for having a brain when it comes to using the web for PR. You wouldn't believe how many bozos come on here every year with products they want to promote, then when they learn that they can't just spam away they start acting like jerks and alienate the whole community completely obliterating any chances they may of had for establishing credibility.

This site is potential power house for promoting your product when you are ready. If you really believe in your product and think it will stand the test of unbiased reviews, I suggest you contact the owners of this site to see about becoming a sponsor. As a sponsor you will have access to as many reviewers as you are willing to provide product for, and more importantly, you will have access to Forum Leaders as reviewers. Reviews from Forum Leaders carry considerable weight in the community as they have been vetted by time and have reputations they wish to protect. In short, if a Forum Leader reviews your product favourably the community knows that the review is honest and real. Reviews from one-time posters and/or members with unestablished reputations are not very impactful with the community.

I suggest you take a look at this article regarding the benefits of becoming a TST sponsor: http://thesandtrap.com/a/the-sand-trap-supporter-programs

Should you be interested in this investment you should PM Erik (iacas) or Mike (mvmac). If your product is a good one, this investment could potentially pay huge dividends as this site is one of, if not the best golf forum on the internet with well over a million page views a month. Everyday I see people come on here looking for advice on improving their impact so getting your product into the conversations of this community would certainly benefit you.

Good luck!

[HeadDown]

Thanks Ernest.  Didn't mean to ignore you.  Had a little laugh with your "H" ball putt comment.  I'm here to argue until I'm blue in the face that keeping your head down through impact is vital.

[Ernest Jones]

I'm here to argue until I'm blue in the face that keeping your head down through impact is vital.

I sincerely hope that does not mean, "I am steadfastly going to ignore any information that contradicts my position."

I used to "stand up" pretty badly around impact, losing my spine angle (or more accurately, my inclination to the ground) and failing to continue my pivot. I tried a lot different ways to address the symptom (standing up) and was able, in a fairly short time, to stop standing up and achieve a better "position" at impact. The thing is, because I wasn't addressing the root problem (my sweetspot path absolutely sucked) it didn't do anything for my swing at all, I was achieving the "position" I wanted, but HOW I got there and WHERE I was going from there still sucked even if the look of the "position" was better. My instructor got me to drop all the tricks and feels I had developed to achieve the right "look" and got me to fix my path which in turn fixed the "standing up" part without me making any conscious effort to change it. Fix the cause, not the effect, otherwise you'll just be chasing your own tail forever and ever.

Here's an interesting thread that talks about the difference between achieving the right "look" at a given position versus making the right "motion" that produces that look as a by-product (which you could also call a symptom).

I'm sure you're pretty disappointed that the general feedback to your concept has been that it's the wrong approach, but hopefully you'll see this as constructive and come up with an even better product.

There's also this thread too: .