Maintaining a Steady Head

[saevel25]

How do you maintain a steady head in the downswing? 

[DrMJG]

I read somewhere to rotate around the head in my hip turn.  I keep that with what I learned from 5SK about head movement. Seems to work for me and it has not been a consistent problem since I did my full concentration on the problem.  Practice, Practice, Practice

 

[Zeph]

Depends how you move it I suppose. My problem has always been the head moving forward and down from the top of the backswing and I've worked on it by practicing with that in mind. With help of a camera I found out that when it felt like my head was moving backwards it was actually staying pretty still. One focus can be to make it feel like you are turning the body around the head as a fixed axis. Whatever wrong you do, I think it's useful to either see what you're doing with a camera or have someone watch you and give feedback. It's very easy to fall back into old habits. 

There are various ways to use the grip end of a club for feedback, maybe with help from someone, but also possible on your own if you can fix it somehow. 

[cooke119]

I focus my eyes on the back of the ball and try to rotate my shoulders without moving my head, (up or down), I use my eyes to keep my head level. I don't mind some movement back of forth but I need to keep the right distance with my head to keep from hitting the ball fat or thin.

[Blueliner67]

I also focus on the back of the ball and concentrate on keeping my head still.

 

Scott

[Moxley]

Interesting, I've never really focused on this because too much because I saw it as a result of good mechanics elsewhere, basically, I tend to figure that, if I keep my hips from sliding, my head will probably be OK. Maybe that's wrong , I don't know. 

That said, I do also focus on staying in my shot and not looking up for anything off the turf.

[Patch]

I keep my shoulders on an even keel, and my sternum the same distance from the ground through out the swing. With that, my head movement, if any, is not an issue. 

[nevets88]

This?

 

[Hoganman1]

I have a problem with this too. I try to stare at the back of the ball while turning my left shoulder under my chin. As I've gotten older it seems harder to keep doing this consistently. I've been playing for 50+ years and used to do this automatically. I have some neck and shoulder pain which limits my flexibility. Like a lot of older players, I've lost distance. I think maybe my head moves up and back when I "lunge" at the ball rather than swinging freely. I've been trying to work this out on my own, but I'm thinking of maybe going to GolfTec for some help.

[MarvChamp]

I wonder if maybe we tend to make this seem more important than it is, and end up causing even more tension . Best, -Marv

[iacas]

8 minutes ago, MarvChamp said:

I wonder if maybe we tend to make this seem more important than it is, and end up causing even more tension . Best, -Marv

I don't think so.

So long as you're not going for "unmoving."

[MarvChamp]

10 hours ago, iacas said:

So long as you're not going for "unmoving."

Yeah, my impression (could be wrong) is that's what some people I see are trying for. My own old age and lack of flexibility means a LITTLE lateral motion off the ball creates more windup. My head moves a LITTLE to the right, and I let that happen. BUT that's my situation; not the norm. Great site! Best, -Marv

[Etzwane]

On 9/29/2018 at 12:17 AM, nevets88 said:

This?

 

 

basically one has to initially regain spine flexion and loose left tilt, then go into rigth tilt and extension of the spine. For this to work smoothly the hips have to slide-rotate enough in advance. My pro used the same drill with me at the time.

[klineka]

When I was part of evolvr, steady head was and still is my #1 priority piece.

The main things that have helped me the most

1. Using alignment sticks as demonstrated in the video above, except mine was placed in front of my head just off my left ear 
2. Feeling like my head is moving backwards behind the ball (This one is purely a FEEL/thought only and I verify using video to make sure of that)
3. Taking a shorter back swing, similar to someone like Tony Finau. (My shortened swing is still longer than his and probably looks like a full swing to most people, but it feels like its a half swing to me) When my swing was too long, the club would wrap around and my head would dive down/forward. Taking the shorter backswing reduces the amount of time my head can move, and results in better quality shots with no discernible difference on my yardages

If you dont want to make a training aid with alignment sticks and dont mind spending $200+, could always buy one of these

https://www.amazon.com/PRO-HEAD-Golf-Swing-Trainer-Improvement/dp/B0042Z0ZO0/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_200_bs_tr_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=5S00ZF7VKWZA68YAJ4WF&th=1

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by klineka