Head movement during swing

[warbirdlover]

I never used to worry about this until last year and hit some drives pretty long once in awhile. I used to "step into" it and get a little more club head speed (and hit "through" the ball better) when I was doing this. Last year my teaching pro had me keep my head still until impact with my irons and I drastically reduced fat and thin shots with the irons. I also applied this to my driver which I never had a problem with making good contact and seem to have lost some distance. Does this sound correct. I have a short backswing but come through at 95-105 mph with the driver. Or "used to" anyway.

What do you guys think?

[JEFF4i]

Definately. I'm very much of the attitude that the head should remain as still as you can get it.

See Warbird? I told myself that you didn't suck, I just don't list to me anymore.

[Bravo]

You got great advice.

When Nicklaus was a kid, his teacher Jack Grote would have him address the ball with Grote facing him....Grote seeing the top of his head.

Then Grote would grab Nicklaus by the hair and have him hit about 20 shots.

After having a sore scalp for awhile, Nicklaus stopped moving his head.

This was illustrated in a sketch in Golf Magazine a few years ago...

[dave.]

In my opinion its the worst advice in golf.The head moves,simple as that,focus on it to much and all you will do is go stiff and lose distance.

What Grout did was keep Nicklaus behind the ball at impact,that is important,not keeping the head still.Stay behind the ball.

[BStone]

My head goes down and back at impact, this helps keep me behind the ball, and the movement down is a result of my entire body getting a bit lower through the ball, like Tiger's squat at impact though not as pronounced.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by dave.

In my opinion its the worst advice in golf.The head moves,simple as that,focus on it to much and all you will do is go stiff and lose distance.

What Grout did was keep Nicklaus behind the ball at impact,that is important,not keeping the head still.Stay behind the ball.

I think he even said in his book, your head will "swivel" mainly at the chin. But you do not want it to go from side to side or upwards or it will alter the arc of your swing. I would agree it is probably more a matter of keeping it behind the ball. I know from most swing software that you put the circle on your head and you want it to remain in the circle. I think the most common flaw is to have the head to far forward from your initial position at impact. Which was still a flaw in my swing last time I checked. Although I plan on checking it out for the first time this summer in the next couple days.

Although in order to do so, I think your head would have to remain pretty steady.

[SunnyDaze]

So how does Natalie Gulbis (and some of the other women golfers) manage to hit the ball so well when her head moves up and down a good foot on a ful swing? You'd think she'd chunk it big time doing that.

[warbirdlover]

That was the point of this thread. Maybe I'm losing distance because I'm keeping my head "too" still?

[Eracer]

Proper coil will be accompanied by head movement.
Sway will be accompanied by head movement.

A proper coil produces consistency and power.
Sway produces inconsistency and power loss.

[warbirdlover]

Well I think my spring (back) is broken so the "coil" isn't working too well lately!!

[kenversa]

well done you for giving up

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by kenversa

well done you for giving up

So you are saying it is a good thing to just flat out give up?

Oh, that's right, you were just trying to get 15 posts so you could spam the board.