Head/Eye Orientation At Impact

[PJ1120]

I've read many times that "you didn't keep your head down" is one of golf's biggest myths. I have a tendency to allow my body movement to pull my head forward in the late downswing and i think this is adversely affecting my contact. Mac made a big deal about the importance of "foveal" vision. Do you guys try to keep your eyes on the ball until impact or do you allow the head/eyes to swivel through impact?

[SNIPERBBB]

One of the things I don't,and don't want to, think about in my swing. It's one of the things that takes care of itself.

[exgolfpro]

I've never tried to 'keep my head down', so I can't comment on the effect of that. My feeling about it is, that we always tend to overdo what we are trying to do, so if you try to keep your head down, you will likely restrict the needed freedom on your follow through. But I have tried to 'watch impact happen' or 'watch the ball disappear' from my vision and it does have a significant effect on my impact.

[juststeve]

I think we naturally look at what we are trying to hit but "keeping the head down" often times interferes with a free swinging motion. Better to let your head turn ala Annika and David Duvall than get ball bound.

 

Steve

[PJ1120]

** But I have tried to 'watch impact happen' or 'watch the ball disappear' from my vision and it does have a significant effect on my impact.**

I agree. I think for some (most) it's something you need to think about because the motion of the body will pull your head (and thus vision) off the ball. I don't know how Duval did what he did.

[juststeve]

> @PJ1120 said:

> ** But I have tried to 'watch impact happen' or 'watch the ball disappear' from my vision and it does have a significant effect on my impact.**

> I agree. I think for some (most) it's something you need to think about because the motion of the body will pull your head (and thus vision) off the ball. I don't know how Duval did what he did.

 

Duval was able to hit the ball well without staring at it because he would SWING the club, not use at as something to hit at the ball with. When the club swings it moves back and forth on an arc on a consistent path, in a consistent direction and with a consistent low point. Once you have set up with the ball in the proper place relative to the arc of the swing there is no need to look at the ball to hit it well although most people do because it is natural. The ball isn't going to move. It will be right where it was when the club swings through. Almost all good golfers SWING the club. Poor and mediocre golfers don't. They use the club as an instrument to hit at the ball with. They need to look at the ball to hit it because they aren't swinging the club. It is a disservice to communications to call what they do a golf swing at all. Perhaps a golf swipe would be more apt.

 

Steve