Dipping your head?

[nick gaddy]

I want to know how I break that habit?

[wkennerson]

I tend to have an occassional dip of the head during my swing. Luckily for me I can feel when I do it. I got a swing tip one day that helped me correct this mid round. When you are on the tee, set the ball so you can read the label. I found it helps me keep my head still as I start down.

 

It also helps to realize where the dip occurs in your swing. Mine is from trying to pull the handle down from the top rather than let gravity do it's thing. Usually when I am trying to take a big whack at it on a par 5 or semi-drivable par 4. So the reading the label keeps me aware of maintaining my spine angle and distance from the ball. If your dip comes from your legs you might want to search for a swing thought that focuses on that area of the body.

[gugamania]

I suggest you back swinging your left arm around your head, that feels very high, then turning your shoulder line through the ball during down swing.

[fats]

Think of your chin staying at the same level coming into the impact area.

[mikpga]

Do you think it is really your head dipping? Or could it be that your posture is dipping?

 

Golfers often tend to relate to their head, the head moves up and down due to your posture lifting or sinking.

[czydj]

When I get out of whack, I start dipping. I cure that by rotating around a center, which for me, is a point on my spine, directly between the middle of my shoulder blades. I try and keep that center the same height horizontally. The center can move back and forth, but not up and down. Some people can relate better to a point on their sternum, I use my spine...

 

hth!

[rossonero]

I have the exact same problem about dipping. The funny thing is, that when doing it in front of a mirror (without actually to hit a ball), my head does not dip. But at the golf course I can see on my videos that I dipp very much and I am actually also very inconsistant - but of course!

 

There is a reason for dipping - it is a reaction of something, but I really don´t know how to get out of this mess

[babaman]

Great post, I too dip my head during my backswing. Pros, please provide us some tips to break this bad habit.

 

Thanks in advance :clapping:

[atlanta golfer]

Isn't it a bigger problem to straighten up and lose spine angle? This is an issue I sometimes have. If I dip, it is because I'm trying NOT to to straighten up. Holding that constant spine angle and slight knee bend is difficult.

 

Don't Paula Craemer and Natalie Gulbis both have a pronounced dip? Looks like somehow they are trying to stay down through the ball and it just comes off looking a little odd, but it seems to work for them.

[Shandy G]

I dip also, which in return causes me to hit way under the ball, or even worse stick the club in the ground and i'm unable to follow through the swing. I'm convinced it's caused by wanting to hit the ball too hard. I do it when I feel I have to make a shot. I have started to cure it by taking a softer grip and relaxing, and not thinking that I have to pound the ball. My dip happens on the down swing.

[cleatis]

If your shoulders take off without your arms on the down, your arc gets smaller and you have to dip to make contact with the ball.

 

Stand up to the ball feeling extended, keep that extension into the first part of the back swing and then down through the ball you can extend without hitting it fat.

[rossonero]

I always dipp on the backswing - about half way back I dipp 2-3 centimeters and on the downswing I than rise up again - but of course it demands very good timing to have some great shots. I can not figure out why this happend

[rossonero]

I have found the reason for my dip, watching over and over again my swing video. My left shoulder is dipping - it is of plane and the head than of course follows. But how to brake that habit .. hmm

[birdie_man]

Lots of great golfers bob.

 

If your PIVOT is still centered "through the hit"........

 

.......you probably don't need to worry about it.

[Pole_Position]

Mikpga - Do you think it is really your head dipping? Or could it be that your posture is dipping?

 

Golfers often tend to relate to their head, the head moves up and down due to your posture lifting or sinking.

Yes

 

And

 

atlanta golfer - Isn't it a bigger problem to straighten up and lose spine angle? This is an issue I sometimes have. If I dip, it is because I'm trying NOT to to straighten up. Holding that constant spine angle and slight knee bend is difficult.

 

Don't Paula Craemer and Natalie Gulbis both have a pronounced dip? Looks like somehow they are trying to stay down through the ball and it just comes off looking a little odd, but it seems to work for them.

Yes

 

And

 

birdie_man - Lots of great golfers bob.

 

If your PIVOT is still centered "through the hit"........

 

.......you probably don't need to worry about it.

Yes

 

Many, many, many pro's heads are lower at impact then they were at setup or at the top of the swing, some significantly so. Why? Because the body angles at impact are not the same as they were at setup or the top of the swing. Humans are not Gumby; if we change an angle our body is positioned in then something else has got to give. In this case the angle that most pros change from setup or the top of the swing to impact is axis tilt (the amount of spine tilt away from the target); they usually increase the angle significantly. When you increase this angle you are in effect bending more at the hips; all else staying the same, when you bend at the hips your head will drop. Thus, if you want to increase your axis tilt without changing your spine angle (the angle of the spine towards the ball) you have to drop your head down (this is the something that gives). Call this "staying down through the ball" or "maintaining your spine angle" if you will.

 

If you increase your axis tilt during the swing and want to maintain your head level, then something else has to give. Most amateurs will borrow from their spine angle (decrease it) so they can increase axis tilt. Call this "hip sliding" or "early extension" or "losing your spine angle".

 

Or they can increase their axis tilt, maintain their spine angle, and keep their head level by raising up on their toes (some people literally get airborne) at the same rate they are dropping their heads. Tiger often does this with his driver.

 

If you truly want to keep your head level and pivot PROPERLY then you will have to eliminate increasing your axis tilt during the swing; the only way I know to do this is with a purely rotational swing. Call Slicefixer.

 

I'm not an instructor and all of this is my view of the golf swing. I welcome any dissenting views ;)

[birdie_man]

Lots of great golfers bob.

 

If your PIVOT is still centered "through the hit"........

 

.......you probably don't need to worry about it.

 

I want to clarify the above quote of mine first of all. What I meant in the above quote was.............."if you are rotating around a fixed center."

 

(because I am not into "centered" or "stacked" pivots, you see)

 

...

 

Pole_Position,

 

I am a little lost on some of your points to be honest.

 

...

 

Otherwise...

 

I am not sure waist bend and Axis Tilt have such a direct relationship.

 

I do know some players necks are more vertical at address than the position they seek at impact. (I am not sure why the neck wants to go more horizontal "through the hit" but typically it does)

 

And Pole............you must like Ben Hogan's swing eh:

 

 

Still not sure where you sit but I will say he does bob a fair amount and ALSO "tilts his axis" in the downswing.

 

BTW I am not sure if you have slicefixer (G-Slice) correctly. He would have to say though.

 

-Paul

[JackieTreehorn]

I also suffer from a head drop/twist like Lorena Ochoa. Despite her success with it, I really would prefer not to have it. Sometimes I think it has to do with your dominant eye (For reference I think my dominant eye can switch depending on where I am looking).

I also think it may have to do with balance (For reference I am a low handicap player). The head weighs a lot and it is far from your center of mass so that moving it can help you dynamically maintain balance. I also early extend (from what I think is too much R side at transition) so the head drop may also be a result.

Any one else able to beat a head drop? Anyone have suggestions?

[scores]

swing the club over your feet ...