Help with head movement

[Jusdec123]

Any help? Can’t seem to stop moving ahead of the ball before impact. Shot shape is a VERY consistent high weak slice that starts straight and then peels off right. Anybody else experience this issue and fixed it? If so, what helped you?

[Eric267]

I struggled with this also sometimes. It gets in your head to get to your front foot so you push off your back foot to get there in the downswing. You need to shift your weight to your front foot then push down into your back foot during the downswing. You will get up on your front foot while the clubs swing weight pulls you there. Don't force it. You will notice as you push down into your back foot it will feel strange like your head is falling backwards but it's just locking into place this giving your arms a center to swing around. Forward shaft lean from holding wrist angles is another key aspect

 

Make sure your not swaying in the backswing either. Trying to stop your head from moving sometimes makes you rush your backswing which is the worst thing. It creates a false spence of power at the top that results in weak slices

[Eric267]

Here's a good example. It looks like he's falling back but I gurantee his finish is all weight to the front and chest to target. It's an illusion

[burneyj5]

I have this issue as well and could never figure out how to fix it. I was always trying to get my right shoulder underneath in the downswing, but that never worked. So, I had to try getting my left shoulder away from my chin in the downswing while keeping the head where it is and that has worked for me. I credit Monte and his Drive 4 Dough video for this.

[Jusdec123]

Thanks for the responses fellas. The whole weight shift concept has been something I just can’t seem to figure out. I’m going to checkout monte’s video. I feel like by leaving my head behind the ball that I’m hanging back on my right side. I know...feel isn’t real. Damn this game!

[DFinch]

It's my death move as well. When I don't do it I have an easy, relaxing, good scoring day of golf. When I starting struggling this is always the first suspect. Below are my first go-to remedies:

 

Monte's "separate left shoulder from chin on downswing" (only way to do it is keep head back)

 

Lopez's "invert left shoulder directly to where right shoulder was at the top". (gets you to pivot shoulders in place instead of moving forward)

 

Gankas' "add right lateral bend in transition". (If you rotate from the top without adding right bend or tilt your forward bend will carry head with it)

[Club Guru]

It's a left eye vs. right eye dominant issue. You need to work on using your left eye. Most pros have their hat brim pointed a little backward at impact. A decent thought (until the issue is resolved) is to have your chin pointed toward your right shoulder at address.

[KenRobie]

It has a whole lot more to do with your swing intent than any thing else. If look you into some of the videos that Shawn Clement has on you tube and his web sight I think you will feel a huge change right away.

[alfriday]

The whole weight shift concept has been something I just can't seem to figure out. I'm going to checkout monte's video. I feel like by leaving my head behind the ball that I'm hanging back on my right side.

 

The first step is to get a clear mental image/concept of the weight transfer. Check out this video, which will hopefully dispel much of the misinformation on the weight transfer:

 

 

Second, work on staying balanced in the swing. Try the feet together drill to get a feel for how the body can stay in balance while swinging.

 

 

Ken is absolute right about intent. Check out the other videos by Shawn about swinging to the target.

[glk]

can skip to 30 iminute mark to see case studies and drills to resolve issues.

 

 

[Jusdec123]

Thanks for all the help thus far. Appreciate it.

[Bob9604]

I have the same problem. Been working on keeping head behind ball and when I do it is great. Problem is consistently doing it.

[lv_2_hack]

Something is causing your lower body to not sequence properly. Think of it this way... From the top of your backswing, if your lower body fires/slide hard in transition, your head is forced to stay back. It can’t go forward if you want to make contact.

 

For the cause... could be open clubface in transition, downswing too steep, arms out of position, etc.

 

[dam276]

I do the same thing from time to time - causes the high rights and the low lefts for me. Lucas Wald had a tip that helped me think about it (though it’s not original to his ideology): keep the left hip inside the left heel. Here’s an example:

 

My weight tends to spill out onto my ankle and to squat I lower my head seemingly - but it’s really just my hip moving too far fwd.

 

Also, quick stroke saver - try teeing it behind the markers ;) (couldn’t help it, I play with a-holes too often)

[gunslinger646]

I’m struggling with my pivot.... that’s a great Clement video.... I am a habitual arm swinging yanker from the top of the backswing, while stacked on top of a poor centered pivot....when u turn in place to top of swing and then unwind, does the body rotation pull most of the club through impact? Essentially taking most of the intentional arm swing out of the motion? I’m struggling with the feel.... I’m 602 with an athletic build, I can’t wrap my head around creating speed in the swing without using my bigger muscles to plow through the ball like a caveman.

[alfriday]

I'm struggling with my pivot.... that's a great Clement video.... I am a habitual arm swinging yanker from the top of the backswing, while stacked on top of a poor centered pivot....when u turn in place to top of swing and then unwind, does the body rotation pull most of the club through impact? Essentially taking most of the intentional arm swing out of the motion? I'm struggling with the feel.... I'm 602 with an athletic build, I can't wrap my head around creating speed in the swing without using my bigger muscles to plow through the ball like a caveman.

Try this exercise to get a feel for the way to sync the arms to the body.

 

1. Stand up like you are waiting in line at the market. Arms at your side, relaxed but upright posture. Now start to walk in place, without your feet coming off the ground. Notice how the weight goes from ball of foot to heel on each foot. Notice the way your hips will turn slightly. Notice how your arms will move as the body moves, even though you are not "swinging" them. On you get the feeling of the arms moving without consciously swinging them, move on to two.

 

2. Take your golf stance, without a club. Bring your palms together so the pads of your palms are lightly toughing and so the tips of your fingers lightly touch. Keep arms relaxed. Now start walking like above. Your hands will move back and forth without any force in your arms. Feel your arms move because you body is moving. There should be no pushing or pulling in your arms or hands--they are just going along for the ride.

 

3. After you get the feel of walking, exaggerate it a bit into more of a full turn, working your way up to a full golf swing motion. Make sure to keep the arms free of any tension and to put no pressure on your finger tips. Again, even though you are in a full swing move, the arms should just be going along for the ride.

 

4. Now take your stance and pick up a club. Take your grip, but hold the club a lightly as you can. Start walking and feel the club move back and forth, just as your arms did above. Because of the weight of the club, your arms will be pulled a bit in each direction, farther than when just swinging your arms. Work up a slow, steady rhythm and feel how the club will pause at the end of your backswing and fore swing, and then start the other direction.

 

This will get you to feel the motion of the club, in sync with the body and without forcing the swing with the arms.

[ferrispgm]

The head moving forward could be a result and not a cause. For me, my arm swing tends to get too long as my right arm folds too much. When that happens, my head slides forward massively to recover from such a long arm swing. If I shorten my swing to 3/4 with irons and just a shade short of parallel with driver; my head stays back automatically.

[davep043]

The head moving forward could be a result and not a cause. For me, my arm swing tends to get too long as my right arm folds too much. When that happens, my head slides forward massively to recover from such a long arm swing. If I shorten my swing to 3/4 with irons and just a shade short of parallel with driver; my head stays back automatically.

This is the thing. I didn't watch all of the videos, but I'm sure there were a variety of "cures" because there are a variety of potential causes. Go see a competent instructor, try to determine the cause of the movement, THEN you can work on a cure. Of course, a good instructor might decide that there's something else that's much more important to work on right now, and won't even care (for now) about your head movement.

[andrue]

I've fixed my fade with

. It also seems to have improved my general ball striking. It helps with head position because I find the only way to avoid the first bucket is to feel my secondary spine tilt increase when I bump my hips. After that I just let fly and it all just works.

 

NB: I have seen comments that suggest the second basket is only to cure bad habits. Trying to do that all the time can apparently cause issues (probably a hook).

 

I'll confess that my weight shift isn't the best and I have a truncated backswing but since I typically drive over 200 yards and thanks to that drill usually finish in the fairway I don't much care about that.

[Jusdec123]

I’ve seen 2 different instructors. Neither have ever mentioned anything about my head movement. One said I have a reverse weight shift. The second teacher changed a lot of things. He said my concepts were wrong, who am I to argue that. Changed my grip from 10 finger to overlap so I could get more speed on the way down. I went from hitting pulls with my irons to now I have started slicing them. I’m very consistent with my driver, albeit a high weak shot that often starts straight then heads right. I can hit that crappy shot all day.

[Millbrook]

Try this - the mental concept for staying onside was helpful for me.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7b4OwVdR3g

[davep043]

I've seen 2 different instructors. Neither have ever mentioned anything about my head movement. One said I have a reverse weight shift. The second teacher changed a lot of things. He said my concepts were wrong, who am I to argue that. Changed my grip from 10 finger to overlap so I could get more speed on the way down. I went from hitting pulls with my irons to now I have started slicing them. I'm very consistent with my driver, albeit a high weak shot that often starts straight then heads right. I can hit that crappy shot all day.

I'm chuckling just a little. You've seen two instructors, neither of whom is concerned about your head movement, even though they've seen you swing the club in person. And now you're asking us. who have seen two still photos, to diagnose the cause, and provide a cure, for something that you have independently decided is an issue. I go back to my recommendation, follow the instruction you've been given. Its quite possible that by making the changes your instructor recommends, you'll eliminate the head movement as well.

[QEight]

Head moves forward but is still behind the ball. Unless the tee box is seriously downhill. I would say you could be too much behind the ball at the address.

[Jusdec123]

I've seen 2 different instructors. Neither have ever mentioned anything about my head movement. One said I have a reverse weight shift. The second teacher changed a lot of things. He said my concepts were wrong, who am I to argue that. Changed my grip from 10 finger to overlap so I could get more speed on the way down. I went from hitting pulls with my irons to now I have started slicing them. I'm very consistent with my driver, albeit a high weak shot that often starts straight then heads right. I can hit that crappy shot all day.

I'm chuckling just a little. You've seen two instructors, neither of whom is concerned about your head movement, even though they've seen you swing the club in person. And now you're asking us. who have seen two still photos, to diagnose the cause, and provide a cure, for something that you have independently decided is an issue. I go back to my recommendation, follow the instruction you've been given. Its quite possible that by making the changes your instructor recommends, you'll eliminate the head movement as well.

 

Appreciate the advice.