Head movement

[Matty6]

Need some advice on head movement during my swing. Recently, I could definitely feel like I was lifting my head too early and it was resulting in some poor shots. I played on Saturday and made a concerted effort to keep my head still during my swing and keep my eye on the ball. It made the world of difference. My ball striking improved and my confidence grew. My only issue was that on some shots I felt like I was keeping my eye on the ball/tee area for too long after I'd hit my shot. Keeping my head still felt like it was preventing me from turning my hips and as a result I was duck hooking a few tee shots. Basically, when should I stop looking down and start following the ball?

 

[bobmac]

Keep your head still until your right shoulder (if you're right handed) hits your chin on the downswing, then follow the ball.

 

[Matty6]

Keep your head still until your right shoulder (if you're right handed) hits your chin on the downswing, then follow the ball.

Ah I see. Thanks Bob. Makes perfect sense.

 

[the_coach]

Need some advice on head movement during my swing. Recently, I could definitely feel like I was lifting my head too early and it was resulting in some poor shots. I played on Saturday and made a concerted effort to keep my head still during my swing and keep my eye on the ball. It made the world of difference. My ball striking improved and my confidence grew. My only issue was that on some shots I felt like I was keeping my eye on the ball/tee area for too long after I'd hit my shot. Keeping my head still felt like it was preventing me from turning my hips and as a result I was duck hooking a few tee shots. Basically, when should I stop looking down and start following the ball?

often times the thinking that folks are lifting/raising the head is down to something going on in the motion that's affecting the body posture

and maybes good bunch of the time it's linked to ee (early extension) the body angles either pelvic or spine or both are straightening up some

happens often times with putting 'too much' into the swing motion so the hips move towards the ball & the pelvic angle so posture gets lost
body straightening up the head is obviously going to rise with it

the head actually 'coming up' without movement from the body doesn't happen and certainly the head doesn't want to be 'kept' looking down deep into the through swing as that will for sure restrict clearance and rotation negatively - also do some neck damage

good feeling to have that's worked with a good bunch of folks is at impact (can link it with the sound experienced) allow the head to swivel/rotate, as if the right-side of the face is at an angle to rest on a pillow, doing this allows the eyes to follow the very early ball flight - too be able to do that combine it with a feeling of keeping the butt back so posture kept a bit better -

then the trail side, right shoulder will bring the head with it as the body rotation continues against the firm lead leg

the eyes being 'allowed' to follow ball flight by the rotation/swivel of the head is something can see pretty clearly in a whole bunch of tour pro's - Stenson good current example
(with some players like Duval & Annika Sorenstam this move actually preempted the strike, their head swivel started before impact)

 

[Matty6]

Great stuff. Thanks Coach.

I'm going to the range this evening so I'll test out yours and Bob's advice.