How can i keep my head down during my golf swing?
Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at
7:18 am
Trey asked:
On my downswing i keep lifting up and it is causing me to hit a massive fade. Can anyone help me by giving me a drill or something? Thanks
On my downswing i keep lifting up and it is causing me to hit a massive fade. Can anyone help me by giving me a drill or something? Thanks
Tagged with: Downswing • Golf Swing
Filed under: Golf Swing
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Just practice concentrating on a single point. Back of the ball.Try swinging at things like a small leaf in the grass. I’m not sure of any drills that force your head down…it’s just something you learn after repiticous practice
Whenever i was 8 years old a instructor told me to always read the letters on the golf ball while your swinging… that was mainly for a drive though…. when your i the fairway and cant move it, just focus on the middle of the ball and dont pick your head up for a few seconds even after you hit it.
” If you want to see a bad shot, just look up”
“Swing, Spit, then Look”
So many times we want to lift our head to see where the ball is going before we have even hit it ! The key here is to concentrate on hitting the shot first without looking up to early. Unless you are golfing by yourself, there will always be someone with you to let you know where the ball went, so keep your head down, let the club do the work and when you do look up, chances are the ball will be easily seen down the middle of the fairway ! Sometimes it is your mind and body that keep you from playing better golf. More resources below.
The first thing I would say is to try to see a PGA Professional if possible. The amount of help they can give in such a short amount of time is amazing.
Second, it is extremely difficult to diagnose a swing flaw without seeing the swing.
The next thing I would say is to always be careful of making self corrections in the golf swing. There are numerous things which can cause any type of golf shot. While it may very well be that you are simply raising your head involuntarily, it just as easily could be something else causing your head to come up. If that is the case then by keeping your head down you are just forcing yourself deeper into a swing flaw. That is why video taping your swing, seeing a golf professional, or someone who is a very experienced player, is ideal.
You could have the ball too far forward in your stance, you may be pushing your head down on your backswing, you might be bending over the ball too far at address, you may be coming over the top on your downswing, or a few other things. Any of those things can cause you to raise your head as the body works to find the ball in your downswing. The only way to know for sure it to see a professional or analyze the swing through a video camera. If you can find the true source then you can fix a few problems with one fix, instead of masking over one swing flaw by fixing a symptom.
Hope this helps =)
Aside from looking up to see where the ball is going, the other possible reason is that your shoulder flattens on impact.
Try working on a drill (arms across the chest is a common one) that keeps your spine angle constant, and focus on your shoulders rotating on that spine angle.
Go see a pro, keeping your head down may only be a part of your problem
The most important part of the golf swing, which will help with keeping your head down, is balance. The best way to be balanced during your swing is to have a good setup. Get in an athletic stance, feet shoulder width apart, slightly bent knees and hips. You want to feel like most of your weight is more toward your toes than your heels. This might not completely eliminate lifting your head but it’s surely the first step of improving your golf swing.
One specific tip I can give that may prevent you from lifting your head is to look at the ball through your left eye (if you’re right handed). What I mean by this is, once you’ve setup to the ball tilt your head so you feel like you’re only looking at the ball with your left eye. Then just take your normal swing which may take a little getting used to just like any other swing change would. My dad has always done this and he said he picked it up from watching Jack Nicholas. You can’t go wrong copying the Golden Bear’s swing. Good Luck!
You could also try to pay special attention to keeping your spine angle consistent throughout your swing. Next time your’re on the driving range try hitting a couple shots with only your upper body. Swing at about 50-75% which you normally would and imagine that you’re just rotating around your spine. With any swing tip you decide to take you should always try it out on the driving range before you play. It is useless to attempt adjusting your swing while playing a round of golf.
I agree with the previous…
Line your drive just as your putts with the lettering on the side of the ball to aim to where you want to aim down the fairway…
You are just too eagar to know the outcome of your swing…
You must trust your swing…there will come a time, in which, you will not even need to look up immediately after wards…because, you already know, that you have made a good contact.
Say to yourself…before you swing…confirm that you witnessed the club making contact with the ball, and be that witness.
If you would like to improve your golf swing, you should visit this website.
Trey,
This page has great free golf instruction with hundreds of free how-to instructional videos:
They definitely have videos on how to fix your fade.
Hope this helps,
Richard
Find out what is causing your head to come up?
Usually it is balance, which is caused by bending over too much at address.
So as you reach the top of your back-swing your body generally straightens (To keep its balance)
Then you would have to drop the same amount or you would top the ball, etc, etc
work on swinging very fast, but keeping your balance, swinging the club back and through and back and through without stopping to re-address the ball just keep going.
Notice how you will swing more with your arms and your body will naturally find the correct bend from the hips.
The just address with that posture and swing the same from address as if you were just practicing,
You will never have to worry about your head again!
When you get better you can even hit shots with your eyes closed throughout the swing. as your balance and posture will take care of the depth of your swing.
Good luck.
I had the same problem. 2 things helped.
1) Because the club head swings in an arc and the ball wants to go straight, you have to line up the club head just before the ball. Too many golfers try to alien it 2 inches before the ball. I was instructed to get onto the straight line leading back from the ball 7 inches (20 cm) behind it. That does 2 things. It hits it straighter and you keep you head down for those 7 inches till impact.
2) I wait until my follow through arm touches my chin before allowing myself to look up.
With these or any other new style, practise and see if it helps. IF it does, keep practising!
Once you get tired (12 hole or whenever) you fall back into what is comfortable and forget your training. So what is comfortable is what you practise the most.