KEEPING YOUR HEAD DOWN.
Over my 40 years as a professional golf coach there is one issue that I continually encounter that is not helping anyone in any way, shape or form. That is the cry from the other side of the course for you to keep your head down. This has been the main comment strewn about for just about any kind of golf shot that’s not quite perfect and has been throughout my career.
On any level this well meant advice can ruin your game long term more than you may imagine.
Now, I know that this is the other end of the scale and I rarely suggest that you YouTube golf swings, however, take a look at Major Champion and once world No 1 David Duval and also Annika Sorenstam with the same credentials and see where their heads are at impact - looking at the target! Now I’m not suggesting for one minute you try this but it does suggest that keeping your head down too long is not conducive to a good swing.
Now, if your head moves vertically upwards in either the backswing or downswing which is probably where this comment derives from, I can assure you that this is caused by your hips moving towards the ball during your swing, thus changing your spine angle and therefore moving your head upwards and no amount of keeping your head down will fix this.
Locking your head in a fixed position over the ball can cause back and neck injuries and significantly reduce your ability to follow through properly and can cause what is commonly known as a ‘chicken wing’.
So to sum up please let your head release naturally after the ball has been struck and actually get to watch the fantastic shot you’ve just hit rather than stare at the ground. Do pop in and see me if you think this is a problem or you have any questions on this matter.
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