Head Movement

[CaptStubins]

I expect that I'll get a hundred different opinions on this topic, but how much or little should the head move during the swing? I saw a slow motion of Vijay's swing this weekend and his head didn't budge at all. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. Anyway, is that the goal...zero movement? My head moves a good deal laterally and I'm struggling with getting solid contact. Could this be my problem?

[sam2011]

i think...when watching in person, i noticed a lot of tour pros's heads are dead still.

for what its worth, i had a lesson a few years ago and asked about it, and the instructor said that the less head movement you have, the less likely you are to hit a shot fat or thin because your frame of reference doesnt change.

another good example to watch for this is charles howell iii.

[hornyjuan]

All depends on your swing. I know a while back when David Duval had a gut and weighed 250+ in order for his shoulders and body to rotate through impact his head had to move. But typically speaking, zero to no head moving is key as it will give you the most consistent ball-striking at impact. When your head moves laterally, whether it be at the start of your swing or during the downswing, your body will also shift causing your shots at impact to be off.

[jeffy]

Some teachers (Jimmy Ballard) and some players (Curtis Strange, a Ballard pupil) have endorsed a significant lateral shift of the head away from the target on the backswing, then back toward the target on the downswing. That helps create width in a Jim Hardy two-plane swing but obviously introduces an additional timing element. It's a very bad idea to move laterally away from the target in a Jim Hardy one-plane swing. In fact, one-plane swingers will sometimes move slightly toward the target on the backswing (Freddy, Duval). Quite often, one-plane swingers will lower their head as they increase the spine angle in the downswing (Hogan,Trevino).

[+TourSpecGolfer]

I expect that I'll get a hundred different opinions on this topic, but how much or little should the head move during the swing? I saw a slow motion of Vijay's swing this weekend and his head didn't budge at all. Frankly, I was a bit surprised. Anyway, is that the goal...zero movement? My head moves a good deal laterally and I'm struggling with getting solid contact. Could this be my problem?

I watched the same segment and tried it that day at the range and one round after. With my Driver I am much more consistent and with my Irons too. I keep my head super quiet now and It is helping me a lot. I suggest everyone try this.

[zojo]

You want to keep your head, and your lower body as still as possible. after lots of videos and research, i found out that your hips and legs shouldn't move side to side, but instead rotate on a pivot. Imagine a large pole going through the top of your head, following your spine, and down to the ground. Thats how you want to rotate. I think if you get the foundation correct, then your head wont move either

[DUBBED]

This is something I'm working on with my coach. On video we draw a line from my left ear to the ball, and then draw a box around my head. My goal on every swing is to keep my left ear pressed agains that line and keep my head inside the box.

[Junior]

Question what about putting?

I try to keepy my head still putting, but I cant seem to do it when i have both hands on the putter. If I putt one handed I can, but with both hands my head moves.

[benny]

A slight lateral movement of the head is acceptable. By slight I mean a few inches, certainly no more than is necessary to make a complete backswing. One caveat, the head must remain on the same level throughout the backswing and downswing through impact. By changing the level established at address (rising up or lowering down) it makes it exponentially more difficult to get consistent solid contact. Fat shots and thin shots will result as well as the occassional solid strike. Having vertical movement in your head also indicates a change in spine angle, not good hard to time up.

Junior, when putting it is imperative that you learn to keep your head quiet, as well as your torso and legs. The putting stroke is preformed by "rocking" your shoulders. Moving your head at all produces very inconsistent results in an area where you need to be most precise. You can use a CD to check your eye alignment and head movement. Set a ball in the center of a CD thats been turned over to expose its reflective side, practice stroking putts without lifting your head to check the roll. Another drill would be to place a dime beneath your ball and stroke your putt holiding your head still until the dime comes into focus. Good luck, HTH.

G