Myth # 1. KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN! The most common and most inaccurate tip the average golfer uses to diagnose fellow golfers is the KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN myth; this is very much a myth, check out any tour player or low handicap golfers. Not one of them would lift their head at impact. Yet it remains the No. 1 self diagnosis of most golfers, and especially parents to there beginner kids. There are few self-diagnoses that are worse than this one. With more harm is being done to your swing than good. There is some truth to keeping your head down, but its not keeping your head down is what’s important, its keeping your head still is what’s important.
Fact # 1. KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL. The excessive attempt to keep your head down ruins your posture and therefore your ability to move in balance .In order to have balance; your head must be up. Yes you maintain eye contact with the golf ball, but if the head is down to the point where the chin is buried in the chest, this is a sure fire way to restrict the turning motion that is so critical in the swing. Most reverse pivots start with your head too far down. Most “chicken wings” (bent lead arm at and through impact) are the result of a poor pivot caused by the head too far down. Your head weighs between 8 and 12 pounds and is the heaviest part of the human anatomy — keeping it down can make you top heavy and ruin motion.
Here is a drill to try out on the practice tee or even waiting on a tee box for the group ahead.
Simply line up facing away from the sun, place a tee at the top of your shadow. Take a slow practice swing focusing on keeping your head still and up after imitated impact. NOT KEEPING your head down. The ideal movement is one to two maximum inches movement up and or down. Remember keeping your head up and looking at the ball until impact is critical for maximum swing rotation.
Try it out at http://www.bluedevilgolf.com
Riley Boothby CPGA Assistant Pro GlenEagles