Harper Lin
Keeping your head still during a golf swing is a well-known piece of advice, but it is easier said than done. While some golfers believe that keeping your head still is not necessary for a good swing, others argue that minimizing head movement helps control the low point of the swing. To keep your head still, you can try drills such as putting a tee in your mouth or having a friend hold an alignment stick to your head while swinging. Ultimately, the goal is to keep your head in the circle, which refers to maintaining vertical alignment between the upper and lower centers of your body.
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What You'll Learn
Keeping your head still is a myth
Keeping your head still in golf is a myth. While it is true that golfers should try to keep their heads still, it is not possible or even desirable to keep it "steady as a rock". The intention is to keep the head relatively still, but all great golfers move their heads to some extent.
The idea of keeping the head perfectly still may even be detrimental to your game. If you focus too much on keeping your head still, you may add an extra, unnecessary step to your swing, making it more difficult to bring your head back to its original position.
Instead of focusing solely on keeping your head still, golfers should aim to keep their heads in the circle. This refers to maintaining vertical alignment between the upper and lower centres of the body during the swing. The upper centre is the notch in your sternum, while the lower centre is your belt buckle. By tilting the neck, golfers can keep their heads within this circle, allowing for some movement while still achieving solid contact with the ball.
To improve your head positioning, try putting a tee in your mouth while you swing. This will give you immediate feedback on how it feels to keep your head relatively still, allowing you to internalise this knowledge and improve your technique.
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The importance of neck tilt
Keeping the head still during a golf swing has been one of the longest-standing mysteries in the sport. While it is important to keep the head still, it is not advisable to aim for complete stillness. The goal is to keep the head "in the circle", which refers to maintaining vertical alignment between the upper and lower centres of the body during the swing. This ensures that the golfer makes solid contact with the ball.
The neck tilt plays a crucial role in achieving this vertical alignment. The cervical spine, which connects the head to the body, has a highly mobile construction. By tilting the neck, golfers can keep their heads in the circle, allowing for a more controlled and accurate swing. This understanding of neck tilt can help golfers improve their technique and overcome the common challenge of keeping their heads still.
To illustrate the concept of neck tilt, consider the image of a golfer with an alignment stick or a golf club held by a partner resting on their head. This setup helps golfers visualise the required neck tilt to keep their heads in the circle. Additionally, drawing a circle around the head in swing videos can provide a reference point for analysing neck movement.
While some head movement is acceptable, excessive movement can disrupt the swing and affect the accuracy of the shot. Golfers should strive for a steady head position with minimal movement to improve their overall performance. Practising with a tee in the mouth, as suggested by Ben Hogan, provides immediate feedback on head movement and helps golfers internalise the feeling of keeping their heads still.
In conclusion, the neck tilt plays a vital role in keeping the head "in the circle" during a golf swing. By understanding the importance of neck tilt, golfers can improve their technique, make more solid contact with the ball, and ultimately enhance their performance on the course.
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The role of the eyes
The eyes play a key role in achieving this. Golfers should aim to keep their eyes fixed on the ball, allowing their head and neck to swivel relative to their rotating shoulders. This ensures that their gaze remains locked on the ball throughout the swing.
To help with this, golfers can try a simple drill: place a tee in your lips and point it at the ball as you swing. This provides immediate feedback, helping you become more conscious of any head movement and allowing you to make adjustments.
Another technique is to have a buddy hold an alignment stick or the butt of a golf club against your head while you take shots. This helps you develop a sense of the club's position relative to your head, even when it is not physically there.
While keeping the head still is important, it is not the only factor in achieving a successful swing. Great golfers allow for some natural head movement, focusing instead on controlling the low point of the swing and maintaining vertical alignment of the body's two centers: the upper center (the notch in your sternum) and the lower center (your belt buckle).
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The function of the swing
To achieve this, golfers must focus on keeping their head "in the circle" during the swing. This means that the two centers of the body, the upper center (the notch in your sternum) and the lower center (your belt buckle), are in vertical alignment. This alignment contributes to solid contact with the ball.
The neck tilt is crucial to keeping the head in the circle. The head is connected to the body through the cervical spine, which has a highly mobile construction. By understanding the range of motion of the cervical spine, golfers can learn how to move their heads within the circle during the swing.
While keeping the head completely still during the swing is not realistic or desirable, minimizing unnecessary head movement helps to maintain consistency and accuracy. Golfers should aim for a textbook amount of the three movements: tilting of the neck, rotation of the shoulders, and swivelling of the head and neck to keep the eyes fixed on the ball.
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Drills to keep your head still
Keeping your head still during a golf swing is one of the longest-standing mysteries in the sport. While it is important to keep your head still, it is also important to note that it is okay to have some movement. The key is to keep your head "in the circle", which means maintaining vertical alignment between your upper and lower body centres during the swing. This allows for a relaxed shoulder turn and helps control the low point of the swing, ensuring you hit the ground just after the ball.
The Tee Drill
This drill provides immediate feedback on how to keep your head still. Simply put a tee in your lips and point it at the ball as you hit it. This will help you become aware of any head movement, such as swaying off the ball on the backswing or jerking your head on the downswing.
The Alignment Stick Drill
Have a friend hold an alignment stick or the butt of a golf club on your head while you hit shots. They should stand directly in front of you to avoid interfering with your swing. This drill helps you develop a feel for the golf club sitting on your head, making you more conscious of your head movement.
The Shadow Drill
Place a ball on the ground and stand with the light source behind you so that you can see your shadow. Take your golf stance and line up the ball with the top of your shadow. Now take practice swings, aiming to keep the ball in the same location within your shadow. If the ball moves to your chin, you know you are raising your head.
The Circle Drill
Bend a wire coat hanger into a small circle and stick the other end into the ground outside your ball, positioning the circle a couple of feet above the ball so you can see it. This visual aid helps you keep your head still throughout the swing and down through the shot.
Remember, it is natural to have some head movement, so don't worry too much about keeping it perfectly still. Focus on maintaining vertical alignment and controlling the low point of your swing.
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Frequently asked questions
Keeping your head still is not necessary, but it is important to keep it steady. All great golfers move their heads to some extent, and complete stillness may even lead to inconsistencies.
Keeping your head still helps you control the low point of your swing. The greatest players in the world all hit the ground in the same place, just after the ball.
Try putting a tee in your mouth and pointing it at the ball as you swing. This will give you immediate feedback on how it feels to keep your head still, and you will become more conscious of your head movement.
One common mistake is focusing too much on keeping your head still, rather than on the function of the swing. Another mistake is believing that keeping your head still is more important than keeping your eyes fixed on the ball.
