Keeping your head down during the swing has been blamed for numerous golf swing problems. Today, I’ll share a tip from Ted Frick, Golf Professional and Instructor at Classic Swing Golf School. Enjoy!
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"You looked up," or "Keep your head down." How many times have you heard one of these famous sayings on the golf course or at the range after a ‘thin’ shot? Often called the topped shot or worm burner, the trajectory of this shot is very low, too low. Believe it or not, this type of mishit golf shot has nothing to do with looking up at all. Hitting up verses hitting down on the ball could be the issue for this trajectory, but for this month, I will address the need to stay in the spine angle established at address to avoid the ‘thin’ shot.
Many golfers incorrectly lift their upper torso out of the shot as in Picture 2 because they are trying to help the ball into the air.
The spine is the axis that the golfer is rotating the hips and shoulders around during the golf swing. When this axis remains constant, then the golfer’s relationship to the ball remains constant, and therefore, ball striking improves. If the head is considered the top of the spine for this article, then the rear end is the base of the spine. In order to keep the head steady, think ‘chest over the ball’. In order to keep the base of the spine steady, think ‘keep rear end back’.
One of my favorite pivot drills to focus on the sensation of keeping the rear end back is the wall drill (See Picture 3). Set up in a good spine angle while simulating address with your glutes up against the wall. Now perform your pivot, backswing and downswing, while keeping at least one glute up against the wall throughout entire motion (right glute then left glute for the right handed golfer).
To help keep the rear end back and prevent the hips from moving in towards the ball during the downswing, use a chair while practicing (See Picture 4). The back of the chair should rest against the base of the spine (rear end) with two of the four legs completely off the ground. Your goal is to learn to hit balls while keeping the two chair legs off the ground. In order to do this, the hips must stay back.
Again, I understand hitting up will create a top shot, but so will standing up. You make the call: heads or tails! You can focus on keeping your head steady and chest over the ball or keeping your tail back to work on staying in your spine angle. Either of these two swing thoughts provides a wonderful remedy for the mysterious ‘thin’ shot. Remember, it has nothing to do with looking up but more with standing up!
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Perhaps the most common mistake among amateur golfers and newcomers to the game is their propensity to pull their head off of the ball during the course of the swing. In 90% of sports, the adage, "keep your eye on the ball," is a relative standard. Golf is no different.
Ted’s advice and other information regarding improving your golf game and golf lessons in Myrtle Beach can be found by visiting classicswing.com/home/. There, you will see Classic Swing Golf School’s variety of golf training programs, golf instructors and how to improve.