Head Position Throughout the Swing Process. (Changed - 16/03/2019)


The headrite is a device that I invented, it is simple to use and is supplied with the ball attached to the device and complete with simple instruction of how to use it.

The purpose of the device is to train the golfer to keep the head in the original address position until well after the ball has been struck.

This is achieved by ensuring that the ball that is attached to the device is always covering the ball that is placed on the ground, adjacent to the ball this is to be struck.

 

You can purchase this item for a cost of only £18 ( including P&P)

Delivery - To UK destinations 7 days, ( Outside the UK - 10/14 days)

 

 

If you wish to hit the ball in the direction you are aiming, the lateral position of the golfer's head at the impact position must be the same position that the golfer sets the head at the address position,

 

I have taken a few photo's to illustrate how your lateral head position at the impact position affects the alignment of the club head at the impact position.

(1)

 

This photo shows the address position where the perfect impact position is where the two golf balls at the top of the photo are laterally and horizontally aligned whilst the golf ball that you actually strike is adjacent to the club head.
(When in actual use the top ball would completely hide theball which is adjacent to the ball that is to be struck. (See figure 4)

However in order to show that there is two balls, I have deliberately miss aligned the ball in order to show part of the bottom ball.

Therefore in this photo as well as the golf balls being laterally and horizontally aligned, the club face is square to the target line, but importantly, the head is in the original address position at the point of impact.

 


(2)

This is a different photo which show the view that the golfer would see if they fail to return the head to the original address position at the precise moment the club head strikes the ball.

You will note that in this photo, because the golfer's head failed to return to the original address position at impact, the visual impression shows that the ball attached to the device is slight to the left of the ball placed on the ground (Notice the difference between this photo and the first photo) and this lack of getting the head back to the original address position at impact has a profound effect upon the alignment of the club face.


In this instance the club head will be slightly closed at impact, furthermore the bottom of the swing arc has also moved slightly back, which increases the possibility of the club head striking the ground before making contact with the ball thus causing the ball to hook to the left and also fly on a lower trajectory.

 


(3)

 

This is a different photo where the golfer's head has gone beyond the original address position at the point where the club head strikes the ball.

You will note that in this photo, because the golfer's head has gone beyond the original address position at impact, the visual impression shows that the ball atached to the device is slightly to the right of the ball that was placed on the ground. (Notice the difference between this photo and the first photo) and the action of allowing the golfer's head to go beyond the original address position at impact has a profound effect upon the alignment of the club face.


In this instance the club head will be slightly open at impact, furthermore the bottom of the swing arc has also moved slightly forward, which increases the possibility of the club head striking the ball thin before making contact with the ball thus causing the ball to slice to the right and also fly on a higher trajectory.

 


(4)

This is a side view.
The yellow line depicts the line of sight as the golfer addresses the ball.

 


No Head Movement.

Jack Nicklaus was taught the finer points about golf by Jack Grout, a well known golf instructor of his day.

One of the many things Jack Nicklaus remembers about the instruction, was that in order to teach him to keep his head firmly positioned slightly behind the ball and in the frontal facing condition whilst he performed the golf swing, Jack Grout would have an assistant grab the hair on Jack Nicklaus`s head so tightly that if the head moved at all it would be very painful.

Sam Torrance, a former Ryder Cup Player and Past Captain for the European team, said that his father used to do exactly the same to him when he was young.

Therefore in both cases it clarified the importance of totally eliminating any lateral, vertical or rotational head movement until the club head has reached the bottom of the swing arc.


I cannot state this fact too strongly. -- It is absolutely vital that once the position of your head has been set at the address position you must concentrate in order to eliminate any lateral movement away from the original address position throughout the complete golf swing movement. ( See this VIDEO that I found on YouTube.)

However, although some golfers deliberately allow the head to move laterally away from the original address position during the back swing movement, as the down swing/follow through movement is performed, as the head sways back to the original address position, the head must not move laterally past the original address position.


You will not stop any lateral movements completely, but if you can dramatically reduce any lateral movement of the head away from the original address position as you perform the complete golf swing, your golf shots will dramatically improve.


You must try to hold the head in this position throughout the back swing, the down swing movement and into the follow through movement - with extra care being taken to hold the head in this position as the club head swings through the contact area.

I can speak from experience, having just won an important knockout competition by sticking rigorously to this principle that I promote, so make it a priority to master this basic principle.
( If you fix your focus on the back edge of the golf ball from the moment you address the ball and hold it throughout the complete golf swing you will find this task easier to do.)

I can assure you that once you are aware of how important it is to hold the head firmly in this position at all times, the accuracy of your shots will dramatically improve.


 

 


Absolute Vital Actions.

The ability to keep the head held in the original address position throughout the complete golf swing movement is not easy at first, but with concentration this is achievable.( See Headrite)

Therefore if you wish to play consistently good golf it is important that you force yourself to stop any lateral movement of the head throughout the complete swing movement and ensure this happens every time you swing the golf club.


When this is coupled with the action of watching the ball until the precise moment the it is struck and also maintaining the upper body angles until the end of the golf swing, you will see a dramatic improvement in the quality of your golf shots.


In order to understand what is meant by holding the head firmly positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball, carry out the following exercise, which slightly exaggerates the ball position :-

Take your normal address position with the head positioned directly over the centre of your stance, but place the golf ball on a tee peg adjacent to the big toe of the left foot.

As you look directly down to the ground at the centre of your stance, you will note the golf ball appears to be well to the left of your head position.

Make a very slow half back swing movement keeping the head firmly positioned over the centre of your stance -and then whilst performing the down swing movement, keep the head firmly positioned over the centre of your stance and ensure that the head remains in this position whilst the club head swings past this position in order to strike the ball.

That is how it feels when you perform the full golf swing movement. However, during the full golf swing the ball position will be nearer the centre of the stance than the example as described above, but the feeling you must have is of the passive arms/club head swinging past the position directly below your head -- before the club head strikes the ball.


The left eye must be slightly behind the ball at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball.
You must concentrate on the task.
If I can do it -- so can you.


Therefore the critical point in the golf swing is at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball.

At that point you must ensure that the head is firmly held in place so that the left eye remains slightly behind the ball position -- and if you wish to play very good golf it is absolutely vital that the head is held in this manner with "pinpoint accuracy" until well after the ball has been struck.
( Imagine your head being held firmly in place by two wooden posts fixed into the ground and placed either side of your head thus holding the head very still.)

Therefore regardless of the position of the ball at the address position, either to the left of the centre of the stance for the driver, or nearer to the centre of your stance for the short irons, adjust your stance accordingly so that the head is always positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball at the address position and subsequently at the impact position.

You have to concentrate very hard to keep the head positioned so that the left eye is slightly behind the ball at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, but the effort is very worthwhile.


 

Therefore during the down swing movement you have to be obsessive to ensure that your head remains firmly held in the original address position at all times but especially whilst the club head swings through the contact area and on to the bottom of the swing arc.

We are only talking about the golfer allowing the head to be only a fraction of an inch either side of the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, but this is enough to cause the ball to be sliced to the right of the target or hooked to the left of the target.

Another reason for maintaining the head in this position with "pin point accuracy" is that any lateral movement of the head at the point of impact, no matter how minute, will cause the whole body to be out of alignment, thus causing the position of the bottom of the swing arc to vary.

For instance, if your head is beyond the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move forward in the stance, resulting in the ball being struck with the leading edge of the club, thus possibly causing a "thin" shot.

However if your head is behind the original address position at the precise moment the club head makes contact with the ball, the bottom of the swing arc will automatically move backwards in the stance, resulting in the club making contact with the turf before hitting the ball, thus possibly causing a "fat" shot.

I cannot emphasis how important it is to hold the head steady throughout the golf swing.

 


As long as you give this aspect of the golf swing your full attention and watch the ball as the club head swings into and through the contact area, also keep your head in the Fixed Frontal position until well after the ball has been struck and maintain the upper body angles, the probability of the golf shot going where you are aiming is dramatically increased.

However, failure to adhere to this basic principle will result in the golf shots ending up well to the right or the left of your intended target point, so if you are prone to "slicing"/"hooking" or hitting the ball "fat"/"thin" check out this basic principle of keeping the head firmly in the original address position and in the Fixed Frontal condition until well after the ball has been struck.

 

This principle of making sure that your head remains firmly positioned slightly behind the ball and in the Fixed frontal condition is relevant whether you are playing a full shot, a pitch, a chip or simply putting.


 

 

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