Head dropping during backswing
 

I have a serious problem of dropping my head when taking the club back which leads me to stand up at impact which causes a lot of thin shots and inconsistent play.

Does anyone have any tips or drills that can make me stop doing this?

It seems my hip rotation is too quick so it drops my head down but I am so frustrated with it that I want to work on it all winter to get it out of my system for the spring.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

According to 7-16, it's the job of the knees and waist bend to maintain your heads position during the swing.

That's where I would start looking for the problem.

Kevin

Welcome to LBG!

My bet is that you are reverse pivoting. i.e dropping the left shoulder, as well as your head, whilst making a back swing by simple raising your right shoulder to lift the club up, pushing your right hip away from the target in the process - not really pivoting, or rotating the hips, at all.

For a drill that may help you to correct that, try to ensure that your left shoulder brushes the underside of your chin on the back swing and finishes behind the ball.

Thanks guys I will try both...

when I dip is at the end of my back swing which tells me that one I am taking back to far and my knee's are losing flex.

could be any of a number of things.

As ever, best thing is to video your swing and post it here or a youtube link to it.

Yes, Video always a benefit.
Without it - more of a guess.

1st option - it's only serious in your mind and really not a problem at all- after all we have all worked on things that are really not important. Head drop- what's serious - 1 centimeter, 1 inch, 5 inches, 10 inches?

Not sure quickness of hip rotation is going to cause you to drop your head - possible? sure.

I'd start with posture and distance from the ball. Look for what issues might require you to lower your head on the backswing and then raise it coming through? Imagine someone standing very tall to the ball - no waist bend and very close to the ball and swinging on a steep plane- that would create a motion like you are describing (not saying that's your issue- but you get the principle).

If you are quick- then what factors are making you or supporting your quickness- depends on the person but lower hands at address usually requires/allows higher hand speeds i.e. quicker swings and tighter grips at address - i.e. Hubert Green versus Higher hands and lighter grips at address -Fred Couples.

Would you like to talk to Tiger Woods? - PM "Bucket":wink:

Ted, your package is in the mail.

Obviously someone was teased and confused by the title of this thread . . . I'm sure there were some visions of being stranded at a turkish farm house or something.

Did you see the thread in the putting section titled . . . effective hole size . . . ???? . . . haven't checked that out yet . . . but sounds like something you may wanna chime in on . . .

Video would certainly help, but a few things to check....

A lot of golfers, thanks to all the quick tips and magazines, forget the real goal of the swing - impact.

The single best drill you can do at home with a mirror is to practice impact fix over, and over and over.

The flying wedges - is the left arm and shaft in line (face one), is the right forearm and shaft in line (down the line)? Did you take your grip at impact fix? Is the right wrist 'level'?

Is your weight primarily on the left leg at impact?

Get into impact fix, then practice small motions back and through from there. Your head won't move.

Slowly make bigger motions - when does your head start to move?

Odds are it is a flexibility issue, and letting the right hip move 'back' will actually help - and so will letting the left foot come up, roll up, from the inside edge, until you get the back of the left shoulder behind the ball at the top.

Imagine you want to hit the ball with the back of the left shoulder. Let you body move freely to get there.

Nice! Now U rollin! I can go back to sleep.

Maybe you should check your shoulder turn and the arms pickup & turn. The shoulder turn in the back swing can be very flat. Check that you're turning and not tilting.

You don't need to lift anything with your shoulders. The arms have a steeper job and do most of the lifting.

You might wanna check your weight shift too. Right foot pressure from the top and standing on the left foot in the finish.

Help
 

I have a student with the same situation. Without a club, get into your address position. Turn or rotate your trunk, torso to the right as if you're making a backswing, keeping your shoulders LEVEL. 80-90% of your weight should be on your right foot. Now turn to a full finish with your stomach pointing toward your target, 90-95% of your weight on your left foot and the tip of your right toe.

Also, you can get into your address position without a club and turn as if you are shaking hands with someone on your target line behind you. Your shoulders will be level and your weight will transfer to your right foot. Then turn to a full finish described above.

You can look in a mirror at home and do both of these drills. Pick out a spot on the mirror - or make one. Stand so that spot is on your forehead or just above your head. As you make your backswing, your head should not drop below that mark.

These should help.