Keep Your Head Still – A Golfing Fallacy

I returned to my office this morning from a fantastic 40th birthday weekend party in the Lake District (see photo below) to find the rest of chapter 2 in my in box. All of the golf fallacies are now loud and clear – ready for your attention. This is the “rubbish” you must bin, each and everyone of them.

So as there is no confusion, these are the golf fallacies I am refering to:

“Relax” – “Use a light grip” – “Be loose” – “Take the club back inside” – “The club follows the same path coming down that it takes going up” – “Pause at the top” – “Turn the hips to the left” – “Keep the head still” – “Start down with a pull of the left arm” – “Have the face open at the top” – “Don’t let the body or hands get ahead of the club” – “Be comfortable” – “Break the wrists late” – “Swing the club head” – “Hit against a firm left side” – “Snap your wrists into the shot” – “Hit hard with the right hand” – “Don’t drop the right shoulder” – “Hit down on the ball” – “Use your natural swing” – “Follow through” – “Don’t quit on the shot” – “Pronate your wrists” – “Pivot the body” – “Positions at address and impact must be the same” 

I have hyperlinked the second sample I spoke about at the end of last week in this blog. This was only a small sample but I wanted to give you a sneak preview.

Likewise I have another sample for your enjoyment.

The transcript is as follows:

Keep Your Head Still

“This impossible advice has been given in one form or another for about as long as there has been any literature on golf: “Keep your head down.” “Keep your head still.” “Keep your head fixed.” “Keep your eye on the ball.” “Don’t lift your head.” “Don’t look up.” You’ve heard these directions a thousand times.

If they would only say, “Keep your head back,” they would be much closer to being right. Because the head does have to stay back, whether or not it moves.

But the head does move. A careful study of pictures of the best golfers in the modern game reveals a very definite pattern of movement. The head stays steady on the back-swing, or perhaps turns on the neck a little to the right. Once the downswing gets well under way, though, the head moves to the right and comes down. It doesn’t move ten or twelve inches, nothing like that. But it does move, consistently, in the right-and-downward pattern from one to three inches, perhaps more.

This movement is not an idiosyncrasy of certain individuals. In the correct swing it must take place, and the pictures show that it does. Arnold Palmer, Bill Casper, Middlecoff, Snead, Hogan, Finsterwald, Byron Nelson – they all have it.

It is caused by the rocking shoulder movement that takes place, a rocking that brings the left shoulder up and the right shoulder down, and by the bowing-out of the body toward the target as the weight is moved far over to the left. The rocking shoulder movement causes the head to move to the right, the bowing-out of the body brings the head down.

These actions of the head will be explained in greater detail later, as we get into the New Four Magic Moves. Meanwhile, don’t let anyone convince you that the head doesn’t move in a good golf swing. It has to.”

Over the next few days I look forward to telling you more about the golf grip and stance right before we move onto the new four magic moves.


5 Responses to “Keep Your Head Still – A Golfing Fallacy”

  1. earl says:

    thanks = nemsis – your ideas make sense. thanks again
    ‘hit em straight’ earl

  2. toby butler says:

    thanks andy your on to something:

  3. Robert Turner says:

    HI Andy,

    Just to thank you for your guidlines on our game of golf.

    Since trying your new methods my game has laready improved and I read all of your articles with renewed interest and determination, I feel that the money I have sent for subscription is by far the best investment, I have made in a long time, thank you again.

    Many happy returns of the day, it sounds as though your 40th will be a milestone to remember, keep up the great work Andy.

    Kindest regards and be sure to give bonny Scotland my love.

    Robert Turner.

  4. Mitch says:

    Thank you so much for this opportunity, I enjoyed reading.

    Mitch

  5. Graham Willmott says:

    Andy

    Could you please mention or leave a comment on each article perhaps a (RH) to indicate that these articles are refer to a right hand mode in the instruction/comment.

    Thanks I am a simple lad

    Graham

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