One of the biggest misconceptions for any golfer when making a full golf swing is that they should try and keep their head down and still.

If you had a lesson with a PGA Golf Professional you would never hear them say this to you, however, if you listen to the advice being given out at driving ranges from amateur golfers, this is the most common statement that is said.

During your golf swing, your head does move. It has minimal movement laterally, that is left to right. If we observe today’s leading golf professionals, we would see that their head remains static when we look with regard to their left to right movement, or it moves half a head to the right (for right handed golfers) during their backswing. During the backswing, the head also remains at the same height. There is no gain or loss in height as you maintain your posture. However, on the downswing we do see today’s leading players dropping their head height. This is a response to them initiating their downswing by rotating their lower body towards the target. As this happens, their body is compressed downwards into their legs, an action very similar to a spring being pushed down ready to explode up as it is released.

We see this compressing action and the power it produces in all other sports. If you consider how a tennis player serves they bend their knees downwards and then jump up as they hit. Look at javelin throwers who run in towards the line, then bend their knees down and explode up as they throw. So golfers who generate power effectively also have this compressing lower body action. As they move the club into impact, their body explodes upwards and we see a lifting of the head as a result of them releasing their full power into the golf ball. As they then rotate, they head to follow the golf ball once it has been hit. Do not keep your head down as this will restrict your follow through rotation and reduce your power, so allow your head to rotate to follow the golf ball. As you feel your right shoulder contact the right side of your chin on your follow through, allow your shoulder to rotate your head to the left and this will allow the rest of your body to rotate powerfully through the shot.

To play your longest golf shots, the correct head movement to work on is remaining static in a left to right, lateral direction, but allowing it to drop, lift and then rotate for maximum power.