You're Correct!

Knowing where the club head is during your golf swing is an ability that all great golfers possess. The moving component of your golf swing is the golf club and specifically the club head.

The club head is drawn away from the golf ball around your body and then swung back down to collide with a stationary object, the golf ball, which it propels forward towards the target. Because the golf ball is not moving, it makes it relatively easy to hit if you are aware of the position of the moving object, the club head. However, as you move the club head around you, it swings out of your field of vision and therefore it becomes more difficult to know its position unless you use another of your senses.

Lower handicap golfers have excellent proprioception that is they are aware or have a sense of where their hands, arms and shoulders are during the golf swing. By using this awareness, they are able to feel the position of the golf club and therefore the club head as it moves around them and out of their vision. Learning to use your awareness, your proprioception and feeling where the club head is as it moves around you, will make it much easier for you to swing the club head back to the golf ball and make a solid, centred and square contact between the club head and the ball.

In order to help you improve your feel of where your arms and the club head are as you swing, try working on the following drill. Swing the club back and as the club head reaches the top of your back swing say the word “back” out loud. This needs to be said at the end of your back swing just prior to the beginning of your down swing. As you swing the club head back down towards the ball say the “hit” out loud as the club head connects with the golf ball. The more awareness you have of where the club head actually is, the more accurately you will be able to say the words in the correct place.

Focusing on the golf ball is important as it is the ball that gets hits towards the target during your golf swing. But you know where the golf ball is because you should position your eyes on it when you swing. Look at the golf ball but focus your awareness on the club head so that you know where it is during your swing and you will improve the strike that you make with the golf ball.

If you have no awareness or feel for the club head as you swing the golf club around you, the connection that you will make with the golf ball will be very hit and miss making you inconsistent. To improve your strike, learn to feel where the club head is.

Golf is very much a game of touch or feel. You need the ability to hit shots at different trajectories and lengths and this is achieved through feel. Feeling where the club head is and the speed that it is travelling at allows you to control the power that you strike the golf ball with as well as the accuracy that you hit the ball from the face.