There are a number of key factors present with most good ball strikers, maintaining the eyes at the same level throughout the swing is one of them.
Maintaining the level of the eyes fulfils a number of key things during the swing. It ensures there are no big rises or falls of the posture during the swing which lead to fat and thinned shots. The eyes remaining on the same level also means the head can become a fixed point to rotate the body around.
Although keeping the eyes level during the swing is beneficial to good ball striking it’s not something which is easy to accomplish. This is because of the way the body moves throughout the swing. There are a number of forces looking to pull and push the head out of position, such as the back swing. As the club begins to travel backward it will want to also pull the body to the left. As the club rises upward to the top of the swing, the body could rise with it. This is important to avoid because if the body and eye level lift by four inches, for example, it must drop four inches through impact to achieve a solid strike on the ball. Even worse than rising in the back swing would be rising up through impact; this will cause thin and topped shots. Follow this drill to help keep the eyes more level throughout the swing.
Keep the Eyes Level
To complete this drill, left handed golfers will need the help of a mirror.
1. Take up a solid posture position with the spine tilted over from the hips.
2. If using a mirror at home, look up and watch your reflection.
3. Take a number of slow motion swings looking at your reflection in the mirror.
4. Try to keep the head ‘central’. This means as you watch your reflection don’t allow the head to move up or down, or side to side. Keep it dead centre.
5. After 10 or more practice swings have been completed, drop your eyes down to the ball and try to ensure the same feeling of keeping the head central.
If you find you are unable to keep the head in a central and level position there could be a number of causes. The main cause is usually a straightening of the knees during the back swing or a lifting of the spine. Using the above practice drill will help but left handed golfers must also ensure they work on improving the flexibility and strength in their upper legs, lower back and stomach (the core). Having more control and strength in these muscles will help ensure more control.
For left handed golfers to ensure they strike the ball to the best of their ability, they should focus on keeping the eyes level.
