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Introduction

'Keep your head still'. 'Keep your head over the ball'.

Almost all golfers have heard statements like these at some stage in their golf development. Usually such advice is accepted without question. However, it may be that the idea of keeping the head still throughout the golf swing should be seriously challenged. Within the following article we will argue that by keeping the head still a player may actually hinder technical improvement especially when attempting to develop a sound swing that produces distance. To address this issue more closely we will elaborate upon some of the scientific knowledge regarding the role of the head in coordinated movement, prior to consideration of the implications of this knowledge for head movement in the golf swing.

Take a look at the following video film of two expert golfers. More specifically, observe their head movement:

Expert 1 To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Expert 2 To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Did you notice any head movement? If so, at what point in the swing is the head moving versus staying still?

As you have seen, experts do move their heads during the golf swing. However, they typically keep their head quite still (stabilised) just prior to and following the ball contact zone. In a study by Sanders and Owens (1992) it was found that most novices have a smaller range of head motion than experts and yet move their head more than experts during the period immediately before, and after, contact with the ball.

To understand why elite players move their head during the swing but appear to stabilise the head just prior to contact with the ball we will consider the pros and cons of head movement with respect to the golf swing.

Range of Motion

A fast swing that results in greater distance comes from a coordinated sequence of movements involving the whole body. Now compare the motion of the body parts of a typical novice and elite golfer in the next two video clips by clicking on the icons below.

Novice To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Elite To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Notice that the elite golfer displays a large range of motion. This is especially apparent in the movement of their upper body.

What do you notice about the movement of the lower body especially the hips of the elite player compared to the hips of the novice player? How much hip rotation occurs during the backswing in comparison to the follow-through?

OK, you may now have noticed that the elite golfer achieves great club-head speed by using a coordinated sequence of body movements comprising a number of body parts each moving through a certain range of motion. In contrast, the novice golfer possesses much less movement about two areas in particular - the upper body and the hips.

Next, compare the travel of the club-head for both golfers. Do you notice a difference in the distance that the club-head travels away from the body throughout the golf swing?

Before you play the next two videos place a pen against the computer screen so that the players' bodies are vertically split down the middle. OK, now play the two videos below and carefully watch the players' body movements. What do you notice about the movement of the players' bodies with respect to the central reference line?

Novice To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Elite To download or play this video, click one of the following buttons:

Did you recognise that the elite player rotates the upper body so that the whole body moves backwards (to the player's right) during the back swing?

Next, notice that to initiate the downswing, the elite player's hips move toward the target prior to rotation of the upper body. As the hips continue to rotate beyond the instant of ball contact, weight is also transferred to the left leg. This weight transfer facilitates rotation of the body around an axis close to the centre of weight distribution. This rotation contributes greatly to the coordinated sequencing of movement to generate clubhead speed.

It is not the 'weight transfer' itself that is beneficial but the advantages it provides in developing rotation.

Try this rotational exercise (please make sure that you do your usual golf warm-up activities prior to attempting this exercise):

Stand in your usual address position. Now without any lateral movement of the upper body try to rotate your hips and shoulders during your golf swing. OK, now try this movement again but first, allow the upper body to tilt sideways from the waist so that your left shoulder is raised a few inches above your right shoulder (if you are left- handed reverse this perspective). You should now find that you can place more weight on the inside of the right foot prior to any backswing activity. Repeat the same exercise as before and now compare your range of hip and shoulder rotation. In addition, if you shift your weight to the left foot during the downswing you should be able to produce more rotational movement during the follow-through.

You may have noticed that your hip rotation was much easier and quicker during the backswing and follow-through when your movement was preceded by a 'transfer of weight.' This weight transfer was to the right prior to the backswing, and to the left, prior to the downswing and follow-through. There are several reasons why this weight transfer helps the process of producing rotation.

All of these reasons come from the fact that to produce rotation we need an external turning force called a 'torque'. Torques are produced when a force acts in a direction such that there is a distance between its line of action and the axis of rotation. The bigger the force, and the further the distance of the line of action of the force from the axis of rotation, then the greater the turning effect (torque). An analogy to help you understand this information is opening a door. If we push at the handle, that is, a long way from the axis (hinge) then the door is easy to rotate because we have a large distance from the axis. Alternatively we can say that we have a large 'lever'. If we push on the wrong side, that is, near the hinge, the door will be hard to open. Therefore, to produce a strong rotation we need two things:

To maximise the force we need to position ourselves so that we can push against the ground with our feet. To help explain the importance of the feet in producing torques try this exercise: Stand in the address position with your weight centred evenly over both feet. Now push against the ground with your right foot so that the push is directly outwards in the direction from left to right. The force from the ground will be in exactly the opposite direction, that is from right to left (see Figure 1).

What happened? If you pushed entirely outwards then there would not be a tendency to rotate around your long axis. However, the force pushes you over to your left side. Then you have to stop pushing because you would otherwise lose balance and fall to your left as suggested by Figure 1. Figure 1 shows that the force is through the axis and therefore does not cause rotation but does cause movement from the right to the left.

Now try this exercise: Stand in the address position with your weight centred evenly over both feet. Now push against the ground with your right foot so that the push is directly backwards in the direction front to back. The force from the ground will be in exactly the opposite direction, that is from back to front (see Figure 2). What happened? You probably found that you needed to lean forward in order to be able to push back and this in combination with the force produced in the forward direction tended to make you move forward and lose balance in the forward direction. The other thing that would have happened is that you would rotate to the left.

If this didn't happen then it means that you were also producing forces with your left foot that balanced the effect of the forces from the right foot. Figure 2 shows that the force is not through the axis and therefore causes rotation but also causes movement in the forward direction causing you to lose balance.

So how can you produce fast rotation without overbalancing? If we consider the two basic ideas - large forces and large lever, then larges forces can be generated if you move the body to the right then push hard off the right foot. By moving to the right first you can push hard for a period of time without losing balance to the left. To create a large lever the force is applied through the 'ball of the foot', that is, away from the heel and towards the toes. This is achieved by rolling forward onto the ball of the right foot (see Figure 3). Figure 3 shows that the force is not through the axis and therefore causes rotation.

You can maximise your hip rotation during the follow-through, by rolling onto the ball of your right foot as you push forcefully outwards and to some extent, backwards. Although this has not been tested in a laboratory to date, we think that the situation used to develop rotation in the early part of the downswing is somewhat like that shown in Figure 3.

In summary, what you have learnt from this information is that having a 'weight transfer' assists in positioning your body to generate large torques and thereby initiate the range of rotation that eventually results in fast club head speeds.

The fact that it is desirable to allow lateral movement of the body 'weight transfer' has implications for movement of the head. Naturally, as the body moves, the head will need to move with it.

Upper Body Rotation

We now know that to allow a good range of rotation to the left during the downswing (to develop clubhead speed), you need to have rotated to the right during the backswing. The greater the range of rotation to the right during the backswing, then the greater the range of motion available to generate fast speeds during the downswing.

We have seen from the previous videos that experts have large ranges of rotation compared to novices. However, what are the implications of the experts' range of motion for movement of the head?

To help us answer this question try this exercise:

1. Whilst sitting on a bench (or away from the backrest of a chair) and keeping your head facing forward rotate your shoulders to the right until you feel slightly tight.
2. Now, repeat this exercise, except this time, allow your head to rotate with your shoulders.

You should recognise that, by allowing the head to rotate with the upper body, a greater range of motion is achieved and that rotation seems easier.

Recent golf research investigating hip and shoulder rotation in a group of eight golfers (handicaps of 10 or less) found that the golfers' maximum shoulder rotation was greater than 90 degrees during the backswing (Burden, Grimshaw, & Wallace, 1998). We now recognise that this range is important in golf and in other sports. For example, Anderson and Sidaway (1993) when assessing a soccer kicking skill found that greater ball velocities (speed) were achieved by players with a greater range of motion about the hip and knee. Interestingly, their research also showed that novices' ability to kick soccer balls at greater velocities progressed as a direct result of improved range of motion about the hip and knee. In the tennis forehand drive an action that like golf requires upper body rotation, advanced players rotate the body and racket further than less skilled players (Takahashi, Elliott, & Wood, 1996). The simple message provided here is that you should consider your present range of motion, and secondly, let your head move with your upper body during the phases that we have just described in the golf swing.

Using Your Head

You have already seen the body movement associated with weight transfer when analysing expert golfers' body movements in the foregoing video clips. After reading the discussion above you may also appreciate that this movement is necessary to generate fast club head speed. In addition, your analysis of head movement in the previous rotation exercises would have shown you that movement of the head and the upper body is vital in the golf swing to attain maximal shoulder rotation.

Given that some head movement is necessary, why might it be beneficial for beginning players to be instructed to 'keep the head still'? To help answer this question let's look more closely at the role of the sensory systems in maintaining balance and in assisting coordinated movement. It should be recognised that very little research has been conducted to date to answer these questions with respect to the golf swing. However, based on current knowledge of the human motor control systems we can consider some 'educated guesses' and put forward some possible explanations.

Dynamic & Static Balance

One of the primary functions of the head is that it houses fundamentally important sensory systems responsible for maintaining balance and controlling movement. These systems include the vestibular (balance) system and the visual control mechanisms. The vestibular system (comprising the vestibule and semicircular canals, and otolith organs of the ear) provides critical ongoing information that clearly defines the position of the head relative to the line of gravity and its motion. In brief, this system provides critical information to help us control balance. Furthermore, this information can be subdivided into two forms. There is information about the movement of the body. This is termed 'dynamic' information. Also, there is information regarding the position of the body at any particular time. This is called 'static' information.

The detection of dynamic and static information is very important in maintaining balance during human movement (Schumway-Cook & Woolacott, 1985). In golf, the problem of supporting the body in a balanced position is accentuated by the transfer of weight away from the ball on the backswing and then towards and beyond the ball during the downswing and follow-through. The vestibular and visual systems tell us about the position and motion of the head during the golf swing, and are concurrently linked to pressure receptors in the feet. This interactive behaviour of the body's senses enables us to move in an ordered manner without loss of balance. Therefore, the need to keep the head still when learning golf may be linked to the combined roles of the vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive (feeling) systems involved in maintaining balance.

All of these senses function much better when there is a stable frame of reference, that is, when the head is still. In golf we suspect that the comparison of important sensory information between shots (in order to make on-going necessary adjustments to improve performance) is aided by having a consistent frame of reference. At this point we are not advocating the idea of keeping the head still at all times, we are simply pointing out that in some ways novices may try to make the task of hitting the ball without falling over easier by attempting to keep their heads still. The difference between novices and experts relative to this discussion is that experts stabilise their head through ball contact but have enough confidence in their sensory systems to move their heads prior to and beyond the ball contact phase. As discussed, this freedom of head movement is vital to the rotational range of the golf swing that contributes to the speed of the clubhead and the distance of the ball.

The Role of Sensory & Postural Information in Maintaining Balance

Vision is recognised as the most dominant source of sensory information for maintaining balance (Lee, 1980). If the head is rotated to facilitate the body's range of motion then this rotation may prevent the gaze (which helps in maintaining balance) being fixed on the ball, and may simultaneously reduce the quality of vestibular and proprioceptive inputs. Thus, head movement may increase the likelihood of balance problems (Schumway-Cook & Woolacott, 1985). By not moving the head on the backswing the novice player may have an easier task in maintaining balance at this time. However, during the follow-through a trade-off for this behaviour may occur as evidence suggests that novices show relatively greater head movement through the ball contact zone (Sanders & Owens, 1992).

Goldberg (1992) suggests that the performance of complex actions involving both visual and motor coordination is improved when the head is 'momentarily prevented from excessive rotation relative to the visual target'. Therefore, by restricting balance problems during the backswing the novice may incur greater difficulties in maintaining balance at the ball contact phase of the follow-through. The restriction of weight transfer during the backswing may present other problems. Bouisset & Zattara (1987) suggest that the development of advanced postural control reactions to upper body rotation requires the reinforcement of experience. Therefore in elite players, because the head moves with the spine (as weight is transferred), the postural muscles opposite to the direction of travel activate in advance of the backswing movement.

Because novices may display less head movement and less weight transfer during the backswing there would be less need for the development of these stabilising postural characteristics. In novices, a lack of development of an appropriate postural muscle reaction to weight transfer could therefore lead to problems when attempting weight transfer activity involving movement of the head with the spine. At a coaching level this understanding would suggest that time should be given during practice to develop the necessary postural muscle reactions to head movement and weight transfer. By adhering to advice such as 'keep the head still', novice players may therefore inhibit the development of a more advanced and effective golf swing in the long term.

Sensory Integration & Feedback

At this point it is worthwhile restating that Sanders and Owens (1992) found that whilst more expert golfers stabilise their heads through impact, novices in comparison, move their heads less during the whole swing but more through the impact phase. Head stabilisation at impact would also provide a better opportunity for quality inter-sensory information to be recognised. This information could then be more clearly related to the feel of ball contact and ultimately to the outcome of the ball. Sensory information would therefore be presented within a more stable framework of head and body movement at the expert level. As such, it is easy to imagine that this sensory information would not only be of a better quality it would also be somewhat more consistent.

In skill development terms, relating internal (intrinsic) feedback information to external (extrinsic) feedback appears critical to skill progress (Salmoni, Schmidt & Walter, 1984). This means that the golfer should actively try to relate the sensory feelings of the golf swing and ball contact to the external movement of the ball. The more consistent the stability of the head through the ball contact phase then the better the reliability and quality of this sensory information might be.

However, to evaluate the ball's outcome in relation to sensory information a player must follow the ball visually at a point in the swing beyond the head stabilisation phase. Furthermore, to complete the rotational range of the follow-through the golfer should follow the head stabilisation phase with more head movement as the head continues to move with the rotation of the spine (as in the backswing). This head movement can again be seen in the follow through of elite golfers in the earlier video footage.

Further Advice from Golf Professional Ian Rae, who is presently a Scottish National Golf Coach, based at the Scottish National Golf Centre

As summarised in this article the role of the head is extremely important in golf. I have found that many developing players find problems in transferring their weight and in showing appropriate shoulder and hip rotation during the backswing. To help you feel more confident about a number of the issues raised in this article and in transferring your weight, I will reinforce some of the most important technical points required in the address position and during the backswing. You can easily check these points by observing your own posture in a mirror or on video.

Address Position: The first point to note is in the set-up. It is important that the shoulder and hip nearest to the target are higher than the shoulder and hip on the other side of your body. You can check this position by playing the experts video once more. You should also notice that at address the edge of the left shoulder sits directly above the left hip and knee. In addition both knees are flexed (at about 10 degrees).

Backswing: The right leg stays flexed during the backswing. The left shoulder will move from the address position to a position over the right foot at the top of the backswing and your head will have moved about 2-3 inches to the right when using a driver and about 1 inch with a wedge. During the backswing the head also rotates slightly (about 10 degrees). So you will find yourself facing your right foot at the top of the swing (the left foot for left handed players). As pointed out in this article it is important to keep your eyes focused on the ball despite this movement of your head.

It is worthwhile practising this ability to move your head while you still fix your eyes on the ball. During the backswing the hips will turn about half the distance of the shoulders. Again, the idea proposed in this article of working on the flexibility about the shoulders and hips will benefit the ease of your golf swing.

A good feeling during the backswing is that the left shoulder moves down and under your chin and that the right shoulder moves upwards and behind the head. At the top of your backswing you should feel about 80% of your weight on the right foot. The weight is kept away from the outside of the foot to avoid a loss of balance. This weight distribution also helps rotation during the follow-through when pushing off the right foot as in Figure 3.

Downswing and Follow-Through: The downswing should begin with some lower body movement. Within this movement the left knee moves sideways towards the target following the travel of the left hip. This allows the body weight to move towards a 50%-50% distribution between both feet. It also allows for further hip rotation such that the left hip begins to move behind the left knee. As the lower body starts the downswing the hands, arms and club will fall down (they are not pulled down) to waist height before the upper body then starts rotating towards the target. The right shoulder lowers during the early part of the downswing and as the hands move to a position level with the hip then the shoulders and hips continue to turn and throw the club head out towards the ball (i.e., down-out-forwards). During the follow-through the hips and shoulders will continue to rotate. The body does not move forward beyond the line of the left hip position previously recognised at address. Instead, the rotation of the lower followed by upper body turns the hips and shoulders to face the target. At impact the body weight will move onto the left foot (approximately 80%) and the right heel is 'pulled' from the floor by the rotation of the hips.

We will consider your golf development within further interactive articles. Until then good luck!

References

Anderson, D. I., & Sidaway, B. (1994). Coordination changes associated with practice of a soccer kick. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 65, 93-99.
Bousset, S., & Zattara, M. (1987). Postural muscular activities and intentional movements. Medicine Sport Science, 26, 163-173.
Burden, A. M., Grimshaw, P. N., & Wallace, E.S. (1998). Hip and shoulder rotations during the golf swing of sub-10 handicap players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 16, 165-176.
Goldberg, J., (1992). Nonlinear dynamics of involuntary head movements. In The Head-Neck Sensory Motor System (Berthoz, A., Graf, W., & Vidal. P. P., Eds), 400-402.
Lee, D. N., (1980). Visuo-motor coordination in space-time. In Tutorials in Motor Behavior (Stelmach. G. E., & Requin, J. Eds), 281-295.
Sanders, R.H., & Owens, P. (1992). Hub movement during the swing of elite and novice golfers. International Journal of Sport Biomechanics, 8(4), 320-330.
Schumway-Cook, A., & Woolacott, M. H. (1985). The growth of stability: Postural control from a developmental perspective. Journal of Motor Behaviour, 17, 131-147.
Takahashi, K., Elliott, B. C., & Wood, G. A. (1991). The role of upper limb segment rotations in the development of the tennis forehand. The Australian Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 28, 106-113..