The Reason You Lift Your Head Can Be Due to Setup

One of the most common things I see with beginner golfers is their head lifting during the backswing. While many golfers think the problem is simply that they are trying to lift their head, the real cause can often be found in their setup.

If you stand too far away from the ball and your arms become too straight, you can end up standing too tall over the golf ball. This creates too much distance between your body and your hands at address.

When this happens, your arms can become disconnected from your body during the backswing. As you start to take the club back, your body can naturally begin to lift upwards in an attempt to create more room for the arms and club to move.

This upward movement can cause your head to lift during the backswing.

As the body lifts, the arms can also start to collapse at the top of the swing. Instead of creating the correct relationship between the arms and the club through the wrists, the golfer can end up bending the arms to compensate for the lack of space.

This can create a number of problems during the downswing and can often lead to the golfer lifting up through impact, making it much easier to top the golf ball.

This is particularly common with beginner golfers who are still developing their understanding of how to set up correctly to the golf ball.

So, How Do You Fix It?

The key is to make sure your setup gives your arms and body enough space to work together correctly.

Start by tilting your upper body over the golf ball at approximately 45 degrees of spine tilt. From there, your hands should be roughly a hand span away from your body.

You also want to make sure your hands aren't sitting too high at address. Feel like your hands are slightly down rather than reaching out with the arms completely straight.

This creates a much more natural relationship between your hands, arms and body.

When you set up this way, it allows you to hinge your wrists properly as you take the club back. It also helps keep your arms more connected to your body throughout the backswing.

As a result, you’ll have a much better chance of keeping your head steady rather than lifting your body upwards during the takeaway and backswing.

The goal isn't to try to keep your head completely still. Instead, you want to create a setup that allows your body to rotate naturally without needing to lift upwards to make room for the club.

If you're struggling with topping the golf ball or you notice yourself lifting during the backswing, don't immediately focus on trying to keep your head down.

Start with your setup.

Focus on one simple thought — tilt over the ball, keep your hands roughly a hand span from your body, and feel your hands sitting slightly down at address.

Getting this setup correct can go a long way towards creating a more connected backswing, better wrist hinge and a more consistent strike.

If you'd like to learn more about how to keep your head steady and therefore improve your strike, just contact myself at David Waters Golf Coaching, located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.