
Golf Swing Tips for Keeping Your Head Behind the Ball
- Overview. Positioning your head properly when you address the ball will allow you to swing the club on the correct plane and approach the ball at the optimal angle.
- Ball Positioning. Your ball should be in the center of your stance or between the inside of your left heel and the center.
- Power Lean. ...
- Check your Button. ...
How to stay behind the ball in golf?
In order to stay behind the ball, we must set up properly. The golfer, especially with the driver, should start with their head behind the ball. From a proper setup, the golfer can move his or her slightly away from the target or keep it centered during the swing.
Where should the ball be placed during a golf swing?
As you look down from above, you should see that the ball is just to the left of your center of gravity (the exact position of the ball will depend on the club you are using). If you are closer to the target than the ball during the swing, trouble is sure to follow.
What are the benefits of staying behind the ball during swing?
Added distance. This is the big one. If you can stay nicely behind the ball during the swing and at impact, you should be able to hit the ball harder on a regular basis. Basically, you will be giving yourself the chance to put everything you have into the shot.
How do you stay behind the ball on the downswing?
The downswing should be about rotation, not lateral movement, and rotating correctly is the best way to ensure that you stay behind the ball throughout the swing.

Step 1: Make Sure You're Setup correctly Behind The Golf Ball
Most golfers setup to the golf ball incorrectly to start with. That i,s that their head is both too far in front of the ball at address and ends up...
Step 2: Don't Push from The Right Side
This is where most golfers go severely off path with their golf swings and end up with their heads well out in front of the ball at impact, and eve...
Step 3: Use The Right Arm to Keep The Head Behind The Ball
It may seem strange to focus on the right arm while discussing keeping your head behind the ball, but it is the key. Take a look at Tiger keeping h...
Does The Head Ever Move in Front of The Ball?
One tiny detail that shouldn't be overlooked is the position of Tiger Woods' head in the frame on the left. You should note that his head has in fa...
Where Club Head Speed Comes from
You may not realize that over 60% of the club head speed in the golf swing actually comes from the release of the right wrist. In fact, the golf cl...
How to learn proper golf swing?
Learning the proper head position in the golf swing involves focusing on the fundamentals of the golf swing. "Keeping the head centered" is a visual - a feeling of turning around your spine. Your head does not literally stay fixed in one spot, but it should always stay behind the ball.
Why is it important to keep your head behind the ball in golf?
This is because we need our head behind the ball for maximum release at impact. If your head is in front of the golf ball at impact, you'll always be robbing yourself of power.
What is the axis tilt on a golf ball?
Axis tilt actually is one of the main setup traits that determines swing plane. Without axis tilt, you're almost certain to reverse pivot and swing over the top.
Why do golfers put their heads in front of the ball?
The main reason golfers move their heads in front of the ball at impact is pushing from the right side.
What is Tiger's golf ball?
Tiger's golf ball (red line) is well in front of his stance. This is a good example of how well a golfer should stay behind that line, never get in front of that line, and stay behind the ball and hit it solidly. Let's take another look at a golfer here. We'll look at Tiger Woods.
How fast does a golf club head go?
In fact, the golf club accelerates from around 25 mph to over 90 mph with a mid-iron in better golfers' swings in only the last three feet of the golf swing.
What arm is used to hit the golf club back to the ball?
However, you can use the extension of the right arm to help deliver the golf club back to the ball. When combined with the proper movements of the left arm in the golf swing, you'll have a picture perfect impact position just like you see above.
Why do you stay behind the ball in golf?
It is essential that you stay behind the ball if you hope to deliver a powerful, accurate blow into the back of the ball time after time. As is usually the case in golf, there are a couple of exceptions to this point, and those come into play when trying to hit certain specialty shots.
Why do you stay back when hitting a golf ball?
Staying back can help your ball striking because it will eliminate much of the side to side movement that makes it tough to achieve a clean hit in the first place. When a golfer is moving all over the place during the swing, catching the ball cleanly is a nearly impossible task.
How to improve your golf game?
Let’s take a look at a few ways your game may improve as a result of staying behind the ball. Added distance. This is the big one. If you can stay nicely behind the ball during the swing and at impact, you should be able to hit the ball harder on a regular basis.
How to hit down with your body in front?
Play the ball back in your stance so you can hit down with your body in front and still use the rotational swing you’ve learned. After a bit of practice, you should find that these two shots are actually relatively simple to execute. Staying behind the golf ball during your swing and at impact can do you a lot of good.
Why is staying behind the ball important?
Staying behind the ball is important and it is something which is done successfully be nearly every professional golfer. You may be surprised at how solid your ball striking can feel when you do manage to stay behind the ball properly all the way through impact.
What is the most important thing to do during a golf swing?
One of the most important things you can do during the golf swing is to control the movement of your body successfully. If your body is out of position during the swing – especially at the moment of impact – it will be nearly impossible to strike the ball cleanly. Unfortunately, this is an area where most amateur golfers struggle badly.
How to get better at golf?
In golf, sometimes you need to work on the boring things in order to take your performance to new heights. Dedicate yourself to building a quality stance and you’ll find that the game immediately gets a bit easier.
Why do you stay behind the golf ball?
Staying behind the golf ball will allow you to get the face of the club square to your target line at impact for frequently, leading to straighter shots. From your wedges all the way through your driver, keeping your head back at impact is a fundamental that requires your attention.
Why is staying behind the ball important?
Staying behind the ball is a good way to reduce the amount of movement in your swing because you will be taking out most of the lateral motion that you may have been using. The best golf swings are the ones that stay balanced from start to finish, as good balance is the best way to simplify your technique.
What side of the ball do you hit your head on?
Hit into a solid left side and it is almost a certainty that your head will be behind the ball at the bottom of your swing. Expect Some Changes. If you go from hitting shots with your head to the left of the ball to staying behind your shots successfully, you can expect to see some changes in your ball flight.
What leg do you put your club head on when hitting the ball?
As you send the club head into the back of the ball, think about posting up on your left leg. When the left leg goes straight at impact, there is a great chance that you have stayed behind the ball nicely. Players who slide past the ball in the downswing usually have a soft left leg at impact, with a bent left knee.
Why do you keep your head back in the downswing?
Also, if you are able to keep your head back in the downswing, there is a good chance that your eyes are looking down at the ball. Staying behind the golf ball isn't the only important fundamental in golf, but it is a good way to check on the overall health of your swing mechanics.
What happens when you strike the golf ball cleanly on an iron shot?
When you strike the golf ball cleanly on an iron shot, the face of the club is able to impart maximum spin on the ball. There is nothing wrong with a higher spin rate on your short iron shots, and it can actually be a great advantage, but it is something that you need to be aware of when picking your targets.
What are the two parts of golf?
There are two parts to every golf shot that you hit – distance, and accuracy. You want to get the distance right, of course, but you need to get the line correct as well. By staying behind the ball, you will improve your ability to start the shot on the intended target line.
What is the correct ball position?
The correct ball position plays a pivotal role in generating more distance off the tee. Just because you’re not built like Jordan Spieth or Dustin Johnson doesn’t mean you have to settle with being super short off the tee. The correct ball position—opposite the left armpit—plays a pivotal role in generating more distance off the tee.
Where should the logo be on the golf ball?
Set up to the ball so that it aligns with your left armpit. It should appear that your entire upper body—including the logo on the left side of your chest —tilts behind the ball, with the clubshaft sitting in a more neutral or vertical position.
How to keep your head behind the ball in golf?
Keeping your head behind the ball can ensure good contact. Positioning your head properly when you address the ball will allow you to swing the club on the correct plane and approach the ball at the optimal angle. The result is consistency and distance.
What does it mean to position your head properly when you address the ball?
Positioning your head properly when you address the ball will allow you to swing the club on the correct plane and approach the ball at the optimal angle. The result is consistency and distance.
Why is my right shoulder lower than my right?
Because your right hand is lower on the club (for a right-handed golfer), your right shoulder should be slightly lower than your right and your head should follow the tilt of your shoulders. This tilt of the spine away from the target is called the "power lean.". Maintain this spine angle through impact.
