Pro Versus Amateur – Head Behind Ball

By | on September 30, 2023 | 18 Comments |


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Paul Wilson is the creator of Swing Machine Golf and founder of Ignition Golf. Paul's golf swing technique is based on the Iron Byron swing machine. YouTube Channels: Paul Wilson Golf and Ignition Golf Tips. Please Join me on Google+

18 Responses to “Pro Versus Amateur – Head Behind Ball”

  1. great tip paul, when playing a round of golf out on the fairway could you look at the ground right behind the ball if you can’t see the label to keep your head behind the ball

    • Donald,

      There is a better way. Just look at the dimples on the back of the ball. I’m worried if you focus on the spot you will restrict your swing. I would also be working on this angle on the range then when you play don’t worry about it. I was showing a drill and getting you to exaggerate so you at least get used to staying behind it. Give it a try when you play if you want. If you are holding this angle too much or restricting your swing you will blow it right.

  2. Hey Paul,

    I assumed until this tip that snap turning my hips kept my head behind the ball?

    Is it possible to make a good touch leg turn and still not keep behind at impact?

    JJ – Gerald

    • Gerald,

      You should be staying behind the ball if you fire the lower body properly as I suggested. Manually staying behind it is a way to get it faster. If pros are behind it you need to be behind it. Firing the legs is tricky so this way you can manually do it.

  3. Avatar photo

    March 3, 2014

    Henry

    I was turning my hips and head to the left and the head was over, but not behind the ball. This tip corrected my head position, moved the swing plane slightly inside and seems to have created a more compact swing. Things are starting to come together…now if only spring would come to us here in Charlotte!

    • Henry,

      Very good. This should be big for you just by reading your description. Keep at it.

  4. Hi Paul,

    Do you keep your eyes on the ball the whole time? I find that when I try to keep my head behind the ball, I struggle with trying to maintain my focus on the ball and end up moving my head forward.

    Paul

    • Paul,

      I am watching the ball long after it is hit. Be careful. This is a drill. If you stay behind it too long you are going to cut off your swing and hit pushes and push fades. Just feel the head is behind the ball until you have it mastered. Don’t over think it.

      What To Look At: https://ignitiongolf.com/looking-at-golf-ball

  5. Excellent lesson, a gain ,Paul ,I believe I’ve overlooked this fine pi

  6. Hi Paul, I’ve been playing pretty well lately and hit a lot of good shots but still have a 2 way miss to varying degrees. My miss is a pull hook with the driver and more often a push fade. My divots are too deep with irons. The last time I saw you I was sliding. Do you think the 2 way miss is caused by the same thing? Thanks, Bill

    • Bill,

      The deep divots is the slide. The more you slide the lower your body through impact the deeper the divots. You need to turn more. The more you turn the less you tilt making the divots shallower.

      The pull hook is you hitting with arms. You are saying it is with driver. This is the club we try to put a little extra into it. So you may be feeling the legs but your are using arms as well. You need to only feel the legs and hips. Lighten up with the arms and that shot will be gone. Check your grip too. If you are hooking it without trying to hook it your grip is too wrong. Hard to over hook it with a neutral grip.

      The push fade is you coming out of it. You are trying to see it before you’ve done it. This tightens the hinge holding the face open.

      Push Fade: Looking Early Locks The Hinge: https://ignitiongolf.com/looking-early-locks-hinge/

  7. Hi Paul,
    I haven’t been able to play or practice until yesterday since I last saw you, had some foot and hip issues. Anyway, I hit balls yesterday and am a little confused about the tip where you are showing how to move the hips left by pushing (without a club) on your right hip then turning. This creates the tilt which I think I am lacking. I thought I was supposed to imagine a wall just left of my left hip and not touch it. Can you please clarify?
    Thanks!
    Bill

    • Avatar photo

      August 31, 2017

      Paul Wilson

      Bill,

      This tip is for people who have trouble with the tilt (which is most people). If the tilt is vital in the swing and people are not tilting wouldn’t anything that makes people tilt be helpful? Getting them to at least manually tilt would be very beneficial. They get the tilt then they turn to not over tilt.

      In your case, you over tilt (slide) so you need not think of tilting. You need to think about turning. If so you will not over tilt and get rid of the blocks and pushes like you saw last time out.

  8. December 3, 2020

    GregHill

    Your best instruction video, Paul! When I hit the ball poorly, it’s almost always my head moving ahead of the ball. I took a lesson from my pro several years ago and he showed me on video that my head was 1-2 feet in front of the ball at impact! No wonder I couldn’t make solid contact! Thanks, again!
    Greg

  9. December 3, 2020

    Dale Jenkins

    Paul –

    To keep one’s head behind the ball, do you not have to get the hips forward to get the weight to the forward leg? Otherwise, would the clubhead not hit behind the ball? It seems that, done correctly, a player ends up in the C-shape in the follow through – hips forward, weight on forward leg, head behind the ball. You did not mention weight on forward leg, so would like to clarify that point.

    • Avatar photo

      December 4, 2020

      Paul Wilson

      The head is only staying back there momentarily because the head has moved into the backswing then the hips are fired and this causes the head to stay back there for a brief moment. What you are talking about is sliding or moving laterally into the downswing. Make sure that you are turning and not going sideways. Its to do with body tilt, the upper body tilts slightly to the right (for a right handed golfer) into the downswing, the weight is going forward as you start to turn.

      Over The Top – Body Tilt: https://ignitiongolf.com/ott-body-tilt/

  10. Avatar photo

    December 3, 2020

    LennyLin

    Paul,

    Thanks your training trips and other good stuff. I am really following your training materials and they work great for me.

    My personal comments on this is that as long as your right heel move up about 6 inches for driver when you at impact, your head will be behind the ball and your hip will be at least 45 degree. They will be automatically happened. Any comments?

    Thanks

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