Stay Centered for Accuracy

During your golf swing, try to stay centered with your head. It is very important to keep your head over or centered on the ball during the entire swing. This feeling of staying centered will allow you to return the club on a good striking path into the ball, which will result in consistent and straight shots. It is important to understand that ball flight is controlled by the path of your swing and club face position at impact. If you work on staying centered with your head, you have half of the equation of good ball flight control.

Tips:
• Before you swing, think of keeping your head centered throughout the entire swing.

• During the backswing, feel a little turn, transfer weight, maintain good balance, and watch the ball. This is important because, if you do not see the ball, you’re likely to be out of balance.

• At the top of your swing, eighty percent of your weight transfers to the inside of your back foot and your head must remain over or slightly behind the ball.

• Once you start the downswing, make sure your head remains over the ball, with no tilting or leaning of your head toward the target. This initial transition on the downswing will do wonders to help you stay centered and balanced. Just before impact, you need to continue to see the ball and remain centered, with your head over to slightly behind the ball. Most players do not keep their head behind the ball at impact. Allowing the head to move forward will result in bad shots and bad ball flight control. If you stay centered during your entire swing, you can let it go and have fun hitting great shots.

John Nelson is the South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional who is the Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at the County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page:  www.ccofcs.com.