A Paul Wilson Backswing Golf Tip

When you are learning to play golf, a tip you will often hear is to keep your head still. Some instructors and well-meaning coaches will say it to you at leasst 50 times per round, especially when it comes to perfecting the your backswing.

Better advice would be to "move your head a little on the way back" to get a proper golf backswing.

Why move your head as you take the club back during the golf backswing? You want to move your head because in order to backswing in a circular motion you need an axis to swing around. An axis has a top and a bottom. When you set up to the golf ball, you have 1 top to an axis (your head) and 2 bottoms (your legs and feet) to an axis.

Basically, your head should lead the way by moving 5-7 inches to the right as you start your golf backswing. Swing your head to the right, stay in that position as you come down, and move yoru head forward only after the ball has been hit. Watch any touring pro closely and you'll notice moving your head is the proper golf backswing technique. In fact, if a ballerina or figure skater didn't move their head first, they would be unable to start their spin at all. Likewise with your backswing. Don't move your head and you never create the two-point axis needed to get proper a proper circular motion.

So the top of the backswing axis is not stationary. It's floating. Your head floats right to left to create the perfect golf backswing axis. But this does not mean your swing will be a perfect 360 degree circle. It's more egg-shaped. Which is why even a solid golf backswing technique will never be completely perfect.

Only a one-legged golfer will naturally keep their head still during a golf backswing. The reason is if you only had one leg you would only have two beginning axis points... your head and one leg. So if you moved your head, ever so slightly, you would effectively elimate the axis completely and, ultimately, lose all the power in your swing.

Because moving your head at the beginning of a golf backswing is so counter-intuitive, here's a couple of golf backswing tips you can use while practicing. At first, moving your head will feel confortable but these golf backswing practice techniques should help you work through the challenges.

First, consciously think about moving your head at least a full 12 inches to the right at the start of the golf backswing. By mentally picturing your head moving a full foot to the right your head will actually move only 4-6 inches. If you continue to have challenges, practice your back swing in front of a mirrow and watch to make sure you move your head. It will feel unnatural at first but work through it. Moving your head is the key to setting up a proper golf backswing. Swing towards the mirror and watch your head.

As your swing comes down, your head should stay back and you'll feel the power loading on your right leg. This is what you are striving for. This weight shift is your clue you have properly created the top axis needed. If you don't feel your weight shift into our right leg, this is a clue you need to move your head back more when you start the backswing. Think more, not less and you'll soon be hitting like a pro.

If you are wearing a hat when you play golf just take your backswing and look to see if the brim of the hat is level to the ground not tilted to the left. If the brim of the hat is level to the ground at the top of your backswing your head will have moved the proper amount.

Another useful golf backswing tip is to video tape yourself as you practice. Then review the tape. Are you moving your head o the right and back or are you keeping it still? Is your head still back through impact or coming down? The proper golf backswing will have your head coming down only after impact.

There is one caveat, however. When you move your head to the right this may cause you to hit behind the ball. This is a good clue you are moving your head back properly but what's happening is you are loading your leg too much during impact. To remedy this situation just shift a little more weight off your right leg as you complete your swing and follow through. Pull it off and you'll not only create the perfect golf backswing axis, you'll hit the ball on the sweet spot every time and with much more power and speed off the face than ever before.