| Ever hear a fellow golfer say, "I looked up.", "My | | | | watching the ball flight you will never see anything |
| head moved up." or "I didn't stay down on that | | | | good. This is a controllable body movement. Your |
| shot?" I hear it quite often, too often in fact. | | | | looking up is a normal part of the golf swing. It is just |
| Sometimes I am the one saying it. It always follows | | | | happening before your club makes contact with the |
| a poor shot. My golfing buddy, Mike, likes to quote an | | | | ball and that is too soon. |
| often heard cliché that goes, "If you want to | | | | This action of looking up moves your entire upper |
| see a bad shot, look up." | | | | body up as well. Now the club head is moved up and |
| I suppose looking up is among the most common | | | | an ugly shot is the result. All because you wanted to |
| golf swing faults. Do you know what I am talking | | | | see the ball flying before it ever left the club face. |
| about? Well just because it is common doesn't mean | | | | The good news is that since you are the one causing |
| we can excuse ourselves for doing it. It is a swing | | | | yourself to look up, you can correct the problem just |
| fault and if we are afflicted with it we must do our | | | | the same. Here are a few thoughts on just how to |
| best to correct it. | | | | go about fixing this looking up problem. |
| Over the years there have been several inventions | | | | Focus your swing thoughts on any one of the |
| available that claimed to help the golfer correct this | | | | following keys during the swing. |
| fault. The most famous and humorous version was | | | | 1. Wait until your trailing arm touches your chin before |
| the one that connected the golfer's head to his groin. | | | | looking up. |
| Lifting up would inflict the most severe pain a man | | | | 2. See the hit. Focus on watching the ball until it is |
| can know. That would sure motivate a fellow to | | | | gone. |
| keep his head down!! | | | | 3. For those using a one plane swing. Point your chin |
| Since that method is out of the question for most of | | | | at the ball at address and leave it there until the ball |
| us, what is the best way to stop looking up too | | | | is gone. This will help you create and maintain the |
| early? The answer to that question will depend on | | | | spine angle throughout the shot. |
| why your head is moving up during the shot. You | | | | 4. For those using a two plane swing. Look at the ball |
| could be lifting your head due to a balance problem | | | | through your forward eye. Once you are at address |
| or you could be overly anxious to watch the ball | | | | rotate your head so that you are viewing the ball |
| flight. | | | | mainly through the forward eye. Jack Nicklaus |
| Let's talk today about that second reason. We cover | | | | recommends this as a way to keep the ball in your |
| the first in a different article. | | | | field of vision a second or two longer. |
| It's you. You are peeking to see where your shot is | | | | Remember, "If you want to see a bad shot, look up." |
| headed. You don't want to lose another ball do you? | | | | These solutions will only help you if you work to |
| Or maybe you so enjoy the beauty of the ball in | | | | make them a habitual part of your golf game. If you |
| flight that you don't want to miss it? | | | | will do so, you will find that your ball striking will |
| The truth is if you look up too soon in anticipation of | | | | improve dramatically with just these few suggestions. |