Pivot Tripod Center with the head precisely between the feet at address and steady through the follow-through?
In all my group presentations and individually where the student's Head Location or Movement is disruptive -- and it often is because of the conventional instruction that was the origin of this thread -- I teach Homer Kelley's Pivot Swing Center Tripod concept as illustrated in the photo sequences of 9-1 and 9-2 of the 6th edition and as explained in his additions to the as-yet-unpublished 7th edition:
"The important thing is that the true Swing Center -- for all components -- is around a Hinge Pin with one end at the top of the Stationary Head and the other in the ground precisely between the Feet, with no regard for Body Location or Position at any time."
"All components" includes the Head, which when permitted to revolve on this Pin as its axis of rotation, does not violate the Stationary Head concept.
This is the ideal, whether or not it is achieved or even can be achieved by the player, regardless of his or her level of skill. It requires that the Head be correctly located in its Impact Location at Address. Of course, this rarely happens and when it does, it is almost always an instinctive positioning born of many years of Practice and Play. Most top players locate the correct Centered location dynamically during the Start Down, not at Address. No matter: Within human constraints, Homer knew it could be done and done on purpose by all -- Tour Player and Duffer alike -- who wished to improve their Games. However, it almost certainly will not happen without the aid of an Instructor who knows its value and who insists on its accomplishment, ideally during the player's formative years.
But Homer was nothing if not a realist. He knew that most players -- even good players -- move their Head during the Stroke. And some play very good Golf doing it. That is why he labeled the Stationary Head an Essential and not an Imperative.
Nevertheless, as he said in the book (12-0):
"Those who know how precise it can be know best how precise it needs to be."
And as he told me in person:
"When you get to a higher level of performance, to improve on it you have to get down to finer and finer lines of precision."
The Tripod Concept with its Stationary Head is fundamental to Zone #1 (Body) control. For those who would pursue the path of The Golfing Machine® and its 'finer and finer lines of precision,' it is exactly what I teach.
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