Neck stiffness is a common topic of discussion at family get-together, water cooler conversations, and online blog posts. Everyone either has, or knows someone with a constant stiff neck. It’s so common that most people assume it’s a fact of life. For the golfer, neck stiffness in the golf swing can be a sneaky limitation and be costing you valuable yardage off the tee.
Why does the neck matter in the golf swing?
Everyone has been told to keep their eye on the ball at some point in their golf career. It’s a great way to cue the player to keep their posture through impact, and not top the ball when hitting irons and woods. It’s also a good way of keeping yourself grounded neurologically, allowing you to focus on the feel of the swing.
If you look at the end of the backswing, in order to keep your eye on the ball with your shoulders maximally turned, you need to be able to put your chin over the top of your lead shoulder. Not only that, but you need to do it at speed. For a lot of people, turning their head to get the chin over the shoulder is hard to do in any position.
Furthermore, when you swing through the ball, the neck needs to handle significant rotational and sidebending forces that can be a challenge for someone with a stiff neck.
How Do I Know If My Neck Is Causing A Swing Fault?
The end result is usually a slower or a shorter swing. This will reduce the rotational and lateral forces on the neck. The shorter swing comes from the golfer not wanting to come out of posture and needing to stop early to keep their eye on the ball. Some golfers choose to come up out of posture to accommodate this, but that usually leads to and even harder to control swing.
Gentle neck stretches before your round can help. If you have significant pain, or if you are experiencing symptoms such as headaches, tingling or pain in the extremities, or anything more than just limited ROM – check with your physical therapist. Also make sure your shoulders are strong and able to move freely. Occasionally stiff shoulders can cause your neck to overwork and stiffen up after a few holes.
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