Newbie Help: Hitting Head on Wall in Backstroke (ouch!)

There should be backstroke flags over the lanes. You learn to count how many strokes from the flags to the wall to prevent head injuries. Most pools have them. My pool has them strung over both ends of the pool for the 50 meter swims AND also for the 25 yard swims the same thing.

Before I even think about backstroke I check for the flags. A swim team finished renting our club pool and took the flags with them, without notice. I didn't realize they were missing before I started backstroke, and on the first length as I thought I should have seen them by then, BANG! Was lucky to stay conscious because I was the only person in the pool.

I was swimming half pool lengths in the 4-ft. area to and from the wall and several times when going back to the wall I would hit my head on it. you should have done the first half then turned over Wondering if you guys have any techniques to avoid that? first look at the flags, they are set 5 yards or 5 meters from the wall figure our how many strokes it takes you to get to the wall then sneak a little side glance one or two strokes before you get to the wall Do you guys look back at all? YES but just once If so, does the turning of your neck/head break form bad enough that it messes up that particular stroke cycle? not really