Ball position in the stance:

[Teevino]

My understanding of ball position in the stance is: 1) ball should be in line with front foot/heel when hitting with the driver 2) I just read that the ball should be just back from there when hitting fairway woods and long irons.

So where should the ball be positioned when hitting short irons and/or when hitting an iron (like on a par 3) off the tee. Where should it be positioned when hitting chip/pitch shots.

I understand that this may vary depending on what one may be trying to do with it, but I just want the basics here. Thanx for any input..

[shootin4par]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

for me nothing is behind center, not even chips, unless it is a specialty shot. The bottom of your swing arc is below your left arm pit, too far back and you will thin it or make a reverse pivot to compensate

[Teevino]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

for me nothing is behind center, not even chips, unless it is a specialty shot. The bottom of your swing arc is below your left arm pit, too far back and you will thin it or make a reverse pivot to compensate

Thanx Shootin,, Is it true that to hit a ball low (under limbs), putting it toward the back foot will achieve this?

[RandomHero1090]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I argue with people regarding ball position in relation to trajectory all the time. I think you must look at it with the different clubs....

Here are some tips with the "go-to" clubs....

Driver - If you play it FORWARD in your stance, off the left heel, and stay behind the ball, you will catch the ball on a slight upswing and launch the ball high. When I want to hit my drive lower, I play it more like a fairway wood and hit the ball with LEVEL contact.

6 thru 9 irons - I play them JUST ahead of center. I focus on making contact with the ball 1st, then turf. Divot should start AT the ball, not too far behind it. That will lead to a nice high trajectory.

Wedges - Dead center, narrow stance. Key here is to accelerate THROUGH the ball. Don't try flipping the clubhead though, lead with the hands. That leads to a better ball flight.

[Teevino]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I argue with people regarding ball position in relation to trajectory all the time. I think you must look at it with the different clubs....

Here are some tips with the "go-to" clubs....

Driver - If you play it FORWARD in your stance, off the left heel, and stay behind the ball, you will catch the ball on a slight upswing and launch the ball high. When I want to hit my drive lower, I play it more like a fairway wood and hit the ball with LEVEL contact.

6 thru 9 irons - I play them JUST ahead of center. I focus on making contact with the ball 1st, then turf. Divot should start AT the ball, not too far behind it. That will lead to a nice high trajectory.

Wedges - Dead center, narrow stance. Key here is to accelerate THROUGH the ball. Don't try flipping the clubhead though, lead with the hands. That leads to a better ball flight.

Very helpful, thanx Random..

[RandomHero1090]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I guess what is frustrating about golf is the logic. Some things seem wrong to the mind. Most people think to hit the ball HIGHER you need to hit UNDER it, which is totally wrong. Same with creating backspin.

To hit it higher or to create higher backspin, you need to hit the ball 1st then the turf, driving the back of the ball into the ground.

For a visual, do this. Put a golf ball on a desk or any firm surface. If you want to make it have crazy backspin, what do you do? You put your finger on the back of the ball and drive your finger down the back of the ball until your finger hits the desk. What does the ball do? It moves AWAY from the finger at a decent rate of speed with BACKSPIN.

The harder you push DOWN, the faster the ball moves away from you with MORE BACKSPIN!

[Teevino]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I guess what is frustrating about golf is the logic. Some things seem wrong to the mind. Most people think to hit the ball HIGHER you need to hit UNDER it, which is totally wrong. Same with creating backspin.

To hit it higher or to create higher backspin, you need to hit the ball 1st then the turf, driving the back of the ball into the ground.

For a visual, do this. Put a golf ball on a desk or any firm surface. If you want to make it have crazy backspin, what do you do? You put your finger on the back of the ball and drive your finger down the back of the ball until your finger hits the desk. What does the ball do? It moves AWAY from the finger at a decent rate of speed with BACKSPIN.

The harder you push DOWN, the faster the ball moves away from you with MORE BACKSPIN!

Is the key, hitting at or below the point of the "equator" that circumfronts (my word) the ball. Is that the where the difference is between a good hit and/or topping the ball. Just trying to get as clear an image of how much space there is for a good hit as opposed to a bad one.

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I am old school here. Except for my driver, and unusual shots, my ball position is the same with every club. All I do is stand closer to the ball, the shorter the club I intend to use. The only reason my driver ball location is different is because it is elevated sitting on the tee, and I want to hit the ball on the up swing. GJS

[Teevino]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

I am old school here. Except for my driver, and unusual shots, my ball position is the same with every club. All I do is stand closer to the ball, the shorter the club I intend to use. The only reason my driver ball location is different is because it is elevated sitting on the tee, and I want to hit the ball on the up swing. GJS

I take this to mean you always hit the ball positioned off the front foot/heel? And that you can hit up, across, and down on the ball at that position?

[shootin4par]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

Random hero,
you have posted very good advice on this issue, so teevino here is my response, go with what he said
The issue with always playing it off the heel is that if player A has a wide stance with all club, and player B has a narrow stance, off the left heel will be different for them in relation to their swing arc

[Teevino]

Re: Ball position in the stance:

Random hero,
you have posted very good advice on this issue, so teevino here is my response, go with what he said
The issue with always playing it off the heel is that if player A has a wide stance with all club, and player B has a narrow stance, off the left heel will be different for them in relation to their swing arc

Thanx shootin, Randoms way is pretty much what I've been doing but just have never been sure about it. Also knowing where the bottom of the arch on the swing is at the left armpit is helpful. It seems it would be at the center of the body..