Golf Tip Ball Position Basics

Golf Tip

Ball Position Basics

If you have good Posture, Stance, and your clubs length is correct, but you are still not a good ball striker, the solution could be correcting your “Ball Position”.

If for example your ball position is to far forward in your stance (for a right handed golfer it will be to far left of center) this will cause you to release the club early. The early release will cause the shot to go left and low, because the clubs face will be closed at impacted.

If the ball position is to far back in your stance, this will cause you not to release the club soon enough. The late release will cause the shot to go too high and right of the target line, because the club was still open when the ball was hit.

If you are standing to far away from the golf ball this could cause weak shots hit off the toe that go right of target.

About golf notes:

The ball placement varies with the club you select. From a flat lie:

• Play your short irons (wedges, 9-iron and 8-iron) in the center portion of your stance. These clubs have the most upright lie angles and they must be swung at the steepest angle, and you should take a divot in front of the ball.

• Middle irons should be played one ball toward the target-side foot from center (a ball left of center for the right-handed golfer). These clubs have a slightly flatter lie angle and you should take a slightly shallower divot than with the short irons.

• The correct ball position for the long irons and fairway woods is two balls toward the target-side foot from center (two balls left for the right-hander). With these clubs, the ball should be struck directly at the bottom of the swing arc with little or no divot.

• Drivers should be played farthest forward (three balls left of center for the right-hander) to strike the ball on the upswing.

To find tune the right ball position for your swing:

Swing your club and see where it hits the ground and makes a mark in relation to your stance. Then place the ball at the edge of the mark that is closer to the middle of your stance. This will give you the most consistent ball striking possibility, and avoid the club hitting ground first (fat shot), or bottom edge of the club hitting the middle or top of the ball (thin shot).