
Golf Ball Position in Relation to Feet
- Stand with your feet together.
- Align the golf ball with the space between your feet.
- Step your lead foot towards the target, but take a slightly smaller step than you would if you were centering the ball.
- Take a slightly larger step away from the target with your trail foot.
- The golf ball should be just barely forward of center.
Full Answer
What is the best position to place the golf ball?
Ideal ball position: Driver, irons, wedges The positioning of the golf ball will generally start towards the middle of your stance for higher lofted clubs before working its way forward to the left heel for a right hander’s driver.
Where is the ball placed on the tee?
Indeed, it can be placed at various distances from the target (forward, center, or back); it can vary in relation to the distance from the golfer depending on the club in hand; and finally the ball position can also differ in how high it is removed from the ground when using a tee. The possibilities are explained below.
Do you need to know the basic rules of golf ball placement?
You need to know that for each different golf club following your stance, different ball placement is necessary. Through this article, we will share the basic rules of golf ball positioning along with some essential guidelines about how changing your ball positioning can get you different results for one shot.

Where should golf balls be placed?
The simple rule – the longer the club, the further forward (towards your left foot) the ball should be in your stance. For example, when hitting a 3-iron or hybrid, the golf ball should be near your left foot. In contrast, an 8-iron shot would be closer to the middle of your stance.
Where should I put my golf ball in my irons?
5:3510:20Ball Position for Irons - Long vs Short Irons (GOLF SETUP) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBasically in the center of my stance. So when you're hitting.MoreBasically in the center of my stance. So when you're hitting.
What happens if ball is too far forward in stance?
Ball position; it's one of the oldest fundamentals in golf. If it's too far forward, it may be causing you to hit thin or fat shots and miss shots to the left. If it's too far back, you could be hitting tops, chunks, and missing the ball to the right.
Should hands be in front of ball with irons?
The grip and hands must be in front of the clubhead and ball. Many amateur golfers believe that the grip and clubhead come back to the position they are in during the setup. The hands and grip must move forward before the clubhead in order to properly compress and control the ball.
Golf Ball Positions for Drivers, Woods, Irons, and Wedges
With higher-lofted clubs, you’ll position the ball toward the center of your stance, working your way forward and to your left heel if you’re driving with a right-handed grip.
Golf Ball Positions for the Driver
We’ll start with the big hitter and the club for which the ball should be most forward in the stance — the driver.
Golf Ball Positions for Woods and Hybrids
The golf ball position should gradually move back from the front foot from the driver to the putter.
Golf Ball Positions for Irons
By now, you understand that generally, the ball goes further back in the stance from driver to woods to irons.
Golf Ball Positions for Wedges
For wedges, golf ball positions should be the furthest back, approaching between half and two-thirds of the way back in the stance.
Tips for Stance and How It Relates to Ball Positioning and Your Shot
Your stance and ball positioning go hand in hand for creating magnificent shots.
Can My Stance Cause Me To Top the Golf Ball?
The swing arc is usually why beginner players end up topping the ball. Changing the ball’s position to the centerline is the easiest way to fix the problem.
Where is the golf ball placed at address?
at Address. The way the ball is positioned at address can vary in different ways. Indeed, it can be placed at various distances from the target (forward, center, or back); it can vary in relation to the distance from the golfer depending on the club in hand; and finally the ball position can also differ in how high it is removed from ...
How to position a golf ball off the ground?
Whenever hitting from the teeing ground you are allowed to position the ball off the ground using a tee. The ideal height of that tee will be relative to the club in hand and to the shot that you are trying to produce. Indeed, whenever using a driver you will normally want the center of the ball to line up with the top part of the clubhead (also known as the crown).
How does the position of the ball depend on the club in hand?
In addition to the shot and the objective being pursued, the position of the ball will also depend on the club in hand and how far the ball is located from your body will fluctuate accordingly. Naturally, longer clubs will require that you position yourself further away from the ball than you would when holding a shorter club in hand.
Where should the ball be moved when using a driver?
The other state that the ball should be moved incrementally from the forward position when using a driver to the center of the stance position when using a wedge. Proponents here argue that as the shaft of the club lengthens the ball should be placed progressively forward.
Where should the ball be placed in a shot?
For most ‘normal’ shots, the ball can safely be placed in the middle of your stance. This means that if you were to draw a line from the ball towards you, that line would cross in between your two feet, in the middle.
Can you hit a wedge on a tee?
Finally, you will normally want to avoid hitting a wedge onto a ball that is placed on a tee. Indeed, because the loft angle of wedges is so high you would run the risk of seeing the club travel underneath the ball and missing hitting the ball squarely in the process.
Should you place the ball forward in the stance?
The first one states that you should place the ball forward in the stance always, irrespective of the club in hand. Proponents argue that it is easier to groove a swing and consistently strike the ball when it is always found on the same spot (relative to the target). The other state that the ball should be moved incrementally from ...
How to find your proper ball position for driver?
1. To find your proper ball position for driver, just like last time, start by placing your feet together. 2. After that , get into a position that creates a straight line between where your big toe on your lead or front foot (left foot for right handed players) and the ball.
How to put your feet on the ball for wedges?
1. First, put your feet literally next to each other. 2. When it is time to take the ball position in your stance for your wedges, you will have to position yourself so you can create a straight line between your big toe on your trail foot (right foot for right handed players) See the video below. 3.
How to get the width of your stance?
Take the width of your stance by stepping away from the target with your trail or back foot to get the width of your stance. The width of your trail heel should be just underneath your trail shoulder. This allows you to better control your low point as well as the pressure in your lead foot through impact.
Does it happen often to hit a golf ball in back?
Unfortunately, the good result does not happen that often either. and it does not happen often : (. More than likely, the higher your handicap... the more of a chance you will have to hit either behind or in back of the golf ball or top the golf ball.
Where should the golf ball be placed in the stance?
The positioning of the golf ball will generally start towards the middle of your stance for higher lofted clubs before working its way forward to the left heel for a right hander’s driver.
What is the best position for a golf ball?
Ideal ball position: Driver, irons, wedges. The positioning of the golf ball will generally start towards the middle of your stance for higher lofted clubs before working its way forward to the left heel for a right hander’s driver. It is important to note, however, that this shouldn’t be a constant transition, ...
Why should weight be forward in golf?
For both shots, however, your weight should be forward to help keep the attack angle downward at impact. The ball position being further back in the stance will deloft the club a little and help keep the shot along the ground.
Why is it important to position your golf ball?
One of the biggest reasons ball positioning is crucial in golf relates to the arc of your swing. Thin shots occur when the bottom of the arc occurs too early, meaning you hit up – or excessively up – on the ball at impact, leading to thin shots or, if bad enough, tops. If you play certain clubs with the ball too far forward in your stance, ...
What is the language of golf?
To anyone starting out in the game, the language of golf is something that can make about as much sense as trying to play a flop shot off a cart path. While the golf swing and everything influencing it is one of the most complex movements in any sport, there’s one point in the swing where you have complete and utter control: the set-up.
Where should the ball be on a wedge?
For wedges through to about 8-iron, the ball should be fairly close to the centre of your stance. Some players might even like to hit wedges with a ball positioning slightly behind centre, which is OK with the higher lofted clubs, but not recommended for anything stamped with a single digit number.
Where should the golf ball be placed when playing a wedge shot?
The golf ball should be placed in the middle of your feet when playing a wedge shot, but moved a little forward of centre as you progress into the mid-irons. For longer clubs like hybrids and woods, the ball should be about a clubhead inside your left foot (for a right hander). Finally, a driver should be played with the ball teed up inside ...
Where is the ball placed on the same line in relation to the left foot?
The main alternative to placing the ball on the same line in relation to the left foot is to move the ball on a continuum from the left heel to the center of the stance.
Why is the ball always on the same spot?
It does so because the ball is always located on the same spot relative to the left foot. This consistency in ball location helps gain a certain level of confidence and allows the brain to concentrate on other areas of the golf swing.
Why is the ball always forward in the stance?
Drawbacks. On the flip side, because the ball is always forward in the stance it can lead to risks of mishits on its own. Indeed, positioning the ball forward can lead to fat shots – or skulled shots – if the bottom of the swing arc does not match this ball position. For example, a swing arc that bottoms out before impact may work for drives ...
What are the drawbacks of golf?
Drawbacks. The main drawback is found in the adjustments that are needed for each shot (and club) and the possibility that the ball will not always be positioned where it should be. Indeed, the margin of error in positioning the ball on the correct location for each and every shot is greater here than it is when you always position yourself ...
Who said "ball forward always"?
Ball Forward, Always. Ben Hogan, as well as Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman (amongst others) advocate placing the ball forward in the stance always, no matter which club you are using. What will change instead is where you place your right foot and the general guideline here is the longer the club the furthest away that right foot will be located.
Is the golf ball positioned differently?
The golf ball can and is usually positioned differently in relation to the club at hand. There are two main competing philosophies regarding this. One recommends to position the ball forward always while the other recommends to move the ball along a continuum in relation to the club at hand. Both are explained below.

Relative to The Target
Relative to Your Body
- In addition to the shot and the objective being pursued, the position of the ball will also depend on the club in hand and how far the ball is located from your body will fluctuate accordingly. Naturally, longer clubs will require that you position yourself further away from the ball than you would when holding a shorter club in hand. There are two major schools of thought on the matte…
Caution
- However you decide to position the ball in relation to your body or to the target line you need to make sure that when the club is positioned behind the ball that the sole of the club rests flatly on the ground. Related Golf Tweak: 1. How the Lie of your Clubs Affects your Golf Shots
Relative to The Ground
- Whenever hitting from the teeing ground you are allowed to position the ball off the ground using a tee. The ideal height of that tee will be relative to the club in hand and to the shot that you are trying to produce. Indeed, whenever using a driver you will normally want the center of the ball to line up with the top part of the clubhead (also known as the crown). The same rule of thumb app…