/golfers-hitting-5c310bf1c9e77c00011f066c.jpg)
What happens when you move the golf ball forward?
When you move the golf ball forward, you're going to have a little bit more loft on the club. So you may increase the ball flight a couple of degrees, between 2 and 4 degrees. So instead of going your normal height, it might go your 9-iron height but still your 8-iron yardage just by moving the ball forward. The reverse is true as well.
Are You playing the golf ball too far back in stance?
One of the mistakes I see with irons constantly is people playing the golf ball too far back in their stance. When you get the ball too far back in your stance - you can imagine if I'm playing the ball back here on my right foot - this is really going to steepen the angle of attack. This can lead to a lot of chunks.
Do different golf ball positions affect ball flight?
Understanding how different golf ball positions in your stance can affect ball flight can prove one of the most prudent things to work on during your practice sessions. Ball flight and ball position are directly related.
Why is the left foot closer to the ball in golf?
In order to position the ball forward in your stance you have to slide your feet and body away from the target slightly so that the left foot is closer to the ball than the right foot is. It has the following consequences. Higher odds of hitting it fat or skulling the ball, which is the flip side to lower odds of topping the ball

Does having the ball too far forward cause a slice?
Be careful not to play the ball too far forward, however, as this will only exacerbate that slice and lead to even more left-to-right curve. Once you establish ball position, make sure to get your body aligned correctly--in particular, your shoulders. They should be square, or parallel left, of your target line.
What happens if ball is too far back in stance?
Ball too far back. With the ball too far back in your stance, your swing plane will be too steep as you approach impact with the driver. That means you will be prone to hitting the ball high on the face, and your ball flight will likely be too high as your backspin rate will be out of control.
What happens if you stand too far away from the golf ball?
Standing too far from the golf ball will result in poor posture, which could result in inconsistent shots and no control over the ball. Standing too far can result in less distance, heel shots, and can cause you to lose balance easily. Standing too far from the ball is pretty common for beginner players.
How far do you have to forward a ball driver?
4:378:01How Ball Position Relates to Slicing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOkay so the driver you'd play the farthest. Forward the sand wedge you play you know about in theMoreOkay so the driver you'd play the farthest. Forward the sand wedge you play you know about in the middle.
Does ball position affect distance?
It's important to know how ball position impacts your golf ball's distance, direction, and height. The farther back a ball is in your stance, the lower the ball flight, higher the spin, and more difficult it'll be to square the face.
Is it better to stand closer to golf ball?
Stand closer to the ball and allow the hands and butt end of the club to be no further than three inches from the body. The closer the better. Standing too far away from the ball and reaching out will cause a low trajectory, cause a golfer to cast the club, come over the top and hit the ball on the toe of the club.
Why do pros stand so close to golf ball?
Standing close to the ball helps players have a slightly Upright swing path and can help with being able to get the ball to stop on the green. In addition, a higher ball flight helps ensure that you get the ideal distance with each of your shots.
Can standing too close to the ball cause a hook?
Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path. Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots. It is much easier to change your setup from day to day than your golf swing.
Why am I topping the ball with my irons?
Typically, a ball is topped because the club has not gone far enough down towards the ball or you catch the ball on the way up, instead of at the bottom point.
How far should an average golfer hit a 5 iron?
164 yardsThe average golfer hits their 5 iron 164 yards, but the range tends to vary between 146 and 179 yards. The distance you hit the ball will depend on your swing speed and how well you can compress the golf ball.
Should hands be ahead of ball at impact?
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.
How do I get a consistent ball position?
1:292:29Titleist Tips: Consistent Ball Position - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo building in a checkpoint for your range work and a checkpoint for your course work can reallyMoreSo building in a checkpoint for your range work and a checkpoint for your course work can really help with your consistency of ball position.
Why do I hit ball better back in stance?
A ball positioned towards the back foot will create a steeper angle of attack and therefore more back spin and a lower ball flight. This can be very useful when faced with certain shots. The punch shot can be extremely useful when trying to keep the ball low.
Where should the ball be in your stance?
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.
Can standing too close to the ball cause a hook?
Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path. Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots. It is much easier to change your setup from day to day than your golf swing.
How far should you stand from the ball when putting?
The optimum ball position is typically around 8 to 9 inches from your toe-line, the same distance from the hollow in your neck to your eye-line. As the head of most putters are about 4 to 4½ inches long, the distance is about two putter heads.
What does it mean when a golf ball is placed further back?
Positioning the ball further back will change the angle of the shaft in relation to the ground. Also known as the shaft lean, this will lead to a reduction in your clubface’s loft angle in contrast to what it would be if the ball was located in the centre. Ultimately, a reduced loft angle will lead to a lower flight path.
How does a ball forward affect loft?
Positioning the ball forward in your stance changes the normal loft angle in your club. Indeed, because contact is made past the middle of the stance the angle of the clubface will point towards the sky more than it normally would. This in turn will lead to a higher ball flight.
What does it mean when a golf club hits the ground before hitting the ball?
Indeed, a fat shot occurs when the club penetrates the ground before it makes contact with the ball. On the flip side, it will increase your chance of topping the ball. Topping the ball occurs when the club will strike the top half of the ball on a descending blow.
What is the meaning of "lower ball flight"?
Lower ball flight. In order for the ball to remain low and clear branches (or other obstacles), for example in a punch shot. In order to mitigate the effects of a strong headwind. Lower odds of hitting it fat. Useful for delicate chip shots.
How to position the ball forward in stance?
In order to position the ball forward in your stance you have to slide your feet and body away from the target slightly so that the left foot is closer to the ball than the right foot is.
How to move the ball back in stance?
Moving the ball back in the stance is achieved through moving your feet and body forward towards the target until the ball is closer to the right foot than it is to the left.
Why does impact occur sooner in swing arc?
Impact Occurs Sooner in the Swing Arc. Because of the ball’s relative back position, the club will struck it sooner than it normally would and it will do so while the clubhead is descending towards the ground. In turn, this will decrease your chances of hitting it fat.
What happens if you move the ball forwards or backwards?
The only thing you've got to be careful of if you move the ball position forwards or backwards is that this is going to change the attack angle and the path. So a ball position coming more forwards, the path is going to be more to the left. If you put the ball back in your stance, the path is going to be more to the right.
Why do long drive guys put the ball forward?
If you put the ball forward, you will shallow out your attack angle so you're not hitting down on it anywhere near as much. This is why the long drive guys tee the ball up well forward to they're hitting up on it. Let's take a closer look at the difference in shot data of an 8-iron when the golf ball is positioned in the middle and then in ...
What is the ball flight when the ball leaves the club face?
The ball flight that is achieved when the ball leaves the club face is a direct result of the ball position that you used for the shot, in addition to a number of other factors. With that in mind, you can use adjustments in your ball position to create different shots on command. This is a valuable skill to have as you try to work your way ...
What happens if you set up your golf ball incorrectly?
If you set up incorrectly, with the ball directly underneath your sternum, you will find that your head is now out in front of the golf ball. Furthermore, you will have almost no axis tilt because your shoulders are almost completely level.
What happens when you top a ball?
What happens is, the body begins to realize that it's in trouble. You may top that ball once, or you may whiff it once, but your body's not going to allow that to happen again. It starts to compensate with strict hand-eye coordination, to prevent that from happening again.
What marker do you use to get the golf ball in the right position?
Get something with a little logo, and that will really help you get the golf ball in the right position. A second marker you can use is your left ear. You want your left ear to be set up behind the golf ball at address. Your head should not be out in front.
Where is the golf ball on your shirt?
Since the bottom of the swing arc is opposite your left shoulder , a simple trick is to line up the golf ball off the logo of your shirt. That's a pretty good point of reference. If you don't have any logoed shirts out there, go get one.
Where is the golf club going to bottom out?
Your club is going to bottom out approximately three inches in front of the golf ball, opposite your left shoulder, but the golf ball is way back under your sternum. Theoretically, if you make a proper weight transfer with the ball in that position, you should either: You should whiff altogether.
Where is the bottom of the golf swing?
Line up the ball with the logo on your shirt. The bottom of the swing arc is opposite your left shoulder, and in a perfect golf swing, that never changes. That's where the left arm reaches maximum extension in the golf swing, and it's the bottom of the swing arc. It is the lowest point in your golf swing. It would only stand to reason, then, that ...
What does it mean when you realize where the bottom of the swing arc is?
When you realize where the bottom of the swing arc is, you will begin to understand where the golf ball should be placed in relation to your stance. You can ask a dozen golfers about the bottom of the swing arc, and get a dozen different answers.
How far away should you put your grip on a golf ball?
As for distance from the ball, the butt of the grip at address should be about six inches from your body. Check this by setting up and then taking your right hand off the grip, moving it about a foot to your right. You shouldn't feel like you have to reach to put it back on the club.
How to play golf with a driver?
Rule No. 1: Position The Ball. With the driver, most golfers play the ball too far forward and stand too far away from it. This might feel powerful, but it sets some bad things in motion. The forward ball position shifts the shoulders open to the target, which leads to an out-to-in swing and usually a slice. Standing too far from the ball pulls the ...
What is the cause of a slice in golf?
The forward ball position shifts the shoulders open to the target, which leads to an out-to-in swing and usually a slice. Standing too far from the ball pulls the upper body downward, leading to a compensating stand-up move through impact, another common cause of the slice.
How far should the butt of the grip be from the body?
(For shorter clubs, the ball should stay in line with the logo, but the stance should be narrower, making the ball more centered relative to the body.) As for distance from the ball, the butt of the grip at address should be about six inches from your body.
Can a fast takeaway ruin a swing?
It's true that a fast takeaway can ruin a swing, but I see more golfers who start too slowly and then kick it into another gear halfway back. That throws the swing out of sync worse than the fast start. Check out the great players: From fast-tempo swingers like Nick Price to slow-tempo guys like Ernie Els, they start at a pace that matches their swing. Smooth is good if that fits your overall rhythm, but never start slow.
Where should the ball be placed in a golf bag?
For maximum consistency the ball should be placed off the left ear for ball-first contact with every club in the bag. For a consistent swing with the driver, use this same ball position. To bomb your driver, place the ball off the inside of the left foot then close your stance to compensate.
What is the left heel on a golf swing?
In order to achieve a good blend of distance and accuracy, the left heel is, roughly, your desired ball position. (Keep in mind this is a simplified explanation of how to maximize your driving distance.
What to do if you don't want to make compensation in golf?
If you don't want to make any compensation with your golf swing, you're going to need to line up a little bit right and make the same swing. Again, for maximum consistency one ball position, everything off the left ear, no matter if it's a driver or a pitching wedge.
How to bomb your driver?
To bomb your driver, place ball at left instep. Let's talk about the driver. Again, if you want to remain consistent, if you want to make the exact same golf swing with every club, you're going to use that same golf ball position. The ball position is going to be off your left ear.
Can you hit a 3 wood off the deck?
Many golfers struggle to hit a 3-wood off the deck, and others don't know whether to play a hybrid like an iron or a "wood.". Be sure to check out the golf instruction video above because it clears up misconceptions about proper golf ball position for these clubs.
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 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, ...
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 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 ...
