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what is the effect of moving a golf ball further back in your stance when hitting an iron

by Carmela Swaniawski Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

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.

Full Answer

Should your weight be forward or back when you hit a golf ball?

For both shots, however, your weight should be forward to help keep the attack angle moving downward at impact. The ball position being farther back in the stance will deloft the club a little and help keep the shot along the ground (perfect for playing a bump and run, or if you’re using a chipper ).

How to move a golf ball back in the 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. Positioning the ball likewise has the following effects: In order for the ball to remain low and clear branches (or other obstacles), for example in a punch shot.

Why does my golf ball hit the ground when I hit it?

Moving your head forward causes your weight to shift incorrectly, changing your position over the ball before the club makes contact, causing it to hit the ground. Similarly, if your hips start to rotate before or during contact, this will yield the same unwanted result.

Why is the ball position farther back in the stance?

The ball position being farther back in the stance will deloft the club a little and help keep the shot along the ground (perfect for playing a bump and run, or if you’re using a chipper ).

What happens if golf ball 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 does moving the ball back in your stance do?

Control Trajectory. The most-common reason to play the ball back in your stance is to control the trajectory of your shot. In other words, when you want to keep the ball down closer to the ground as it flies, you are going to move it back in your stance.

Should I move the ball back in my stance?

By moving the ball back in your stance and cutting off your follow through, you should be able to hit a lower shot that avoids much of the force of the wind. It needs to be stated also that this is not a shot which will only work when playing into the breeze.

Where should the ball be in your stance when hitting irons?

The ball should be in the middle of the tracks and you should be standing on the outside of them. The third alignment stick should be laid perpendicular to the other two and placed right around in the center pointing straight at the golf ball. This stick represents where the ball is placed in your stance.

Does ball position affect club path?

Now that you understand how the clubface and club path control your ball flight, it's helpful to learn how your ball position can affect them. If you move the ball forward to hit up on a driver, or slightly back so you can compress your irons, your clubface and club path will shift.

Why should you put the golf ball more forward in your stance for a driver?

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.

Does lie angle matter on irons?

To briefly summarize, the lie angle of your irons is extremely important because it will greatly affect the initial direction of your shots. Not all irons are created equal, and most players are using irons that likely do not have the right specifications for their swing.

How do pro golfers hit the ball so high?

To hit the golf ball higher, you need four things: clubhead speed; a shallow or upward angle of attack; loading into your trail side; and a good hip turn away from the ball followed by a fast turn back through into impact.

How do I increase my golf ball trajectory?

3:435:56How to: Hit your golf ball VERY HIGH or SUPER LOW - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPosition slightly back of center is going to now encourage us to come into the golf ball. With lessMorePosition slightly back of center is going to now encourage us to come into the golf ball. With less loft it's going to encourage us to lean the golf club. Forward.

How do you hit irons pure every time?

3:197:25HOW TO STRIKE YOUR IRONS PURE AND SOLID EVERY SINGLE ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipRight hand's on top logo towards the ground we're going to swing. Up rotate. And hold it.MoreRight hand's on top logo towards the ground we're going to swing. Up rotate. And hold it.

How far to stand away from ball with irons?

The ideal distance you should stand from the golf ball is one where the butt of the club is pointing at your belt buckle and is about 6 inches away from your thighs. This should be the same for all clubs in the bag. It doesn't matter what club you're using, your arm position should be the same.

How can I hit my irons better?

2:526:14How to STOP hitting bad iron shots - 3 really simple tips - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt or thin it. So if you want to strike the ball. Better have a little bit of weight on your leftMoreIt or thin it. So if you want to strike the ball. Better have a little bit of weight on your left hand side keep it on your left hand side.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Where is the ball center in golf?

Ball Center. A normal – or default – ball position in golf would be one that sees it located in the middle of the stance, in the center. In other words, the ball is located the same distance from the left foot as it is to the right. The following adjustments can be made to that position with the associated consequences listed below.

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 ...

Benefits of Standing Further Away from The Golf Ball

If you’ve been golfing for any amount of time, then you know that your stance can make a substantial difference to your swing and what happens when you make contact with the ball.

Why The Perfect Stance Matters

In examples like the ones this video shares, you find that standing too far away might negatively affect your grip, leading to a swing that isn’t going to end the way you want it to.

So, How Far Away Should You Stand?

While there are certainly benefits to standing close to the ball in some cases, there are other instances in which it is better to stand farther away.

Stock Stance

If you’ve never heard of the stock stance, this is just the natural stance that you take when you grab your golf ball and your club.

Standing Further Away from the Ball

When you consider standing away from the ball, picture standing approximately the length of two golf balls father away, as described by Golf WRX. It’s only the slightest adjustments but it can make a big difference.

Standing Closer to the Ball

In the same description as above, Golf WRX also mentions that standing closer to the ball is also about the same distance of two golf ball lengths closer from the stock stance. Again, it’s a minimal adjustment but it can make a large difference.

Determining Your Best Stance

All of this information is great, right? But you still don’t know how far away you should stand. Here’s the thing, there isn’t really a precise measurement. If we tell you to stand with your two 18 inches from the ball, that may not work for some.

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, ...

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.

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 ...

What shoulder is the golf ball on?

But the position of the ball is primarily determined off your left shoulder. So let's talk about your golf stance width for a second. If you're setting up to the ball and you have a really wide stance, you're going to feel really stable and really anchored to the ground.

What does it mean to release a golf club?

That's the opposite of a release. Think about what it means to release something. It means to let go. So if you're wanting to release the golf club to allow it to speed up independent of you, that means your right hand has got to essentially almost come off.

What does it mean when your left arm is holding on?

So the left arm is being told where to go in terms of the bottom of the swing arc from the position of that left shoulder, because that's where your arm's attached to your body, of course.

What happens when you pick up a hybrid golf club?

When you pick up a different golf club, your requirements don't change. You don't all of a sudden need for your head to move all over the place because you picked up your hybrid. Doesn't make any sense at all. You're still going to hit down on those longer golf clubs. So unless you're picking up a driver, every single club in your golf bag, ...

Should your golf stance be narrower?

So for instance, if you have a pitching wedge in your hand, your golf stance should be narrower than if you have a three iron in your hand. So let's look at that for a second and let's just think about what golf stance width ...

Can you change the golf ball position in a golf swing?

If you want to hit the ball lower or whatever, there's obviously changes that work. But for a fundamentally sound basic golf swing, the golf ball position doesn't change and your golf stance width never changes in the swing. Audio Player.

Can you bottom out a golf club too early?

You can certainly make your club bottom out much too early and hit the golf ball fat or much too late by doing stuff with your arms, wrists, hands, so on. But of course, in an ideal world, we want our arms and hands to more or less be passive clamps on the club.

IHeart3Putting

Hello everyone, new member here. I recently took a golf lesson (only been playing for 1 year) and the pro suggested I put the ball on all irons between the middle of my stance and my back foot. I've always been taught that the ball position should should be 2 inches from the left heel or at the shirt logo for irons (i'm right handed).

SNIPERBBB

I notice several pros playing the ball well back in the stance even with the driver. I play my irons back a bit especially the shorter irons. Only problem I have with that is it makes hitting a fade a tad difficult.

happyroman

Playing the ball back that far seems to be as either a drill or for specialty shots. For all standard shots struck off the turf, I play my iron shots with the leading edge of the club in the middle of my stance. For hybrids and fairway woods struck off the turf, the center of the clubhead is in the center of my stance.

MonteScheinblum

It just means you have a very inside path and use you hands to square the club. Farther back ball position matches that and makes it easier for you to get to the ball.

Texsport

It may seem to be further back than it actually is.

Jericho

I always struggle with fat shots. I've been implementing the aiming point technique to achieve ball first, divot second and its been working great when the ball is in the middle of my stance. As soon as I put the ball in the "ideal" spot off my left heel, everything goes to 4ell in a handbasket.

PAmatt83

This drill might help (moving ball position towards front foot). Gotta move your swing circle forward.

What happens when you hit behind the ball?

Hitting fat, hitting heavy, chunking the ball, grounding the club, whatever you call it, hitting behind the ball can cause huge issues in your game. Hitting behind the ball causes a divot to get between your club and the ball, resulting in an ugly mis-hit which tends only to jump 5 or 10 yards forwards. Hitting behind the ball can happen ...

How to avoid hitting the ball?

To avoid this, focus on your movement after striking the ball and ensure you are doing the following: Follow your swing and allow the momentum to turn your body towards your target. Keep your front foot planted and pivot your back foot to aid proper rotation.

What does it mean when your back shoulder drops?

Dropping the Back Shoulder. Similarly to a loose leading arm, dipping your back shoulder can give the same issue from the opposite side of your body. Allowing your back shoulder to drop causes you to make a scooping motion towards the ball, rather than hitting right through. The scooping motion causes you to take a divot and lose the shot.

Why does my head move forward in golf?

Moving your head forward causes your weight to shift incorrectly, changing your position over the ball before the club makes contact, causing it to hit the ground.

How to get weight transfer locked in?

Once your weight transfer is locked in, you should turn your attention to how your body is moving during your shot. A common issue is allowing your upper body to slide with your swing. Instead, aim to rotate around the center of your body, while keeping your chest facing down at the ball in the same spot.

Why release the club early?

Releasing the Club Early. Also known as ‘casting’, releasing the club too early disrupts your swing plane, causing you to hit across the ball rather than through it . Not only is this an issue by itself, but it also promotes the hip movement we spoke about earlier.

How to keep your lead arm straight?

Your lead arm should be kept straight throughout your swing as if it is bent at the point of impact. Bending the lead arm will shorten your swing and cause you to miss the ball and hit the ground instead. Concentrate on keeping your arm straight, but not tense, at the point of impact.

Why is it important to keep your head behind the ball in golf?

This is because we need our head behind the ball for maximum release at impact. If your head is in front of the golf ball at impact, you'll always be robbing yourself of power.

Why do golfers put their heads in front of the ball?

The main reason golfers move their heads in front of the ball at impact is pushing from the right side.

What is the axis tilt on a golf ball?

Axis tilt actually is one of the main setup traits that determines swing plane. Without axis tilt, you're almost certain to reverse pivot and swing over the top.

How to learn proper golf swing?

Learning the proper head position in the golf swing involves focusing on the fundamentals of the golf swing. "Keeping the head centered" is a visual - a feeling of turning around your spine. Your head does not literally stay fixed in one spot, but it should always stay behind the ball.

What is Tiger's golf ball?

Tiger's golf ball (red line) is well in front of his stance. This is a good example of how well a golfer should stay behind that line, never get in front of that line, and stay behind the ball and hit it solidly. Let's take another look at a golfer here. We'll look at Tiger Woods.

How fast does a golf club head go?

In fact, the golf club accelerates from around 25 mph to over 90 mph with a mid-iron in better golfers' swings in only the last three feet of the golf swing.

What arm is used to hit the golf club back to the ball?

However, you can use the extension of the right arm to help deliver the golf club back to the ball. When combined with the proper movements of the left arm in the golf swing, you'll have a picture perfect impact position just like you see above.

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