Ball Position Question

Do Any Of You Guys Here Play A Ball Position That Is Not Standard? I Tried At The Range Yesterday Playing My 8-pw Very Near My Rear Foor And My Hybrid 3 Iron Just Back Of Center. Ball Flight Was Lower But I Made Great Crisp Contact With All Irons Including My Hybrid. Maybe This Was Because The Rear Ball Position Forced Me To Hit Down On The Ball. I May Stick With This B/c My Ball Flight Has Never Been High Anyway.

I am not sure there is a "standard" for ball position at address. I know alot of instructors in their specific teachings feel that there is, but I think it is more on a personal level for the individual golfer, and his/her's swing. Myself, I play the ball in the center of my stance 90% of the time. The other 10% is for shots requiring high, or low trejectories. Green side shots, I might make an adjustment. Shots from uneven lies are also cause for a ball position adjustment for me. GJS

So does that mean full shots played back of center are acceptable?

I think so, although if the ball is so far back isn't the shot tendency a fade/slice?

That idea of putting the ball a slight back farther in my stance might help out my hook problem out.

IMO, you are spot on with both statements. If the ball is too far back, it leaves you less time to square the face and it promotes a steeper swing.

As for ball position, this is still a debate in my mind. There are so many schools of thought....

HOWEVER, if you need to play the ball very close to your right foot, I would think you are releasing the club too early. You want to hit the ball 1st, then the turf. That's how you get that crisp shot. If you hit too much turf 1st, you will hit under the ball and get too much backspin which will make your shots fly a bit shorter. Some people take a bigger divot (John Daly rips up T-Bones) and some scuff the turf (Tom Watson), but BOTH hit the ball before the turf.

Now, you might say, "with the ball in that position, I am hitting the ball 1st." And thats a good thing. And it will work well with your SW-8i. But as you get up to a 5-3i, the steep swing you will need in order to hit the ball back in your stance will create fades and slices.

What you need to work on is making the contact point with the turf PAST the ball. I would position the ball in the dead center of your stance and use an 8i. I would make some practice swings and make sure your contact point with the turf is past the ball. Not way past, just past. Then, when you are ready to hit the shot, I would focus on hitting the middle of the ball. NOT THE BACK! It's not a drive where you are catching the ball on the slight upswing, its a decending blow into the ball.

Try it. I have been ripping my PW-6i lately by focusing on the contact point and hitting the MIDDLE of the ball. Now, if I could just stop hooking my 4i

__________________
What's in my bag....
Cleveland VP 2 Blade Putter
Ping Tour Wedges, 54 & 60
TaylorMade rac LT2, 4i thru PW
Tour Edge Exotics Iron-Wood 21* 3i - Aldila NV 90 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 18* 5 Wood - ProLaunch Blue 75 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 15* 3 Wood - Aldila NV 75 Stiff Shaft
Cleveland HiBore XL 9.5* - Fujikura Fit-On Red Stiff Shaft

I would prefer to see you move the ball to the center with mid irons, back with short irons, and forward of center with longer irons, THEN, make a good backswing pivot without moving off the ball. If you do this, you will make crisp descending blows to ball first then divot.
With driver, fairway woods, move the ball just back of left instep, tilt away from the ball slightly, make a good backswing pivot without moving away from the ball and you will make amazing square faced contact.
The problem with moving the ball back as you are doing is you have to sway to turn behind the ball and that won't hold up on the course.

Yes, and strand weight on your right side. With short irons, I keep the weight pretty even. I don't feel the need for a huge weight shift. This helps with the decending blow.

Good point about the pivot.

I have an Article on this site that explains my thinking on ball position, it suggests a reference method to position the ball. However, I appreciate that there are many circumstances where you will need to differ from this due to the circumstances of the particular shot.

http://www.golf-tuition-online.com/c...lace-ball.html (Now! Where Should I place This Ball?)

I think I would go with what ever works for you. That is what worked for me.

I tried Brian W's system today at the driving range. I could not fault it Might be different on weird shots on the course I suppose but thanks.

In my opinion, the ball position affects both the ball flight and height, as well as the distance. To me, if for example I want to play say a 50yd wedge, I will play the ball nearly the same as driver position. On the other hand, if I am playing a 90 yd wedge I will play it nearly opposite my right heel. As for other irons, i apply the same theory but obviously the distance is totally different on each club.

Cheers,
Robert

....how close are your feet in both of these instances?

Hi Random,
Sorry for not replying earlier. havent been logged on for a while.

with regard to your question, I should have pointed out that I would probably close my stance to about half the norm( norm being shoulder width)

Regards,
Robert