Instruction

Ball position or ball positions?

By Golf Etc on April 5, 2010

Ball position or ball positions? Consistency or inconsistency, that is the relationship question.

For a full swing with clubs off the “dirt”, one ball position is key. Let me first talk in uni-golfer language; that is, the target foot is the foot nearer the target (left foot for righties, right foot for lefties) and the trail foot is the opposite. The golf ball should be positioned a club head from the target foot’s instep for shots played off the ground. What changes is the position of the trail foot as the golf club gets longer or shorter.

Each club is (should be!) ½” difference in length as you go from club to club; your trail foot therefore gets wider or narrower by ½” as you switch clubs. Not that you need to get a yardstick out to measure, just get a bit wider as you go from your favourite 7 iron towards your hybrids, or narrower as you go from that 7 iron towards your wedges (that’s right, swing your hybrids like an iron!). Even when you tee the ball up on a three par the position should remain consistent – just don’t tee the ball up more than a ¼”, just like a perfect lie in the fairway.

The ball position for your fairway woods can be about an inch closer to the instep. For your big new Titanium driver you’ll have to have to move the ball closer to the target to help achieve your optimum launch angle. Depending on your preference, a 2 ¾” tee will do the job but the 3 ¼” tees help if you tend swing up a bit more or have trouble striking the sweet spot consistently.
If you don’t think you swing consistently, your inconsistent ball position could be why!

If you have a consistent ball position and you notice inconsistent ball flights, bring your clubs in for a “freak check” for flex and spine determination!