Ball Position

[saevel25]

Ok i been trying to come up with a way to maintain constant ball position with my irons. So here is what i might start adding into my routine.

I know a constant teaching was to set the club up to the ball first than take your stance. I don't mind this, but what i might do is set the club up to the ball square to my line. Then take my back foot, and line it up with the club. Then this is were it depends on the club. IF the driver, i will move my right foot near my left. If its a longer iron, a little bit further back, and so on per club. Then after setting my left foot, front foot, i will move my right foot back the distance i like for my stance width. I am finding it hard to maintain the consistent ball position, and its hard for me to tell how far the ball is from my front foot. So i was thinking that i would use my back foot as a reference.

Any opinions on this?

[canes113]

That's a different method. My only concern with that method is how long with this take? I think it's much faster and simpler to start with your feet together and adjust first your left/front foot according to the club in hand (i.e. Driver ball position is inside left heel) and the right/back foot goes to a comfortable width. Before you take your stance, pick a spot in front of the ball for alignment to your target and use that spot to align the clubface .. and even your stance if needed.

[saevel25]

I guess that could be a simplier ends to the same means. IF the feat are together and i move the left first i am still aligning to the right foot. by moving it last.

But my other thing i was wondering, there is another way to do ball position were its basically in the same spot for the irons, but the stance distance varies. Anybody do this?

[mfgorilla]

This is the method that Jack Nicklaus promotes in his books. I'd pick up one of those "alignment stick" driveway markers, or you could use another club, and place the stick just inside your forward heel and line up the ball and your heel at the driving range. After a while, you'll just be used to it and your set up will be second nature.

[deronsizemore]

A lot of people try to move the ball position around and move their feet different widths depending on what club they're hitting. I find this way to inconsistent.

I play the driver off of my left heel. I play my irons off of where the logo would be on my shirt (typically left side of chest); you could also say this is four inches or so inside of my left heel. The ball position is ALWAYS in that same spot regardless of the iron. Most people would say that's way too far forward for say, a gap wedge. The trick is to adjust the width of your feet depending on what club you're hitting. The shorter the club, the closer your feet are together which moves the bottom of your swing more forward. You definitely can't put the ball there and take a stance like you would use with a driver. I find this a little easier to be consistent since I'm not adjusting my stance width and ball position together, I'm just adjusting one thing.

[imtomtomim]

I just use the simplest method possible. There are no set lines for my feet. One target line from the ball to the target. I waggle on that line as I step up to it and then hit it in that exact direction. I try to think baseball. Hit the back of the ball.

Anyways, Jack always set up with his hands forward of his head, ball forward of his head. About the same spot for every club, maybe moving back 2 ball widths from driver to his wedges according to how the club sits on the ground, but always in a position where he would strike the back of the ball. The ball-foot position changes because of the stance width but ball relation to the head/body will stay relatively similar.

I never liked to set up at the ball, my perception changes too easily from that angle. I like to set a somewhat comfy setup in my practice swings behind the ball and preserve that feeling as I get to the ball, that way, the ball is moving and I'm not manipulating my body to fit where the ball is.