Position of Ball Along Club Face Length at Address?

[retexan599]

When I am addressing the ball, I can place the club face so that the ball may be anywhere from the heel to the toe of the club head. In the past I had been placing the face approximately at the middle, thinking that would be closest to the “sweet spot”. More recently, with the help of some impact stickers, I have found that other locations at address seem to work better. For example, my sticker experiments showed a lot of iron hits at the toe of the club, even though I addressed at the middle. When I changed the address position to near the heel of the iron face, the impact position was much closer to the center and I got much straighter and crisper shots. On the other hand, I found the opposite with the driver; placing the club near the toe gave better strikes near the middle and consequently some very nice long and straight drives. So, this question: where do most folks place the club head face relative to the ball: nearer the heel, at the center, or nearer the toe? I looked for articles about this, but was unable to describe the question concisely. Appreciate any thoughts.

[Zeph]

It is dependant on how your swing is. Some place it in the middle, some toward the heel, some toward the toe.

[crayputter]

When I am addressing the ball, I can place the club face so that the ball may be anywhere from the heel to the toe of the club head. In the past I had been placing the face approximately at the middle, thinking that would be closest to the “sweet spot”. More recently, with the help of some impact stickers, I have found that other locations at address seem to work better. For example, my sticker experiments showed a lot of iron hits at the toe of the club, even though I addressed at the middle. When I changed the address position to near the heel of the iron face, the impact position was much closer to the center and I got much straighter and crisper shots. On the other hand, I found the opposite with the driver; placing the club near the toe gave better strikes near the middle and consequently some very nice long and straight drives. So, this question: where do most folks place the club head face relative to the ball: nearer the heel, at the center, or nearer the toe? I looked for articles about this, but was unable to describe the question concisely. Appreciate any thoughts.

This depends on one's swing....it differs for each individual...even pro's too...

If you notice Zach Johnson...he addresses almost the the toe of his clubs...because that's how HIS swing is... Ray

[RossOliver]

I place the ball dead centre for my irons - I think moving the ball around for a better strike with your irons is just going to hide a swing flaw that is causing you to hit off the toe. For the driver, teeing the ball by the heel will give you some hosel shots - if you place the driver on the ground behind the ball and lift it up to the impact position, the ball will move from the heel of the head to the hosel. This is why I tee up my driver ball about a quarter inch towards the toe when it's resting on the ground - this way when I get to impact with the driver head off the ground the ball will be dead centre.

-Ross

[TigerWoodz]

For my irons i did the same thing,i address closer to the heel and result crisper cleaner shots,this has cured hitting my irons off the toe...even if this is incorrect it works for me...

[Travtex]

I've gotten closer to normal recently, though I'm still toward the heel. For a while there I was getting some pretty solid consistent contact somewhere around the hosel at address -- It seems to be a swing/body type/comfort thing.

[retexan599]

I place the ball dead centre for my irons - I think moving the ball around for a better strike with your irons is just going to hide a swing flaw that is causing you to hit off the toe. For the driver, teeing the ball by the heel will give you some hosel shots - if you place the driver on the ground behind the ball and lift it up to the impact position, the ball will move from the heel of the head to the hosel. This is why I tee up my driver ball about a quarter inch towards the toe when it's resting on the ground - this way when I get to impact with the driver head off the ground the ball will be dead centre.

This was very good advice for the driver which I put into practice today and got my strike points a lot closer to center of the driver face (with impact sticker feedback). I still do better on irons by addressing near the heel of the iron. But I can experiement intelligently with good feedback now that I am using impact stickers. Thanks.

[JetFan1983]

Today at the range I practiced mostly with my driver. I hit some good, some bad. But I too noticed than when I addressed the ball off the toe, hitting the center of the clubface at impact was more effortless and involved less timing. I don't want a quick fix, so we'll see how new address position holds up for me over the next few sessions.

Would love to hear more feedback from the herd on addressing the ball off the toe with driver though.

[shortstop20]

Alot of people address the ball off the toe with the driver. I don't think it's anything to shun.

[nuck81]

I tend to hit towards the heel, so I address closer to the toe..

[kennay92]

just the middle for me.

[RossOliver]

Today at the range I practiced mostly with my driver. I hit some good, some bad. But I too noticed than when I addressed the ball off the toe, hitting the center of the clubface at impact was more effortless and involved less timing. I don't want a quick fix, so we'll see how new address position holds up for me over the next few sessions.

I don't think this is a 'quick fix' at all - it makes perfect sense for the reason I gave; address the ball with your driver centred and raise it to the height it will be at impact. If you don't address slightly toward the toe you should be hitting it off the heal if your swing is not compensating... this doesn't apply to irons as you hit them off the ground or very short tees...

-Ross

[Stix]

Originally Posted by retexan599

When I am addressing the ball, I can place the club face so that the ball may be anywhere from the heel to the toe of the club head. In the past I had been placing the face approximately at the middle, thinking that would be closest to the “sweet spot”. More recently, with the help of some impact stickers, I have found that other locations at address seem to work better. For example, my sticker experiments showed a lot of iron hits at the toe of the club, even though I addressed at the middle. When I changed the address position to near the heel of the iron face, the impact position was much closer to the center and I got much straighter and crisper shots. On the other hand, I found the opposite with the driver; placing the club near the toe gave better strikes near the middle and consequently some very nice long and straight drives. So, this question: where do most folks place the club head face relative to the ball: nearer the heel, at the center, or nearer the toe? I looked for articles about this, but was unable to describe the question concisely. Appreciate any thoughts.

I found the same thing on the range this week.

I was wondering why I was so inconsistent with my iron contact, especially the short irons into the green, seemed to toe or push a lot of them right.

So I aligned the ball closer to the hosel, concentrate on the inside back 1/4 of the ball, which for me - who has an out-to-in swing - gets me to think of coming more from the inside.

It seems to work, it's straightened out the irons and obviously added a little more distance,  as well as they are straighter.

I'm still working on the Driver, but I'm finding ball forward a little bit more and align ball to toe has also helped - reason being I generally rest the driver on the ground, so when I raise the Driver during the swing the ball becomes closer to the middle of the club, also an out-to-in swing path the face is still open further before it reaches level with the left foot.....

Anyway, I’m trying to work out a few things myself before I get baffled by a pro, as they all seem to have different fixes – like my playing partners and mates!! – and it does get all a bit too much all too easily...so small increments/changes and then have the local pro give me a review.

I know I’m not going to be a world beater, but I break the 90 barrier and I want that 85 barrier, then the 80 over the next 12 months and really enjoy a whole round not just certain (3-4) holes on the course. :-D

All the best.

[Paradox]

You'll be searching forever and never finding an answer if you think there is a "swing fix" for this.

Think about it guys..you're talking about, at most, 1/4 of an inch one way or the other.  Its just the way your body will swing the club.  The fix is to adjust your initial alignment.  You think pro's would do this if there were some bigger problem going on?

[Tifosinumerouno]

If you think about it, lining up towards the heel makes a bit of sense, especially when you think about how the club/shaft bend slightly towards the ground towards the bottom of the swing. If it's bending towards the ground, it's also bending towards you, meaning if you line up at the center, you'll be hitting nearer the toe.

See the image on the left for an example of what I mean.of the shaft bending down.

[sean_miller]

When addressing a ball on the ground I set the clubface up with sweet spot in line with the ball. When the ball is on a tee the ball is more off the toe as the club rests on the ground. Raise the club off the ground and the sweet spot is in line with the ball.

[The Recreational Golfer]

George Knudson talked about addressing the ball off the toe of the club in his book, The Natural Golf Swing . He was having trouble hitting the ball toward the heel of the club, so he started with the ball on the toe of the clubface and began making solid, centered contact. His reasoning is that the centrifugal force of the swing was pulling his arms "down and out." If you get a lot of heel hits, you might try this. It could be swing-specific, though.

[Kingward]

I agree with Knudson.  Centrifugal force extends the arms on the through-swing.  Lining the ball up on the toe yields better center contact and actually encourages more extension on the through-swing.  I know it has helped me.