Ball Position for All Clubs

[Taco]

I am making a new discovery with my swing.  I have a very bad habit of pushing my shots way out to the right.  The longer my club, the worse the push (obviously).

Now I am noticing, If I line the ball up more with my front foot it seems to be corrected.  I line up pretty much any club (including gap wedge) on my front foot and the ball flies straight/slight draw with some good distance...its perfect.

I figure this is happening because my club face has more time to get back to square...

I am worried this may develop bad habits though.  A proper wedge shot should be more toward the back foot apparently and 7-8 irons should be a center alignment...

Does anyone else do this or have any input on the topic?

[mdl]

Nicklaus played every shot off his front foot, so you know at least it's possible to golf pretty well that way :)

[WUTiger]

I've played both ways, and it mainly matters that you do it consistently.

For everyday golfers, the single-ball positions simplifies set-up a lot.

[poser]

Usually its the opposite.  When you move it more forward you hit a fade and more back more of a draw.  I play the ball in the same position for all shots pretty much and thats just inside my front foot.

[longbow]

I keep the ball pos. the same I just move my back foot more or less depending on the club!  thanks

[Ernest Jones]

I play everything closer to center as it seems to help me hit down. evreything less than a 5iron is center but even 5iron and up is only about a ball and a half forward. Driver? I don't bother right now because its slice city no matter what I do

[FuzzyB1]

Hands in front of the ball at address with every club except the driver.  This could be very subjective though with the different swings out there but if you are not a consistent ball striker I believe you need to have the ball back further to promote "ball first" contact.

[dsc123]

I play wedges in the center, low irons off the front heel, and the rest somewhere in-between.  Sometimes I move the wedges up a bit further, too.  I find it encourages me to get my weight forward.

Originally Posted by poser

Usually its the opposite.  When you move it more forward you hit a fade and more back more of a draw.  I play the ball in the same position for all shots pretty much and thats just inside my front foot.

If he suffers from a push, not a slice, then he is swinging in to out with a club face square to the path.  Moving the ball forward would make his path less in to out at impact, which would reduce the push.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by dsc123

I play wedges in the center, low irons off the front heel, and the rest somewhere in-between.  Sometimes I move the wedges up a bit further, too.  I find it encourages me to get my weight forward.

If he suffers from a push, not a slice, then he is swinging in to out with a club face square to the path.  Moving the ball forward would make his path less in to out at impact, which would reduce the push.

Not unless the club face changes as well, then it could start to curve right.  OP says, "I have a very bad habit of pushing my shots way out to the right".  Especially with the longer clubs.  So if the ball is starting way right, club face is aimed too far to the right at impact.  Could be a number of reasons.  I'm guessing (could be wrong) that it isn't a straight push.  Taco, is it a straight push?  Or is the ball curving further right?

To get to his question though, I play the ball mostly a ball or two inside my left heel and off my left toe for the driver.  Don't think you should ever have the ball off the back foot unless you're trying to hit a big hook.

[Taco]

My shots typically start right, and will curve farther right only a lot of them....

[Taco]

Thanks for the input everyone.  I think I may have figured something out on the range yesterday.  I figured out that I was cutting my back swing very short, I started turning my torso more until I could  see the tip of my club out of the corner of my left eye (I am a right handed golfer).  When I turn back this far, ball striking seems to have greatly improved, shots are going MUCH farther and my push has decreased a lot.  Not really sure why turning more would help me square up a club better though....