Lesson. Teacher told me to play wedges off my front foot (!?!)

[Used2PlayALot]

Started playing after a 10 year break, and decided to take a lesson at a local driving range.

The instructor told me I should be lining up my wedge and 9 off my front foot.   Like where the driver is lined up.
For as long as I can remember, I remember the norm was to play it off the middle of the stance.  
He said that was outdated, and playing it off the front foot is how it's not done.
 

Frankly, I felt he was giving me some kind of short-term Band-Aid hack and thought it was god damned ridiculous.
I politely finished my lesson and never went back that that low budget dump again. 

Was I right ?

[DaveP043]

15 minutes ago, Used2PlayALot said:

Started playing after a 10 year break, and decided to take a lesson at a local driving range.

The instructor told me I should be lining up my wedge and 9 off my front foot.   Like where the driver is lined up.
For as long as I can remember, I remember the norm was to play it off the middle of the stance.  
He said that was outdated, and playing it off the front foot is how it's not done.
 

Frankly, I felt he was giving me some kind of short-term Band-Aid hack and thought it was god damned ridiculous.
I politely finished my lesson and never went back that that low budget dump again. 

Was I right ?

This post reminded me of an illustration from Ben Hogan's "5 Lessons...."  In that book, he recommended that for all clubs the ball should be played about even with the left heel.  As the club got shorter, the right foot would move closer to the left, and a little closer to the target line (slightly more open), but the ball stayed in the same position relative to the left foot.  So its not exactly a new idea to keep the ball there.

Having said that, I'll let the folks with more knowledge of the swing comment on what's the best thing to do.  This choice may simply be a matter of personal preference, or fitting the ball position to an individual's swing.  For me, I prefer a slightly lower flight with my short irons, so I play it a little more toward the middle, unless I need to hit over a tree or something.

[Used2PlayALot]

CORRECTION:   I meant to type "playing it off the front foot is how it's NOW done."

[Groucho Valentine]

Seems a little odd to put such a short club that far up in your stance. I feel like it be pretty difficult to hit down on the ball from that position with a wedge. But what do i know about all these new fangled techniques? 

[Asmanning95]

I recently had a lesson in chipping, just short stuff around the greens, she had me playing shots forward of middle but really moving the ball around based on what kind of flight i was looking for. If i needed to pop the ball up she was saying  do the same swing and play the ball off the front foot. The idea was to use the bounce of the club.

Edited July 14, 2016 by Asmanning95

[DaveP043]

11 minutes ago, Asmanning95 said:

I recently had a lesson in chipping, just short stuff around the greens, she had me playing shots forward of middle but really moving the ball around based on what kind of flight i was looking for. If i needed to pop the ball up she was saying  do the same swing and play the ball off the front foot. The idea was to use the bounce of the club.

This is a little , since the original post was about full swings (I think), but your teacher is recommending a method that gets recommended on this forum pretty regularly.

If you have questions or comments about pitching technique, that would be a good place to post them.

[Elmer]

1 hour ago, Used2PlayALot said:

Started playing after a 10 year break, and decided to take a lesson at a local driving range.

The instructor told me I should be lining up my wedge and 9 off my front foot.   Like where the driver is lined up.
For as long as I can remember, I remember the norm was to play it off the middle of the stance.  
He said that was outdated, and playing it off the front foot is how it's not done.
 

Frankly, I felt he was giving me some kind of short-term Band-Aid hack and thought it was god damned ridiculous.
I politely finished my lesson and never went back that that low budget dump again. 

Was I right ?

My old teacher taught me to chip with the ball forward and keeping weight forward. He indicated that this allowed the ball to get some height. He told me to keep the ball back in the stance for lower flight.
I constantly argue about ball placement for short chips with my father. I swear by forward ball placement, he is a back foot guy.

[Rainmaker]

I've always played my irons well forward of middle.  Not quite as far forward as a driver but maybe just a ball back.  Off the inside of my left heel.  No teacher has ever (yet) said it was good or bad . .so I guess it at least means it's not the worst thing I'm doing. 

You may have rushed to judgement but, then again, maybe not.  Part of teaching is making you understand why what he's asking is good - just saying "it's the way it's done now" is not really the greatest explanation, imo. 

[Dave2512]

I've had drills assigned that were front toe and even beyond that but have never been instructed that is where the ball should be for iron shots. Can't imagine what you'd have to do with your setup and hands to get there using the OP like a driver imagery. But I'm not real far off, about two balls from left heel with a 9 iron, which is really just a little forward of center.

[iacas]

I find that, for better players especially, the ball being a bit further forward than the traditional "center of the stance" is often a good idea. It gets them feeling that they can move "into" the ball and not worry about trying to hang back and get some height on it or worry about taking a huge divot.

Also, if your stance is open at all, the ball could be both forward and back of center, or off the front foot AND centered in your stance, depending on whether you're taking a perpendicular line to your feet or your target line.

Was this advice for a full swing? Sounds like it since you mentioned a 9-iron, but just checking…

[Asmanning95]

5 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

This is a little , since the original post was about full swings (I think), but your teacher is recommending a method that gets recommended on this forum pretty regularly.

Apologies, should have worked that out when 9 irons were mentioned.

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, Asmanning95 said:

Apologies, should have worked that out when 9 irons were mentioned.

Nothing to apologize for, most of us have made similar mistakes in our time here, I know for sure I have.  Besides, it could have been me that was wrong, maybe he WAS talking about short game shots.

[zero]

Yep, I switched to chipping (30 yrds and in) to ball position just inside front foot. Working great, saw it on golf channel & golf digest. Not full swing, just chipping is what I saw/use.

[Whitman]

Looks like Rory needs to get with the times...

 

[dchoye]

For Driver definitive off the front foot as I feel that is where I'm catching the maximum speed of my driver. 

For irons and wedges I don't think the ball needs to be as far forward . I like ball just behind the front foot.  Still maximum speed in front of the ball where my front foot is.  I think this gives more ball control when I swing.   

I have another ball position with my wedges and irons near middle of stance or sometimes slightly behind middle.  I use this ball position for lower trajectory shots. Punch or Knockdown type ones 

This ball position I use less often . It's useful if the lie is such ball below my feet or against strong headwind . I still maximize the speed 12-18 inches in front of the ball . I feel like I have to maintain my swing speed a bit longer through the ball and there is more effort in my part to swing like this. 

Ball position for short game is something I can't figure out . I think it's related more off the dominant eye than stance 

[tshapiro]

What I find is the further forward the ball the more room I have to shift my weight.   So, all full shots have the ball forward. 

[Elmer]

On most of my wedge shots I play the ball forward, with my weight forward. I was taught this by one of my teachers many years ago. It helped me get the ball up and land soft.

YMMV!

[Used2PlayALot]

When the W was lined up with my front food, my hands had to be placed so far forward that there were next to my left leg.

I wish I could smack that "instructor" for giving out such horseshit