LESSON 4

BALL

POSITION

What is Ball Position

How can Ball Position effect Your Direction

How can Ball Position effect how Solidly You hit the Ball

Where is the Bottom of your Swing Arc

The effect of Ball Position too Far Forward

WHAT IS BALL POSITION?

Ball position refers to where the ball is located relative to the feet.

WHY DO WE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT BALL POSITION?

Ball position is very important, as it has effect on direction, as well as an influence on how solidly we can consistently hit the golf ball.

LETS FIRST GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW AND WHY BALL POSITION WILL EFFECT YOUR DIRECTION

Lets have a look at a good neutral set up. Ball center of the stance, notice how the shoulders are aligned perfectly.

THE EFFECTS OF BALL POSITION TO FAR FORWARD

THE EFFECTS OF BALL POSITION TOO FAR BACK

YOU CAN SEE VERY SIMPLY HERE HOW THE POSITION OF THE BALL WILL INFLUENCE THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT.

IF BALL POSITION IS TOO FAR FORWARD YOU CAN SEE THE INFLUENCE WOULD BE TO HIT THE BALL LEFT, OR BUILD IN A COMPENSATION TO STOP IT GOING LEFT. E.g. WEAK GRIP, DON’T RELEASE THE CLUB, CREATE TENSION AND HOLD THE CLUBFACE ALL REACTIONS TO A SET UP FLAW THAT WE HAD TOO FIX, WITH YET ANOTHER SET UP FLAW OR A SWING COMPENSATION.

BALL TOO FAR BACK, HAS THE OPPOSITE INFLUENCE. YOU CAN SEE WHY THE BALL WOULD HAVE A TENDENCY TO GO RIGHT, OR YOU COULD BUILD IN A COMPENSATING MOVE. E.g. STRONG GRIP TO CURVE THE BALL BACK TO THE LEFT

YOU ARE STARTING TOO SEE WHY THE SET UP IS SO IMPORTANT, EVERY BAD POSITION AT ADDRESS HAS A DIRECT INFLUENCE ON THE FLIGHT OF HE BALL.

IF YOU PRACTICE WITH A FLAWED SET UP, ALL YOU ARE TRAINING IS HOW TO FIX A FAULT WITH A FAULT.

HOW DOES THE BALL POSITION EFFECT

HOW SOLIDLY I HIT THE BALL?

FIRST LET US UNDERSTAND WHAT SOLID CONTACT IS?

To hit a ball with solid contact we must hit the bottom of the ball, and the ground simultaneously.

THE BALL IS HIT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ARC OF THE SWING WITH A DESCENDING BLOW HENCE THE PERFECT DIVOT STARTS RIGHT AT THE POINT UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE BALL.

THE BALL IS NOT LIFTED IN THE AIR BY FLIPPING THE HANDS. IT WILL BECOME AIR BORN IF YOU CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE BALL AND THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME.

THE LOFT OF THE CLUBFACE GIVES THE BALL ITS TRAJECTORY.

BALL POSITIONS INFLUENCE ON HOW SOLIDLY WE CONTACT THE BALL!

THE GOLF SWING VEIWED FROM IN FRONT IS AN ARC!

WHERE IS THE BOTTOM AF THE ARC?

The swing hinges from the two shoulder joints with the body kept as a central pivot

It makes sense that the bottom of the arc is the center of your body.

(With the driver where we are hitting the ball of a tee and therefor we need to connect with the ball slightly on the upward side of the arc.)

Hence when hitting the ball off a tee. The ball may be positioned an inch or so ahead of center. Be mindful of the shoulder position.

LET US HAVE A LOOK AT A BALL POSITION TOO FAR FORWARD FIRST AS THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SET UP FLAWS.

Notice that not only is the ball going to be influenced left, but we are also going to hit the ball too much on the upward side of the arc.

This may cause us to hit the ball on its equator (thin) or we may hit the ground before the ball, as that is where the bottom of the swing arc is.

OR WE WOULD BUILD INTRODUCE YET ANOTHER COMPENSATION TO FIX THE SET UP FLAW!

WE COULD MOVE THE WHOLE SWING FORWARD ON THE DOWN SWING, OR WE COULD LEARN TO FLIP THE BALL INTO THE AIR WITH THE HANDS. BOTH OF THESE FACTORS WILL REDUCE THE CONSISTENCY OF YOUR SHOTS, AS YOU ARE BRINGING YET ANOTHER UNNECCESARY VARIABLE, TO YOUR SWING.

OR WE COULD SIMPLY FIX THE FAULT AT ADDRESS AND ALLOW YOUR SELF THE CHANCE TO MAKE A GOOD SIMPLE SWING.

SO IDEALLY THE BALL POSITION IS CLOSE TO CENTER OF YOUR SWING TO SLIGHTLY FORWARD WITH THE WOODS OFF A TEE

NOTE PLEASE AVOID A BALL POSITION TOO FAR FORWARD AS THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SET UP FLAWS WE SEE.

IF YOU ARE A PULL SLICER PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME ON THIS SECTION ALSO REFER TO GRIP IT COULD MAKE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT TO YOUR BALLFLIGHT WITHOUT HAVING TO THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT SWING MECHANICS.

TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND AND INCORPORATE THIS INFORMATION INTO YOUR GAME.

PRACTICE THIS AT HOME IN FRONT OF A MIRROR.

CHECK YOUR BALL POSITION AND BODY ALIGNMENT.

REMEMBER DON’T FIX A SET UP FLAW WITH A SWING FLAW; FIX YOUR SET UP FIRST.

THE INFLUENCE OF BALL TOO FAR BACK!

NOTICE HERE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT!

The ball will be influenced to the right; we may also hit the ball thin from here, as the club is not yet at the bottom of the swing arc.