Not all positions are created equal. Note in all three pictures from the driver to 5 iron to pitching wedge. The ball gradually moves toward the center of my stance as the club gets shorter. A question often asked, “where should the ball be located in my stance”? There is one easy answer, “where your club makes contact with the earth”! Each person is unique, long arms, short legs, tall, short; each individual must find the bottom of THEIR swing and place the ball in that position. In these photos the ball positions are perfect for me. Experiment with your ball position based on the information provided.
DRIVER BALL POSITION:
In the first picture the position of the ball is under the left shoulder joint. This spot positions the ball very near the heel to big toe on the left foot. The frontal location helps a player at impact sweep the ball off the tee, launching it high and straight without impacting the ground.
MID IRON BALL POSITION:
The second photo shows the ball position under my heart. In relationship to my stance the position is to the right of my left heel. This is a five iron and this position represents a position where the club will contact the ball first and then impact the ground. The downward angle of approach is different from the driver in that it comes at a steeper angle.
SHORT IRON BALL POSITION:
The final photo shows the ball position is placed just left of my chin. This more centered position is key to hitting crisp wedges into the greens. The centered position promotes and even steeper angle of approach into the ball. The benefit is that a player can impart a great deal of backspin by “pinching” the ball between the club and the ground at impact. The increased backspin will promote a higher flying and softer landing ball flight.