Leone’s Lessons: What is the correct ball position? Some
instructional articles suggest starting with the driver off the
left heel, then moving the ball back with every club with the wedge
in the center of the stance. For the average player, this creates
inconsistency in their set-up.
What is the correct ball position?
Some instructional articles suggest starting with the driver off the left heel, then moving the ball back with every club with the wedge in the center of the stance. For the average player, this creates inconsistency in their set-up.
If the ball position is too far forward, your shoulders will tend to be open relative to the target line. Conversely, if the ball is too far back the shoulders will tend to be closed. Jack Nicklaus played most of his shots off the left heel. Tour players don’t move the ball position much at all.
But here’s a simpler approach. In your address position, put your feet together placing the ball in the middle of your stance. With your short irons – eight through the wedges – move your left heel three inches to the left and your right heel three inches to the right. The ball is centered in your stance.
With the middle irons – five through seven – keeping the ball three inches off the left heel, move your right heel two more inches to the right. This moves the ball slightly forward of center.
For the long irons, hybrids and fairway woods, and keeping the ball three inches off the left heel, move the right heel to the width of the right shoulder. The ball appears to look more forward, but is it? With the driver, it’s slightly different. Put your feet together with the ball centered in your stance. Keeping the left heel in place, move your right heel slightly outside the width of the right shoulder.
The key is the ball position never changed relative to your left heel except with the driver, thus keeping your shoulders square to the target line. This will lead to a more consistent set-up, resulting in more consistent shots.
