Proper Ball Position

I have always believed that one of the least appreciated fundamentals in the game is proper ball position. Why is it important? Let me count the ways. For starters, if it’s too far forward with your irons, the bottom point of your swing might very well connect with the big ball (earth) before the little ball. With the driver especially, if it’s too far forward, there is a very good chance that your shoulder line will be open relative to the target line leading to pulls or cuts depending upon the angle of the clubface at impact. Generally speaking, most golfers are away of these two ramifications. But here’s something else that perhaps many golfers haven’t really thought about: frequently a student will ask me if they should push the club back with the left arm (right-handed golfer) or pull it back with the right arm. My answer is “ideally neither” and here’s why. If the ball is too far forward in your stance the tendency is to pull with the right side often leading to a diminished shoulder turn. If it’s too far back you’re more likely to push it back with the left side which can sometimes cause the club to get too far behind you. There is a happy median ball position where the sides work in harmony with each other, pulling/pushing their own weight equally. To find that happy place requires a little experimentation but it’s well worth the effort. And it might be easier for you if you embrace the Jack Nicklaus ball position theory. The Golden Bear played pretty much every shot just inside his left heel. But he changed the relative position of the ball by varying his stance with. With the feet wide apart for the driver the ball was inside the left heel. With a sand wedge he moved his right foot to the left into a narrower stance. The ball was still just inside his left heel but now it appeared centered. This worked rather well for him and it might for you as well.