Hands VS Ball Position

Hands VS Ball Position

  • In front of the ball?

    Votes: 52 57.1%
  • Even with the ball?

    Votes: 31 34.1%
  • Slightly behind the ball?

    Votes: 8 8.8%

  • Total voters
    91

Ole Gray

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I was told by two good players at my course that my hands were two far ahead of the ball at my address position. I have since been working on my hands being above or slightly behind the ball. This helps me to not close the club face too fast which results in a nasty pull hook. My left wrist almost looks bent in/backwards behind the ball with my new hands position. Where do you place your hands in relation to the ball?
 
With irons and wedges my hands are in front of the ball. This hand position is where the club bottoms out for me in the swing (ball then divot). If I get my hands behind the ball, then I will add loft to the club and come up short as well as catching a bit of the ground before the ball. Big forward press for me.

With long clubs like a 3 wood or driver, my my hands are more near the ball, not really behind, not really ahead.
 
With irons and wedges my hands are in front of the ball. This hand position is where the club bottoms out for me in the swing (ball then divot). If I get my hands behind the ball, then I will add loft to the club and come up short as well as catching a bit of the ground before the ball. Big forward press for me.

With long clubs like a 3 wood or driver, my my hands are more near the ball, not really behind, not really ahead.

My hands feel a ton more comfortable in front of the ball however when I moved them directly over the ball, I was hitting the ball much straighter with less pulls. This should be an interesting thread.
 
You know my hands are in front of the ball as I forward press to get my swing started. I wonder how much difference it makes at address if the hands should be forward of the clubhead at impact thus aiding in the downward striking of the ball. As you have heard me say Jack Nicklaus used the forward press as a swing trigger so who am I to argue with Jack? I'll be interested in following the thoughts of others in this thread, good question buddy.
 
You know my hands are in front of the ball as I forward press to get my swing started. I wonder how much difference it makes at address if the hands should be forward of the clubhead at impact thus aiding in the downward striking of the ball. As you have heard me say Jack Nicklaus used the forward press as a swing trigger so who am I to argue with Jack? I'll be interested in following the thoughts of others in this thread, good question buddy.

Dawg -- I know that is the trigger to kick off your swing. Ben Hogan also used the forward press to initiate his swing.
 
Where ever your hands are at, at the start of the swing, should be where the club bottoms out. If you get your hands too far behind the ball, you will get turf first, ball second and that is not good.

I'm sure things are a little different for some.
 
Where ever your hands are at, at the start of the swing, should be where the club bottoms out. If you get your hands too far behind the ball, you will get turf first, ball second and that is not good.

I'm sure things are a little different for some.

Yea this makes sense and I know you are suppose to keep the hands ahead of the club head to compress the ball. It will be interesting to see how my divots average out and I will be watching this and making notes. I think the forward press is good but the forward lean at address with your hands too forward might cause a problem for me. I shot a 91 yesterday while placing the hands even with the ball and sometimes slightly behind. It felt really awkward for me to make this change however it resulted in zero pull hooks. The score was terrible because my aim was off, which is something I am working hard too straighten out.
 
I have the same problem. When I place my hands ahead of the ball at address, I tend to hook the ball. Now, I keep my hands just inline with the ball. Even though they're not ahead of the ball, I can still lag the club enough to compress the ball during the downswing.
 
I press forward with irons.
 
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I usually keep them pretty even with the ball with irons...I tend to pull left if I get the hands ahead. With the driver, I think they are a bit behind the ball, but it sits a bit more forward, so the hands may be pretty close to the same spot.
 
I was told by two good players at my course that my hands were two far ahead of the ball at my address position. I have since been working on my hands being above or slightly behind the ball. This helps me to not close the club face too fast which results in a nasty pull hook. My left wrist almost looks bent in/backwards behind the ball with my new hands position. Where do you place your hands in relation to the ball?

I guess I am a traditionalist on this topic. For all full swing, normal lie, shots, the hands end up being slightly ahead of the ball at address because the line between your forward shoulder and the ball should be a straight line, formed by your arm and club shaft. There are a number of things going on here. As long as your stance places your feet somewhere close to shoulder width, and the position of the ball is anywhere from your left toe back to slightly right of the center of your feet, then this straight-line setup rule allows you to also evaluate your grip position. Also by tradition, the V formed with your left hand thumb and index finger when gripping the club properly and while setting up (stance) to the ball, this V should point at your right shoulder (for right handers).
Currently, when Adam Scott is preparing for a shot, you'll see him place his left hand on the grip by itself with the club to his side. This is a little different than tradition but I believe he is doing that to ensure that his grip is consistent from shot to shot. It's his routine and approach to each shot. On his setup, there isn't an exactly straight line, but it is very close. I bring his name up because it has been said by many that he has the best swing in golf at this time (I also believe that Louis Oosth.. may also have the best).
It's important to have consistency but more important to execute the right things consistently. If you get your swing started correctly you have a better chance of finishing correctly.
Your hands should also be ahead of the ball at contact (this is what matters the most anyway!). Therefore, if you start your swing that way, you have a better chance of finishing that way as well.
 
I try and stay even with the ball on all my clubs except for chipping and maybe a little pitching.
Keeping a forward press in these instances helps keep my club low through my chips for better contact...
 
I try and stay even with the ball on all my clubs except for chipping and maybe a little pitching.
Keeping a forward press in these instances helps keep my club low through my chips for better contact...

This is pretty much exactly what I do as well.
 
The longer the club, the more behind the ball my hands get. For irons and full wedges, my hands are over the ball to just ahead. I don't know if it is necessarily working for me, but that is what I do.
 
I recently took a lesson and realized I had a similar issue with my hands in front of the ball at address. Using PW as an example, I had always played the ball dead center of my stance with hands in front of the ball. Not only does this de-loft the club face, but also plays more towards the back of your stance since I was turning over the ball at takeaway. At impact my head was almost past the ball and struggled with an open face and "rockets" every now and then.

Today, my PW ball position is more in line with my left ear and hands are above the ball or just left of my belt buckle (before it was towards my left pocket). My ball striking is better as I can now easily turn behind the ball. If you look at most tour Pro's at address and you draw a vertical line from the ball to just over the left shoulder, you'll see their hands are in line and head behind it as well.
 
This may sound weird, but I don't even think about where my hands are located when I address the ball. Take my grip, then my hand position is basically determined where my ball position is. For most shots with irons and hybrids, I followed the tip that one of the Golftec pros put on here earlier this year, 2 balls inside of the left heel (I'm right-handed). Based on how clubs are built, your hands will be a little more forward as the clubs get shorter. I do not forward press to start my swing though.
 
I'm a little different when it comes to this as well. I don't really think about where my hands are in relation to the ball as I try to start all full swings with my hands in the same place, which is basically in front of my left inner thigh (as a right hander). I do think about ball position, with the longer clubs and woods it is more forward, so the hands end up more "behind" the ball. Shorter clubs it's a bit farther back so it's more on top of the ball. The only club I have where I want my hands ahead of the ball at address is the putter- it is slight though. Just enough to have a little forward shaft lean.
 
I was told by two good players at my course that my hands were two far ahead of the ball at my address position. I have since been working on my hands being above or slightly behind the ball. This helps me to not close the club face too fast which results in a nasty pull hook. My left wrist almost looks bent in/backwards behind the ball with my new hands position. Where do you place your hands in relation to the ball?

OG, I had the same problem last year, and after some lessons, I moved my hands directly above the ball and have been hitting the ball much straighter on a much more consistent basis.
 
It kind of depends on the shot, and gradually depending on the club, but from the tee; in front, but ever so slightly.
 
Good thread.

This is one of the things my coach worked hard to ingrain into me. I used to have my hands in front of the ball on irons and the like.. the result hooks and pulls. I now start all shots with my hands ever so slightly behind the ball. I'm much straighter and more consistent. Where your hands start should not have too much bearing on where you are at impact position because no matter what you have to lead with the hands. Otherwise you'll tend to flip and add loft to the club. Then you end up with weak shots that get caught up in the wind and ultimately they'll be more like weak slaps.

There is only one shot where my hands start in front.... chips. Pitches and lobs start behind as well.

Alex
 
Really didn't know where to vote on this one, so I went with even with the ball. I actually had to set up to a ball to see what I did, as I don't really think about hand position anymore. I am almost perfectly even with it, but it looks just the tiniest bit forward. Always worked for me!
 
I haven't really thought about it, but to have my left arm straight with the club, It usually is ahead of the ball. I don't forward press, ever. I already have too many things going on in my head...
 
I aim to keep my hands in front to ensure a strong impact position. I use the second belt loop to the left as a reference guide, and point the end of the grip to it. This has helped to add consistency in my address and striking.
 
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