We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Ball Position With Irons

Scrap Iron said:
I play everything forward in my stance at the same spot for every iron and find that once or twice a round I hit big ol' fat one the other 80 shots a round are all very consistent and predictable for me.
Click to expand...
If you are playing all your irons forward then I'm gonna guess you are open to your target. If you were square or closed, you hit everything fat. You also might have an OTT move into the move to create room on the down swing
 
Middle to slightly ahead as I get into mid irons and hybrids.
 
it depends on your miss. If you are hitting it thin, move the ball to middle. If you are getting too much height, maybe move it up. I usually play the ball dead center.
 
I'm just back of middle with wedges, middle-ish with 9-6, start getting just forward of middle with 5-3W. But not much movement - we're talking within probably 3 or 4 ball-widths through the bag.

Much of where it ends up has to do with the shot shape I'm playing, too.
 
I started out with varying ball positions after watching the Tour Academy DVD's. I didn't have any specific issues with this method, but had lots of inconsistencies then and an over the top swing.

Then I switched to the ball under the left pec for all clubs except driver with my first long term coach. I didn't have an issue with this, but still had the over the top swing.

Then when I switched coaches to my second/current long term coach he first had me move the ball way back to learn to change my swing path. It really helped in that area and got me hitting draws in no time. But once I graduated from adjusting the path he wanted me to work more on weight transfer. I found it impossible (for me) to do with the ball back in my stance. We tried center with some success, but found the most success with the ball back under the left pec. I have to be careful because if its a hair too far forward I can hit a pull and/or pull hook, but the majority of the time I hit a draw from this position with my miss being a push more often than not. I went from hitting my original game improvement style PW (TM RBZ) roughly 115 yards total to hitting my current players iron PW (Bridgestone J15 CB) 135-138 carry distance. Even with my current swing if I put the ball too far back I can only carry my PW 120-125 because of the troubles I find with weight transfer in that position.

So I intend to stick with the ball under pec method for the long run.
 
Ball position is key for consistent contact. It is also important for optimum contact. The 5 iron should be played in the middle of you stance and everything moves forward or back from that point. Your other option would be in the middle of your stance with all clubs.

If you have the ball forward then you better be square or closed to your intended target and have an inside to out swing path.
 
freddie...do you recommend same stance width and just move the ball position or do you recommend different width for each type of iron(short,mid,long) and that stance determines if ball is forward or back?
 
On a flat lie for full shots I play the ball slightly forward in the stance for all my clubs and widen the stance as loft goes down.
 
9 iron in the middle. Longer irons more forward, shorter irons more back.
 
emart2173 said:
freddie...do you recommend same stance width and just move the ball position or do you recommend different width for each type of iron(short,mid,long) and that stance determines if ball is forward or back?
Click to expand...
That is all personal to each golfer. I like the feet shoulder width apart. When I am making more of an arm swing or knock downs, my stance is narrower.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Ball position is key for consistent contact. It is also important for optimum contact. The 5 iron should be played in the middle of you stance and everything moves forward or back from that point. Your other option would be in the middle of your stance with all clubs.

If you have the ball forward then you better be square or closed to your intended target and have an inside to out swing path.
Click to expand...
Freddie my miss lately has been a super fat and im guilty of playing the ball too far forward. Obviously I'll practice it but do you think moving it back could help some of those shots? I got stuck in that habit after moving the ball really forward in order to exaggerate getting onto my left side.
 
Tadashi70 said:
If you are playing all your irons forward then I'm gonna guess you are open to your target. If you were square or closed, you hit everything fat. You also might have an OTT move into the move to create room on the down swing
Click to expand...

I play my long irons forward and have noticed that my tendency is for a divot along an outside-in path, which would be consistent with what you're describing here.

Tadashi70 said:
Ball position is key for consistent contact. It is also important for optimum contact. The 5 iron should be played in the middle of you stance and everything moves forward or back from that point. Your other option would be in the middle of your stance with all clubs.

If you have the ball forward then you better be square or closed to your intended target and have an inside to out swing path.
Click to expand...

If we start with 5i in the center, how much should the ball progress back in the stance from club to club? Fraction of a ball width? Full ball per club? I realize this will likely vary from player to player, I'm just looking for a rule of thumb to start from as I try to dial in what works best.
 
When people are hitting it fat it means they are out of position for one reason or another. Maybe youre casting, maybe your changing your plane by getting closer to the ball on the down swing.

I would suggest that you take a practice swing with each club. Pay attention to where the club brushes the grass. This is you new ball position. Now realize that you need to aligned properly and must attempt to stay close to your address position so you get a true 'bottom' in your swing. If you are mis-aligned you could get a false bottom or one that produces weak shots.

my dad was chunking every wedge to the point he was trying to help the ball into the air and started double hitting. I noticed his practice swings bottomed out by his back foot with his wedges. I moved the ball back and BOOM, instant wedge game. He is old so he resorted to old habits but I adjusted him last time we played. It has made all the difference in his game and confidence.
Evok said:
Freddie my miss lately has been a super fat and im guilty of playing the ball too far forward. Obviously I'll practice it but do you think moving it back could help some of those shots? I got stuck in that habit after moving the ball really forward in order to exaggerate getting onto my left side.
Click to expand...
 
Evok said:
Freddie my miss lately has been a super fat and im guilty of playing the ball too far forward. Obviously I'll practice it but do you think moving it back could help some of those shots? I got stuck in that habit after moving the ball really forward in order to exaggerate getting onto my left side.
Click to expand...

I suffer from the same thing sometimes, and I find it's because the ball has crept up in my stance. I start to find myself hitting about an inch behind the ball, and moving it back towards center tends to straighten things back out.
 
Ok great, thanks fellas. Ill play around with that tonight when I practice.
 
I like the 4,3 and hybo halfway between the front heal and middle of stance. This with spine tilt and you are looking at a long, high and soft shot. Play it in the middle for a mid flight roller and back for a low chaser or trap draw as Johnny and I like to call them :alien2:
JohnSinVA said:
I play my long irons forward and have noticed that my tendency is for a divot along an outside-in path, which would be consistent with what you're describing here.



If we start with 5i in the center, how much should the ball progress back in the stance from club to club? Fraction of a ball width? Full ball per club? I realize this will likely vary from player to player, I'm just looking for a rule of thumb to start from as I try to dial in what works best.
Click to expand...
 
Tadashi70 said:
If you have the ball forward then you better be square or closed to your intended target and have an inside to out swing path.
Click to expand...

Genuine questions here, but most teachers/online videos/articles/etc. promote a ball position just inside the lead heel for the driver. Without closing the stance are they dooming most amateurs to a fade/slice setting up this way?

Would it be a little easier to hit a draw with the driver by moving the ball a little back of the inside of the lead heel? Or closing the stance/dropping the rear foot back? Or some combination of moving the ball back and closing the stance/dropping the foot back?
 
-CRW- said:
Genuine questions here, but most teachers/online videos/articles/etc. promote a ball position just inside the lead heel for the driver. Without closing the stance are they dooming most amateurs to a fade/slice setting up this way?

Would it be a little easier to hit a draw with the driver by moving the ball a little back of the inside of the lead heel? Or closing the stance/dropping the rear foot back? Or some combination of moving the ball back and closing the stance/dropping the foot back?
Click to expand...
The driver being the longest club in most people's bag needs to be played off the front heel due to the release of the club. The more you draw that club back in the stance the more you close the gap on the release point. The more this gap closes the more the face stays open and you end up with a push or slice.

The issue most weekend hacks have is that they are wide open to the their target and cut across the ball with an added hang back. There is no telling where that ball will go with this swing. If more people paid attention to their alignment they would not have the misses they have.
 
blugold said:
On full swings, every iron get played off the middle of my left pec. Wedges are just to the left of my sternum. Woods are between my left heel and middle of my pec.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty much the same, except exchange the word "pec" for the word "moob".:sad:
 
Hamfist said:
I'm pretty much the same, except exchange the word "pec" for the word "moob".:sad:
Click to expand...

I'm glad I wasn't in the middle of drinking anything when I read this. If I were my monitor would be wearing it right now.
 
I play my 9i from the middle, and move the ball slightly forward as the clubs get longer.
 
Scrap Iron said:
I'm just wondering what everyone does for ball position with their irons. Do you move it around as your clubs get longer or do you play everything forward or further back in your stance. Also how consistent is your ball striking with your method?
Click to expand...

For me it depends on the club and the shot I want to hit. There is no set spot for me.
 
Tadashi70 said:
The driver being the longest club in most people's bag needs to be played off the front heel due to the release of the club. The more you draw that club back in the stance the more you close the gap on the release point. The more this gap closes the more the face stays open and you end up with a push or slice.

The issue most weekend hacks have is that they are wide open to the their target and cut across the ball with an added hang back. There is no telling where that ball will go with this swing. If more people paid attention to their alignment they would not have the misses they have.
Click to expand...

Very true and very well said!
 
I used to play everything short of driver way back in my stance and my game was hook/block city. One of the things some lessons straightened out was ball position and now I play 8i down dead center, wedges back, long irons forward and woods up by my left heel. It definitely made a difference but I'd be more comfortable if I played everything the same (woods not included).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top