Why ball position should be relative to the body — not just the feet

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com sequence by which we’re sharing enhancements, learnings and takeaways from beginner golfers just such as you — together with a few of the velocity bumps and challenges they confronted alongside the method.

Ball position in golf is one among the most essential components in hitting a superb shot — but so many amateurs nonetheless overlook it throughout their pre-shot course of.

For occasion, most mid-to-high handicappers comprehend it’s really helpful to position the golf ball on the inside their lead foot when utilizing a driver. This permits the participant to swing up on the ball, giving them a greater alternative to launch it.

But subsequent time you go to the driving vary, go searching at what number of golfers nonetheless don’t do that, and just arrange to the ball with it (sometimes) in the middle and even the again of their stance.

Thing is, utilizing your feet isn’t the solely method to decide what your ball position should really be, as the body performs an enormous position in it, too.

To perceive this, have a look beneath at what GOLF Teacher to Watch Kelvin Kelley has to say, as he explains why your golf ball position should additionally be relative to your body.

Why utilizing your body is essential to decide golf ball position

The idea of golf ball position being solely relative to the feet — with the concept that, after taking your stance, the ball should be in the center of the feet with the irons, and the extra in direction of the entrance foot with the driver — is partially true, however there’s extra to it.

Instead of solely fascinated about ball position utilizing your feet, take into consideration the place your mass (backbone and higher body) is positioned relative to the ball at handle. This is most crucial when searching for strong contact. It’s why the angles of your body are so essential.

The picture beneath exhibits what the backbone and mass appear like at the high of the swing. Notice how they’re behind the golf ball.

By beginning this fashion, your swing is way more environment friendly, as the body can transfer ahead and round towards the goal in the downswing. This additionally permits you to hit with the entirety of your mass and body getting into the optimum route.

To image this, consider a boxer prepared to punch a boxing bag. The boxer would have their body positioned barely behind the bag to punch ahead into the bag. A boxer that units up in entrance of the bag would haven’t any body mass to use into the punch.

This idea in golf is nothing new, as the image beneath exhibits Jack Nicklaus utilizing it with a driver, mid-iron, and brief wedge.

Another instance comes from Ben Hogan’s ebook, “Five Lessons“, the place he described his ball position methodology.

Hogan’s left foot would keep the identical distance from the ball no matter membership, whereas his path foot would progressively widen as the membership acquired longer. The distance that the path foot moved again would additionally transfer his higher body.

Another notice to concentrate to is how open or closed the feet should be for every membership in your bag. The picture beneath is an efficient information to comply with — however keep in mind, that is just a baseline. The ball should be moved relative to the feet when hitting a sure flighted shot.

To play with the correct angle of assault, you should barely drop the path foot again when utilizing longer golf equipment. This promotes a extra shallow assault angle, as the body can barely shut. For shorter irons, open the feet, which influences a extra downward and throughout strike since the body will be extra open.

By rethinking the ball position relative to your body at affect, you’ll permit for a greater assault angle and extra alternatives of hitting it flush.

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Kelvin is a Class A PGA golf skilled in San Francisco, California. He has taught at a few of the high golf golf equipment in the Bay Area, which embrace The Olympic Club and Sonoma Golf Club. He is TPI licensed and licensed Callaway and Titleist membership fitter. Kelvin has sought recommendation and discovered below a number of of the high instructors in the recreation, together with Alex Murray and Scott Hamilton.

Kelvin works along with his college students to develop an environment friendly golf swing. A swing that’s repeatable, highly effective and can try below strain. He welcomes golfers of all ability ranges nonetheless is geared in direction of the extra dedicated golfer. Besides swing and brief recreation instruction, Kelvin is an knowledgeable in on and off the course teaching. This contains psychological preparation, growing follow routines and course strategizing.

Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor