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Ball position

azgreg

"Don't count that."
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We've all heard the drill on ball position. Just off the front heel with driver then a bit further back the shorter club you go. I've been messing around with it lately and came across some images I found interesting.

Butch Harmon:
Butch-Harmon-Short-Irons-Ball-Position-With-Captions.jpg

Ben Hogan:
4927606_f520.jpg

Greg Norman:
Norman1.jpg

And Jack Nicklaus:
Ball-position-Nicklaus.jpg

If you look closely all of them play the ball in basically the same spot, they just move the back foot rearward the longer the club. What do you think?
 

TheTrueReview

"Playing it straight"
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I like Butch Harmon's. I'm wary about the others given the lapse of time.
 

Fairwaysplitter3320

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We've all heard the drill on ball position. Just off the front heel with driver then a bit further back the shorter club you go. I've been messing around with it lately and came across some images I found interesting.

Butch Harmon:
Butch-Harmon-Short-Irons-Ball-Position-With-Captions.jpg

Ben Hogan:
4927606_f520.jpg

Greg Norman:
Norman1.jpg

And Jack Nicklaus:
Ball-position-Nicklaus.jpg

If you look closely all of them play the ball in basically the same spot, they just move the back foot rearward the longer the club. What do you think?
It's definitely interesting and makes you think. I have 2 ball positions (because of the single length irons). Driver and FW's off the front heel and irons in the center of my stance. Keeping it simple. :D
 

eclark53520

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Doesn't make sense to me. Driver needs to be hit with a positive angle of attack, which requires the ball to be forward of the bottom of the natural swing. If not, you have to swing different to hit the ball well.

Likewise, Irons/wedges need to be hit with a negative angle of attack. This requires the ball to be before the bottom of the natural swing.

Moving the ball is easier than moving the swing. I don't see a real benefit to changing the swing over moving the ball.
 

Splunge

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We've all heard the drill on ball position. Just off the front heel with driver then a bit further back the shorter club you go. I've been messing around with it lately and came across some images I found interesting.

Butch Harmon:
Butch-Harmon-Short-Irons-Ball-Position-With-Captions.jpg

Ben Hogan:
4927606_f520.jpg

Greg Norman:
Norman1.jpg

And Jack Nicklaus:
Ball-position-Nicklaus.jpg

If you look closely all of them play the ball in basically the same spot, they just move the back foot rearward the longer the club. What do you think?
critical to note though, that they play much more foreword press on the shorter clubs, that too, like stance with, is progressive
 

limpalong

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I, honestly, can't tell you just where my ball position is from shot to shot. If I spent too much time worrying dissecting it, I'd probably have paralysis through over-analysis. My driver position is usually off the left big toe. We have one dogleg that, if I'm hitting the driver really well that day, I may try to go over. I'll move the ball a little more forward and tee it a little higher for that shot. If I want to hit an iron high to either clear an obstacle or make it land soft, I'll move the ball forward. If I want to keep the ball low and see it check up, I'll move it back to punch it. I sorta picture the shot I want to make, then automatically move to where I think the ball should be... and then skull it 10 yards past the green.
 

J.P.C.

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Aug 31, 2010
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I, honestly, can't tell you just where my ball position is from shot to shot. If I spent too much time worrying dissecting it, I'd probably have paralysis through over-analysis. My driver position is usually off the left big toe. We have one dogleg that, if I'm hitting the driver really well that day, I may try to go over. I'll move the ball a little more forward and tee it a little higher for that shot. If I want to hit an iron high to either clear an obstacle or make it land soft, I'll move the ball forward. If I want to keep the ball low and see it check up, I'll move it back to punch it. I sorta picture the shot I want to make, then automatically move to where I think the ball should be... and then skull it 10 yards past the green.


in short - no idea.....
 

Splunge

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I, honestly, can't tell you just where my ball position is from shot to shot. If I spent too much time worrying dissecting it, I'd probably have paralysis through over-analysis. My driver position is usually off the left big toe. We have one dogleg that, if I'm hitting the driver really well that day, I may try to go over. I'll move the ball a little more forward and tee it a little higher for that shot. If I want to hit an iron high to either clear an obstacle or make it land soft, I'll move the ball forward. If I want to keep the ball low and see it check up, I'll move it back to punch it. I sorta picture the shot I want to make, then automatically move to where I think the ball should be... and then skull it 10 yards past the green.
So your just the same as all o' us
 

Louie_T07

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Sep 19, 2008
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Sarnia, ON
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We've all heard the drill on ball position. Just off the front heel with driver then a bit further back the shorter club you go. I've been messing around with it lately and came across some images I found interesting.

Butch Harmon:
Butch-Harmon-Short-Irons-Ball-Position-With-Captions.jpg

Ben Hogan:
4927606_f520.jpg

Greg Norman:
Norman1.jpg

And Jack Nicklaus:
Ball-position-Nicklaus.jpg

If you look closely all of them play the ball in basically the same spot, they just move the back foot rearward the longer the club. What do you think?

I noticed the same thing and it makes sense, little bit wider stance for the bigger swing. I also note they all have their head positioned behind the ball, with their nose pointing at the back of the ball. It's hard to tell in Butch's because his head is turned in two pics, but I'm sure he's the same!
 

Fairwaysplitter3320

Recovering Equipment Ho...off the wagon again.
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I noticed the same thing and it makes sense, little bit wider stance for the bigger swing. I also note they all have their head positioned behind the ball, with their nose pointing at the back of the ball. It's hard to tell in Butch's because his head is turned in two pics, but I'm sure he's the same!
Agreed!
 

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