Where you place the ball in your stance can drastically affect your numbers.
Getty Images
Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you play smarter and better golf.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in it mechanics of the golf swing. There are countless adjustments you can make to the way you swing the club that will affect how you hit the shot. However, the simplest (and often most effective!) adjustments you can make come before you swing the club.
Setup is an easy swing element to overlook. It’s not exactly “sexy” about how you stand on the ball. But without consistently nailing this essential swing element, you’ll never be able to find success.
One configuration element that is extremely important is the position of the ball. And while you may think this positioning is common, it can drastically affect your swing numbers.
Instructor Adam Young – a great follow up on X for anyone obsessed with improving their game – recently posted a thread explaining the basics of ball position, and we break it down below.
Ball forward
When you put the ball further forward in position, it achieves several things at once. 1) Helps soften the angle of attack and 2) Helps add more dynamic loft to the clubface. This will usually help you hit the ball higher – perfect for someone trying to increase the top of their putt.
Along with the elements highlighted above, moving the ball forward position also affects the path of the club when it hits the ball. Typically, when you place the ball further into the stance, your club path will be straighter left.
Back the ball
With the ball further back in your position, you will see the opposite effects of those listed above. You will get a steeper angle of attack and a lower dynamic loft, resulting in a lower ball flight.
Additionally, with the ball position in the back of the stance you will also have a club path that is more out FAIR.
Which one is better?
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to optimal ball position. It all depends on your swing and what you are trying to do with any given shot. It is usually recommended that you wedge just past the middle of your stance and then move the ball slightly forward for each longer club.
For best results, do some experiments yourself. Start with the ball in the middle of your stance and move it back and forth with each club, noting how the ball reacts. After a little practice, you’ll understand the nuances of ball position and how to change it for the best results for your swing.
