Play Better Golf Blog

Lesson Video Key Points

Ball Position Basics

Driver: Play the ball off the inside of your left heel.

Woods/Hybrids/Irons: Play the ball inline with your left pectoral muscle (left shirt pocket).

Stance Basics

1. As the club gets longer, your stance should widen.

2. As the club gets shorter, your stance should become narrower.

3. With the driver, your feet should be about shoulder length apart. You can go slightly wider than this for extra stability, but the wider your stance, the less your upper body will be able to rotate, which will have a negative affect on power and distance.

Ball position is crucial for making good contact consistently.  If the ball isn’t positioned where your club face bottoms out in your swing, you will either hit a fat shot (club hits the ground first) or a thin shot (club hits the top of the ball). In fact, the goal of good ball position should be to hit the ball first on the down swing, and then create a divot in front of the ball as the club face reaches the bottom of the swing arc. By putting the ball in the positions I’ve shown you above, you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to hit the ball solidly. Of course, it will still be possible to hit fat and thin shots even with good ball position, but you’ll at least know that the problem lies in your swing, and not your set up. This is very important as we move along in further lessons, and I teach you how to diagnose your swing flaws on your own.

To check and see if you’re positionng the ball correctly in your stance, stand in front of a mirror and make sure the ball lines up with the inside of your left heel for your driver, and with your left pectoral muscle for your other clubs. Laying a club down like I do in the pictures above is a great way to make sure you’re staying on track, especially when you’re practicing at the range and don’t have the benefit of seeing yourself in the mirror.

Good luck with your practice and be sure to include any questions you may have in the comment box below!

-Parker