March 2011 Addendum

Here’s the addendum to the Newsletter issue covering Posture – it deals with Ball Position.  It falls between Posture and Swing Plane because it affects both.  If you can establish a CONSISTENT ball position, then your swing requires fewer adjustments and less reliance on timing.

There are two dimensions to ball position.  How forward or back in my stance do I play the ball?  And, how far do I stand from the ball?  Your posture will affect how far you stand from the ball – the more you bend, the more room or distance is created from the ball.
Let’s cover where to play the ball forward or back, using your feet (actually, HEELS) as a reference point.  You can use the 2-Ball Position Rule or the Many-Ball Position Rule. I think the 2-Ball is way simpler.

The 2-Ball is easy – play all balls on the ground 2 to 3 inches inside your lead heel.  When the ball is on a tee, play it directly off the inside of your lead heel.  Your lead foot is the reference point; move only your trailing foot to narrow or widen your stance.

Nick Faldo's Explanation

Ben Hogan used a 1-Ball Position Rule (which worked well for persimmon drivers)

Here’s the Many-Ball Position Rule.  There is no right or wrong – just choose one Rule and stick to it to gain consistency.

The more common mistake affecting CONSISTENCY is distance from the ball.  Most golfers stand too close, and that inhibits using your body efficiently and affects the swing plane – too steep.

Two easy ways to establish correct distance are the “Fist Plus a Long Thumb” rule and the “Hands over Stance Line” rule.

You should be slightly farther away as the clubs lengthen – maybe a fist plus two thumbs for a driver.

I hope this all helps! See you soon!  Book a Lesson now – email, phone or on-line at www.jimpetersgolf.com!