Ball position changing with club

[JeffProActivePT]

I may have missed it but don’t recall and discussion about ball position as it relates to the club being used – most classic would be the driver where traditional golf moves the ball to inside the left heel (right handed golfer). Is that the case or what is the rule around ball posiiton and length of club?

Thanks – Jeff

[Tathata Staff]

Jeff,

Ball position would have been discussed briefly as it relates to Hand & Arm Movement 1: Setup with Club. We make reference to the ball for a standard 7-iron being placed even with the front ear but talk little about this as it relates to other clubs. Use this as a starting point and feel free to move the ball slightly more forward for longer clubs and slightly further back as the clubs get shorter. Avoid placing the ball further forward than the front heel of the front foot for your driver and be sure it doesn’t move any further back than the middle of the stance for shorter clubs.

[Shonn Arndt]

It is also discussed in trajectory where, for example, placing the ball slightly forward and surfing hard into it for a low “Tiger like stinger” or hitting super high with the correct body movement. In the short game, a ball slightly forward causes a slightly less shaft lean for a higher pitch or slightly back for a lower ball flight again based on the correct body movement.

Always find it a lot of fun to experiment and validate these concepts before I put them in the bag:)

[JeffProActivePT]

Thank you for the clarification – helps as i was looking primarily for stock shots with other clubs. I am a physical therapist by occupation and have found this program to be the best approach to teaching/learning the golf swing. The “whys” behind what is taught make total sense when looking at movement principles and how the body moves properly.

Thank you for such a solid approach and for adding the mental, flexibility, strength and movement into one approach!!
Jeff

[Fred Huff]

I am through Day 25 of the training. I am understanding very well how the movements contribute to safety as far as club face squareness, but I’m wondering how the movements also contribute to safety in center of the face strikes and bottom of the swing position. These two areas have plagued me relentlessly in my golfing life. By the way Day 23 was a breakthrough day for me in terms of putting the who;e swing together successfully! Thanks! Fred

[Tathata Staff]

Fred,

Thank you, we are smiling. We love hearing of breakthroughs and profound moments for our students. Thank you also for your question, you asking this might just allow someone else to have a breakthrough of their own down the road.

Given that we have an understanding of how the body, hands, and arms move together with strength we start to truly bring them together with pressure. The further and deeper our understanding of our own pressure, the more the movements begin to come together with consistency. This means that mis-hit shots often stem from a lack or excess amount of pressure in one area or another. Notice how pressure builds from a 2 at setup to a 9 at the finish. Also notice how pressure builds from a 2 to a 3 to a 4 to the top of the backswing. From there you know pressure is going to increase to a five, six, seven through and out of impact and ultimately to a nine at the finish. Often times, students will have too much pressure too early in the golf swing and this often leads to mis-hits off of the center of the face because pressure dumps or decreases through and out of impact. Play close attention as you move through the pressure and impact sections to the flow or movement of pressure. As golfers we have been taught when a ball is mis-hit to look at mechanics when often times they come from a lack of understanding of pressure.

[FRED]

Very good discussion; the pressure has been the hardest thing to get right. I still cannot reach what a 9 is supposed to be at the finish. But maybe I am applying too much too early. Either way it is the weakest part of my work through the course. I have finished the course and I will continue to work on it.

Fred S