It depends on what you relate the ball to. In relation to his left heel, the ball is in roughly the same spot. However, the left heel, due to the narrowing of the stance, is in a different place relative to the left shoulder. If you use the upper body as a point of reference, while narrowing the stance for progressively shorter clubs, then is there really a constant ball position at all when placing the ball off the left heel for all shots? From this perspective, it seems like the "constant position" and "moving position" camps are doing basically the same thing. They're just taking two different roads to get there.
Thanks, guys. There was a question on BSG about this which gave many opinions but no arguments...so I thought a new thread would start discussion. That is basically what I was driving at... the ball position is constant relative to the left foot.... but the ball moves relative to low point due to change in stance width and weight distribution betwen the left and right feet.
The "ball moves back in the stance" folk achieve a similar result if they keep the same width of stance but if they move the ball further away from the left foot AND narrow the stance then surely they are moving the ball too far up plane?
SO ...the ball position moves relative to low point...it needs to because of varying degrees of hookface built into irons etc...
and it can be achieved by either:-
- constant position relative to left foot
- vary stance width and weight distribution
Or:-
- stable stance width and weight distribution (ie. constant relationship of left foot and left shoulder)
- move ball away from left foot for shorter irons.
Everyone / anyone agree?
Opening and closing the stance line for short and long irons respectively... does anyone do that?
Is it just achieving an added control of the hip/pivot motion? ie:-
- Short iron, open stance line, square shoulders plane line (10-5-B)...limits pivot motion (10-12-C ="delayed pivot")...this I can understand for short shots...
- Driver, closed stance line, square shoulder plane line (10-5-C)... goes with 10-12-B ("short pivot")....with restricted follow through...this one I can't understand....not for driver...
The only other effect I have read about is the effect of a closed-closed stance-plane alignment (relative to the square target line)... or an open-open stance-plane alignment can move the ball relative to you left foot.
Open-open moves the ball backward away from left foot, closed -closed moves the ball forward.... any comments, any answers?
Last edited by golfbulldog : 05-20-2008 at 05:20 AM.
The only thing I see constant is where he has the handle positioned.
Exactly. And further to your point, doesn't the lie of the bottom of the club dictate how the shaft should lean and by extension where the ball should be positioned?
Exactly. And further to your point, doesn't the lie of the bottom of the club dictate how the shaft should lean and by extension where the ball should be positioned?
Word . . . to a degree . . . BUT also depends on the shot at hand too right?
Word . . . to a degree . . . BUT also depends on the shot at hand too right?
Yepper. Where I live, we get plenty of wind every spring, and you either learn to flight the ball low or perish...
On a more subtle note concerning ball position, a proper grip seems to automatically promote the correct 'lean' of my irons (and therefore ball position). I have no idea exactly why, though.
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