Addressing the ball

[JoeldMtl]

I've been told that at address I should:

1) line up the top of the shaft (grip side) with the ball

2) Line up the ball/clubface - with the far edge of the ball in line with the start of the grooves at the the toe side of the club (i.e.not with the ball in the middle of the club face). This supposedly to compensate for the club moving away from your body due to centrifugal force when u swing.

Comments please. Where do u align the ball?

[TourIQ]

I've been told that at address I should:
2) Line up the ball/clubface - with the far edge of the ball in line with the start of the grooves at the the toe side of the club (i.e.not with the ball in the middle of the club face). This supposedly to compensate for the club moving away from your body due to centrifugal force when u swing.
Comments please. Where do u align the ball?

Hi JoeldMtl

My swing must be either bad, wrong or both. When I put the center of the clubface at the back center of the ball, I hit more off the toe and rarely the heel. So I guess I have to lineup favouring the heel side at address, to bring it back to center at impact. Like you, I would be interested to hear what others say and do regarding this :cool:

[BirdieGirl]

Hi JoeldMtl

My swing must be either bad, wrong or both. When I put the center of the clubface at the back center of the ball, I hit more off the toe and rarely the heel. So I guess I have to lineup favouring the heel side at address, to bring it back to center at impact. Like you, I would be interested to hear what others say and do regarding this :cool:

I must do the exact same thing to hit the ball with proper spot on my clubface. ~That includes my driver.

[MickDuff]

Everyone probably starts out centred, but adjusts to suit their particular swing, ensuring that contact is on the sweet spot. (Gotta love impact tape!) My bro-in-law sets up with the ball almost an inch beyond the toe, but pures it every single time.

I'm sure the golf scientists among us will be along to coment shortly...

[landlord]

There are good players who address the ball even with the heel of the club and there are good players who address the ball even with (or even beyond) the toe.

I'd say most players do the obvious and address the ball even with the sweet spot -- more or less the middle.

The thing with the toe or heel folks is that they've usually played a while and have learned this as a compensation for an habitual (but predictable) swing "flaw" ("idiosyncrasy" would be a better word); i.e., it might work for them and not for you.

There's nothing wrong with that, since what is a good swing but a series of artful compensations, done the same way every time?

[papermate]

I remember Fuzzy Zoeller used to address the ball off the toe of the club and then bring it back to the center. As has been stated, many players do many things. Unless you have a reason to do it, I would suggest starting with the ball lined up to the center of the clubface. You always want to start with the most neutral position, that goes for the clubface, tee height, grip position, ball position, etc. If you find during practice that making small changes helps, then go for it.

[xander.uk]

I always got told to call him sir!

but i address in the centre and hit the whole club face pretty much apart from the centre!

i know it doesnt help but if you see me selling clubs you can be sure the sweet spot is hardly used:)

[rotator]

What Zoeller actually did, was to address the ball in front of the toe and by incremental taps on the ground brought the ball position to the heel, from where he started his takeaway. He explained he did this, because he felt this helped him (at least in his mind) lead the downswing with the heel from the inside. Of course. I would also think it was a form of waggle, keeping the hands and club in motion and not static. Like Faldo tapped his putter head three times before he started back. Lee Trevino did his three step shuffle, without having to set up there, as it seemed awkward for him to start in that stance.

Some people start it off the toe, as they feel this would have the swing coming from the inside.

I suppose it's all personal perceptions, as other people here have said, as long as you centre the impact.

rotator

[isnork]

I think Jackie Gleason said it best when told to "address the ball" he said "Hello Ball". Although I do talk to it, this has not really helped that much. (Sorry couldn't resist)

Hmm, this is an interesting topic something that I guess I have only done sub conciously. Typically it is centre of the club head, if I want to hit a draw I set it up slightly towards the toe 1/4" maybe.

I think the important thing is whatever you do, do it all the time. One less thing to think about when you are standing over the ball.

[Heits]

I've always thought this to be a matter of personal preference, much like where you align the ball in your stance providing that it is not totally out whack and unconventional.

[akrus]

With the driver, I'll have the ball closer to the toe, but not at the toe. Irons are middle of the blade for me.

[racmbs]

I usually just tell it how I feel, then step up and try to smash the crap out of it. :D

Seriously though....it all has to do with what type of ball flight I'm looking for, before the shot takes place. That always determines ball position for me.

[Golfbum]

Are you mailing the golf ball to someone? Is that why you need to address it? :rofl: :rofl:

Seriously, the one lesson I had from a CPGA Pro, he taught me one important thing.
He teaches everyone of his students this move. From JR's to seniors. (He has had some damn good JR golfers come from his home course)
Tee the ball up
Start your stance by placing the ball dead centre of your feet, which are together. One step back, one step forward and you should be right where you want to be. He told me to watch some of the young guns on the range after my lesson. Sure enough every time they addressed the ball it was the same move, from driver to wedges. Identical.

[BirdieGirl]

I think Jackie Gleason said it best when told to "address the ball" he said "Hello Ball". Although I do talk to it, this has not really helped that much. (Sorry couldn't resist)


Ha ha~ I talk to my ball all the time! Especially off my tee shots... "Keep going, keep going....roll baby, roll.... kick left, kick left, kick left"!

[landlord]

I think Jackie Gleason said it best when told to "address the ball" he said "Hello Ball".
If memory serves, it was Ed Norton (Art Carney) who said that. Ralph was teaching Norton the rudiments in the kitchen.

Or maybe not. Memory still serves, but it doesn't do room service any more.

[goodfellow]

Start your stance by placing the ball dead centre of your feet, which are together. One step back, one step forward and you should be right where you want to be.

Aren't you back in the same place you started from? :D ;)

[Golfbum]

Aren't you back in the same place you started from? :D ;)

How can you be back in the same place you started from when you move the left foot forward and the right foot back? Not sure what your stance looks like and not sure I want to know :rofl:

[pir2]

Aren't you back in the same place you started from? :D ;)

First time i read it, i thought the same thing.

I think i get it now :D

address the ball with feet together, ball middle of the stance.
for RIGHT hander
Left foot one step forward --> Left foot moves LEFT
Right foot one step back --> Right foot moves RIGHT

[Golfbum]

First time i read it, i thought the same thing.

I think i get it now :D

address the ball with feet together, ball middle of the stance.
for RIGHT hander
Left foot one step forward --> Left foot moves LEFT
Right foot one step back --> Right foot moves RIGHT

Sorry I did not explain that one, but I figured anyone who plays golf would know you did not take two steps backwards from the ball . Apparently not eh?:D

[pir2]

lol... well let me quote what you said :D

Start your stance by placing the ball dead centre of your feet, which are together. One step back, one step forward

from a literal stand point... it would look like this:

feet together, ball in center
=o

one step back
-_o

one step forward
=o

or worse... if you took one step forward with the other foot
- o _
now you have a fancy in between your legs shot

Did you like my ASCII drawing? :rofl:

[The Troll]

Ah crap, more swing thoughts. :eek:

[goodfellow]

Sorry I did not explain that one, but I figured anyone who plays golf would know you did not take two steps backwards from the ball . Apparently not eh?:DOh for crying out loud - it was a J O K E. Don't think I'll bother any more.

[Golfbum]

Oh for crying out loud - it was a J O K E. Don't think I'll bother any more.

APPARENTLY YOU MISSED THIS LITTLE SYMBOL AT THE END OF MY POST?
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
IT WAS A J O K E

[Golf2Relax]

Pir, how inventive. You have a way to diagram golf. I had a posting about where to stand during tee-off. Using your technique, the tee-off alternatives for a foursome could be diagrammed as:

=. ||\ ||\ ||\


or


=.

||\ ||\ ||\



leading in my case to





.


:mad:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: