Hands Ahead Or Behind The Ball At Address With Driver?

[EmperorPenguin]

When I started playing golf, there was a notion that the left arm and club should form a straight line, and the hands should be ahead of the ball at address. Here is Greg Norman in his prime doing it beautifully

 

 

There is a recent trend that the hands should be behind the ball at address, and you see it almost anywhere you look. So which is better, hands ahead or hands behind the ball at address with the driver?

[WILDTHING]

I found this old video by Shawn Clement a great help with my Driver set up. The COG of the driver (which is nearer the centre of the clubhead) has to be in line with your sternum notch at address (after you've aligned yourself properly).

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u68RZjdnVMs

[MadGolfer76]

Different times in that Norman pic. For me, hands are behind, but I also have driver ball position way forward to catch it on the upswing.

[EmperorPenguin]

Yes, Greg Norman grew up learning from Nicklaus' books, in particular Golf My Way and My 55 Ways To Lower Your Golf Score. Norman in the picture set up identical to how Jack detailed in his book, with the hands in front of the ball.

 

Here is the excerpt from Golf My Way, on the setup.

 

Most good players and teachers regard leading the clubhead into the ball with the ball with the hands as fundamental to solid, accurate shot-making with every club in the bag. If this is so--as it certainly is in my case--and if it is also true that what you are really doing at address is previewing you impact position, then the hands should obviously be set ahead of the ball at address.

 

When I started playing golf, I set up this way. Sometime in the 1990's there was a trend of setting up the hands behind the ball so I followed suit. Recently after hitting poor tee shots, I decided one day to set up old-school and set my hands ahead of the ball, and with my left arm and club in a straight line, and my good driving returned, and it returned better, as I was more consistent off the tee. I wonder why I even set up the hands behind the ball in the first place.