Addressing the ball question...

[cjweaver13]

When I watch most higher level players, they all address the ball what looks like "one ball too far away" then move the club head and arms back behind the ball if that makes sense. Is this to get a weight centered stance, more toe biased club head path or what? I feel like I address the ball with the club face right behind the ball, then move my body around that...then again I also have a tendancy to hit heel side with a fairly neutral path. Just wondering overall what the methodology is, and to see if I should adopt this method of addressing the ball once I understand the "why" behind it.

[BTee]

I’m curious as well. A Little off subject, but similar...I was told if I hover my driver to put it directly behind the ball if I ground it, to address the ball off of the toe. Guessing the reason is the driver is off the ground at contact??? I’d love to hear explanations for both.

[sprcoop]

> @cjweaver13 said:

> When I watch most higher level players, they all address the ball what looks like "one ball too far away" then move the club head and arms back behind the ball if that makes sense. Is this to get a weight centered stance, more toe biased club head path or what? I feel like I address the ball with the club face right behind the ball, then move my body around that...then again I also have a tendancy to hit heel side with a fairly neutral path. Just wondering overall what the methodology is, and to see if I should adopt this method of addressing the ball once I understand the "why" behind it.

 

CJ I also ground my club with the toe about 1 ball closer to me then address with club behind the ball. Couldn't tell you why, just done it that way for 30 years. Probably keeps me from being too close/jammed up. I'm not a higher level player though.

 

> @BTee said:

> I’m curious as well. A Little off subject, but similar...I was told if I hover my driver to put it directly behind the ball if I ground it, to address the ball off of the toe. Guessing the reason is the driver is off the ground at contact??? I’d love to hear explanations for both.

BT yes, because teed up driver contact is off the ground.

 

Address a teed up ball with a grounded driver. Now hover it. Ball will be off the heel, not a good contact spot. I know this from experience.

 

[bladehunter]

Usually depends on if the guy/gal is a fader or if he hits a draw. A cutter wants the club outside the ball. So it’s a good way to make sure you’re standing close enough to the ball. It’s hard to hit a fade ( impossible ) from the inside of the ball. You may hit a push , but not a real fade. A drawer would want to stay inside the ball to make sure he/she can swing to the right. ( we are talking an address difference of maybe a half inch or an inch. ). Mostly for feel.

[andrue]

> @BTee said:

> I’m curious as well. A Little off subject, but similar...I was told if I hover my driver to put it directly behind the ball if I ground it, to address the ball off of the toe. Guessing the reason is the driver is off the ground at contact??? I’d love to hear explanations for both.

 

It's because you aren't lifting the club head vertically when you raise it up. You're most likely hinging at your shoulders. This means the club head actually raises on an arc causing it to move both up and away from your body. To lift the club head vertically from address you have to raise your arms and 'droop' your wrists and lean back which is something I doubt many people would do at address.

 

This is something I've been working on the last couple of weeks because I realised I'm hitting off the heel a lot. Thanks to some foot spray and a wet lunchtime today I know that my problem is a tendency to goat hump. Didn't have a huge amount of time on the range today but if I ground the driver with the toe behind the ball then consciously keep my weight back (almost thinking 'stay in the crouch') as I swing down I get the centre of the head every time. I also get some damn' fine, straight and long drives.

 

As to whether I can take this to the course or not, well that's a whole other thing :)