Titleist Tips: Ball Position in Golf

Golf instruction has traditionally suggested that ball position should be closer to your lead foot than the middle or the back of your stance. Instructors have described positioning the ball in many ways - a few inches left of center (for a right-handed golfer) or opposite your left ear or the logo on your golf shirt. But in this video, Titleist staff instructor Ben Blalock shares an opposing view. In Ben’s experience, because you hold the golf club with both hands, the bottom of the swing most naturally occurs very close to the middle of your body. Consequently, the club most naturally wants to make contact with the ground right between the middle of your feet. So, that’s where you want to position the golf ball for nearly every shot.* Ben has seen much better results from his students when they position the ball in the center of their stances. They strike the ball first and then take a divot after the ball, something that can be very difficult if ball position is too far forward. Give Ben’s simple steps a try and let us know if his method of positioning the ball and building your golf stance helps your ball striking! *The exception is the driver, which does require a more forward ball position because 1) the ball is teed up, higher than the surface of the ground, and 2) you want to hit the driver slightly on the upswing, unlike the other clubs, all of which you want to strike with a descending blow.