Where Should the Golf Ball be Positioned in Relation to My Stance with Irons and Woods?
Where Should the Golf Ball be Positioned in Relation to My Stance with Irons and Woods?
By John Callahan, PGA Professional, Golf Magazine Top 100 Adjunct Instructor Keiser University College of Golf
Where Should the Golf Ball be Positioned in Relation to My Stance with Irons and Woods?
The answer to the question of where the golf ball should be positioned in relation to my stance with irons and woods, the answer is, ‘it depends.’ It depends on each individual golfer’s fitness level, swing style and shot shape preference. It also depends on which club is being hit, if the ball is on a tee or on the ground, and conditions such as the slope of the hitting surface (level, uphill, downhill, or sidehill).
All that being said, if we assume all conditions are neutral when taking a full swing (such as good fitness, a sound conventional swing, a medium trajectory straight-shot preference, a level surface for the ball, etc.) the following are positioning rules of thumb:
- For the high irons (7, 8, 9, PW…), the ball should be positioned in the middle of the stance (equidistant between the golfer’s feet);
- For low irons (3, 4, 5, 6) and fairway metal woods, the ball should be positioned a ball width closer to the golfer’s lead foot;
- For the driver, the ball should be positioned an additional ball width closer to the golfer’s lead foot.
Reminder, these are only rules of thumb, and golfers should experiment to find the combinations that work best for them, preferably with the guidance of a PGA teaching professional.
What are College Golf Camps? What is Their Purpose?
College golf camps train young golfers who have the intention of securing college golf scholarships. The most well-known camps are International Junior Golf Academy (IJGA) camps. IJGA facilities offer a wide range of options, including after-school programs, summer camps, winter camps, and post-graduation/gap year camps. Attending an IJGA camp includes college planning and placement services.
Here is the story of one of my students to serve as an example. I’ll call him Joe. In his senior year in High School, Joe was good enough to win the State High School Golf Championship, but he had not participated in any national events. Note: to be recognized by big-time college coaches, one needs some tournament success on the national level. So, after graduating high school with a 4.0 GPA (note: college coaches also take grades into consideration when assessing players), Joe enrolled in a Post-Graduation/Gap Year IJGA camp. This provided Joe some national exposure, and he earned a partial scholarship to a well-regarded D2 college program. After his first two years, he played well enough to earn a full scholarship to a D1 university. Joe’s college golf camp experience was a successful one.
If you know of someone who is entertaining the possibility of attaining a college golf scholarship, below are some scoring averages from the IJGA to indicate what college coaches are looking for.
Men:
NCAA Division I: 70-74
NCAA Division II: 71-75.5
NCAA Division III (and NAIA): 72- 76.5
Women:
NCAA Division I: 70-78
NCAA Division II: 71-82
NCAA Division III (and NAIA): 72- 88
One last thought as a follow-up on Joe. After graduation from college, Joe played professionally for two years on the National Golf Association (NGA) Pro Golf Tour (now called the SwingThought Tour). He played with some success, with three top-three finishes, including one playoff loss. However, he failed to make expenses and has since regained his amateur status. Recently he won his State Amateur Championship by six shots.
If you’d like to study with John Callahan and other PGA Master Professionals, contact The College of Golf today.
