lesson t e e
How
ball
position
mike
kinloch
video bonus
For a video lesson from Mike,
download Golf Digest Middle
East’s digital edition to your iPad or
Android tablet, available from iTunes
affects
shot shape
By adjusting your
ball position you can
work on eradicating
hooks and slices,
explains Dubai Creek
Golf & Yacht Club’s
Mike Kinloch
I
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With the
ball off my
left heel, my
shoulders will
open and i will
strike the ball as
my club moves
left
ph oto il lust rati on s by c larkwin cruz
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ph otog raphs by FAROO Q SAL IK
t’s easy to overlook the
role ball position plays in
the shape of your golf shots,
but the origins of a particular
ball flight fault can often be
found at set-up. The position
of the ball influences several
impact factors, most notably
angle of attack and club path.
Depending on your swing
characteristics and the type of
shots you hit, ball position can
be manipulated to influence
the mechanics of your swing
and help to straighten out the
ball’s flight.
A simplified image to have
of the swing is that the club
moves on a tilted circle around
the body. Assuming a centered
strike, if you were trying to hit a
perfectly straight shot, the spot
on the circle where the ball is
struck would have to be at the
point where the club’s path was
perfectly aligned to the target.
When we get the ball position
wrong, this is very unlikely to be
the case. In these two exaggerated
ball positions, I’ll explain how a
simple range drill can be used to
iron out hooks and slices.
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playing
the ball off
my back foot
encourages my
shoulders to close
and an in-to-out
swing path
P H OTO G R A P H S B Y
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NAME HERE
Ball forward in stance
When the ball is too far forward
in the stance, the shoulders are
likely to be aligned left of target
(or open, as pictured), the ball
will be struck later in the swing
and as a result, the club path will
be moving to the left of target.
As you can see from this picture,
it would be very difficult for
me to start the ball right of the
upright canes from this set-up.
This club path tends to create a
slice when the clubface is open in
relation to the swing path. If you
are a habitual hooker of the ball,
experiment by playing the ball off
the inside of your left foot (for
right-handers) with a mid-iron,
trying to start the ball to the left
of the upright canes on the target
line. It will help you to feel like
your club is moving left of the
target through impact.
Ball back in stance
With the ball placed off the
right foot, the position of your
shoulders will close naturally at
address. The ball will be struck
earlier in the downswing and as
a consequence, the club path will
be travelling to the right of target.
This club path creates a hook if it
is combined with a clubface that
is significantly closed to the path.
If you struggle with a slice, the
above station can be set up to
help get the feeling of directing
the club path more to the right of
target. Shift the ball back in your
stance and have your shoulders
slightly closed. Make gentle,
three-quarter swings, using the
body to swing the club. Try to
get the ball starting to the right
of the canes positioned on the
target line. You should feel that
the club is swinging slightly to
the right of target as you strike
the ball. ♣
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mike kinloch is a PGA Golf
Professional at Dubai Creek Golf &
Yacht Club. For more information,
visit dubaigolf.com
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