10 Tips for the Perfect Golf Ball Placement

While it may not seem like much, placement of your golf ball is an important part of your golf game. Even though it isn’t as important as how you hold the club or the stance you take when addressing the ball, the position of your golf ball in relation to your club and stance can play can affect your game, for better or worse.

In today’s article, we will take a look at how you should approach your golf ball in a variety of situations so that you always have the upper hand on the course.

Tips for Ball Positioning

Eye Contact: When placing the ball on the tee, make sure you do so in a way that you will have the ball in the center of your view when you take your swing. After all, you’ll want to see the ball before you attempt to strike it.
Distance: The best placement for your ball and tee should be roughly 8 to 10 inches ahead of your toe line (or where you plan to stand). This will put the ball in a position where you can best reach it so that you aren’t lunging to reach the ball.
Ball Logo: You see that fancy little “Titleist” logo on the front of your golf ball? That little decal can play an important role when placing the golf ball on the tee. Try to make sure that the logo is pointed towards your chest.
This isn’t really a major part of the ball’s placement, but knowing where the logo is can give you a nice little visual aid that allows you to make sure your ball is visible.
Formation: One of the best methods for assuring that your golf ball is in the right position is to check it in relation to your feet. The ball and your feet should be in the formation of an invisible “triangle”, with your ball at the top, center angle and your feet as the two outer angles.
You should try to keep the golf ball within two inches of where the top angle should be. Any more than this and it can affect the ball’s movement. For geometry buffs, the correct formation for your feet and the ball would be that of an “acute” triangle.
When Putting: Even though you can’t place the ball yourself when on the green, the position of the ball in relation to your putter is important. You will want to make sure that your putter connects flush with the bottom of the ball when putting and that it remains near the center of the club face (unless in special circumstances). Any connection between the club and putter in any other position will lead to a weak putt or a putt that goes too far to the left or right.
Practice Makes Perfect: Try out different ball positions in relation to the clubs you plan to use. This will help you to be prepared for any circumstance and to know which ball position works in which situation.

What NOT to do

Constantly Change Position: Once your ball is set, do not change the position of the ball on the tee unless needed. Doing otherwise can affect both the contact your club makes with the ball as well as the accuracy of the drive.
Change Posture: Your golf ball should be on the tee in a way where changing your stance should not be needed. Therefore, try to keep a consistent posture, as changing your stance in relation to your ball can have just as drastic an effect on your game as changing the ball’s position itself.
Angle Your Ball: Unless you are a professional who is certain you can play a ball from an angled tee, keep your tee and ball completely upright. While you can play off a tee that is facing forward or towards your target, doing so accurately requires a lot of practice to do correctly. For everyone else placing the tee in any other position other than straight up can cause erratic shots.
Place the Ball Too Far Away: As I’ve said before, you should avoid placing the ball too far away from your body and out of club reach. If you have to reach to strike your ball, it can make for some terrible shots.

Conclusion

Ball position, as you can tell, is something that is vital to your golf game no matter where on the course you may be. Knowing where to place the ball on the tee and how to approach your ball in relation to your body can help turn the tide in any competitive match, so this skill is an essential one to have.

Hopefully, this little guide has helped you today, and you will be able to soon drive the ball better, putt more accurately, and cut strokes off your score!