One of the most persistent myths in golf is that you must place the ball way forward in your stance to cure a slice. In reality, the wrong ball position is often a major cause of that dreaded banana ball. This article will show you exactly where to position the golf ball for every club in your bag - from driver to wedge - to help straighten out your ball flight and start hitting more fairways and greens.
Before we move the ball around, it helps to understand what’s happening in your swing. Think of your golf swing as a giant circle, or arc, around your body. This arc has a low point, which for an iron shot, should be just after the golf ball. A slice is most often the result of an "out-to-in" swing path - the clubhead approaches the ball from outside the target line and cuts across it at impact, putting left-to-right spin on the ball (for a right-handed golfer).
So, how does ball position fit in? When a recreational golfer with a slice places the ball too far forward, especially with their irons, their body has to make a flawed adjustment. By the time the club reaches that forward ball position, the natural arc of the swing has already begun moving back to the inside. To strike the ball, the golfer is forced to swing over the top and cut across it - the very definition of an out-to-in, slice-producing path.
By moving the ball to the correct spot, you make it far easier to approach the ball from the inside, sending the ball on a path that starts straight or even has a slight draw. You aren’t trying to “fix” your swing in the middle of the motion, you’re setting yourself up for success before you even take the club back.
For most amateurs, the foundation of good ball position starts with the irons. This is where consistency is born. Forget what you’ve heard about drastically different positions for every iron. For starting out, a simpler system works wonders. The goal with an iron is to strike the ball first, then the turf. This "ball-then-turf" contact compresses the ball, generating distance and spin.
Your shortest irons should be played from the absolute center of your stance. This is the simplest position to remember and the easiest place to achieve that crisp, downward strike.
For many slicers, this will feel like the ball is way "back" in their stance. That’s a good feeling! You are used to a position that encourages a slice. This centered position encourages your hands to be slightly ahead of the ball at impact, which is perfect for compressing the shot and delivering a square clubface.
As the club gets longer, the low point of your swing arc naturally moves a little more forward. To account for this, the ball position for your mid-irons should be just slightly forward of center - and I mean slightly.
We’re talking a very subtle shift. If the middle of your stance is "_6 o'clock_," your mid-irons would be at "6:30." Think of it this way: your wedges are directly under your chest logo, and your mid-irons might be under the left edge of your logo (for a righty). The mistake is moving it all the way to the lead foot, which immediately re-introduces the out-to-in path we’re trying to eliminate.
Here’s where most slicing struggles originate. Longer clubs require a "sweeping" motion rather than a steep, downward strike. This requires a more forward ball position, but there's a limit. Going too far forward is a fatal error.
These clubs are designed with less loft and need to sweep the ball off the turf with a much shallower angle of attack. The ball position here will be another small step forward from your mid-irons.
When you place the ball here, you’re giving your swing time to "bottom out" just behind the ball and start its shallow ascent at impact. This gets the ball airborne without you having to "help" it up, and it allows you to rotate your body freely through the shot without having to reroute the club over the top.
Fairway woods are purely sweeping clubs. You want to brush the grass and send the ball flying. Their position is similar to a hybrid but can be another ball's width forward.
Consistency here comes from keeping your body centered while you swing. Many players unconsciously sway toward the target when seeing the ball forward, which steepens the path. Stay centered, and let the shallow design of the club and correct ball position do the work.
Finally, the big stick. The driver is the only club you explicitly want to hit on the upswing. To do this, your ball position has to be at its most forward point. Yet, this is precisely where slicers solidify their flawed patterns.
For the driver, the rule is simple and non-negotiable: place the golf ball directly in line with the heel or inside of your lead foot. Use an alignment stick again. Place it on the ground perpendicular to your target line, extending from your lead heel. The ball should be right on it.
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A slicer knows their ball goes right. So what do they do? They aim their feet and body way left of the target to compensate. But with the ball positioned correctly off the lead heel, their shoulders are now aimed so far left that the only possible swing path is an extreme out-to-in motion. They’ve basically guaranteed a slice before they’ve even swung.
The Fix:1. Set the ball position first, opposite your lead heel.2. Take your stance, which should be wider than your irons - at least shoulder-width, if not slightly wider, for stability.3. Now, the important part: align your feet, hips, and shoulders square to your intended target, NOT far to the left. At first, this will feel like you're aiming miles to the right. Trust it.4. As a final setup check, add some slight spine tilt away from the target. Just let your trail shoulder sit a little lower than your lead shoulder. This promotes an upward angle of attack and makes it easier to swing from the inside.
By pairing the correct forward ball position with a square body alignment, you allow the club to approach from the inside, catch the ball on the ascent, and launch a powerful, straight drive or even a slight draw.
Drills are fantastic for taking these concepts from thought to feel. The "Feet-Together" drill is a simple, effective way to build a consistent setup routine.
Getting your ball position right won't fix every swing issue, but it is one of the most effective and a simple first step toward eliminating a slice. By matching the ball's location to the club and the desired swing path, you set your body up for a powerful, flowing rotation that delivers the club back to square without compensation.
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