Print

GolfCross - various ball positions

GolfCross - various ball positions

 

The Five Basic Ball Positions

How the oval ball flies through the air is determined not so much by how you hit it but by how you position it before you hit it. Once you’ve learnt the five basic positions common sense will tell you how best to position the ball in various playing situations.

 

 

 

1. Reflected For Maximum Distance

pos1For maximum distance, the ball is angled back to reflect the angle of loft of the club face. The reflected ball has minimal back spin, an efficient trajectory and runs on.

 

 

 

 

2. Vertical For Back Spin

pos2To apply backspin — even with a driver — so that the ball stops quickly on landing, position it vertically. This allows the club face to strike below the center of the ball which gives it plenty of backspin and a higher trajectory. The ball tumbles rapidly backwards with a high pitched hum — the higher the pitch, the greater the speed of spin and the shorter the flight of the ball. Reduce backspin by leaning the ball back slightly. The vertical ball struck with a wedge gives maximum backspin and is the safest shot round the goal as the ball is less likely to run off if the goal is missed.

 

 

3. Torpedo For Top Spin

pos3When the ball is laid horizontally and hit on one sharp end while the other end faces the target like a torpedo, the resulting top spin produces a long, low, bounding flight.

 

 

 

 

4. Angled For Fades & Draws

pos4Hitting fades or draws and controlled slices and hooks is simply a matter of setting the spin axis of the ball. The further over it is angled to one side the greater will be the movement to that side. You’ll find that the more the ball is angled over the flatter its trajectory will be, resulting in a more oblique angle of decent with greater run-on. Unstable flight will result if the ball is fangled - reflected when it is also angled left or right.

 

 

5. Horizontal For Punch Shots

pos5The horizontally positioned ball has the best feel and comes off hotter than the vertical ball. And, while it is swing–plane sensitive with a tendency to drift with longer shots, its ability to maintain direction over short distances, makes it an effective option round the goal. It produces the best punch shot for goal.