Ball Position
Perfect Ball Position
If you’ve read the previous posts (putting grip, stance, alignment), you should be getting the message that each part of the putting stroke is as important as the other, and that if you have not got every element correct then you’re unlikely to become a great putter.
Your ball position is the next important part to add to your great putting grip, solid stance and perfect alignment. Unlike the full swing, the ball position for a putt never changes. When your ball position is correct it ensures that you strike the ball consistently on a slight upstroke. This is to ensure you do not impart any back spin on the putt which makes the ball grip the grass and gives you very inconsistent distance control. If the ball is too far back, in extreme situations it can actually make the ball jump off the green for a split second or you can catch the putting green first and then fluff the putt completely. On the other hand if the ball is too far forward you might ‘thin’ it and not hit the ball out of the sweet spot.
Also if your ball position is wrong you’re much more likely to start the ball off on the wrong line and you’ll automatically try to compensate for this and ‘steer’ the ball which will again lead to inconsistency.
Getting the ball position right is not difficult, but you need to check it once in a while to ensure you haven’t slipped into any bad habits.
On Golf Putting Online DVD you’ll find a simple and 100% reliable way to check your ball position is correct, and a great drill that Maurice demonstrates to ensure you get your ball position spot on every time!
