The short game is where it's at in my opinion. Whether you want to go low, or are trying salvage a poor ball-striking round, the short game must be working.
Not to mention it helps out your alignments . . . you are STILL my golf hero!
12 Piece, First of all, I'm a hitter, very right arm dominent.
My setup routine is to first of all determine where I want to be on my approach shot, which will in turn determine where I need to put my tee shot. Do I want a flat lie 170 out versus a downhill lie 140 out. I then determine my ball flight, draw versus fade, which will determine how closed or open the face is at setup. After that it is all Ben Doyle's routine
If you're right handed, reverse if left
Align your right foot to the ball. Ground the club with only your right hand. Bring your left heel to even with your pre-established right foot(toe out slightly on the left foot, both heels will be touching). Place your left hand on the club and then step back the appropriate distance with your right foot. Short step for wedges, longer step for mid-irons, and even wider for woods. Two waggles and fire. Basically Ben teaches a single ball position, just wider stance for longer clubs.
I can't tell you how many times Ben would make me start over when I would get ready to hit the ball. But it paid off and is automatic for me at setup. Takes a lot of the thinking out of it..
12 Piece, First of all, I'm a hitter, very right arm dominent.
My setup routine is to first of all determine where I want to be on my approach shot, which will in turn determine where I need to put my tee shot. Do I want a flat lie 170 out versus a downhill lie 140 out. I then determine my ball flight, draw versus fade, which will determine how closed or open the face is at setup. After that it is all Ben Doyle's routine
If you're right handed, reverse if left
Align your right foot to the ball. Ground the club with only your right hand. Bring your left heel to even with your pre-established right foot(toe out slightly on the left foot, both heels will be touching). Place your left hand on the club and then step back the appropriate distance with your right foot. Short step for wedges, longer step for mid-irons, and even wider for woods. Two waggles and fire. Basically Ben teaches a single ball position, just wider stance for longer clubs.
I can't tell you how many times Ben would make me start over when I would get ready to hit the ball. But it paid off and is automatic for me at setup. Takes a lot of the thinking out of it..
Cool . . . I figured this was the dealie. Yoda showed me this too and it is HUGE. It is essentially an ALIGNMENT procedure relative to the Left Shoulder i.e. locating Low Point. The farther back you move your right foot the farther back the Left Shoulder moves. And thus Low Point moves with it.
This procedure has made a BIG TIME difference in my ball flight.
Basically Ben teaches a single ball position, just wider stance for longer clubs.
It is a single Ball position as related to the Left Heel, but as the Stance widens, the Ball position changes relative to the Left Shoulder (and hence, the Low Point of the Stroke). So, in reality, the Ball Location is changing in relation to the orbiting Clubhead.
Essentially, the further to the right the Right Foot is placed, i.e., the wider the Stance, the further Down Plane the Ball is effectively positioned. Conversely, the further to the Left the Right Foot is placed, i.e., the narrower the Stance, the more Up Plane the Ball is positioned.
Ya....you do the Address routine as per the Ben Doyle videos....and however far to your right you step with your right foot....well- you'll see how far back your left shoulder moves with it.
Narrow stance moves the shoulder more forward...it's just like moving the ball back.....but it's still of the left heel....always off the left heel.
Video’d myself the other day and noticed I’m playing the ball far too far back in my stance. Problem is I was making a nice ball turf contact ! So over time my unconscious self has cheated and moved the ball back until I can take the divot I wanted.
Went to the field last night to work on this left heel position using the Ben Doyle routine described above. Lots of divot before ball, no divot shots and high shots.
Any suggestions for what I need to work on (drills etc) so I can take a divot ahead of this new forward ball position?
Video’d myself the other day and noticed I’m playing the ball far too far back in my stance. Problem is I was making a nice ball turf contact ! So over time my unconscious self has cheated and moved the ball back until I can take the divot I wanted.
Went to the field last night to work on this left heel position using the Ben Doyle routine described above. Lots of divot before ball, no divot shots and high shots.
Any suggestions for what I need to work on (drills etc) so I can take a divot ahead of this new forward ball position?
Aiming point? Lateral move?
(I’m building a hitting pattern).
Thank you
You got it . . . Aiming Point forward . . . Shift hips foward.
Brian Manzella has a good drill you may want to try . . . remove the ball. Set up in the "Doyle Ball Position Procedure" as you have done. Take a divot on your practice swing. Now continue swinging and making the same divot longer in the direction of the target until you can't anymore.
Another one . . . there is actually a video out here on this one. Head to the bunker. Draw a line perpendicular to your plane line. This will be your "ball position" line. With no ball make divots on the left side of the line.
Remember your frame of reference isn't necessarily the ball . . . OBLITERATE THE PLANE LINE. Down and through the Aiming Point. Take the Lag ALL THE WAY DOWN to both arms straight.
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