“Where should I play the ball in my stance? Do I play the ball further “back” in my stance for a 9 iron than for a 4 iron?” There is a bit of confusion on the subject of stance and ball position.

Most people take an increasingly wider stance the longer the club. This is correct, because the stance is your “base” to help keep you balanced. The longer the club, the more momentum created by the swing, the wider the stance needs to be. For the driver, position your feet slightly wider apart than the width of your shoulders; for long irons, even with your shoulders; and for short irons, less than the width of your shoulders. For pitches and chip shots, your stance is even narrower.

Rather than playing the ball “forward” or “back” in your stance, play it in relation to your left heel (right-handers). I call this “the 2-ball position”. With your driver (tee shot), play the ball opposite or just inside your left heel. For all other clubs, play the ball 2 to 3 inches inside your left heel (the ball will appear to be forward or back due to the differences in your width of stance).

We emphasize the little details that will make a BIG difference in your game.