Lucy Locket
By Lucy Locket

It has been said that your set-up dictates 70% of where the ball will end up. That means 70% of the influence on each shot occurs before you even swing the club. Set-up correctly and you have the basis for effective golf. Set-up wrong and you may never fully reach your potential.

In this video, Justin Rose explains on basic aspect of your set-up: ball position.

Why Tee Shots Are Different

When you tee up a ball on a par-4 or par-5, your ball position must adjust to reflect the fact you typically use a driver or fairway wood on these shots. These are the only shots you hit during your round in which you are trying to sweep, or come up into the ball, rather than swing down and through at impact. Therefore it is essential that you position the ball correctly.

Ball Position

To position the ball correctly off the tee, specifically with your driver, you should align the ball with the inside of your left foot. Whilst this may seem quite far forward, it allows you to strike the ball on the up which adds loft, reduces spin and creates more distance.

Right Weight

To help encourage your swing to sweep the ball off the tee, Justin recommends keeping 55% of your weight on your right side (left side if your left handed). This will tilt your body backwards slightly and help you hit the ball on the up. Most drivers have a loft of 8 to 12 degrees, but an effective launch angle is 13 to 16 degrees. Therefore it is important you position yourself to be able to add some loft at impact.

Backing Up

Justin's instructions relate to the driver, which requires a specific type of swing. As the club you use gets shorter, you should move your ball position back. When it comes to hitting irons, you want to position the ball to allow the club to drive into, or trap, the ball rather than sweep it off the turf.