Jack Nicklaus teaches ball position - Golf My Way

[@derekwiley40]

One of the great ambassadors of golf and a wonderful teacher of the basics! Thank you, Jack.

[@raymonkravagna278]

When I was training to be a golf professional I bought all of Jack nicklaus books. Is one of the few people who does ball position this way. And since hes the best ever maybe we should all be doing it

[@ecduzitgood]

I feel blessed that I got to watch you in your prime. The 1986 Masters had me in tears. A great person both on and off the course. The greatest of all time in my opinion👏

[@beavage8592]

Honestly this video is the best, Jack Nicklaus is the greatest teacher. Short, to the point and easy to understand. You don"t need to waste 20 minutes watching some guy ramble about ball positions. Well spent 3 minutes and 36 seconds

[@dean3434]

Sooo right!

[@dennislaux]

The greatest golfer of all time as well as one of the greatest men of all time. Just lived his life with class at all times.

[@dean3434]

Yes indeed. One of the few superstar celebratory athletes of whom conducted his celebratory status with class, dignity, humbleness, and was able to walk away from all the misfits of whom find their way into the lives of the celebrity athlete. Thanks Jack, thanks Arnie, thanks Gary, and many thanks to all the rest of the famous athletes who were and are able to walk away from the misfits. Dean Mountlake Terrace, WA

[@ericthompson7518]

thanks jack after multiple lessons and instructors telling me to put the ball in the middle of my stance,and me telling them this isn't working for me and them telling me you just have to get used to it and hitting shanks all over the golf course, and wanting to go hide somewhere, I moved up the ball in my stance and oh my goodness 30yards longer with the driver and ,2clubs longer with the irons.

[@method341]

whoever came up with that nonsense needs to be shot

[@jcee6886]

Take note KZbin golf instructors. The GOAT should have the final say. No mention of multiple ball positions depending on the club.

[@apaulmcdonough2170]

Missed where he always changed his Stance Width, to adjust for his Club Selection, by where he placed his Right Foot. This "moved" the Ball back in his stance as his Club Selection shortened.

[@1982kinger]

I will never forget following Jack all Sunday at the TPC in Michigan back in the mid 1990s. unfortunately lost in a playoff with JC Snead. best golfer in history of the game. I can tell my kids that I watched the great Jack Nicklaus in person

[@marklittlejohn5740]

That 3 iron he hit over water to three feet for eagle to get in the playoff was phenomenal!

[@wgb8210]

Jack waz the greatest golfer of all time, yet he swung the club differently than every good golfer today. He was the best, yet no one really emulates his swing. Maybe we're all wrong and he was right.

[@bcole40]

L

[@charlesking3384]

This information is probably the second most important thing a golfer can understand. Let me say that again it’s probably the second most important thing a golfer can understand. Yet we’re trying to make perfect golf swings…. Jack was clear and his mind because he focused on what was important. Learning to swing a golf club “perfectly“ is impossible without alignment and ball position to a target. I said impossible it is absolutely impossible.

[@charlesking3384]

Actually Bubba swings like him. Colin Montgomery was similar, Payne Stewart was similar. Victor Hovland swings like Jack. Hal Sutton in his prime. It’s really not about the swing so much is that it’s about preparation for that swing.

[@rza123rza]

Wrong Tiger the greatest sorry

[@AmericanFlyOnTheWall]

​@@rza123rzaTiger never had to play with 1960s and 1970s equipment. If Jack had today's equipment at age 25, he would have won 25 majors.

[@karaokekid7189]

Love you Jack! Your the greatest!!!!!!!!! I have been watching "JACK" on the golf channel and enjoy it very much. Golf is great!

[@sksinha1]

Even though this vid looks like it was shot with a potato, this is the best damn golf instruction video I've watched on YT so far! Thanks ol' Jack!

[@Djsand1000]

yup, thanks to this video I lost my slice and stoped hitting thin and fat shots. Jack Nicklaus in my oppinion is the greatest to ever live.

[@wreckim]

Man, around this time Nicklaus had a very similar swing to Tom Watson's. Both timeless and graceful. Thanks for the post.

[@Super1Machine]

for me, the only set up is this for consistent ball striking. Moving the right side through the ball gives the swing more torque and great ball flight as a result. I've spent about 1.5 years experimenting with setup and this is the ticket. Jack is the best golfer that ever lived so one has to consider his advice. It simplifies a lot of things.

[@shawnagunn9054]

Is the ball position to use driver or all clubs?

[@moreme40]

Shawna Gunn, all clubs but stance narrows as the shafts shorten

[@vegetony]

This young fellow makes sense. I think he'll do well in his profession.

[@s.bakyhnh1756]

He'll be the next Bobby Jones.

[@jonolly8629]

This dude gonna be a bust.

[@brianmcg321]

Best KZbin instructor. I dig his retro clothing. Hilarious.

[@winstonsmith11]

He'll do just fine.

[@padstowphantom]

I heard he has a golden bear

[@bruhnvh]

I read Golf My Way in the early 80s, I think I was 13, and tried to develop my swing around it as much as I could. Played that way for quite a few years, then quit golf 12 years ago. Picked the game back up this year, and in the course of re-learning to swing the club, started out placing the ball further back in my stance for about 2 months, per most modern instructional content. Kept hitting it fat on hundreds of shots into a net at home, at the range, and on the course. Then I put it on my left heel out of desperation...from the first shot, much better contact. Is left heel the best ball position? I don't know- maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But at the very least my body couldn't overcome a lifetime of muscle memory, so left heel is where it's going to stay.

[@springhillgolfer878]

I've found that I can play the ball near the left heel with the irons as long as my grip is pretty weak. Otherwise, my clubface closes by the time the club reaches the ball and the shot is a hard hook left. Playing the ball more forward definitely allows you to keep your head behind the ball at impact, which is a solid fundamental. I have tried playing the ball more back in my stance (in an attempt to hit it lower) but I have to strengthen (turn my hands more clockwise on the shaft) my grip or the ball goes right, a straight push. I also have to tilt my head (Nicklaus' trademark chin swivel) to the right at address before I begin the takeaway. This movement keeps my head behind or at least on top of the ball into impact, even though the ball is played back in the stance farther, more in the middle. I think players like Nicklaus with a lot of lateral leg movement (toward the target on the downswing, causing the Reverse C finish) had to play the ball pretty forward, so they didn't move over the ball and block it or get stuck or the other bad things that happen when your head slides in front of the ball before impact.

[@christianvachon2235]

I love this video! I learnt that way as a kid, but in those days, we only had blades. I wonder if the newer clubs with jacked lofts are the reason why this is difficult to do nowadays (or maybe why people struggle playing blades...).

[@dean3434]

At 75 now and I learned the game with blades at 7 years old. By HS I was pretty good. Not until 25 did I finally arrive. At 30 I bit the dust and went with so called perimeter weighed irons. They worked or maybe they just looked thicker at address. Never been the same since I left my blades at 30 years old. Accuracy, shaping, and especially my bladed 2 iron up to 220 for a 5'5" 140 lb male. Yes I was able to do the bladed 1 iron if I remembered to do the slower than usual swing keeping my right elbow tucked more than the usual on the downswing and try to let go. All the Best Dean Mountlake Terrace, WA

[@coastsidescience]

Jack was always my golf inspiration growing up. I still struggle with ball position though. There's MANY books / vids out there that have Hogan's picture of the ball moving more towards the center of the stance with wedges and shorter clubs. My coach always tried to move the ball back in my stance. I still like Jack's idea of consistent ball position RELATIVE to the for foot. (I'm left-handed.) Thoughts? To me it seems to over=complicate things to try to keep moving ball position with different clubs.

[@uraniajam]

Actually, Hogan is always off the left heel as well but his right foot gradually changes position from closed with the driver to open with the wedge

[@andrewleventis8341]

The best explanation thanks JN

[@GreenDistantStar]

Question. If we are supposed to hit the ball, then the turf, and we play the ball off our left heel, this means the bottom of our arc must be beyond the left heel. Is that *really* where the bottom of the swing-arc is for most people, even professionals? I thought it was around the sternum, which is much closer to the middle of the stance.

[@uraniajam]

Professionals clear their hips much earlier and much more completely than you or I do and they also do a much better job of getting back to their left side and impacting the ball while most of their weight is on their left heel so yes, the bottom of the arc for a pro is farther up in the stance than it is for you for me.

[@Dreama40]

To me the secret is to keep an eye on your width of stance, you can keep the ball just inside the left heel for all shots as Jack stated, but amateurs would be wise to not overdo their width of stance(and weight positioning) which will affect their ability to shift back to the ball and compress it it correctly in the downswing, so by all means keep it off the left heel but don't overdo your width of stance. Also I personally like to keep 60% of my weight on the front foot for all shots from 7 iron down to wedge which helps improve my contact, from 6 iron to 3 wood I'm 50/50 with my weight and 40/60 with my driver. I'm a plus 2(with no Majors lol)ps... Followed Jack in person around the Australian Golf Club in the mid 90's and got a pic with him, was a great day!!!@@uraniajam

[@denverrud3138]

Just started playing the ball off my front foot, making a big difference this year for a high handicapper, touching/ breaking 100 this year for sure(my 3rd year)

[@beegee22]

I like that he doesn't take huge chunks of turf in the way that so many seem to think is the proper divot. He raises tufts of grass as he hits the ball, but doesn't leave the ground where he practices look like what's left after a scuffle between two goats.

[@dean3434]

As well as Tom Watson did and still does I'm sure.

[@aphillips1987]

"high and to the right". Boy, that sounds familiar. ;)

[@esjel9804]

I see a lot of folks commenting on most teachers recommending the opposite of what Jack is recommending. Obviously, no one will ever be Jack N. or Ben Hogan, but I do think its important to test their methods at least. I think one issue with todays modern golf is the extra emphasis place on driving the ball far,. But if you consider, if you've played golf for any length of time, how hard is it to play Jacks conservative approach, where he'd play it safe most of the time to get close to the green and approach with a chip, rather than land on the green with a riskier shot (maybe a second shot on a par 4 or 5). When folks are trying to drive the ball 300 yards (or spend 90% of their practice on the driving range), they are definately not thinking about the most important and I think most over looked part of the game (especially among us amatures) the short game. Jack could sacrifice distance for accuracy because his short game was TOP NOTCH! I would trade a great short game for 330 yard drives any day. Chipping, getting out of the sand and putting well is the key top this game - once you posess a decent, and as Ben would say, a repeatable swing. As for the modern instruction contradicting Jack - If it works for you, go with that. But if not, ignore the instruction and listen to the all time great - it definately wont hurt .

[@stevefowler2112]

Love Jack, and I pretty much play my standard shot off my left heel as he did (that was just one of a handful of the things I picked up from Jack when I started to learn to play decent golf), but I wish he would have mentioned that you also narrow your stance as you go down in club selection, which has the effect of making the ball position be closer to the middle of your stance the lower you go in your club (a 2.6 handicapper).

[@ag358]

Bobby Jones did this first he copied Stewart maiden. And jack learned from grout who knew Jones and maiden

[@stevefowler2112]

Thanks for that info...very interesting all the stuff Jack Grout taught Jack...any golfer would be smart to look at what his teaching methods were.

[@ag358]

@@stevefowler2112 yes I believe it can only help to study the greats from harry vardon through history

[@wodenoftheangles3339]

@Steve Fowler - it only moves 'closer to the middle of your stance' by virtue of the fact that your stance gets narrower, the actual ball position relative to the inside heel does not change.

[@Dreama40]

He does talk about narrowing the stance for shorter clubs in 'Golf My Way'.

[@pb12661]

best swing of all time...

[@deanlapointe7017]

Now I’m totally lost. He is literally the ONLY person I have ever heard to give this advice, and he happens to be the greatest ever. Ugh, golf is a trap haha

[@troym1849]

I totally agree with you Dean

[@ag358]

The great Bobby Jones had the ball off left heal on every shot. His stance was wider with long clubs. Shorter with short irons. On pitch shots and slightly longer heels actually touched

[@GreenDistantStar]

Does the point just before the bottom of most people swing-arcs occur at the left-heel position? I really don't think so. By Jack's own admission, the club is open to target until impact, momentarily square to target, then closed, that's what arcs do. Placing the ball off the left heel especially with shorter clubs, will likely deliver a well-struck hook. I grew up with Jack's coaching, Greg Norman also recommends this, it's never worked for me, YMMV.

[@ag358]

@@GreenDistantStar ok first its inside the left heel. Second your stance is wider with big clubs and shorter with small clubs. Jack is copying Bobby Jones because Bobby was Jack's idol Jones explains this perfectly in his two series he filmed after he retired at age 28 with 13majors. The GOAT

[@GreenDistantStar]

Yes, I'm aware of the Jones footage. If the moment of the squared-to-target club-face occurs off the left heel, why does Lee Trevino's advice of playing the ball back in the stance not result in a slice? I'm not arguing about Jack's greatness. What I'm saying is many of the greats of old, their explanations of what's happening in their swing, they're sometimes simply not so. Lee likes to say that the reason why one of his tips works is that the ball climbs up the grooves at impact. Does the tip work? You bet it does! But the ball does NOT climb up the grooves to any appreciable degree.

[@CENCAL491]

Greatest golfer of all time get 174k views...Screwed up

[@robertmickool6001]

Ken Stemwedel

[@RawrimTAG]

cencal49 the older people who know him probabaly dont use youtube

[@georgewallace6940]

I once use to copy Jack Nicklaus when I was young playing golf.

[@rivasgerard8793]

Un très Grand Maître ! , n'ayant pas les moyens de m'offrir les services d'un professeur car les tarifs hors de prix ! c'est à travers livre de Sir Jack Nicklaus, ainsi que ses vidéos que j'apprends à jouer au golf ! Un sincère et très grand merci !

[@1982kinger]

Rivas Gerard je jeux au golf pendant l'ete. j'aime l'histoire du golf. les francais ensignent la sport de golf a l'ecossais en Le Guerre de 100 ans (15th century).

[@martinrugroden1186]

It looks like at address he has his weight forward a bit. His back swing is quite vertical which is easier on the back. His forward swing is propelled by a strong push of his right (back) leg. Since his weight is forward in both his address and forward swing the impact position could easily be off the left heel. Most of the golfers including me, tend to unintentionally have the weight back which makes the impact position more toward the middle of the stance. I can't argue with his results.

[@eazybleezy]

This should have been the last instructional video ever made..

[@JH-of1xz]

Am sure this advice would work OK for some of us but not for others. Just take a look at jacks swing. Just before ball strike his lower body is very athelticly forward with a held back wrist hinge. I believe this is why jacks ball striking was inside the left heel. It sure makes an easy set up routine easier.

[@checka1963]

KISS principle and increasing your chances of making a good swing under pressure if you are always trying to replicate the same impact position via the same ball position. You can still shape the ball by closing or opening the stace a bit or control the height with a shallower or fuller follow through. Then practice practice practice.

[@Golfparexcellence18-4-U]

Who'd argue with Jack?

[@padstowphantom]

@@DTB1995 😂 Very true

[@TeddyCavachon]

What happens in downswing if back foot is kept down on the ground is hips lock at 45° closed which timing-wise occurs just as hands reach the bottom of their swing arc near the back leg. The hands slow down but the club head keeps moving around them. The hands become like the axle of a wheel the club spins around, creating acceleration which exponentially increases striking force F = 1/2 (Mass x Velocity^2). What keeps the hands moving around the body in a pro swing is side bend to the right side ( and what releases the hips to follow the club head around is lifting up the back foot at a very controlled pace. What happens if you don’t lift the back foot with a full swing and freeze the hips at 45°? Instead of the hands slow and the shaft if the club bows forward (. This can be seen very easily if using a swing aid like the Orange Whip. What the pros do is keep the back foot down long enough to start that bowing forwards ( but then release the hips to turn by lifting the back heal. The net effect is a lot more acceleration in the club head. The formula for striking force is F = 1/2 (Club head mass x Velocity^2) which means if the club head speed increases 2x as it whips around the slowed hands there is 4x more force compressing the ball. 3x increase in club head velocity yields 9x more force. More force does not equate in linearly into more distance because a ball can only be compressed a finite amount before it rebounds. But what the pros do is let the trail wrist straighten and ulnar deviate (thumb-down action) just as the face smacks the inside center of the ball slightly open so it continues to accelerate as the ball is compressing, which is why they compress the ball more and as a result get more distance with Driver and more ball stopping spin with irons. When stance is kept parallel to target line the hands slow down in the same place relative to the feet with every club but the longer club take more space to completely swing around the hands. That is why the ball needs to be move on the target like to adjust for the variable of club shaft length. Hogan adjusted for the shaft length differently. His constant was always placing ball 1”- 2” behind front heel, but then he opened stance for short clubs and close it for long ones using a parallel stance for mid irons (7 and 6). Closing the stance causes the hands to slow down back around the back leg giving them more room to swing to the ball. Opening the stance causes the hands to slow just past the center line of the body matching the shorter swing arc of the shorter shafted clubs. Having used both methods successfully I find it easier I get more consistent results with Jack’s method of moving ball, especially when adjusting stance open for fades and closed for draws. When hitting a fade the ball needs to be move up and inside ON THE CLUB SWING ARC NOT THE TARGET LINE so the face will swipe across the outside of the ball and back and inside for draws. FWIW - Jack’s explanation why shots curve in Golf My Way was the first time (back in the 1980s) I saw it explained, using the analogy of a banking airplane wind. A swipe across the outside of the ball + < tilts the backspin axis \ causing the backspin induced lift to curve the ball left-to-right. A swipe across the inside > + tilts the spin axis like a plane wing in a right-to-left turn /. It is easier to control a fade than it is a draw because the circular path of the club head makes it easier to swipe across the outside vs. the inside of the ball, why Trevino said he could talk to a Fade but a Draw wouldn’t listen. A high swing plane like Jacks also makes it easier to hit fades, why a high fade was his favorite and best executed shot. A lower swing plane like Hogans tucked arm produced creates a very tight in-out swing arc making it easier to hit draws.

[@uraniajam]

You have confused the physics concept of force with the physics concept of kinetic energy. K = (1/2)mv^2. F does not.

[@TeddyCavachon]

@@uraniajam I have seen that formula described as “striking force”. Regardless, the point is that actions which accelerate the mass of the fixed club head mass will have an EXPONENTIAL effect on the compression of a golf ball when struck. The things which accelerate the club head mass in a golf swing are: 1) lateral movement of body mass away and to the target; 2) rotational motion around the feet; 3) rotational motion around the shoulder joints; 4) rotational motion around the hands, and; 5) gravity. Of the five is the last two, allowing the club head to freely whip around the hands assisted by gravity which generates the most compression on a golf ball. Being able to transfer that kinetic energy on a vector which points to a pre-visualized target - on either straight line or controlled arc - is accomplished by shallowing and straightening the downswing arc using side bend.

[@paulrevere4326]

Love me some Jack!

[@kingshark4645]

magic, when u make the complex, simple as fk. thanks Jack, will work on this asap

[@marcparella]

You know you're a golf nerd when you are watching these videos while sitting in the golf cart waiting for your turn to tee off.

[@Jofishgolf]

the golden bear!! what a living legend!!

[@Prophecy23JC]

This is the first time I've heard of playing the ball off my front heel for anything but a driver.

[@brianreilly8661]

OK left heel for driver moving your right leg in as the club gets shorter making look like you are playing it in centre big jack wanted simple methods so he could concentrate on scoring he was the best winner but try it see if it works for you he did say in his book play around with ball position until you get correct position for your swing

[@bille9995]

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME! "GENIUS" THINKER AND PLAYER! And Jack hit the ball 300 yards before 300 yards was cool. And he did it with wood persimmon clubs half of the size of modern titanium clubs. Lee Trevino said it best. "Put modern clubs in Jack's hands back in his prime and Jack would have hit the ball 400 yards! 18 Majors is "still" the bar.

[@JoeSmith-gb4ng]

If you want to find the best ball position for you, video yourself taking several swings front view and play them back in slow motion. It will tell you where your swing bottoms out. Not instructor required. Still love Jack and think he was the best. Loved watching him growing up, along with several other players (Kite, Hal Irwin, Watson, Palmer, Player, etc.) Now that was golf.

[@handdle-h2o]

Boy an oldie but goodie. Jack is Jack, we're all different and need to experiment with ball position. Furthermore Jack was a left heel lifter and that was good for him (obviously) but many of us do not lift our left heel. Then again depending on the shot you want to play, high draw low fade straight etc etc ball position can be changed . If I were to play my ball where Jack was I'd be hitting high fades

[@moreme40]

In his book he said the fade was his standard shot

[@martywarner1779]

The Golden Bear... Legendary

[@aoxomoxoa88]

I think playing off the left heel only works, if you have a swing like his. He leans into his shots at attack.....

[@charlesking6584]

Jack is speaking the truth no opinions here boys...

[@quakecon2009]

This guy shot -18 at the masters over 4 days in 1964. Think of about that for a minute, the balls, clubs, wedges and drivers they had back then compared to today. Drivers today at at least twice the size of the drivers back then, balls and clubs go miles longer too with a lot more forgiveness.

[@Djsand1000]

if you have the swing type left heel is the way to go. That's what I do, all the way to like a 7 iron because it works for me.

[@dinobronson593]

even jacks bad shots look better then my good shots

[@webbdelasteve]

Glad this worked for Jack. I play almost everything in the middle or else I cannot hit it straight. Still hit my driver 270-80 and a 4-iron 200-210. There are no absolutes in golf.

[@jlar1984]

It’s whatever works for your swing. I guarantee you jack could hit the ball well from any position. Most golfers don’t have jacks swing so proper position may be different for them. Great players don’t always make great instructors.

[@Dreama40]

Except in Jack's case.

[@beatles373]

who is this Jack guy ?

[@Thegooob95]

The ball is supposed to be in front??

[@steveharris4343]

Playing the ball off my my front foot works for me with any iron.

[@bryanstock281]

It’s 2022 and nobody has beat his 18 majors. If Tiger can’t do it, who can?

[@jadesmith6823]

Dear Jack, I won't lie. I recorded when you said "how about that?" I play it to my wife on the vinegar stroke 🥴🥴😉😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@DMR4736]

now i'm confused; i just watched a trevino video where he says to play the ball back in your stance with shorter irons, not off the left heel; but then again, he was a holder, held on longer through the hitting area; , whereas jack hit every shot so high

[@lovetogolf4184]

+DMR4736 Off the left heel promotes a square club face at Impact for consistency, If you go to far back for shorter Irons 9-PW play the ball In the middle. When the ball is too far back it creates a steep angle of attack and U will hit it fat.

[@davidrosenfeld8576]

I think for a lot of golfers, it's sort of the opposite of what Jack says. Their poor setup/posture affects their effective ball position. In other words, even if they have a consistent ball position just behind the front heel, the way they set up to the ball is so inconsistent that one time it's too far back, another too far forward, or in general it's not good for the particular club they're using.

[@kingshearer2]

I don't play all my clubs off the inside of the left heel. I just play my driver from that position and gradually bring my ball position towards the centre of my feet as the club gets shorter. You would top alot of short irons playing them off the inside of the left heel.

[@brianmcg321]

kingshearer2 I know. Jack was well known for topping short irons. Oh wait, no he was well known for being the best golfer and winning 18 major championships.

[@stackleft8998]

no pro would tell anyone to play most if not all irons off the left heel. it worked for Jack, but wouldn't work for most golfers. He also held the club in his palm. Most players would never do this.

[@simplecarnivore]

If your topping short irons it means your staying behind the ball and not moving through it just like Jack said.

[@johnnypenso9574]

You have to pair this up with Jack's "one swing" philosophy and then a constant ball position works. Nowadays they often teach a different swing with the driver and/or woods off the tee vs. the irons and that requires different ball position. Jack hit his long irons high and soft and putting the ball forward in his stance helped facilitate that. As with any other advice you have to try it to see if it works with you swing mechanics and adjust accordingly.

[@ratm23471]

Why does everyone else on the internet say to move the ball up or down depending on the club!?!

[@donaldschmidt2990]

Is it any wonder that Jack Nicklaus is golfs greatest champion? Including Tiger Woods!! Almost every instructor tells a player to vary ball position based on the club being used. Jack says, "Play every shot from inside the left heel." Who is right? I'll place my money on an 18 time major champion. It makes perfect sense, because every time you switch ball position there is a chance of a small error. At the highest level that can be disastrous. Jack was the best and smartest golfer of them all.

[@ag358]

Bobby jones played all shots just inside the lead foot, it insured you were behind the ball.

[@georgesmith4639]

I love all these "ifs" and "buts" filled with excuses of why Tiger didn't surpass Jack. Tiger's situation was completely of his own making. But If you want to play the "if and but" game... If Ben Hogan's prime had not been interrupted by WW2 costing him at least 2 years worth of majors and "if" the left side of his body had not been severely damaged in that auto accident (also during his prime), and IF back then it wasn't such a time consuming expensive pain in the a$$ to play in the British Open such that Hogan had played more than just the one year that he won it, and if the time consuming ship travel to the Brittish Open didn't prevent playing in the PGA like it did back then, he would have won many more majors than either Jack or Tiger.

[@terryv9901]

Obviously, we don't know that for sure. That said, i couldn't agree with you more regarding Hogan's record. He was at the peak of his career when the crash ocurred. Regardless, he went on to win 6 majors after being told he would never walk again...3 of them in a row in 1953 Regardless, it is an effort in futility (or arrogance) to compare players across eras as to being "greater" than one another. Simply put, Hogan, Nicklaus and Woods were each the greatest players of their time. One may argue until blue in the face, but to say one is greater than the other is simply an opinion.

[@Dreama40]

Jack was a runner-up in a major 19 times and finished in the top three 46 times. Jack is the best golfer in history fullstop.

[@ag358]

If we play that game. Bobby Jones retired at age 28. Won 3 out of 4 British opens. 4 us opens 5 us amateurs and 1 British amateur that was when amateur was considered a major. That's 13 by age 28. He couldn't play PGA cause he wasn't a pro. How many majors some suggest 35. Plus he went months without touching a club. What if he practiced more. Hmmm

[@ag358]

And jack having 19 second place finishes is pretty awesome. What if.......

[@ag358]

Look I love Ben Hogan. But what if his car crash made him change his swing to a more controlled take the left side out of the golf course. What if he didn't have the crash and didn't make changes. Maybe his total would be a little lower. Bobby Jones retired at age 28. If he played another 10 years and turned pro so he could play the PGA. We could go on and on.

[@method341]

so who came up with the pitching wedge in middle of stance and 7 iron forward of it? Why make golf harder than it already is? greg norman said to play the ball in the same position as Jack Nicklaus. I'll listen to these two.

[@moreme40]

I have heard the driver is the only club where the ball should be played off of the front foot heel. But Nicklaus is the greatest golfer who ever lived so.....

[@boostburns5112]

moreme40 Really? Because he won more majors? Did he win more tournaments? Tiger was the youngest to win (24 years old) the career grand slam. Tiger got 14 majors quicker that jack. ( I think) He was rank number 1 a record setting 264 weeks. Tiger have more wins.Most of ALL Jack said he played a game he know nothing about. He is the only Golfer to win four majors in a row.. He won U S Amateur 3 times. Sir i don't mean to be rude but just because you say something DON"T make it true! The reason i am here is to get some advice from a pretty great golfer. lol

[@QMPhilosophe]

boost burns Pretty good golfer?

[@Veaseify]

boost burns All anybody cares about are Major championships, Tiger would have had more by now if he wasn't fighting his own demons and getting injured. Talent wise, he's probably the best ever but basic ability isn't all there is. Nicklaus was mentally tougher (he finished second 19 times as well as winning 18 Majors) - he didn't care so much about regular tournaments when they were playing for peanuts back in the 60's and 70's

[@boostburns5112]

anybody that don't know shit about golf only care about majors, just like babe Ruth he was the best of the people that where allow to play at the time. JACK SAID TIGER IS BETTER. I WISH ALL YOU TIGER HATING WHITE BOYS WILL GO AWAY. THE PEANUTS YOU TALKING WAS STILL MORE THAN WORKING A JOB.

[@Veaseify]

boost burns Hey, I said Tiger was better at his peak, he just won't beat Nicklaus' record in Majors and that's the first thing they will write in his obituary. Like Tennis Grand Slams your career is judged on how many Majors you win in golf...

[@billbright100]

I gotta hurry up and give you this lesson because K.C. and the Sunshine Band are in town tonight! :)

[@ForeverCello]

The reason Jack's advice on ball position works well for me is that is causes me to shift my weight and avoid those terrible fat shots.

[@79pretzel]

timeless, valuable lesson for all, even 'duffers' like me.

[@jamesadcock5235]

I think this is right u r told in the modern game to have ball centre of stance with irons. that never feels right for me

[@fpcrunner]

Every time I speak of either of these two I have to take a second to reassure myself I'm using the correct name. As a weekend golfer it's so embarrassing to make that mistake.

[@Jeff-tj4tx]

this technique works fine if you're active with your lower body and aggressively get to your left side at impact. if you haven't mastered that yet, you'll find yourself topping the ball on every shot.

[@ryans6265]

18 majors says it all.

[@lgood5122]

how abt that? Jack is Jack

[@boostburns5112]

think guys.

[@applemusclecar1301]

With short irons I play my ball in the middle of my stance. I never hit a fat shot again.

[@moreme40]

Any position other than off the left heel, messes up my aim

[@hdmydyna3981]

20 people who have never won a major.

[@brianreilly8661]

remember you move your

[@padstowphantom]

How about that!

[@AmericanFlyOnTheWall]

These instructors that tell you to progressively move the ball back in the stance for clubs shorter than drivers are arguing against the winner of 18 major championships.

[@ryanu3708]

Modern teachers take note, however, Jack by his own admission was a mediocre wedge, bunker, and short iron player. I always thought ball position that far forward with wedges was disastrous. I guess he made up for it in other areas. I mean he only won about a bazillion majors.

[@brianmcg321]

Can I get my money back on the app you ripped me off of?

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

I loved the book. My hands were exactly the same size as his--exactly. He was my hero. Then recently he broke my heart a little...😔😢

[@BeefyPreacher]

No one cares

[@mikec886]

How about that.

[@keithmiller7118]

Mhmmm..."how about that!"

[@kingshearer2]

He hit that last one into the trees

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

Let's face it, all golf teaching professionals are failed golfers. You can get what he knows and more by reading the right books. Like Jack's. The videos are a nice visual supplement. The swing isn't that complicated. Get the basic principles down, ignore all the junk and gimmicks, tailor what you learn to your body, and PRACTICE. Its simple, just hard to do.

[@JJ_C12345]

@swing... So your saying jack doesn't know what he's talking about? I mean, not like he's some pro or anything... (insert facepalm here)

[@slappy0077]

golf Jacks way....not my way LOL

[@TheN1pS]

Ever heard of a space bar..? Jesus

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

What ARE they teaching nowadays?! Does it make any sense whatsoever to create a slightly different swing arc for each club? Jack's completely correct here. The length of the club and it's angle automatically makes the adjustment. You swing the same each time.

[@Djsand1000]

I wouldn't say he's really leaning he's kind of exagerating his weight shift, he turns his hips so fast that it looks like a lean buts it's a weight shift I started golf with a similar swing but lost the crazy left knee movement on the back swing but I still have that "lean" that your talking about. Anyway ball position really is just a prefrence in each golfer I do what jack does just cause I feel that the club hit's the bottom of it's ark at that point and it's natural for me.

[@CaptainAndrewWiggins]

nice call. nobody knows who he is.

[@63Bueno]

this is bad advice because 90% of golfers never get to their left side in the golf swing...if you shift your weight properly, yes playing off the left heel is fine...If you hang back on your right side all day, you need a ball position in the middle of your stance with just about every club including driver.

[@LtHarryCallahan]

Maybe teeing the ball further forward in their stance ie. towards the left heel for a right handed golfer, will encourage those who hang back on their right sides to shift their weight forward through the ball.

[@63Bueno]

I caddy at a local course. Big end. I see 20 handicappers all the time, with the ball WAY too far forward and all their weight hanging back. They don't understand weight shift.

[@moreme40]

Jack is giving bad golf advice ?

[@ForeverCello]

@@LtHarryCallahan Hanging back is exactly what I do. This is why playing the ball forward works for me. It forces me to shift my weight.

[@timobrown4907]

So tou say its the same for every club? These older guys teach difrerently than todays ypunger oaks. Why?

[@markhagen7719]

Jack is the ONLY great golfer who played the ball off his front heel. EVERY other great golfer playes the ball in varied positions depending on the length of the club being used. Very difficult to play a wedge off your front heel. Jack could do it, but we're not Jack.

[@darrinlygrisse5287]

Wrong. You couldn’t be more wrong.

[@gaviscon999]

Classic case of pre track man/flight scope feel vs real.... At that time jack could only tell people what he feels he does in the swing as he doesn't have the technology to point out what he feels is happening isn't always reality. This is why Imo a lot of the old golf instructions now look silly and wrong compared to modern technique and teaching.

[@Romband1919]

I think jack doesn't want tiger to break his record of 18 major lol ... He's so wrong about this ball positioning hahahaha