One of the most neglected fundamentals of  any golf swing is getting the ball position correct at address.

Most golfers are aware that the ball position varies depending on the length of club they are hitting but often this change of position is overdone.

The only thing you need to remember about ball position is that the ball is placed in line with your left heel for the driver, just as Tiger Woods has done here. This is your starting point.

Photo: Matthew Harris/TGPL

The ball should move back in your stance for shorter clubs but just a little bit through your stance. Too many golfers overdo the change of ball position and by the time they get to the pitching wedge, the ball is lying in line with the right foot.

Remember this: you swing the golf club in an arc and the bottom of that arc – your divot point for iron play – needs to be just after impact. If the ball is too far back in your stance you will have to alter your swing arc too much to make a consistent strike on the ball.

The difference between the ball position for hitting a driver and hitting a wedge is only 20 to 25 centimetres.

If you are pushing or pulling the ball wide of your targets, the first thing you need to check is your ball position. If you are pushing the ball to the right (for right-handers) you might have the ball too far back in your stance. This position causes you to contact the ball too early and push it.

Conversely, if you pull the ball to the left you might have the ball too far forward in your stance. This causes you to pass the point where the clubface is square to the target and if you do not have the ball there, you contact it too late and pull the ball left.