Your lie dictates the amount of energy you will transfer to the golf ball. So if you have a terrible lie you must swing more assertively down and through the ball. Similar to when you putt distance control is dictated by the length of your backswing. You should mirror image the length of your follow through to ensure acceleration through the ball.
Looking to anxiously see where the ball is going to land will actually produce poor shots, you will loose your form and the flipping of the wrists will typically reduce all chances of hitting the intended shot.
Ball position can be adjusted for the trajectory of the shot you wish to play. For a low pitch we place the ball back in our stance. For mid trajectory shots, place the ball in the center of the stance. For a high pitch place the ball in the front of your stance.