The invention concerns a feed system control method and apparatus that can calculate an accurate backlash amount and can accomplish highly precise position control. Position errors are calculated before and after a reversal in direction of movement of a slide 30, each from the difference between the position data of the slide 30 detected by a linear scale 25 and the position data of the slide 30 calculated from the rotational position data of the servo motor 23 detected by a rotary encoder 24. The backlash amount of the slide 30 is calculated from the difference between the position error before the reversal and the position error after the reversal thus calculated. Thereafter, when reversing the direction of movement of the slide 30, the feed speed during direction reversal is increased in accordance with the backlash amount.