how far should ball be away from body

[the_har]

when using a wood, I place the head directly between myself and the ball (With toe end of head near the ball), take my stance, then place club behind ball. I make good contact and ball flight is straight. What i'm wondering is if the ball is too far away from my body. It seems like it. is there a way of determining how far out from the body that the ball should be ?

[laxgolf]

When addressing the ball with all clubs, you should be able to remove either hand from the grip and they'll hang right next to where they were on the grip. Not ahead or behind. Hopefully this makes sense. I swear by it.

[BowmanvilleJim]

I tend to agree with laxgolf on this. I find that when I start hitting the ball poorly that I've drifted further away from the ball. Once I get a little closer to the ball I start making solid contact again.

[goshawk]

I use the same technique with students. Take your regular stance and just before you pull the trigger, release your back hand (right for right-handers) and let it hang totally limp. It should be directly next to where it was on the grip. If it's in front of the grip, you're too close to the ball; if it's behind the grip, you're too far away and have to stretch to reach it.
Now, having said this, everyone's swing is different. Case in point: Jim Furyk. Everyone knows about his "querky" backswing with the club being almost vertical before being re-routed back into the "slot". What most people don't know is that he's very close to the ball, and during his downswing has to really turn the hips to be able to get his hands into the proper possition at impact.

[scan]

When addressing the ball with all clubs, you should be able to remove either hand from the grip and they'll hang right next to where they were on the grip. Not ahead or behind. Hopefully this makes sense. I swear by it.

I don't understand... could you perhaps elaborate?

[mclarensmps]

Basically, if you are standing ready to hit the ball, instead of taking a swing, release one hand (preferably the right one, for righties, and left one for lefties) from the club, and let that hand hang loose. If your hand (hanging loose) is closer to you than the grip - where your other hand should already be gripping the club from (that is, if your hand falls towards your body, and away from the ball) then the ball is too far away, and you should take a short step towards the ball to line up your gripping hand with your hanging hand.

If your hanging hand is farther from your body (that is, it falls away from you and towards your ball, such that it is now in front of your hand that is still gripping the club), take a short step back to align your hanging hand with your gripping hand, because the ball is too close to you.

(I hope I am right in trying to explain you laxgolf, and I hope you understood slightly better, scan)

[the_har]

When addressing the ball with all clubs, you should be able to remove either hand from the grip and they'll hang right next to where they were on the grip. Not ahead or behind. Hopefully this makes sense. I swear by it.

I never heard of this one. I'll definetly have to try it. Thanks

I tend to agree with laxgolf on this. I find that when I start hitting the ball poorly that I've drifted further away from the ball. Once I get a little closer to the ball I start making solid contact again.

The problem i had was that if the ball was to close to my body, i tended to slice (my plane was too upright). Does this make sense??????
But by moving the ball further out, my swingplane becomes less vertical. Also, i have stopped slicing and have a nice straight ball flight.

Basically, if you are standing ready to hit the ball, instead of taking a swing, release one hand (preferably the right one, for righties, and left one for lefties) from the club, and let that hand hang loose. If your hand (hanging loose) is closer to you than the grip - where your other hand should already be gripping the club from (that is, if your hand falls towards your body, and away from the ball) then the ball is too far away, and you should take a short step towards the ball to line up your gripping hand with your hanging hand.

If your hanging hand is farther from your body (that is, it falls away from you and towards your ball, such that it is now in front of your hand that is still gripping the club), take a short step back to align your hanging hand with your gripping hand, because the ball is too close to you.

(I hope I am right in trying to explain you laxgolf, and I hope you understood slightly better, scan)


this doesn't make sense. i can see it for irons, but not for woods. does this not lead to a more upright swingplane like irons? Then how would you produce a flatter swingplane?

Now i'm getting more confused

[goshawk]

One other side effect to standing too close to the ball is that you're more likely to shank the shot (making contact with the hosel before the face or the iron).

[mclarensmps]

this doesn't make sense. i can see it for irons, but not for woods. does this not lead to a more upright swingplane like irons? Then how would you produce a flatter swingplane?

I thought I just reworded the same thing laxgolf and goshawk said :P (I could have understood it wrong though).

[Biffm1]

I find my swing is slightly better if I reach just a little with my driver. My set up is probably similar to "the Har's" set up. I reach out with my driver at address so that just the toe is behind the ball....or I back up until the toe is behind the ball. My problem is that if I'm just a little too close I almost completely miss the ball, ususally topping it and leaveing a divot 3-6 inches past the ball's address position. Also by reaching slightly, I also find my swing plane to be "inside to outside", as opposed to the slice swing.

[Jake123]

One tip that instantly improved my game was releasing tension or tightness on my grip. It seemed to enabled my club to hit the ball flush, face on and reduce the occaions when my club face hit the ball on angle. Works for me....erg...most of the time, until I get too cocky and increase power. Seems a corelation with power and tense grip. Cheers

[Chambokl]

Before I start I just want to let you know that I don't know Goshawk and have never met him. I have been around this site for a couple of year and read lots of tips by him. Whatever he says is always the right thing. He will tell you how it should be done. Now it is up to us to work on it.

I was told the same thing last week. I am a 10 Hdcp but have always have a tendency to an outside to inside swing. The logic says back up a bit, but I was told to get closer to the ball and to get a stronger grip (should see 2 knuckles of my left hand). I mishit a few balls, pull a few, etc... but to my surprise no more fade or slice. It is hard to change your swing a little bit but in the long run it will cuts some stroke.

Goshawk, please continue to give tips they are awesome and even if sometime it just to reinforce what we are doing this is great.

Enjoy this beautiful week in sunny Ontario...

[the_har]

Before I start I just want to let you know that I don't know Goshawk and have never met him. I have been around this site for a couple of year and read lots of tips by him. Whatever he says is always the right thing. He will tell you how it should be done. Now it is up to us to work on it.

I was told the same thing last week. I am a 10 Hdcp but have always have a tendency to an outside to inside swing. The logic says back up a bit, but I was told to get closer to the ball and to get a stronger grip (should see 2 knuckles of my left hand). I mishit a few balls, pull a few, etc... but to my surprise no more fade or slice. It is hard to change your swing a little bit but in the long run it will cuts some stroke.

Goshawk, please continue to give tips they are awesome and even if sometime it just to reinforce what we are doing this is great.

Enjoy this beautiful week in sunny Ontario...

He comes highly recommended:) :) :)