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Is a wider stance better for a driver?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 13, 2026

Wide For Driver. With a driver, it is best to stand with your feet a little wider. The extra stability and the width of the arc are going to help you get much more speed and a golf shaft that goes quite a bit further.

Should your stance be wider for driver?

Consequently, the most efficient width of stance should be no wider than shoulder width for most full swing shots, including your driver. With this width you will more likely maintain a dominant rotary force. This will lead to greater club head speed and better dynamic stability.

What happens when your stance for driver is too wide?

The wider your golf stance, the bigger the shift, and the more time it takes. When the golf stance is too wide, you'll typically be pushing off the right side, which will drive your hip into the ball and cause you to lose your spine angle in the downswing.

Is it better to have a wide or narrow stance in golf?

The widest stance should be taken with your driver, while the narrowest stance should be for putting and chipping. Because not all golfers look the same or have the same height and shoulder width, the stance may be different for each of us.

What are the advantages of having a wide stance?

1. A wide stance will help with quicker movement, side to side. You can cover the width of the table with a sidestep in either direction. If your feet are too close together you may need 3 or 4 steps to cover the same distance and this will slow you down.

32 related questions found

How wide should your stance be for a golf swing?

For your starting position, your legs should be shoulder width apart. If you are using a middle iron, this is your stance. Widen your stance for longer clubs such as drivers or woods. For short irons or wedges, bring your stance in by an inch or two.

Why do I hit the golf ball better with a narrow stance?

Narrowing your stance will allow for a better rotation in the back swing, which in turn will allow you to get your arms more around your body at the top, this will give you more chance of approaching the ball with a path to the right.

What is the perfect golf stance?

Your rear foot should be at right angles to the target line. Your front foot can be angled outwards but only slightly. Knees should be lightly flexed but not bent. Your body weight should be spread 50/50 between your toes and heels as well as 50/50 between your left and right foot for most shots.

Can a wide stance cause a slice?

A stance too wide will restrict lower body motion and inhibit weight transfer. This can cause the upper body to become overly active resulting in a slice or pulled shots, like you can see in the image above.

Why do I hit the ball better with my feet together?

Practicing with your feet together can lead to more distance. This drill helps you achieve extra distance by not swaying to the right as you turn and also helps with your inside-out attack on the downswing. Put the ball either in the middle of your feet or slightly behind that.

How far should feet be apart from driver?

4. Width of stance: Your feet should be shoulder-width apart. 5. Weight distribution: You want 50 percent of your weight on your front foot and 50 percent of your weight on your back foot.

Should senior golfers use a closed stance?

Senior golfers should also play out of a slightly closed stance. This means your stance will be aligned slightly to the right of your target. This will also increase your backswing turn. The swings that last the longest are the long swings.

Does a wider stance help in golf?

A stance just wider than your shoulders: Gives you a stable platform over which you can turn your upper body. Encourages your hips to stay level throughout the swing; the left hip is likely to drop when your stance is too narrow, causing mis-hit shots.

Is my golf stance too narrow?

If your stance is too narrow, you may tend to hit the ball to the left. This is because with your feet being closer together, you will have an easier time wrapping the club around your body. For a golfer that slices the ball, the narrow stance is a great fix.

Should you stand tall in the golf swing?

Standing tall makes it easy to turn through the shots and easy to turn in the backswing – it suits a lot of golfers. Jason Day and Rory McIlroy have very athletic postures because they work out a lot and this helps them really stand over the ball, but this type of posture might not be for everyone.

What happens if ball is too far forward in stance?

With the driver, most golfers play the ball too far forward and stand too far away from it. This might feel powerful, but it sets some bad things in motion. The forward ball position shifts the shoulders open to the target, which leads to an out-to-in swing and usually a slice.

Should shoulders be square at address?

GO: For most shots your body, including your shoulders, arms, hips and knees, should be square to your target line. NO GO: Your shoulders should not be open or closed relative to your target line. This causes an inside or outside takeaway path.

What pro golfers use a closed stance?

Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead both set up with a closed stance, and a golfer electing to play this way would be in good company! They are two of the most winning golfers in PGA history! The point is, no one stance is the right stance in golf, and golfers should test them all to find the best one suited to their swing.

Should hands be in front of ball with driver?

The ball should be positioned forward in the stance therefore you DO NOT start with your hands ahead of the ball at set up. Because the ball is on a tee, the driver will hit the ball on the upswing and your hands will be in the middle of your body at impact. Your hands will not be forward at impact with the driver!

Why do people CHIP their feet together?

“Hitting balls with your feet together is a simple and effective drill that helps you to harmonise the swinging of the arms with the rotation of your body. The key is to focus on these balance points and keep them all working together for the good of the swing.

What do you do with your feet in a golf swing?

How to Position the Feet in the Golf Swing

  1. Grip the club and step up to the ball with your feet together. ...
  2. Turn your left foot out toward the target about 20 degrees, relative to the target line. ...
  3. Keep your right foot square, or perpendicular to the target line. ...
  4. Proper foot position at the finish.

Should I lift my left foot in golf swing?

It's OK to lift your left foot off the ground a little. And current players such as Bubba Watson do it also. Lifting your left heel up will help you rotate your hips for a bigger turn in your backswing. So if you're struggling with power and clubhead speed, then let your left heel lift up a bit.

Should I open my left foot in golf swing?

By opening the left foot slightly you are in effect making more room for the body rotation to occur past the moment of impact. This in turn will lead to a fuller – and easier to perform – follow through.