Where should the ball be in your golf stance?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 19, 2026
The ball position with the driver should be farthest forward, just inside your left heel, then move progressively farther back until you get to your wedges, which should reside squarely in the middle of your stance.
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.
What does putting the ball back in your stance do?
Control Trajectory. The most-common reason to play the ball back in your stance is to control the trajectory of your shot. In other words, when you want to keep the ball down closer to the ground as it flies, you are going to move it back in your stance.
How close to the ball should I stand golf?
The ideal distance you should stand from the golf ball is one where the butt of the club is pointing at your belt buckle and is about 6 inches away from your thighs. This should be the same for all clubs in the bag. It doesn't matter what club you're using, your arm position should be the same.
Where should a 7 iron be in your stance?
For each longer club, the ball position should move roughly half an inch towards your front foot (left foot for right-handed golfers). So a 7 iron for example, would be played a couple of inches off centre, towards your front foot.
36 related questions foundWhere do you line the ball up for each club?
For each of the longer clubs, place the ball about a half an inch toward your front foot. Place the ball slightly inside the front foot using a driver.
Why do I hit 3 wood as far as driver?
1. Players who hit their 3- or 5-wood as far or longer than their driver are typically using too little loft with the driver for their clubhead speed. You know, it's a funny thing with the driver and its loft compared to the other clubs in the bag.
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!
What should my driver lie angle be?
Most standard golf drivers are going to have between 56 and 60 degrees for their lie angle. The lie angle is the number of degrees between the center of the hosel and the ground line. This angle needs to be measured while the club is on the ground.
What is the correct body position for a driver?
Never drive with your hips lower than your knees. Your knees should be slightly bent, but your feet should still be able to reach the pedals easily for good control. Head/Neck: Your neck should be upright, with the center of the back of your head touching the center of the headrest.
How does tee height affect driving distance?
Does Tee Height Effect Driver Distance? The height of your tee effects your swing path into impact, especially with the driver. This, in turn, will have an influence on the spin that the ball will have on it. Teeing the ball up can help vastly reduce the spin on your drives and so increase distance.
How far does the average golfer hit a driver?
Here's an interesting fact: While PGA Tour pros hit their drives anywhere from 280 yards to 320 yards on average, and LPGA Tour pros hit their drives from 230 to 270 yards on average, most recreational golfers, according to Golf Digest, average somewhere around 195-205 yards with their drivers.
Should hands be in front of golf ball at address?
At address, your hands should be slightly in front of the ball – exactly where you want them to return when you make contact. Also, make sure your left wrist (for a right-handed golfer) is in a relatively flat, firm position.
Where does Tiger put the ball in his stance?
Woods points to the rear-most golf ball first. “When I set up to a golf ball, if I'm going to hit sand wedge, it's going to be in the middle of my stance,” he says.
Should hands be in front of ball with irons?
The grip and hands must be in front of the clubhead and ball. Many amateur golfers believe that the grip and clubhead come back to the position they are in during the setup. The hands and grip must move forward before the clubhead in order to properly compress and control the ball.
Is 300 yards a long drive?
This may come as shock to you, but 270 to 300 yards is a long way! The average drive on the PGA Tour isn't 300 yards. Yet, there's a group of Golfers – a massive group of 90 and 100 Shooters – that believe they can hit the ball 270 to 300 yards.
Is it better to tee the ball high or low?
As a rule of thumb, the higher you peg it, the more shallow your swing becomes, since you're forcing yourself to hit up more on the ball. Tee it low and the opposite happens: Your angle of attack gets steeper, because you'll instinctively swing down more on the ball in order to make contact.
What is the correct tee height for driver?
With today's large 460cc club heads a longer tee is almost always required. As a general rule of thumb for standard shots, half of the ball should be above the face of the club head. This will insure upward angle of attack and good control.
Can standing too close to the golf ball cause a slice?
Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path. Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots.
Should your knees be above your hips when driving?
The advice to raise your hips above your knees should be applied with great caution in a motor vehicle. Car seats dip down in the buttock area in part for safety, to keep you from being thrown forward in a collision. In an office chair, hips-above-knees works.
How Bent should your legs be while driving?
Your leg should ideally maintain an angle of approximately 120 degrees. A fully extended leg results in the knee locking-up which reduces the leverage and feel of the pedals, increases effort, and puts you in risk of injuries in a collision.