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Why do pros stand so close to the ball?

Author

James Craig

Published Jan 24, 2026

Standing close to the ball helps players have a slightly Upright swing path and can help with being able to get the ball to stop on the green. In addition, a higher ball flight helps ensure that you get the ideal distance with each of your shots.

Is it better to stand too close or too far from the golf ball?

Standing too far from the ball tends to cause the golf ball to hook. Standing further away from the ball tends to promote a more in-to-out swing plane and also makes it easier to hit the toe of the club.

What happens if you stand too close to the ball?

When you are standing too close to the ball, you will swing with a plane that is too upright. This can tend to cause more of a slice or even shanks. Getting the club on a good plane will help you start striking the ball much more nicely. You will hit the ball straighter and further with less effort.

Should a tall golfer stand closer to the ball?

Stand closer to the ball and allow the hands and butt end of the club to be no further than three inches from the body. The closer the better. Standing too far away from the ball and reaching out will cause a low trajectory, cause a golfer to cast the club, come over the top and hit the ball on the toe of the club.

What is the proper golf grip?

How do you place your hands on a golf club? In simplest terms, you should have your 'lead' hand on the top of the golf club and your trail hand just underneath it. The grip should run down your fingers and palm in your lead hand, and the palm of your trail hand should sit just on top of it.

15 related questions found

Where should golf ball be in your stance?

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.

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 arms be close to body in golf swing?

PGA Tour player Jonathan Byrd always keeps his upper arms close to his body, which keeps his swing more compact.

Can standing too far from the ball cause a shank?

1 Position from the ball

Too far away and the momentum of the swing will cause you to lean into the ball through impact – again, the shank is the most likely result.

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.

How long should you stand over a golf ball?

The authors argue that a shot—from the time you set your lead foot, step over the ball and swing to the finish—should take eight seconds. This period occurs only after a golfer has carefully evaluated conditions, incorporated swing thoughts and narrowed his or her focus.

Why do I stand up in downswing?

Standing up at impact is the golf swing error that involves changing the forward spine angle during the swing, specifically at impact. First set at address, the forward spine tilt is meant to be kept intact all the way through impact with the ball.

Should you see the golf ball at impact?

Best advice; keep your eyes on the ball, but keep following it with your eyes and your pivot after impact. The Situation: You are not sure where to look when hitting a golf ball.

Should elbows be tucked in golf swing?

Your right elbow should be consistently tucked throughout the backswing and downswing, because that arm position will help you trace the proper swing path with the club. If you let the right elbow get away from your body early in the swing before trying to recover later on, it will be too late.

Which hand should dominate in the golf swing?

The left-hand dominant golf swing is known to be very powerful, and it will help correct some misses golfers have in their game. If you are a player who wants power and you like the classic methods of pulling the golf club through your swing, then left-hand dominance is the right idea for you.

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!

How do you hit a golf ball straight every time?

How Do I Hit a Golf Ball Straight Every Time?

  1. Grip the club. ...
  2. Place your non-lead hand on the club. ...
  3. Align your club head and ball with the target. ...
  4. Set your feet. ...
  5. Start your backswing, keeping your clubhead inside of the ball as you draw back. ...
  6. Hit through the ball.

What happens if you stand too upright in golf?

If your posture and spine angle are too upright, your swing plane will be too upright and this means that as you swing the golf club away from the golf ball, the club head will move too vertically up from the alignment pole.

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.

How far should your feet be apart in golf?

Your feet need to be shoulder width apart, with the weight on the balls of the feet. This will help provide good stability. Stand too narrow and you'll fall over - or subconsciously swing less to stay balanced. Stand too wide, and your body won't be as free to strike the ball powerfully.

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.

Do you use same grip for driver and irons?

Yes, you should use the same grip for all of your shots with the exception of putting. It is important to have a solid grip and one that returns the clubface to square whether you are putting, chipping, pitching, hitting bunker shots or making full swings with your woods or irons.

How do you hold a driver not to slice?

Grip the club in the fingers of your hand, and then your thumb should lay down to the right of center. If you put your thumb straight down the center of the shaft, the grip is too neutral and not great for fixing a slice.