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Today, I want to share with you a quick golf tip that I recently sent to a reader that asked me a question about how far should he be standing from the golf ball.

This is a great question and something that I struggled with for a while.  Years ago, I followed a tip from a buddy of mine and I ended up standing too far away from the ball.  And I have to admit that it really screwed up my swing and my contact with the ball.

Sometimes it just doesn’t matter if you have great posture, a perfect spine angle and everything feels right at setup. As long as you’re standing too far away from the ball, you’re going to struggle hitting consistent golf shots.  From watching and talking with many golfers on the practice range, most golfers tend to stand too far away from the ball.  Most  stand too far awy because they have a fear of shanking the ball off the hosel or hitting a fat shot. But the intersting thing is,  standing too far away can actually cause those kinds of shots due to having to overcompensate and lunge toward the ball during the swing.

So, how do you know how far is too far?

Here is a simple tip.  Begin by addressing the ball as you normally would,then place one of your headcovers under your right underarm.  Hold it snug, and try and keep it there during the start of your backswing.  If the headcover falls from your underarm before you reach the end of your backswing, then you know you’re standing too far from the golf ball. If the headcover stays put, you’re setup just right. 

The arms should be free of tension, hanging naturally from the shoulder sockets. Any overextension will cause not only inconsistent golf shots, but may also put strain on your lower back. 

You will also notice that the length of your golf club also determines the length between you and the golf ball.

Also, anytime you are on the golf course and you feel you may be standing too far from the ball, back away and take some practice swings with this simple drill with a headcover until you feel more comfortable. Then set up to the ball and swing away!

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