Stand closer to the golf ball - Benefits, Golf instruction

Updated on June 22nd, 2023 at 10:58 am

One of the most difficult parts of being a great golfer is knowing where to stand. Having your setup perfect is quite difficult, and it can take time to learn.

If you want to make a perfect golf swing, your stance, setup and grip need to be perfect. There are several benefits to standing closer to the ball. Let’s look at the benefits of standing closer to the ball at address and what it can do for your golf game.

There are three major benefits to standing closer to a golf ball;

More body involvement
Higher ball flight
A lower chance of coming over the top

As long as you are standing the proper distance from the ball and you have not gotten too close, the benefits of standing closer to the golf ball at the address position will far outweigh the negatives.

More Involvement of The Entire Body in the Golf Swing

A major issue that recreational golfers make in their golf swing is that the body movements use too much of their upper body including the hands, wrists, and arms more than they should.

Instead of incorporating the lower body and learning to play golf with the interaction of your entire body core working together, so many golfers try to hit the ball with their arms.

The problem with this is that the swing path and ball striking is not consistent. Players end up playing golf great one day and very poorly the next. However, when you stand closer to the ball, you have no choice but to turn your shoulders and involve your body to get a better hit. with an increase in club head speed.

Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect swing of the Golf club, but standing closer to the ball allows you to ensure that all parts of your body are incorporated into your turn and create a better Angle of attack.

When you turn your body in your swing, you will generate power properly and have much greater balance.

Higher Ball Flight

Standing closer to the ball can help golfers that tend to get their swing plane too flat. With flatter swings, you will not get the ball flight you need. 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. When you stand too far from the ball, the swing plane will be shallow, and you may get a flat swing shot that goes left and rolls for a long time.

Although getting the golf club too upright can be a problem, there is certainly something to be said for getting higher ball flight and stopping the ball on a Golf green.

Lower Chance Of Coming Over The Top

Many golfers struggle with the golf club coming over the top. Essentially, this means that your golf club gets on a plane that is a bit outside, and you come down and across yourself as you make contact with the ball.

Even with the body correctly aligned in the proper stance, an over the top swing will impact the ball flight and the direction. However, when you stand a little closer to the ball, you will find that you get more distance and a lower chance of coming over the top on your downswing.

Players tend to have a better feel for when the golf club is in their backswing, and it helps them stay more connected throughout the entire swing and prevent a loss of balance. If you struggle with coming over the top, see if standing a little closer to the ball can end up helping.

Are There Negatives To Standing Too Close To A Golf Ball?

Even though we have given you these important benefits of standing a bit closer to the ball, there are, of course, negatives if you take this concept to the extreme. Standing too close in your golf setup will sometimes feel as though you are handcuffing yourself.

This can lead to shots where you hit the ball on the hosel of the club or struggle to maintain your balance and swing posture. Many golfers struggle to find the perfect stance and a comfortable posture for their feet, hands, arms, and head.

One of the great things about the stance and determining if you need to stand close or far from the ball is that it is easy to practice and drills. When you are on the range working on your swing, simply take three golf balls and stand with one where you think you are neutral. For the next one, stand a little further away from the ball, and for the last one, get closer to the golf ball.

Try this with a shorter club in your hand and try not to change the ball position, or it could impact the results. As long as you have not created an upright swing and can turn freely, standing close should allow for better ball striking.

Additional links on AEC Info:

Frequently Asked Questions

The stance and setup are some of the most frequently discussed issues in the golf game. This is because everyone wants to ensure that they are setting themselves up for the perfect golf swing.

Why Do Pro Golfers Stand Close To The Ball?

Professional golfers like Adam Scott and Tiger Woods stand close to the golf ball because they know this is the position they can get the most consistency in their golf shots. Professional golfers need to worry about their consistency and ball striking, and therefore they need to stand as close as possible to ensure the most golf ball benefits.

Correct Distance to Stand from Golf ball

The correct distance to stand from a golf ball is where your hands can hang naturally, and you can swing freely without feeling your body blocking your turn or rotation. For each player, the proper golf posture and position is going to vary slightly. Part of what makes golf so difficult is that there is no exact distance or direction to get yourself into a perfect position and be able to play great golf.

Should I Stand Further Away With A Driver?

A golf driver is considerably longer than a Golf iron. You will need to stand further from the ball when hitting a driver. If you stand too close to the ball with longer clubs, you may find that your golf shots are too upright or slice to the right. As clubs get longer, they start to move further away from the ball.

Conclusion

The most important thing about the ball position in the golf swing is ensuring that you are comfortable with where you stand. As soon as you feel uncomfortable, you will feel a lost a balance and hit some horribly inconsistent shots.

Ensuring that you are in the right position will allow both beginner golfers and professionals to incorporate all of the body parts into the swing and hit the ball much more smoothly.

For more information be sure to visit AECinfo.org and be sure to check out the our extremely popular post on Golf tips for beginners.

What are the benefits of standing closer to the golf ball?