The question of, “how far away from the ball should I stand” is very common in golf.
There’s an old joke that if you have to ask the question you are standing too close to the ball…
After you have hit it.
Factors Affecting Distance From the Ball
There is no precise formulae. It depends on the clubs you are using including:
- Club length
- Lie Angle (angle between base of the club and the shaft
It also depends on which club you are using – you will naturally stand further away from the ball with the driver than you will with a short iron or wedge.
Of course, it also depends on your body configuration:
- Length of body compared to your overall height
- Length of arms
Let Your Body Tell You
Ok, so that doesn’t answer the question.
To get a starting position you should place the club behind the ball with its base flat to the ground and the face aiming to the target. It is useful to have some one help you here to get the feel for the position. You can do this on you own though.
Stand up straight in approximately you normal address position. Support the club with you right hand. Now bend from the waist and let your left hand dangle under you shoulder. Move your feet in or out to the ball until your left hand is able to take your normal grip with your little finger about an inch from the end of the shaft.
Remember, you must only grip the club with your fingers.
You should now be in a what is usually termed a neutral stance. Take a few shots and sense where on the club face your shots are striking. If you are hitting on the heel you may try moving an inch or 2 away from the ball. If you consistently hit off the toe – move back in towards the club.
If you find you are moving more that an inch of so either way you really need to get someone to take a look at your swing mechanics.
Do You Use Photos and Videos in Your Golf Improvement?
If you don’t already – it really is worth your while getting yourself photographed and/or videoed taking up you stance and playing your shots. It is clear from the image above that I am not bending from the hips sufficiently when playing the short irons. My arm is not hanging as vertical as I would like.
Oh well. Back to the practice range.