How Far To Stand From a Golf Ball

The proper setup and posture can make a huge difference in your game. One of the essential elements of a golf setup is the distance between you and the ball. 

Standing too far or too close to the ball creates all types of unwanted reactions. If you’re too far at the address position, it may cause a loss of accuracy and power, while standing too close leads to inconsistency and off-centered hits. 

In this guide, we explore the consequences of standing too far or too close to the ball and give you tips on finding the optimal distance so that you can improve your game. 

What Happens if You Stand Too Far From the Golf Ball?

Many effects result from standing too far from the golf ball. These can negatively impact your game, such as a bent-over posture, reduced distance, and lack of balance. Let’s take a closer look at each. 

Bent Over Posture 

Standing too far from the ball causes the player to overreach, which can strain their neck and shoulders. The proper address position and setup are two great ways to prevent golf injuries. 

By reaching forward to make contact with the golf ball, the hips will lean forward, increasing the bend in the spine. Furthermore, the player must flex their knees excessively, contributing to the bent-over posture and causing pain and discomfort. 

Reduce Distance 

You’ll need to reach farther for the golf club to make contact with the ball, causing an imbalance in your stance. At full arm extension, your club may strike the club’s heel, resulting in weaker shots with less distance traveled. 

Additionally, your arms may become stiff, negatively impacting your control and power. Being too far from the golf ball promotes a more upright swing, causing a steep swing plane. This impact means you have to swing down at the ball more, so you won’t leverage your body to generate power efficiently, resulting in a loss of distance. 

Lack of Balance 

It’s common to overextend the arms when contacting the ball. Golfers will tilt their weight forward - losing balance in the process - throwing off their weight distribution since they need to shift the weight onto their toes. What does this mean? No stable base. Without a sturdy base, generating enough speed and power from the swing is nearly impossible. 

A lack of balance causes players to lose their tempo and timing, leading to too-late or too-early shots. This lack of balance creates inevitable inconsistency in their shots since the swing mechanics are flawed. 

What Happens if You Stand Too Close to the Golf Ball?

Often, the most straightforward technique errors can lead to the most problems in your golf mechanics. Much like standing too far away, being positioned too close can lead to many swing faults that ruin the distance and accuracy of your shots. Below, we’ll cover the common problems of standing too close to the ball. 

Shanks 

Shanks is a shot in which the club hosel hits the ball, causing it to veer off to the right - for right-handed golfers. Simply put: it’s a complete off-center hit that results in a loss of accuracy or distance. 

When standing too close to the golf ball, the clubface becomes open during impact, and the swing path is too far in the target line. 

Your arms need room to swing the club down to impact properly. When standing too close, you’re significantly reducing your space and power. As a result, your hands will push away from your body, or your arms will be more upright. Unfortunately, this move causes the inevitable shank. 

Slices 

Slices can be frustrating since they result in penalty strokes, lost balls, or a reduction in distance. These shots veer off target in a banana-shaped curve to the right or left while traveling less distance than intended. 

Standing too close to the ball may cause you to change your swing path, resulting in a slice. For many golfers, the swing path becomes outside-to-inside, and the clubface has an open orientation at impact, causing the ball to spin out of control. 

Furthermore, it’s common to lose balance and have less room for arm extension, making it harder to achieve the optimal swing path. 

Heel Shots 

Heel shots occur when a player strikes the ball on the heel of the clubface. When the ball hits the heel rather than the sweet spot, it loses distance and veers to the left for right-handed players. 

When standing too close to the ball, your arms will inevitably extend past the address position on the downswing. This movement pushes the club out past the ball, causing heel contact. Essentially, you’d be making a more upright swing, which increases the odds of striking the ball at the heel of the clubface. 

Reduced Distance

Standing too close to the ball at the address reduces distance. Typically, the player can’t fully extend their arms on the backswing, limiting the force and power generated. This results in weaker shots that travel shorter distances. 

As mentioned earlier, standing too close often leads to mishits like shanks, slices, and heel shots, reducing the ball's energy transfer. 

So, How Far Should You Stand From a Golf Ball?

Good question. Mastering the address position is imperative for consistent golf shots. However, there are multiple factors to consider to perfect your address position and setup, such as having the proper stance width, knee flexion, arm extension, spine angle, and distance from the golf ball. Below, we’ll explain these factors in more detail. 

Stance Width

The perfect stance width at the address position will vary depending on the player’s swing style, personal preference, and height. Typically, a shoulder-width stance is ideal for most players, but some may prefer a narrower or broader stance for greater mobility or stability - about 12 to 18 inches between your heels. 

It’s best to experiment with width for the most balanced and comfortable posture. The correct stance width helps to provide proper balance during your swing to generate more power since you can shift your weight efficiently for maximum weight transfer. 

Knees

Getting your knees bent at the right angle helps you to maintain balance throughout the swing. This athletic posture is crucial for generating speed and force during the downswing. The correct bend in the knees also helps prevent golf injuries by reducing the strain on the lower back.

If you stand too upright without flex, getting your lower body engaged in the swing for power is challenging. Furthermore, the club will rest on the heel when you bend your knees too much. Ideally, you want a light bend with your thighs parallel to the ground to engage your lower body and sequence the remainder of the swing. 

Arms

At the address position, your arms should hang loosely at your sides with a slight bend on the elbows. Standing too close may cause you to move the handle up, affecting the lie angle, while standing too far means you won’t have a proper upper-body connection. Avoiding stiffness or tension in the arms is crucial since this can lead to many swing faults and injuries. 

Spine

The spine angle impacts the swing plane and the distance and direction of the ball. It’s best to have your spine slightly tilted away from the target, your chest facing toward the ball, and your hips pushed back. Maintaining proper spine angle promotes good weight transfer and body rotation leading to better distance control and more consistent ball striking. 

Distance From Golf Ball

The optimal distance to stand from the ball varies depending on many factors, such as the type of club used and the player’s arm length and height. Generally, the golfer should stand far enough where their arms will hang freely - but not too far from where they need to reach to make contact with the ball. 

In most cases, the perfect distance to stand is where the rear of the club is pointing directly at your belt buckle and six inches from your thighs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few answers to commonly asked questions about how far to stand from a golf ball. 

How Do I Know if I’m Standing Too Close to the Golf Ball?

The easiest way to evaluate your distance is by taking your setup and dropping your trail hand off the golf club. If your hand moves away from you, that means you’re standing too close. Your hand should hang level with the grip, indicating you’re at the perfect distance. 

Is It Better To Stand Too Close or Too Far From the Golf Ball?

The right distance depends on many factors, such as the swing type, height, and personal preference. It’s usually better to stand too close than too far from the ball. Standing too far makes it hard to deliver consistent shots, maintain a good spine angle, and produce enough power. 

Final Thoughts

Finding the proper distance at the address position is key to your golf setup. Maintaining adequate distance and space helps you to have a stable base and good posture, resulting in consistent shots and better performances. 

Having the correct setup is one thing, but getting stylish and durable golf gear and apparel can also impact your performance. Stitch Golf has everything you need to elevate your game. We’ve got a wide selection of golf apparel, accessories, and bags to help you feel more confident on the course - and in your swing. Shop Stitch Golf today!