Tall Golfers

[$2 Nassau]

I stand about 6'3" and was just curious about how other tall golfers view things like weight shift, ball position, etc. I'm not sure exactly how to define "tall" but I won't get too hung up on that.

**For this conversation let's assume that we have all been fitted correctly for our clubs. I say that because I think there could be a lot responses such as "you may be doing that becuase your clubs are too short, etc".

I remember reading a tip from Ernie Els saying that tall golfers need to be especially careful not to put the ball too far up in their stance, because it can cause too much swaying/reaching for the ball. I put the ball up near my front heel for driver, but with a lot of irons it is just slightly ahead of center, even 4i or 5i.

Weight shift has always been an issue for me, I started out a big swayer, then over-compensated to hardly no weight shift. I've started concentrating on sliding my hips and it has helped.

Any other thoughts/struggles from tall(er) golfers?

And for the instructors on the board, is there anything you instruct taller golfers to do/not do as compared to other players?

[double_j]

6'2" here. I never really thought about my swing differently because of my height before. As long as your clubs fit and you don't have 'nonstandard' proportions of limb/torso, etc., I wouldn't think you'd really have to bother about it too much.

That said, I play the ball a little more back in my stance than is usually recommended for all clubs but this is more a function of my swing plane than anything else.

Maybe Ernie's advice had to do with players with shorter than normal arms when compared to their torso or those playing with standard length clubs?

[bkoguy07]

I'm 6'3" and I initially had problems moving it too far and reaching for the ball. Now I found a nice spot... One thing i did notice was taller golfers tend to hit the long ball a little bit easier? Maybe its just a coincidence..

[$2 Nassau]

One thing I forgot to mention is I read somewhere a long the way that taller golfers should be a little more at the hips at address. Even with fitted clubs, there is still a need to bend over a little more than the average player, unless you go add 5" to your clubs or something.

this has helped quite a bit and has flattened out my plane a little, I tend to be a little steep sometimes when my posture gets sloppy.

[MSUGolfer]

6'6"- I love swinging with my height just feels great to me at least. I find I play my ball position pretty much middle for every shot except really for long clubs I'll play it a little more forward. I think being a tall golfer you just have to embrace it and really try and make the most of using your long limbs for power.

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

I'm 6'2", and I used to play with fairly straight legs (not 100% locked knees, but pretty close). This meant I bent forward at the waist, and also slumped forward at the shoulders, in order to get the club head all the way down to the ground. All that forward bending meant I had to have my feet very far from the ball, and I didn't have a well-balanced swing. Also the slumped shoulders hurt my shoulder turn, which had various negative effects.

Recently I changed my setup position so I was much closer to the ball (now I stand where most people would probably consider "normal"), and I bend my knees a lot more instead to get the club down to the ground. I also now keep a flat back (shoulders relaxed, butt kinda sticking out). All in all, I think my swing has really benefitted (which will hopefully show up in the scores soon).

Anyway, realizing that I can just bend my knees more helped with a lot of bad habits that I had developed due to my height, and the need to make the club reach the ground.

-Andrew

[upah]

I'm 6'4" and haven't really considered it. Ball position is relative, so I wouldn't expect a difference in ball position for identical swings from a 5'5" golfer versus a 6'6" golfer.

With this in mind, I suppose that things could get confusing when talking about driver position. An inch inside the leading heel for a shorter golfer would likely translate to more than an inch inside the leading heel for a taller golfer, due to the probable wider stance of the taller golfer. As a proportion, however, I would expect them to be similar.

[Stretch]

I read somewhere -- quite possibly here -- that height is a theoretical drawback for a golfer beyond a certain point, around 5'10" I think, from a bio-mechanical point of view. Too hard to control the longer arc within the very minute tolerances required. Anyway, that's my excuse for sucking.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I read somewhere -- quite possibly here -- that height is a theoretical drawback for a golfer beyond a certain point, around 5'10" I think, from a bio-mechanical point of view. Too hard to control the longer arc within the very minute tolerances required. Anyway, that's my excuse for sucking.

Not from what ive seen. Every guy ive played with in am tourneys that was 6' or over just murders the ball.

[kpaulhus]

I read somewhere -- quite possibly here -- that height is a theoretical drawback for a golfer beyond a certain point, around 5'10" I think, from a bio-mechanical point of view. Too hard to control the longer arc within the very minute tolerances required. Anyway, that's my excuse for sucking.

Tell that to Dustin Johnson.

[KimboSlice]

Taller guys have longer arms and therefore can create a larger arc = club head speed.

Unfortunately, as a shorty, I have to accept the fact that if I want to put an 80% swing on my 6 iron, it's not going to go 190 yards, it's going to go more like 150...

[Leftygolfer]

I'm pretty tall, almost 6'2". I like being tall for many reasons, not just golf. Problems I have had are very typical. I've always struggled with having the hips going forward enough during the downswing and this is a very common problem. I also had issues taking it too far to the inside then coming over the top and hitting big pulls. This problem plagues me still. I learned how to cheat with aim and play with this move but it isn't the best way to play. I see lots of people do this that I play with of all hieghts.

But overall I see no disadvantage of being my hieght. If you are freakishly tall it would really make swing wieghts an issue since your clubs would be so long and feel so heavy but I am sure there are plenty of really tall great players.

[Gerald]

Hohohoho 6'9"+ overhere .... I hit normal distances, maybe a bit longer actually, but I swing my irons only about 3/4 to get there. Mostly I win the Longest drive during tournaments, but that might well be something to do with grabbing a 6* 48" shafted driver for fun.... concentrate on hitting it on the fairway about 330-360 yds from the tee as most of the 400 yds drives end well offfff the fairways.

6 iron average is about 165-170 yds. which I think is about a normal average.

My irons are 1,5* upright + 1 inch, midsize grips with two wraps of tape under.

But I had a fade for about 15 yrs.......

[bwdial]

I'm 6' 5" and I know what you mean about the sway.
I also know that I tend to get distance with an easy swing when other, vertically challenged players have to swing out of their shoes for.

[uttexas]

I'd guess that the tallest golfers might have a disadvantage with short, delicate shots around the green.

[Gerald]

I'd guess that the tallest golfers might have a disadvantage with short, delicate shots around the green.

Well in my case that is absolutely trough, I have to play all kinds of shots way back in my stance, to make sure I hit the ball first ..... maybe that is the main reason why I have become a great chipper over the years, the 8 and 6 irons are basicly a lot longer than sand and lob wedges.

[birdiedream]

The world's top 6 golfers are 6 feet or taller but the tallest is 6'3". I wonder if the average height of the pga players is around 6'0" or 6'1".

Tiger Woods61
Mickelson62
Westwood 6 0
Stricker60
Furyk62
Els63

[Gioguy21]

I'm a 6'3" guy and have never thought of hieght as an advantage/detriment. I'm not overly long off the tee, I average over 260 per drive and hit my 6iron about 180-185. I think in some cases it allows us as taller guys to swing easier b/c at the bottom of our arc (if we're swinging correctly) we're going to have some serious clubhead speed with what seems like little effort. Other than that and the need for almost always special ordering...that's about the biggest difference lol. As for ball position, I've always played an inch to two inches off the inside of my left heel (unless a punch, etc) pending on the club.