Driver Setup (Distance from ball)

[martytilma]

I'm usually pretty good with my driver, but occasionally it becomes erratic. When it does, usually my issue is that I'm standing too far away from the ball in my setup which for me creates, a high week fade. If I move up and crowd the ball, I usually will hit my normal straight ball, which travels significantly farther.

My question is why does this happen? I would think that by creating a little more space between you and the ball it would become easier to have a in/out swing and let you extend you arms better in your follow through. Crowding the ball always seems uncomfortable to me, and I feel like I'm going to come over the top, but I almost never do and I always hit the ball much better.

[Cali]

when i stand too close to the ball, i hit a low weak fade. when im too far, I hit a high hook

[martytilma]

  Cali said:

when i stand too close to the ball, i hit a low weak fade. when im too far, I hit a high hook

That's how I thought it should be, but I'm totally opposite!

[James_Black]

This is complete guesswork so I could be way off.

if you stand far from the ball I think you take the club on a flatter plane, that might help a in-out swingpath.
if you stand close to the ball you'll have a steeper plane and that'll help a fade/slice.

But standing farther away makes you have a longer swing "arc" (is that the right word?) so you'll have less control.
standing a bit closer can help but standing very close will cause you to become cramped and there's a good chance you'll mess up.

[Ryanmal]

For me standing to far away from the ball is a sure way to slice.

I think it has to do with being able to swing down the target line past the ball. If you set up too far away from the ball you are already reaching to hit the ball and your arms aren't long enough to continue to swing down the target line after impact, the results is that you hit a slice because you are swinging on a more 'circular' arc in which the club head spends very little time along the actual target line. If you 'crowd' the ball you are usually taking the club away on a more upright plane, but you are also swinging down the target line for a longer period of time.

It is also harder to 'come across the ball' when you have the ball closer to your body, there isn't enough room!

[sean_miller]

Once I'm set up (posture, stance, hand and arm position) the ball just is where it is.

[martytilma]

  Ryanmal said:

I think it has to do with being able to swing down the target line past the ball. If you set up too far away from the ball you are already reaching to hit the ball and your arms aren't long enough to continue to swing down the target line after impact, the results is that you hit a slice because you are swinging on a more 'circular' arc in which the club head spends very little time along the actual target line. If you 'crowd' the ball you are usually taking the club away on a more upright plane, but you are also swinging down the target line for a longer period of time.

That all makes sense to me!!!

[CoolBreeze20]

  Ryanmal said:

For me standing to far away from the ball is a sure way to slice.

I would say the golf swing is an arc/circle, and the club doesnt spend hardly any time following the "target line".

[Fourputt]

  martytilma said:

I'm usually pretty good with my driver, but occasionally it becomes erratic. When it does, usually my issue is that I'm standing too far away from the ball in my setup which for me creates, a high week fade. If I move up and crowd the ball, I usually will hit my normal straight ball, which travels significantly farther.

When you are too far from the ball you have to reach to address it. Your hands get too far away from your body and it becomes difficult to maintain control of the clubhead and swing plane. Either that or you have to exaggerate your bend at the hips to reach the ball, and that amounts to the same thing. In any case it puts you in a position where it is difficult to make a proper turn.

[Ryanmal]

  Fourputt said:

When you are too far from the ball you have to reach to address it. Your hands get too far away from your body and it becomes difficult to maintain control of the clubhead and swing plane. Either that or you have to exaggerate your bend at the hips to reach the ball, and that amounts to the same thing. In any case it puts you in a position where it is difficult to make a proper turn.

I like that better than my explanation.

No matter how you think about it, standing too far away from the ball sets up a bad swing. For most golfers that bad swing seems to be a slice.

[Kieran123]

I stand further away than most of my friends, because when I am any closer I feel too cramped on the downswing and don't make as good connection.

And for me, it does promote a better swing path.