Drive the ball better by getting set up correctly

• By Kevin Sprecher, SwingFix Instructor
• Feb 22, 2013 7:00 AM ET

The driver is the most difficult club to hit because it is the longest, swings the fastest and has the least amount of loft. Therefore, any mistake is exaggerated, especially when compared to mistakes made with the other clubs.

So let’s start from the beginning -- the setup.

If there is a mistake in your ball position or distance from the ball you will have to make a quick and drastic move within your swing to recover from your poor setup.

The correct ball position should be anywhere from one ball inside the front foot to in line with the front heel.

It is much easier to change your setup from day to day than your golf swing.

• Kevin Sprecher

So playing the ball in one of the following positions will lead to poor drives:

• A ball too far forward in the stance causes the golfer to hang on to the club too long in the downswing in order to hit the ball with a square face. It encourages an out-to-in downswing path, and the result is a slice.

• A ball too far back in the stance causes the golfer to hang back, scoop, hit down on or top the ball.

The distance the golfer stands from the ball is just as important as the ball’s position.

The correct distance from the ball is one where the arms hang away from the body and the weight is evenly distributed between the balls of the feet and the heels. If there is any doubt, it is better to be a little too far from the ball.

The incorrect distance from the ball will lead to one of the following:

• Standing too far away from the ball causes the golfer to overextend the arms or lean in toward the ball, which leads to a loss of balance, a change in the swing path, heel hits, hooks and pushes.

• Standing too close to the ball causes a loss of posture, reduction in arm extension, loss of balance, loss of speed, toe hits, slices, low hooks and a change in swing path.

Always check you setup first when you start hitting errant shots.

It is much easier to change your setup from day to day than your golf swing. Furthermore, a poor setup will eventually cause you to change your swing.

Take an online lesson with Kevin Sprecher.