Can standing too close to the golf ball cause a slice?

Standing too close to the golf ball can cause a slice, a type of golf ball that curves dramatically in flight from left to right, for a right-handed golfer and vice versa. It is usually the result of a mishit commonly faced by amateur and high handicap golfers. However, very few players do it intentionally.

Most golfers start playing with a slice (or a hook) or a light fade. Standing at a wrong distance from the golf ball is one of the reasons that cause a slice. A slice can result from posterior pelvis tilt, the abdominals contraction, an incorrect weight transfer, or the internal rotation of the shoulder, all due to the incorrect distance from the golf ball.

One of beginners’ most frequently asked questions is whether standing too close to the golf ball causes a slice. This is not a trivial question since the right balance to execute the swing with the greatest control and strength and a correct alignment concerning the target depends on the correct positioning of your body.

Let’s discuss how standing too close to the golf ball causes a slice and what can be done to correct it!

Can Standing Too Close to the Golf Ball Cause a Slice, Yup.

Standing too close to the ball results in a bad posture, balance loss, reduction of arm extension since it does not give you enough space and a change in swing path resulting in a slice. It makes you lose your balance, and your weight is not evenly distributed on the feet, resulting in inconsistency. If you stand too close to the ball, you tend to stand on your heels, losing balance. The opposite goes for standing too far. If the ball is too far, you bend and stretch to reach the ball, putting all your weight on your toes.

stand closer to golf ball

When you mount the club, the proper distance from the ball allows you to know where to place it, without looking, in about the right place comfortably. The correct distance gives you stability and is characterized by keeping the back straight, the knees slightly bent and the feet apart with the ball between them. The ideal for a beginner player to learn to achieve a good stance and the right distance is to attend some golf classes taught by a teacher.

In general, taller players have to bend more at the waist and position themselves a little closer to the ball (taking a more vertical swing). The shorter players tend to lean less on the ball, remaining somewhat further away (swinging slightly lower).

It’s all about the balance that should be in the midfoot. Standing too close to the ball results in losing balance at the moment of impact and during the crossing, and it becomes impossible to put the ball where you want.

Another reason that causes a slice is the orientation of the clubface at impact. Initially, it was believed that the trajectory of the clubhead determined the ball’s initial direction at the moment of impact and that the clubface orientation influenced the lateral effect of the ball.

However, new technologies have shown the opposite. It has been found that the orientation of the clubface determines the initial direction of the ball at impact and not the clubhead’s trajectory. The effect is imparted based on the difference between the clubhead trajectory and the clubface orientation at the same time; the bigger the difference, the more pronounced the effect.

It is necessary to reduce the gap between the direction of the clubface and the clubhead path as much as possible to have a minimum effect.

In general, the slicing player (for example, right-handed) has a clubface oriented more towards the objective at impact. Therefore, the ball is in line, but their club path is oriented to the left! And it is the gap between these two directions giving the ball a very pronounced effect towards the right of the objective.

How to Correct the Slice

Correcting the slice of your ball is not always easy when you start, especially when you are alone with your problem. The more your golf ball goes slice, the more you try to make it go to the left and the more it turns to the right. It gets worse and worse!

stand closer to golf ball

You might have come across these frustrating situations on the course. And yet, it is a trajectory that is quite easily corrected when the cause has been found. This correction does not require a lot of training time, and you just need to fix it either by modifying your swing or your distance from the ball.

If it is the distance, you need to correct it considering some aspects. You are at the proper distance from the ball when your knees are a bit bent (just a little), adopting a semi-sitting posture as if you were to lean on a high chair. The weight will be distributed evenly on your feet soles (between the heel and the ball of each foot). In turn, the back leans towards the ball from the hips, keeping it as straight as possible but comfortably and pulling the buttocks out a little. In this position, the arms should fall from the shoulders comfortably, without tension; the left straight but not rigid; and the right, relaxed at the elbow.

Our Final Thoughts!

Now you know that why standing too close to the ball can cause a slice, a not-so-appreciated shot in golf, often associated with beginners or amateur golfers. But with the right posture and the right distance, you can avoid it. All it takes is more practice until you realize the right stance distance according to your height. Do not forget to share this information with your golf mates, and let us know if the information worked.

Travis
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