Tips for Tall Players

I am a golf professional who happens to stand six-feet, five-inches so I can certainly relate to the unique challenges faced by the tall golfer. I think that the most prevalent bad habit of a tall player is to move the body too much. The solution is to set the body in a more solid position at address. This can be accomplished by bending more from the hips and tilting the spine forward. The tall player should have some knee flex but should not feel like the knees are pushing downward. Imitate the position that you would assume to lift something heavy. The lower body should feel like everything is pushing towards its center and up. This will help you to stay level, which is a much better thought for a tall person then trying to stay down. Keeping the stance on the narrow side will minimize lateral motion and help the tall player stay centered over the ball throughout the swing. With this new solid base, the tall player's arms should feel like they are hanging directly from under the shoulders. The chin should be up enough to see over the left shoulder when turning to look to the target. If you are successful at positioning your body at address, the tall player will feel like he can swing the club more freely and aggressively without the body trying to move up and down. During the swing, attempt to simply get your arm swing to match your body turn. It is my experience that if you have your body in the right posture to begin the swing, you'll only need to concentrate on what the club is doing and not what your body is doing. Finally, when practicing, concentrate on approaching the ball and getting into the right posture as often as possible. Your practice will pay off, as you'll feel more comfortable over the ball. The result will be better, more consistent golf shots. Bob Beach is known throughout New England for his involvement with juniors and golfers with special needs. Information about his clinics and golf instruction can be found on www.braintree.com. In 1996, Beach was given the NEPGA Junior Golf Leader Award. In 1999 and 2003, he was the recipient of the Southern Massachusetts Chapter of the NEPGA Teacher of the Year Award. In 2004, he was named a U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Teacher and in 2005, he was honored as the NEPGA Teacher of the Year.