I am sure all of you have seen the old joke showing the gentleman walking up and introducing himself to the golf ball, well thats not what addressing the ball means.

The power and distance you generate in your stroke is created by the distance you stand from your ball.

On a putt you stand close to the all and on a drive you stand farther away.

How far you stand from the ball is also controlled by the length of the club and the angle the shaft comes out of the head.

The driver is the longest club in the bag and the putter is usually the shortest, because you stand closer with the putter and further away with the driver.

There are a few things that are musts regarding the length of your putter:

* You should stand comfortably over the ball with your knees slightly bent, this also avoids stiffness.

* To maintain your balance during the stroke, the majority of you bend should be at the hips, not the waist. It puts your eyes and head in the right position over the ball.

* Balancing your weight evenly on your feet aids in a good stroke, eliminating a stroke that brings the club head down sharply on the ball or catches it on the upswing.

* Forming a stable base is accomplished by separating your feet the correct distance.

This is usually about shoulder length for most people. If your feet are too far apart this may cause you to choke down on your putter or bend your elbows to hit the ball.

Even if having the feet further apart is more comfortable, these are situations you want to avoid.

* Your arms should be straight, not stiff, and your hands should be under your shoulders.

If you are in the correct position, your hands should be a few inches from your lower body, just above the knees.

If you are in a proper stance you should be able to hold it for a few minutes without feeling and discomfort.