The last thing most of us think of when squaring up for our tee shot is balance. Without a doubt, this should be the very first thing on our minds. Without proper balance, all the swing fundamentals in the world will never allow you to hit a straight shot consistently.

The next time your standing on the driving range, try this exercise. Square up to the ball just like you always do. Pay close attention to the distance you are from the ball. Now, how do you feel. Do you feel like your reaching for the ball or maybe you feel like your a little to close. If you notice either of these things your probably not going to be able to make a true balanced swing. Too far from the ball and your gonna try to reach to hit the ball. This is going to set you up for a nasty little outside-in path and an ugly slice. Too close to it and you’ll be too inside-out and tend to hook it.

Step away from the ball, pick a blade of grass on the ground and set up to it. Don’t focus too much on hitting the blade of grass. Instead, focus on making your swing on plane and keeping perfect balance through your entire swing. Make sure your not leaning into or away from the blade of grass during your swing. Now, take note of the distance your body is from the path the club actually swept across the grass. You might be surprised how far this path is from the grass blade you set up to. If your swing was balanced, this should be the actual distance you should stand from the ball when you tee up. With a lot of practice, this set up position will become ingrained and you will soon have a balanced, consistent swing that will allow you to drive for show.

Source - www.bettergolfswing.org