The answer for me was to pick a spot no more than 2" in front of the ball - I'm a little prone to sliding, so picking a spot 4" in front was a bit much - it just exaggerated my slide.

The 'turning in a barrel' thing works very well for me (as I like to slide... old baseball habit) I spend plenty of time swinging beside the kitchen table (or workshop chair, or shaft stuck in the ground) making sure I don't bump it with my hip.