Major aim improvement due to backswing check

[OhioBuckeye]

I'm sure most of you already do this but I've had an issue with aim and i think I finally figured out a major check to assist with this. on my backswing I'm now attempting to have my club pointing to the target at the point that it is parallel to the ground.

I did this at the range and my iron shots were going straight as an arrow.

Do others do this same check, mental point during their backswing?

OB

[Scottydoint]

It should be pretty close to being parallel to the target line, but not at the target. the shorter you clubs get, you swing shouldn't be as long, so the will be a little laid off at the top and not parallel to the target line, but would be if you lengthened the swing.

[ks8829]

backswing on the target line with the toe of the club pointing up. When I do this swing with irons and driver I hit it solid.

[Ryanrocksfender]

my instructor started having me do this i used to slice my driver and when he gave me that tip about keeping the takeaway straight and not let the hands creep inside i hit my first good drive!

[RC]

I think you are talking about the backswing when the club is starting back and you reach 3:00 O'clock, and not the position at the top of your backswing. If so, then there are four variations that fit within the standards of better swings -- I think of these as all within the zone of acceptability. These characterization are not just my own views, but something I've heard from some very good teachers. In all four cases, you want extension, but not overly exaggerated extension. And, you want to groove your swing so only one of the four is your normal shot.

(1) shaft pointed down the target line and toe up (the most advised position.)
(2) shaft pointed down the target line and but club face on the spine angle.
(3) shaft pointed very slightly left of target line and toe up.
(4) shaft pointed very slightly left of target line but club face on the spine angle.

A couple of things you generally do not want are:
(1) shaft pointed right of target -- this usually means the club worked inside too soon and leads to some over the top swings, or sweeping hooks.
(2) And, if at the top of the backswing, the shaft is pointed to the right of the target line (called crossing the line) -- you can recover from this and some fine players do it, but you need some compensating move to get back on plane. But what the heck, some great swingers are not on plane or look differently. Check out super long J.B. Holmes.

After looking at dozens and dozens of pros' swing sequences (such as you see in golf mags,) I personally think that some very long strikers of the golf ball have their shaft pointed slightly left at 3:00 O'clock, meaning the hands worked inside naturally but the club stays well extended and above the plane of the hands, and comes inside later than the hands. Still, the club is not going outside, but may look that way -- an illusion. And, several who swing this way have the club face on the spine angle. So, while "toe up and at the target" is considered optimal, some wide, full extension swings tend toward slight variations.