Aligment help

[clonewars222]

I was at the range today, and someone I knew there helped me with alignment. I was aligning TO the target, which actually was right of the target instead of at it and parallel to it. When I started opening up my stance and aiming more left, I felt I was definitely a lot more left but when I put a club down and stepped back, I was aiming right at it. I need help with doing this at the course, however. Should I just use instinct and align at something left of where I want to go? I'm not sure...

[PhilsRHman]

I find that hitting a bucket of balls with alignment guide (a long iron on the outside of my ball) with regularly checking of my feet by laying the club down and then walking behind gets me more comfortable and trusting that I'm actually aligned right. Once I'm on the course, the easier way is to place the iron over my thighs (I've got the bad habit of opening my shoulders and hips at address, so this especially helps me stay square).

What I'm trying to say is, use the range to get comfortable with what square looks and feels like, espcially once you take your stance, look at the ball, then at the target. When you're really out of whack, you'll look up for the target and be startled at how open/closed you are. But once you're used to it, you can look at the ball, look up and know exactly where your target will be. I'm really careful not to think technically on the course, but if things feel especially out of whack, the quick club on the thighs move helps.

[Mark E. Wallace]

I agree with that first answer. Your practice on the range isn't just about hitting the ball and watching where it goes. It's about visualizing the shot, approaching the ball, setting up to it (including alignment, of course), etc.... Practice the whole deal until it's routine.

Heck...I've had such bad alignment issues that I actually keep an old beater 7-iron in my living room and practice my alignment using the tiles in my living room. They're nearly perfectly parallel. As geeky as it sounds, it works for me.

[clonewars222]

Can someone answer the main question though... should the club at the feet be slightly left of the intended target then?

[PhilsRHman]

Can someone answer the main question though... should the club at the feet be slightly left of the intended target then?

Yes. You should be parrallel to the line of the ball's flight. If you laid a club at your feet and that club pointed to the target itself, then either your stance is incredibly closed, or your club face will be aimed a good 10-15 yards right.

[ks8829]

you can create a pre-shoot routine that will align you to the target, you are correct that your feet should be parallal to the target line.

1) visualize the target line from behind the ball
2) set your feet together parallal to the target line
3) visualizing the target line open your feet to a comfortable width
4) check you alignment by placing a club down near your feet
5) stand behind the ball and see if you set up correctly
6) after you are successful with this static alignment have a friend watch you actually hit a ball, because sometimes you will move your feet before you hit the ball and your alignment is actually off.

[georgep]

One tip I've used is to stand behind the ball and hold your arms parallel out in front of you. You're right arm (for right handers) should point at the target, and that makes your left arm point at your "alignment" point. It's a little inexact, but it does give you a pretty good idea of where to align.

[iacas]

One tip I've used is to stand behind the ball and hold your arms parallel out in front of you. You're right arm (for right handers) should point at the target, and that makes your left arm point at your "alignment" point. It's a little inexact, but it does give you a pretty good idea of where to align.

Interesting...

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26517

[Joeyvee]

One tip I've used is to stand behind the ball and hold your arms parallel out in front of you. You're right arm (for right handers) should point at the target, and that makes your left arm point at your "alignment" point. It's a little inexact, but it does give you a pretty good idea of where to align.

Wow. That seems like an easy way to fix it. I appreciate things like that. Even if I look like a wanna be superman on the range/course. I have alignment problems myself, and I can't wait to try that tonight. Thanks

[Grndslmhttr3]

Wow, thanks a lot iacas and georgep. That analogy really helps it make sense.