Alignment trouble... Please Help!!

[kleraudio]

Im having a HUGE issue with alignment all of a sudden.... No matter what I do I cant line my club face up with my body line...

150, 100, 180, doesnt matter the distance, Im fading and drawing on accident and missing my targets. Tee shots as well.

Anyone have any tips on how to get back on track (literally)??

Thanks!

Jim

[WUTiger]

Possible problem areas...

- Parallel paths - Visual distortion

Im having a HUGE issue with alignment...

For alignment, you are working with two roughly parallel paths: Your body alignment (or toe) line and your swing path line.

If you are a right-handed golfer, and we use a classic Nicklaus-style alignment plan: * For a straight shot, the two lines ideally would be parallel. | | * For a fade, the toe line would angle away from the swing path line. \ | * For a draw, the toe line would angle toward the swing path line. / | You can work on this if you goe to Lowe's and buy two fiberglas driveway markers (pencil-thin poles about 3' long). At the range, use one to mark your toe line, and one to mark your swing line. You must coordinate both lines to align your swing properly, not just your clubface angle. Also: Humans tend to experience visual distortion when they look sideways. If you need a quick fix, line up for what appears to be 20 degrees left of the ideal target. This roughly corrects the side angle distortion. Angular distortion is why many pros recommend standing behind the ball to pick a swing path line, before you take your stance. This spring I saw an online bit on how visual distortion hurts alignment, but of course can't fine it now. Can anyone help on this?

[goblue107501]

Lots of food stuff from WUTiger. I think the parallel path is what gets most people. It can be very hard to gain that feel that you are not standing closed or open.

If you think that the problem lies not on the feet positioning, but on the club head, try this. Stand behing the ball and visualize the line that you want to go. Follow that back from the target and find something 10-15 inches in front of the ball to line up to. It could be an old divot, discolored grass, a leaf, just anything that is along the same path (if you are on the range, you could place a tee on the line). There are many people that can't see down an imaginary line and then line up along that path. If you pick out a target closer to you, it might help in ingraining the feel for properly lining up the clubface.

One other thing that I do I home, that doesn't even involve a club or a ball. If you have a floor in your house that is hardwood or tile or anything where there are parallel lines you can practice the feel. I have a section of my house that has hardwood floors. I will pick out a target (such as the edge of the sofa or the leg of a table) that runs along the lines made by the floor. I will then take a stance on the floor on the imaginary parallel line to the target. Because the lines are there, I know what the feel is when my feet and shoulders are square and parallel to a target. When I get out on the course it becomes second nature because I know right away if it doesn't feel right and I rarely line up wrong.

[microcrayfish]

If you're not sure what's pointing where it might be an idea to look at yourself on video or even just a photograph. When I had my first lesson I found out my feet were pointing way right of where my shoulders were and I had no idea until I saw the video the pro took. It'll probably be easier to fix if you know what's out of line and what's okay.

[kleraudio]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll go pick up some of those driveway markers tiger was talking about just to help me remember how to align correctly!

Only thing with alignment aids is they really really mess up my posture because I try to stand a certain distance from teh sticks!

Looking forward to working on this soon

Thanks

Jim