Alignment: Misalignment is one of the most common errors in golf. If you’re not aligned at your target you must make a mistake to hit you’re ball at you’re target. Getting yourself into a routine is the first step to good alignment.
- Stand behind your ball about 10 feet looking down the line from ball to target.
- Pick out a reference maker about a foot or so in front of your ball that is on the direct line between your ball and your intended target. This reference maker could be a leaf, a twig or say a different color in the grass.
- Now, while keeping your eyes on your maker step into your address position, right foot first left foot second as you align the club behind the ball and at your maker.
- For most right-handed golfers the spot of misalignment is to the right of their target, so at first don’t get to alarmed that you feel your aiming way to the left of your target.
- While in your address position take a look at your target without raising your head up. The first secret here is to rotate your head and look at your target as if your head was on a swivel. The second secret is to not stand up as your head turns looking toward your target.
- Now trust that your alignment is solid and trust that you are pointing at your target. Your feet, hips and shoulders are all parallel to the target line.
- To check if your shoulders are parallel to you target just place a club flat to your chest and see where the club is pointing. The club will point toward your target and your balls intended flight path. The club face angle will dictate ball side spin. Knowing the 9 Ball Flight Laws would be a big help here.
- Now comes the easy part, hit your shot.
- The real key here is practicing your routine (step by step) on the range so that it becomes automatic on the course.
- If you find yourself not totally committed on the shot, back off and start over again.
You never see Professionals on any tour hit shots in a hurry or out of their routine, for the outcome could be disastrous.
